I recently visited New Brunswick’s Fundy Trail Parkway with some gal pals, bookending the three-day journey with stops in beautiful St. Martins and Alma. (Read my feature about the adventure here.) It was a ton of active fun, with walks on pristine beaches, hikes in lush, green forests, and time spent exploring interesting local landmarks and quirky shops. As I did on my first visit in 2020, I came home wanting to scream from the rooftops, “YOU GOTTA GO HERE”, and better understanding why CNN gave the Parkway a shout-out in its travel piece, “21 places to go in 2021”, applauding the 30-kilometre paved route for its “wild views” of the Bay of Fundy coast and the world’s highest tides.
I’m keen to do the Parkway trip again soon, next time staying longer in each locale to soak up the peace. It’s not that my girls’ getaway was a completely rowdy affair with zero downtime. But along the way, I kept finding places that I mentally logged as ‘must return’ spots, places that spoke to my soul and made me want to linger.
One of those spots was the Beach Street Inn in St. Martins. I could have hung out in and around the property, and at the seaside just down the street, for a week. In fact, I’m considering a solo writing retreat there to do just that, to feel the inspiration of a place where streams of light dart their rays though the curtains at sunrise, giving the space an ethereal feel and the mind the freedom to play, create. I’m dreaming about sipping tea from one of the boutique hotel’s front-porch rocking chairs. (I mean, does it get any better than a good cuppa, a rocking chair, and a pretty view?) After that, I see myself strolling the nearby beach for hours, stopping to stretch out on a blanket, putting thoughts to paper while lounging by the sparkling shore as the gulls exchange calls.
I don’t even know what I’d write about. Maybe another travel piece. Or maybe something historical, since the area has such an interesting past.
According to UNESCO info on the Fundy Biosphere Region—which includes St. Martins—some artifacts dating backing to the Maritime Archaic period about 8,500 years ago were found near the village, which is located about 50 kilometres east of Saint John, about 130 kilometres west of Moncton.
I’d like to learn more about St. Martins’ roots, how Indigenous peoples set up seasonal hunting camps there and used its shoreline as a transportation route. I want to dig into the community’s history after the arrival of the Loyalists in the late 1700s, discover what the place must have been like during its heyday as a rich, shipbuilding centre in the 19th century and how tourism has evolved to be its dominant industry.
Maybe I’ll do the self-guided walking tour of the village’s Main Street, an interesting excursion I happened upon online here, suggested by heritage planner and landscape architect Carl Bray.
Once I leave St. Martins, I’d like to continue onto the Fundy Trail Parkway and check out some of the peaceful locales I made note of on my ladies’ junket. While I enjoy hiking and never say no to a good waterfall, my next Parkway sojourn will be all about chillaxin’ on the beach, since I’m a beach bum at heart. Specifically, I want to check out one or all of these: Seely Beach, Melvin Beach, Pangburn Beach, Big Salmon River Beach and return to Long Beach, where my gals’ group enjoyed a yummy picnic and ramble. And by “check out”, I mean opening my beach chair, slapping on some sunscreen and a hat, and breathing in the coastal magic.
Whether you opt for a more active or relaxed adventure, here’s hoping you get a chance to explore the Fundy Trail Parkway this summer!
Fast facts:
- How to get there: https://fundytrailparkway.com/about/getting-here/
- Hours of operation: https://fundytrailparkway.com/about/hours/
- Parkway map: https://fundytrailparkway.com/experience/map/
- Parkway entry fee: https://fundytrailparkway.com/about/rates
