Bay of Fundy

The variation between low and high tide around Alma Beach, is so spectacular that tourists can wander around three-quarters of a mile over the tidal flats to the ocean's edge--then kayak the entire way a couple of hours afterwards, when 100 billion tons of sea water have raced back in, producing a roar during mid-tide referred to as the "voice of the moon." You will find plant fossils millions of years old inside the ancient sandstone rocks at the ocean's edge. And just offshore, an endless number of migratory shorebirds feed on crustaceans trapped by the ocean's retreat at low tide. It's truly a bird watchers paradise!

Folks wanting landscapes with a lot less effort could take the Fundy Coastal Drive from St. Stephen to Aulac, driving among not just natural beauty but a few pretty neighborhoods at the same time, like the 19th-century small town of St. Andrews featuring its notable Fairmont Algonquin Hotel. Built in 1889 to lure wealthy travellers away from the city's scorching heat, the Algonquin is known as a manor-style gem, which has a red-tile rooftop and ocean views on the upper floors. If you'd favor something smaller, the Kingsbrae Arms is always rated among the area's top hotels. Built in 1897, there are only 8 rooms, all appointed with upscale good taste and offering splendid sights of the Bay of Fundy. Next door, the Kingsbrae Garden gives you twenty-seven acres of flowers and scenery.

By far the most photographed Bay of Fundy landmark is located northeast of the national park. The Hopewell Rocks ("The World's Most Famous Flowerpots") are a number of enormous boulders capped by trees and made concave towards the bottom by decades of tidal erosion. Local Mi'kmaq legend has it that the boulders were once men enslaved by whales. After they tried to escape the furious whales transformed them into rock.

Want to know more? Check out these reasons to visit the Bay of Fundy