Jet Setter: New Brunswick

While we obviously love jetting to exotic locales in other countries, sometimes the best trips are found in our own beautiful, huge country. Case in point? New Brunswick. We don’t think too many people consider this a vacation spot, but trust us – it’s gorgeous and interesting, and just far enough away from Ontario to make it feel like you really are gone. One of
our rock-it’eers recently ventured to Canada’s only bilingual province to
enjoy some small-town love in the village of Hartland. Now, when you need a break from the
city’s hustle, headaches and traffic, this is, without a doubt, a perfect
getaway.

Photo credit.

The small, modest town of Hartland (population: 902) is
actually a lot more popular than many would assume. Among its greenery, natural
beauty and east coast hospitality, the community celebrates itself as the proud
home of the World’s
Longest Covered Bridge. Opening in 1901, the bridge extends across the St.
John River to connect Hartland and Somerville, and has since become a tourist
attraction for many guests. The bridge has been iconic in New Brunswick since
its inception but was officially declared a National Historic site in 1980 and
a Provincial Historic site in 1999.

In Gen-Y terms, the bridge has garnered the attention beyond
those passers-by that are travelling Canada’s East Coast, but somehow landed
the on the radar of none other than search-engine powerhouse, Google, and their
ever popular Google
Doodle. On July 4, 2012, Google featured the bridge to commemorate its 111^th
birthday. 

Photo credit.

While the bridge is super cool to see, what keeps people coming back to the East Coast is the infectiously friendly demeanour that you can’t help but take in, relish and potentially take back to the big smoke. Plus, the wondrous surroundings of the endless green landscape and stunning sunsets make for some serious eye candy. In fields (or backyards as we know them) or over the rivers, the province’s sunsets never fail. Sure beats a patio anywhere in Toronto.

From the minute you see New Brunswick from the plane, there is green. Trees, green, and a lot more trees; the sight lowers your stress and deadlines seem to just disappear…just for a second. Waking up to water and nature has its therapeutic perks. 

After building up an appetite on your nature walks and scenic drives, it’s time for a snack! Head on back to someone’s house– anyone’s really– if people are outside, you’re likely welcome to stop by for a little brook trout! While its by no means a delicacy in New Brunswick, this tasty treat comes with laboured preparation: fish, gut, freeze (in river water) and then fry up in one on the biggest frying pans you can find (with what seems like an insurmountable heap of butter) on an outdoor, human-made BBQ. Because in NB, these are kinda legal!

Next stop…PEI!