The Charming Town of
Saint Andrews, New Brunswick
Canada
The charming town of St. Andrews-By-The-Sea is located in New Brunswick and it is a quintessential town to say the least and an absolute must visit! It is one of the oldest settlements in the province and has a rich history being Canada's oldest seaside resort village. The town is located on the famous Bay of Fundy and is packed with fun activities for every season. I had the opportunity to visit in 2019 and was so happy I did because the weather was lovely and I was able to spend my entire time doing what I love most which is spending time outside and exploring everything the town has to offer.
I will be sharing what I got up to during my stay and focusing on some highlights incase you decide to plan on visiting, which I highly recommend you do. The waterfront town is located at the southern tip of New Brunswick, Canada on the Passamaquoddy Bay which is an inlet to the Bay of Fundy! Saint Andrews is a national historic site of Canada that has traditional British Colonial Architecture which I found brought a endearing charm to the area.
When to visit: There are many fun activities during any season so I believe this is a personal preference but I loved visiting when it was warm! I was able to visit Kingsbrae Gardens and catch all the flowers on the property in bloom and I was able to enjoy a whale watching tour and saw so much marine life as it was peak season. The whales come specifically to the area to birth their young in the summer months and it was the highlight of my trip to see them! The warmest time to visit is between June to August and it the ideal time to visit in my opinion.
We had the opportunity to do a thrilling whale watching tour through the Jolly Breeze and saw not only whales but seals, porpoises, bald eagles and so much more! It was a once in a lifetime experience and one I will never forget. I took a ride on the historic Jolly Breeze Tall Ship and overall had such a wonderful afternoon taking in the views, seeing all the marine life and chatting with people from all around the world who were visiting the area for this experience alone.
We spent a couple of hours cruising around the Bay of Fundy which has the world's highest tides which happen twice daily and at different times depending on the time. The tides rise and fall anywhere between 30 to 45 feet! It Is pretty incredible to see the difference in the tides and how it affects the surrounding area. Some boats would dock close to shore and throughout the day you would be able to see them lounging on the seabed. The captain and staff were very knowledgeable and taught me a lot about the tides and of course, the whales! It was a treat to see the humpback whales diving in the waters and be free in their natural environment. The entire experience was very rewarding.
If you are more of an adventure seeker, there was an option to take their high-speed zodiac jet boat that goes faster and further offshore. I heard it is a lot of fun so I am excited to try it on my next visit. The experience overall was really amazing and included warm drinks, yummy snacks and cozy seating. My fiancé and I had big grins on our face throughout the entire day :)
Where to Stay:
I stayed at the famous Algonquin Resort which has been around since 1889 and was once visited by the The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana on their Canadian Tour in 1983. The luxurious resort is a perfect holiday retreat for families and couples. There is a beautiful 18-hole seaside golf course on-site and the rooms have been upgraded and have a fresh and modern feel. The character throughout the resort was our favorite feature. The Algonquin Resort has a reputation for being haunted and even offers nightly ghost tours where you can learn about the watchmen, the wailing bride and the helpful bellhop- all friendly ghosts of course!
The resort has all top notch amenities including an indoor and an outdoor pool, a full service rejuvenating spa and a state of the art fitness center. Some of my favorite meals of the trip were right at the resort including a delicious breakfast we treated ourselves to in bed! The crispiest potatoes and perfectly cooked eggs paired with fresh orange juice was the best way to start our day. We also dined at the Braxton's Restaurant & Bar and enjoyed local seafood. I highly recommend treating yourself to a lobster roll if you plan on visiting which just melted in your mouth.
One of the first things I did after checking in was rent one of their complimentary bicycles and explored the grounds and also the downtown area. The historic Main Street located right off the water has anything you could ask for when visiting a small resort town, With colorful buildings, local eateries and fun souvenir shops. The town has a charming feel and hosts fun community events throughout the year.
Things to do:
I had the opportunity to visit The Kingsbrae Gardens and was so happy to see the gardens in full bloom! The multi-award winning garden was breathtaking and featured several gardens inside with different themes each having different things to offer. As you walk through the gardens you will find a large array of different flowers, fruit trees and ornate sculptures. The sound of birds chirping from every corner makes for a setting out of a story book. One of my favorite areas of the gardens was the Scents and Sensitivity Garden which was designed specifically for people with special needs. There is just so many thoughts and details that went into it and it was really special. At around lunchtime every day, you can spot alpacas freely grazing on the main lawn which was a special treat. The gardens were family friendly and there was a lovely cafe on-site where you could enjoy lunch. I did not have the pleasure of enjoying a meal here but heard they have delicious desserts including a giant ice cream sandwiches!
Shopping:
Shopping in the downtown area is a very fun activity as well as the souvenir shops have many unique gifts and there are different cafes and coffee shops to enjoy and explore. I also very much enjoyed the different murals throughout the town. They were done in such a beautiful way.
Ministers Island:
An absolute must when visiting the area is visiting Ministers Island. You can get there by walking across or driving across at low tide although make sure to check the tide schedule so you do not get trapped! A little running joke in the area :-) The island is about 500 acres and at one point belonged to Sir William Van Horne who oversaw the Canadian Transcontinental Railroad. The "island" is truly beautiful in a raw and natural way. You are able to visit the Van Horne's spectacular 50-room summer home and picturesque barn that remains on the property. We took a drive around the island and spent a afternoon taking in all the views. There were beautiful horses that I immediately fell in love with and couldn't take my eyes off of. There was something about this area that felt like you were stepping back into time. Turtle Jeep Adventures offers a fun jeep ride that takes you around the island and ends off with a hike nearby.
Overall I had a wonderful time visiting Saint Andrews, New Brunswick and would love to return one day. It is the perfect escape if you are craving visiting a small picturesque seaside resort town. Thank you for Tourism New Brunswick for hosting me and as always, all my opinions are genuine and my own.
