Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/1471704
CULTURAL CONTRASTS The cultural landscape is equally diverse— and equally worth exploring—because Canada's only officially bilingual province has a split personality, linguistically speaking. The English and French popula- tions put a unique spin on everything from architecture to cuisine. As a result, British- influenced Loyalist locales such as Saint John (Canada's oldest incorporated city) are visibly different from their Acadian cousins: communities where francophone residents proudly fly their own tricolour flag and have an abiding passion for a potato dish called poutine râpée. When a deeper understanding is desired, New Brunswick Tourism can help you navigate the nuances since many of the unique products and programs it promotes include a cultural component. SEASONAL SENSATIONS The seasons, too, deserve to be savoured, as each is distinct. Summer, when the weather is warmest and the festival calendar is fullest, is prime time for tourists. Neverthe- less, Mother Nature has her own timetable. In early spring, sap runs in the maples and syrup producers open their sugar camps to visitors, whereas autumn promises brilliant fall foliage and delectable harvest feasts. Happily, a rapidly-growing number of restaurants spotlight fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Come winter, frozen ponds and lakes provide an ideal setting for cutting figure eights or playing pick-up hockey. Snow also falls—as much as 400 cm (157 in.) annually in northern New Brunswick—covering ski hills and more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi.) of groomed snowmobile trails. In a place that has this much to offer, there's no need to rush. So take your cue from the mighty St. John River and simply go with the flow. WHAT'S NEW Campers at Kouchibouguac National Park can now book into the Instagram-worthy Ôasis: a teardrop-shaped tent/cabin hybrid that accommodates a family of four (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kouchibouguac). Moncton's culinary renaissance continues with the opening of Black Rabbit, where the seasonal menus earn rave reviews. Little sister, White Rabbit, is a pop-up food venue that offers yummy dishes at its Street Food Project (www.baroloandco.com). You can hike through history on the newly- finished Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail, which follows an ancient path from Bathurst's Daly Point Nature Reserve to Mount Carleton Provincial Park (www.migmaqtrail.ca). Opened this past spring, Place Fort La Tour— the recreation of a 17 th century trading post complete with bastion, blacksmith forge, and outdoor amphitheatre—makes Saint John's waterfront even more appealing (www.fortlatour.com). Launched last year, Viva Shediac walking tours gives out-of-towners the opportunity to experience the self-proclaimed "Lobster Capital of the World" from a local's perspec- tive (www.experienceshediac.ca). NB Power's eCharge Network now has 67 level 2 standard charging stations and 26 level 3 fast charging stations, allowing drivers of electric vehicles to travel with confidence (www.echargenetwork.com). CITY LIGHTS Fredericton is rightly called "Atlantic Canada's Riverfront Capital." The British made it the seat of government 235 years ago due to the easy access the St. John River provided, and most civic sites still line its banks. Chief among them are the two-block Garrison District, where red- coated troops were once quartered; the copper-domed Legislature; the neo-Gothic Christ Church Cathedral; and the top-notch Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Overlooking them all is the University of New Brunswick's historic hilltop campus (www.tourism fredericton.ca). Saint John, a vibrant commercial and cruise port, has been defined by its harbour NB 73 KOUCHIBOUGUAC NATIONAL PARK • PARKS CANADA/CHRIS REARDON