New Brunswick’s Fundy Coastal Drive: Be amazed by the tides

Psst… we have a secret to share about New Brunswick’s Fundy Coastal Drive. There’s more than one way to take this road trip, which is one of the province’s designated scenic drives. The newest route gives you access to some of the most spectacular views anywhere on the Bay of Fundy!

Thanks to new roads that were completed during the pandemic, the Fundy Coastal Drive now runs from Saint Andrews straight through to Moncton without skipping the spectacular Fundy Trail Provincial Park. In fact, if you follow this route, you can avoid major highways entirely once you’re east of Saint John.

When you take a road trip along New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy coast, you can hike, kayak, and drive to explore the phenomenon of the highest tides in the world. This is truly one of the best scenic drives in New Brunswick. Read on to find out how to make the most of this fantastic New Brunswick road trip.

I’ve driven the Fundy Coastal Drive from end to end once, hosted by Tourism New Brunswick with travel expenses covered. I’ve also returned to shorter segments of the drive on separate visits. Have questions about planning a Fundy Coastal Drive road trip? Join our Facebook community!

Setting out for your Fundy Coastal Drive road trip

The majority of visitors who arrive to New Brunswick for a Bay of Fundy road trip will enter from the west via the Trans-Canada Highway. If you’re arriving by road from the United States, you’ll cross the border at Calais, Maine, and enter Canada at Saint Stephen, New Brunswick. You could also cross at Lubec, Maine, to Campobello Island and take ferries to reach the mainland.

If you’re flying into the area, the closest airport is in Fredericton, or you could start in Moncton and take this drive in the opposite direction to that outlined below.

Take a look at our Fundy Coastal Drive map above. To start this drive, take New Brunswick Route 3 south to St. Stephen, then take NB Route 1 east to Route 127 south and head toward St. Andrews.

Click here to find our detailed 7-day Fundy Coastal Drive itinerary, including tour operator and hotel suggestions.

Understanding Bay of Fundy tide times

The Bay of Fundy is home to the most dramatic change of tides in the world. In some places, the water level change can be as much as 16 metres (more than 50 feet) from low to high tide. The exact amount of tidal range on a given day depends on the position of the moon and the sun, which influence the gravitational forces on the water.

Water shifts in and out of the Bay of Fundy every 6 hours and 13 minutes. This means it takes just under 12 and a half hours for the Bay of Fundy’s waters to go from low tide to high tide and back to low tide again. Nearly all the attractions on the Fundy Coastal Drive are affected by this. For example, sea kayaking tours can only depart at high tide, while any sites where you’ll walk on the sea floor can only be accessed at low tide.

It’s therefore critical to check the timing of the tides while planning your visit. This will affect when key attractions will be available, and this information is very important as you plan your Fundy Coastal Drive itinerary. Find a table outlining the Bay of Fundy tide times here.

Historic Saint Andrews is home to a part-time island

At the westernmost and widest point of the Bay of Fundy, you’ll find the historic town of Saint Andrews. This is as quintessential a resort town as you can hope to find anywhere. Seaside restaurants, coffee shops, candy stores, ice cream stands, and gift shops line the main street. You can level up your stay with whale watching tours that leave from the end of the pier.

Near Saint Andrews, you can begin exploring the Bay of Fundy tidal phenomenon by driving to a part-time island! Ministers Island was the summer home of Sir William Van Horne, an American businessman who headed the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was clearly rewarded handsomely for it: the island’s sprawling estate is a sight to behold.

Ministers Island is only accessible for five hours per day. When the tide is high, it’s a true island that’s fully surrounded by water. At low tide, a natural sandbar emerges from the sea and connects the island to the mainland. That’s when you can drive across to the island in your own car to visit this national historic site. But watch the clock closely: you’ll need to leave before the tide comes in and the road is once again covered by water. This is truly a unique and fascinating road trip experience!

Because access to Ministers Island depends on the tides, opening hours change daily. You can learn when the island will be accessible during your stay by visiting the Ministers Island website.

Saint John, a scenic and vibrant port city

The city of Saint John is beautiful and vibrant as it is. But with big changes in the works such as revitalizing the downtown waterfront, it’s poised to get even better.

Near the cruise ship port area, the Area 506 Waterfront Container Village houses a cluster of satellite shops from local merchants. This is a great place to explore local flavours and buy from New Brunswick artisans during the summer months.

Speaking of local flavours, they’re excellent and diverse. Cuisines range from Italian to Thai, Indian, and seafood. There are several great spots along the water at Market Square, but it’s absolutely worth venturing into the city as well. True foodies won’t want to miss wandering through stands of the Saint John City Market, the oldest market of its kind in Canada.

Saint John is also the New Brunswick port for the MV Fundy Rose Saint John to Digby ferry, which connects the city with Digby, Nova Scotia by crossing the Bay of Fundy.

Watch a tidal bore in action at the Reversing Falls

To see the tides in action again, head to the Reversing Falls. Located roughly 10 minutes from downtown by car, this is an example of a tidal bore. As the tide goes out, the Saint John River flows into the bay and the rapids run in the same direction. When the tide comes back in, the bay’s water is forced back upriver and the rapids flow in reverse!

This cycle takes roughly six hours to complete. If you have the patience, you can settle in here for the full duration. If you’d prefer to make more efficient use of your time, stop in for a look at low tide and then come back six hours later to see the transformation.

For the best views of the Reversing Falls, visit the Skywalk. You can walk out onto a platform that extends over the water and look straight down onto the rapids. There is a charge for this, but one fee grants you access to the Skywalk for a full day. This way, you can return to see the tides at different levels. There are additional lookouts in the area that you can access for no charge.

See remnants of Canada’s military history at Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site

If you’d like to pass the time between tides at the Reversing Rapids, is a visit to Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site is in order. It’s located atop a hill not far from the rapids. A Martello tower is a type of military defence structure built by the British in the early 1800s. This is one of nine Martello towers left in Canada.

The interior of Carleton Martello Tower has been under renovation for some time. While restoration work is under way, visitors are unable to enter the tower. In the meantime, the visitor centre offers a short film and an exhibit explaining the tower’s history.

In Saint Martins, walk and kayak in amazing sea caves

The section of the Bay of Fundy coast between Saint Martins and Alma, New Brunswick, is the longest undeveloped section of coastline left on North America’s eastern seaboard. This area is home to two overlapping UNESCO sites: Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark and UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Region.

To begin exploring this region’s natural beauty, start by spending a full day in Saint Martins. Here, you can see the famous Saint Martins Sea Caves from two different perspectives.

At whatever point in the day the tide is lowest — that might be the morning or afternoon, depending on the day — you can walk on the sea floor and explore the sea caves on foot. Parking is free next to the Caves Restaurant. Be careful and wear good shoes: the rocks can be very slippery.

Then, when the tide is higher, head out on a sea kayaking tour. The guides at Bay of Fundy Adventures will lead you out of the village’s harbour to paddle into these very same sea caves. They’ll even bring snacks for you to enjoy on a beach that becomes private when the water rises. These experiences, just hours apart, offer a great way to experience the Bay of Fundy’s amazing tides in action.

Fundy Trail Provincial Park is a bucket-list drive

Here’s the part where the newest roads really add to the Fundy Coastal Drive road trip experience.

Instead of departing Saint Martins via NB Route 111, head east on Big Salmon River Road to reach Fundy Trail Provincial Park. This 30-kilometre stretch of road — formerly known as the Fundy Trail Parkway until it became a provincially operated park in 2024 — traces the Bay of Fundy shoreline with 21 lookouts, five beaches, and four waterfalls. It also offers plenty of hiking opportunities, including the 61-kilometre Fundy Footpath that continues from here all the way to Fundy National Park.

When the Fundy Trail Parkway opened in 1998, the 10-kilometre route finished at a dead end. This meant visitors had to pull a U-turn, retrace their path, and then swing far to the north before continuing east. More than 20 years later in May 2020, the Parkway’s east gate finally opened. And in 2021, a fully paved connector road opened between Fundy Trail Provincial Park and the entrance to Fundy National Park.

This means visitors can now follow the Fundy Coastal Drive through Fundy Trail Provincial Park and on to Fundy National Park without a double-back and a detour. It makes this spectacular drive route a much more appealing road trip!

Driving straight through Fundy Trail Provincial Park takes 45 minutes at the posted speed limit. However, we recommend spending the better part of a day here to enjoy the many trails, lookouts, and beaches along the park’s route.

A few things to note: the road through Fundy Trail Provincial Park is not open 24 hours a day or 365 days per year. The park’s operating season typically runs from mid-May to late October, and hours vary throughout the season. There is a small fee to enter the park. Check the Fundy Trail Provincial Park website for more details.

Fundy National Park is one of Canada’s most family-friendly federal parks

Fundy National Park is one of the most family-friendly national parks anywhere in Canada. You’ll enjoy hiking and mountain biking trails for all ages, canoe and kayak rentals, a fantastic playground, and a nine-hole golf course. Because the tides make swimming unpredictable, there’s also a beautiful swimming pool on site that overlooks the bay. In the Point Wolfe section, you’ll find the only covered bridge located within a Canadian national park.

When my daughter was young, one of our favourite activities was to visit the beach in Alma. She dug a stick into the sand, and then we headed out for a huge lobster feast. On our way back to Headquarters Campground, we checked it on to see how much the tide had changed. What a great way to play with science!

Fundy National Park offers a variety of accommodation experiences. If you like to camp, you can stay at one of the park’s campgrounds and cook over a propane stove. If you prefer a bed, there are privately owned cabins available within the park, or you can stay in Alma. The village makes a great home base: you’ll enjoy comfortable accommodations and great seafood restaurants after your days exploring the park. For more on each option, take a look at our detailed Fundy Coastal Drive itinerary.

Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park is the most picturesque spot on the Fundy Coastal Drive

Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park is home to one of the most remarkable formations of sea stacks and sea caves anywhere in the world. It’s also the most photographed location anywhere in New Brunswick. Clearly, this geological marvel is a highlight of the Fundy Coastal Drive, and it leaves an impression!

But if you just show up briefly to take a few photos and then leave, you won’t fully appreciate the beauty of this place. To see what it’s all about, you’ll need to spend a full day here and plan ahead. This is another spot where your schedule will depend entirely on the timing of the tides.

Depending on the high and low tide times on the day of your visit, you should be able to split your day’s activities between morning and afternoon, allowing a comfortable break for lunch in between. You can bring your own lunch with you or grab a meal from the on-site cafeteria.

If low tide happens in the morning, you’ll be able to start your day by walking down a staircase and onto the ocean floor. (For those with accessibility needs, there’s a ramp available. Ask at the visitor centre for details.) The sea floor is always muddy and slippery when it’s exposed between tides, so wear sturdy shoes.

While you’re exploring among the rocks and caves, you’ll notice the water levels will change very quickly. After a while, the tide will start to close in and park staff will begin clearing the area to make sure everyone gets back up the stairs safely. Just a short time later, the area where you were just walking will be completely covered with sea water!

As high tide approaches, the rocks and caves will fill in more and more. Eventually, there will be 30 feet or more of water covering the sea floor. At this point, Baymount Outdoor Adventures springs into action and kayaking tours begin. You’ll be able to kayak around the sea stacks and into the caves you explored on foot just a few hours earlier! If high tide happens in the morning when you visit, you can still experience these activities in reverse on the same day. This is a truly hands-on way to experience the Bay of Fundy’s tides in action.

Even if you’ve visited Hopewell Rocks or gone sea kayaking before, we highly recommend taking in this full-day itinerary. It’s one of the best natural experiences you’ll find anywhere in Canada.

To the end of the bay

As you continue past Hopewell Rocks, the Fundy Coastal Drive turns north around Hopewell Cape to arrive in the city of Moncton. This is a hub along the Trans-Canada Highway and a common stopover point for travellers continuing toward or returning from the east coast.

Check out the top things to do in Moncton, New Brunswick >

If you’d like to explore some of this region’s rich history and Acadian culture, you can extend your road trip a little further. A pair of historic sites worth checking out can be found within an easy drive of Moncton.

Monument-Lefebvre National Historic Site is roughly half an hour from Moncton in the village of Memramcook. This community and cultural centre houses a museum where you can learn about the Acadians, who were expelled by the British in 1775 for refusing to pledge allegiance to the king. They remained proud and preserved their culture in diaspora, and today their resilience is celebrated through this site and its activities.

Another key location in Acadian history is located another half hour down the Trans-Canada Highway in the village of Aulac, just before you reach the Nova Scotia provincial border. Fort Beausejour-Fort Cumberland National Historic Site is at the very end of the Bay of Fundy on the Isthmus of Chignecto, the narrowest point of land between these two Atlantic provinces.

This site’s two names reflects its two distinct eras. The French built this fort as Fort Beausejour, and the British defeated it in 1755 and renamed it to Fort Cumberland. They then used it as a holding area for Acadians who awaited deportation. The site is both historically important and extremely beautiful, making it a great top for a rest or a picnic as you overlook the Bay of Fundy for a final time.

From here, it’s easy to continue your journey onward to Nova Scotia, cross the isthmus toward Prince Edward Island, or get on the Trans-Canada Highway and head toward home.

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