Moncton, New Brunswick: Nature And History

Moncton, New Brunswick's largest city, is a vibrant cultural hub with a strong French influence and a plethora of attractions. The city boasts a diverse range of activities, from exploring nature to discovering history and indulging in delicious cuisine. Here's an introduction to the must-see spots in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Moncton is renowned for its parks, offering a variety of outdoor experiences. The Irishtown Nature Park, one of Canada's largest urban parks, features well-maintained walking trails and bike paths through lush forests and around a lake. Centennial Park, located in the city centre, provides year-round entertainment with its recreational spaces, hiking trails, and winter activities like ice skating and skiing.

The city also has a unique natural phenomenon, the Bay of Fundy Tidal Bore, where the changing tides rush up the Petitcodiac River, creating a wall of frothing water. This spectacle can be best viewed from Tidal Bore Park in downtown Moncton.

For those interested in history, the Acadian Museum is a must-visit. It showcases the life, history, culture, and art of the Acadians, the descendants of French colonists who settled in the region in the early 1700s. Resurgo Place, a state-of-the-art facility, combines heritage, technology, and discovery, offering interactive exhibits on transportation and Moncton's past.

Magnetic Hill, a mysterious spot just outside the city, is another popular attraction. It creates the optical illusion of objects rolling uphill instead of downhill, baffling visitors for decades.

Food lovers will relish the diverse culinary scene in Moncton. From the French-inspired menu at Les Brumes du Coude to the fresh seafood delights at Parlee Beach and Shediac, there's something for every palate.

With its vibrant culture, friendly community, and abundance of attractions, Moncton, New Brunswick, is a captivating destination that offers something for everyone.

Bay of Fundy Tidal Bore

Moncton, one of the largest cities in New Brunswick, is situated at the end of the Petitcodiac River estuary, where it meets the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world, with around 160 billion tonnes of water flowing in and out of the bay each day. This natural phenomenon is known as the Tidal Bore, and it occurs twice daily when the rising tide rushes through the bay, creating a wall of frothing water.

The Tidal Bore is a spectacular sight, as the water sweeps into the Petitcodiac estuary, transforming the narrow, muddy riverbed into a deep river within an hour. The best place to witness this natural wonder is at the Tidal Bore Park in downtown Moncton, where a clock conveniently displays the arrival times of the next bore. For a different perspective, head to the larger Riverside Park, located at the opposite end of downtown, offering walking trails and picnic tables with views of the river.

The Tidal Bore was almost lost due to the construction of a causeway that interrupted the flow of the tidal river. However, its removal has restored this signature attraction of Moncton, allowing visitors to once again marvel at the power of nature.

For those seeking an even more thrilling experience, Tidal Bore rafting adventures are available. These tours offer an opportunity to navigate the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy, providing an unforgettable and unique experience. With safety as a top priority, these tours combine the thrill of nature's power with the excitement of rafting, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Magnetic Hill

Moncton, New Brunswick, is a city of parks, and one of its prime tourist attractions is Magnetic Hill, a Canadian gravity hill located at the northwestern edge of the city. This optical illusion has been baffling visitors for decades and was once Canada's third most popular tourist destination.

To experience the illusion, you drive to the bottom of the hill, shift into neutral, and watch in amazement as your car rolls uphill in defiance of natural laws. The hill is surrounded by rising and descending terrain, which creates the optical illusion of a car moving uphill when it is, in fact, rolling downhill. This mystery has captivated visitors since the early 1800s, and the site was named by Muriel Lutes (Sikorski) in the 1930s, who lived nearby and began selling ice cream and souvenirs to visitors.

In addition to the gravity-defying wonder, Magnetic Hill offers a variety of nearby attractions. Magnetic Hill Wharf Village, designed to resemble an old maritime fishing village, is a fun place to grab a treat and browse handmade souvenirs. Magic Mountain Amusement Park is packed with rides, slides, and games, offering thrilling experiences for all ages. For those seeking relaxation, the USVA Spa Nordik is a gorgeous thermal spa experience just minutes from downtown Moncton.

The Magnetic Hill area also boasts a range of natural and cultural attractions. The Magnetic Hill Winery is an award-winning winery located on a historic 19th-century site overlooking the city, offering tasting flights and local cheese trays. The Lutz Mountain Heritage Museum provides a glimpse into the area's rich history. The nearby Petitcodiac River is home to the Tidal Bore, a daily phenomenon where the changing tides rush up the estuary in a wall of frothing water. Moncton's strong French cultural scene is reflected in the Acadian Museum, where visitors can learn about the heritage of Acadians, descended from French colonists who settled in the region in the early 1700s.

Centennial Park

In the summer, children can cool off in the splash park, which features a giant tipping bucket, spray jets, and other water features. There are also playgrounds, with swings, slides, and climbing nets suitable for toddlers and school-age children. Walking trails lead to picnic areas, basketball courts, and an outdoor swimming pool (currently under construction).

During the winter months, the park is popular for ice skating, snowshoeing, tobogganing, and cross-country skiing. It boasts Eastern Canada's longest lit cross-country ski trail. For those who enjoy winter sports, equipment rentals are available through Camp Centennial's website.

The park also features gravel and paved trails that are popular with hikers, cyclists, and parents with strollers. Dog lovers will be pleased to know that there are forested dog parks for both large and small dogs.

Other points of interest in the park include a static display of a CF-100 Canuck fighter jet, an M4A3 Sherman Tank, the anchor from HMCS Magnificent, and a CNR locomotive.

Magnetic Hill Zoo

Moncton, one of the largest cities in New Brunswick, is home to the Magnetic Hill Zoo, the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada. The zoo is spread across 40 acres of land and houses nearly 600 indigenous and exotic animals, including African lions, Amur tigers, white-tailed deer, woodland caribou, jaguars, tamarins, elands, lemurs, monkeys, peacocks, Caribbean flamingos, toucans, and cockatoos. The zoo is divided into four areas, each representing a different habitat: the Americas, Asia, Africa, and the Discovery Centre.

The Magnetic Hill Zoo offers tours, educational programs, and family-friendly activities year-round. It is a great place to visit for families, with a huge three-level playground for children. The zoo also hosts special events, such as Boo in the Zoo and Zoo Lights, which keep visitors coming back. The zoo is open seven days a week, and memberships are available for unlimited access and other exclusive benefits.

The zoo has received mixed reviews, with some praising the variety of animals and exhibits, while others have criticised the lack of space and enrichment for the animals. However, overall, it is a popular attraction in Moncton and has been named to the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

Irishtown Nature Park

One of the largest urban parks in Canada, the Irishtown Nature Park in Moncton, New Brunswick, is a nature lover's dream. The park covers 890 hectares of forest and 101 hectares of water, with a diverse ecosystem that includes Acadian forests, marshlands, streams, and a lake. It offers a range of activities for visitors, such as hiking, birdwatching, wildlife viewing, kayaking, and canoeing.

The park has two types of trails: surfaced trails and footpaths. The surfaced trails, which are 4.7 km long, have gravel surfaces suitable for walking, running, and biking. These trails are cleared during the winter and are accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. The footpaths, on the other hand, are natural trails with varied terrain that extend for 6.9 km. They are suitable for hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter.

The park caters to individuals of all ability levels, with separate trail systems allowing everyone to enjoy the natural surroundings. It is a popular spot for birders and wildlife enthusiasts, as well as school and community groups. History buffs can visit the Tankville School, a refurbished one-room schoolhouse that features a museum and community space.

The park provides a launch for kayaks and canoes on the lake, with boaters required to register to receive a combination code for the boat launch gates. It is important to note that the park is dedicated not only to an enjoyable user experience but also to the protection of the habitat and biodiversity within its boundaries. Hunting, trapping, fishing, or harvesting of any plants or wildlife is strictly prohibited, and alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are not permitted.

Frequently asked questions