New Brunswick Day falls on Monday, August 3, 2026, which means most of the province gets a four-day stretch (Friday, July 31 through Monday, August 3) to work with if you take one extra vacation day — or a solid three-day weekend if you don’t. Either way, it’s the best excuse of the summer to get out and actually see the province.
This itinerary is built around a loop that starts in Fredericton, dips down to the Fundy coast, and swings back up through the Acadian shore — hitting the highest tides in the world, a flowerpot-shaped rock formation, a coastal resort town, and a national park along the way. Adjust the pacing depending on where you’re starting from, but the order works well as a clockwise loop.
Day 1: Fredericton to the Fundy Coast
Morning — Fredericton Start with a walk along the Saint John River boardwalk and a coffee downtown before hitting the road. If you have an extra hour, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery is worth a quick visit — it’s small enough to see properly before noon.
Midday — Drive to Hopewell Rocks (about 2 hours) Head south toward the Bay of Fundy. Time your arrival around low tide if you can — this is when you can actually walk on the ocean floor among the famous “flowerpot” rock formations. Check the tide tables before you go, since the timing shifts daily and the whole point of the stop is walking where the water was a few hours earlier.
Afternoon — Fundy National Park From Hopewell Rocks, it’s a short drive to Fundy National Park. Even a couple of hours here is worth it — Dickson Falls is an easy, well-boardwalked trail through mossy forest, and the park has coastal lookouts if you’d rather just sit and watch the tide come back in.
Evening — Alma The tiny village of Alma, right at the park entrance, is the natural place to stay the night. Grab fish and chips at one of the wharf-side spots and watch the fishing boats settle onto the mudflats as the tide drops.
Day 2: Along the Bay of Fundy to St. Andrews
Morning — Saint John Drive west into Saint John and check out the Reversing Falls Rapids, where the tide is strong enough to reverse the flow of the Saint John River twice a day. The Saint John City Market, one of the oldest continuously running farmers’ markets in North America, is a good stop for lunch supplies or a sit-down bite.
Afternoon — Drive to St. Andrews (about 1.5 hours) St. Andrews-by-the-Sea is one of the most charming small towns in the Maritimes — a walkable grid of streets lined with shops, patios, and a working harbor. Kingsbrae Garden, a 27-acre estate garden right in town, is worth the admission if you like that sort of thing, and whale-watching tours run out of the harbor through the summer if you want to book one in advance.
Evening — St. Andrews Stay the night here if you can. Sunset over Passamaquoddy Bay from the wharf is one of the better free views in the province, and the town has enough restaurants to make dinner easy without much planning.
Day 3: Back Through the Acadian Coast (or a Slower Loop Home)
If you’re looping back toward Fredericton, there are two good ways to spend the last day depending on how much driving you want to do.
Option A — Short and relaxed: Head straight back to Fredericton (about 2.5 hours from St. Andrews), stopping in Gagetown along the way. It’s a small riverside village known for its artisan studios and craft shops, and a nice, low-key way to close out the weekend.
Option B — Longer coastal finish: If your long weekend stretches an extra day, continue north instead, through Kouchibouguac National Park for its warm-water beaches and sand dunes, or over to Miramichi for a taste of the Acadian and Irish river culture that shapes that part of the province. This option turns the loop into a full circuit of New Brunswick’s coastline, but it does add a longer drive home.
A Few Practical Notes
- Book Hopewell Rocks and Fundy National Park accommodations early. New Brunswick Day weekend is one of the busiest of the summer for the Fundy coast, and small-town lodging fills up fast.
- Check tide tables before you go, not just for Hopewell Rocks but for the Reversing Falls too — both attractions change completely depending on the tide.
- Pack layers. The Bay of Fundy coast runs noticeably cooler and foggier than inland New Brunswick, even in August.
- Fuel up before Fundy National Park. Gas stations get sparse once you’re off the main highway.
Whether you keep it to the classic three days or stretch it into a four-day weekend, this loop hits the highlights that make New Brunswick worth the drive — without spending the whole weekend behind the wheel.
