Known for its natural beauty and the world’s highest tides, New Brunswick is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts — and autumn is an ideal season to explore. One of Canada’s three Maritime Provinces, New Brunswick borders Maine and offers an abundance of fresh seafood and dramatic coastline. Include a guided sunrise kayak trip such as Breakfast with the Seals, which paddles from the Kennebecasis River to Sea Dog Cove. After the paddle, enjoy a headlamp hike through Nature Trust’s Sea Dog Cove Nature Preserve on the Kingston Peninsula. Learn about the local ecosystem and wildlife while having breakfast outdoors and watching resident seals play in the cove.
Miscou Island showcases impressive fall colors, with nearly half the landscape made up of peat bogs that mirror changing foliage. There are several great vantage points to take in the scenery: beaches at Plage de Miscou near Miscou Harbour, Plage Isle Miscou on the island’s western shore, and Plage de découvertes along the eastern side. At the island’s tip stands the historic Miscou Island Lighthouse, a wooden octagonal tower in operation since 1856 that has guided ships and crews for generations.
© Tourism New Brunswick
For anglers, Miramichi Bay is a top autumn destination. Outfitters such as Miramichi Bay Outfitters run guided trips to fish for salmon, striped bass, sturgeon, smallmouth bass and musky as these species move into the bay in cooler months. Full-service river and bay tours typically provide safety gear, fishing tackle and the expertise of an experienced captain with decades on the water.
If you’d prefer to watch marine life rather than catch it, whale-watching excursions continue through mid-October. St. Andrews operates tall-ship cruises aboard the Jolly Breeze, a steel replica inspired by the Jolie Brise of Le Havre, which sails through Passamaquoddy Bay on 3.5-hour voyages to look for minke, humpback and fin whales, as well as North Atlantic right whales. For a faster, closer experience, Zodiac Whale Adventures offers a 2.5-hour V.I.P. speed vessel tour that uses a rigid-hulled Zodiac to enter the Bay of Fundy, increasing your chances of spotting whales, porpoises, seals and other marine life.
Autumn in New Brunswick brings cooler air, vivid foliage and quieter trails and waterways, making it an excellent time to enjoy outdoor activities. Whether you’re kayaking at sunrise, walking peat bog boardwalks on Miscou Island, fishing in Miramichi Bay, or watching whales in the Bay of Fundy, the province’s varied coastline and protected natural areas provide memorable experiences for nature lovers and photographers alike.