Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/651528
TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA S et on a gently-sloping peninsula, just 30 minutes from the Maine border, St. Andrews by-the-Sea is a revelation for anyone who equates the Fundy Coast with rugged beauty alone (www.townofstandrews. ca). As the name suggests, it's a waterfront locale, so here—as elsewhere in the region—you can sample activities ranging from whale watching to beach combing. You can also dine on fresh seafood because those photogenic fi shing boats you see aren't mere props. Moreover, you can visit attractions that highlight Fundy sea life, such as the engaging Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium ( www.huntsman marine.ca). Yet despite the similarities, this spot differs from its neighbours by being an unexpected pocket of refi nement on the tide-blasted coast. ARCHITECTURAL DELIGHTS St. Andrews, as it is commonly known, was established by upper-crust colonials who crossed the St. Croix River to recreate life on British-ruled soil in 1783. The town's wooden blockhouse, erected to keep Americans at bay during the War of 1812, refl ects the desire of early inhabitants to uphold the Loyalist legacy ( www.pc.gc.ca/ eng/lhn-nhs/nb/standrews/index.aspx). However, their handsome Georgian and Federal homes, coupled with coveted sea breezes and an overall air of gentility, helped start another sort of invasion in the late 19 th century when aristocrats from both sides of the border moved in to make this Canada's original seaside resort. Many of their massive summer "cottages" still stand, and some welcome visitors. Restored buildings on Ministers Island, the summer estate of Canadian Pacifi c Railway chairman Cornelius Van Horne, offer a glimpse into the Gilded Age ( www.ministersisland.net); as does Chestnut Hall, a.k.a. the Ross Memorial Museum, which displays furniture and decorative items collected by Henry Phipps Ross and Sarah Juliette Ross (www. rossmemorialmuseum.ca). The new ST. ANDREWS BYTHESEA DISCOVER FUNDY'S REFINED SIDE BY SUSAN MACCALLUMWHITCOMB Oppenheimer-Prager Museum at Dayspring features the art of Joseph Oppenheimer and Eva Prager as well as objects relating to Sir James Dunn, Lady Beaverbrook and other former owners of the titular mansion (www.museumat dayspring.org). If you'd like to bed down in the elegance of a bygone era, Kingsbrae Arms, a Relais & Châteaux inn built as a retreat for a wealthy Bostonian in 1897, gives you the chance (www.kingsbrae.com). GORGEOUS GARDENS AND A GRANDE DAME Since gracious homes here often boast glorious gardens, St. Andrews is also heaven for horticulturists. Take the award-winning Kingsbrae Garden (www. kingsbraegarden.com). Some of its themed "rooms"—like the White Garden, inspired by gardens at Sissinghurst Castle—are classic; others—like the Scents & Sensitivity Garden, featuring Braille signs and fragrant, touchable plants—aim to be inclusive and aesthetically pleasing. Kingsbrae has pretty natural vignettes, too, including a bridge-spanned lily pond that may make aspiring painters grab a brush. But if you'd rather grab clubs and enjoy a different type of green, the 18-hole Algonquin Golf Course is only a few long strokes away ( www.algonquinresort.com/ golf ). Opened in 1894, then redesigned by Thomas McBroom in 2000, the par-72 course ranks among Eastern Canada's best. It was actually the 1889 opening of the place to which it belongs, the Algonquin Resort, which cemented St. Andrews' reputation as a summer hot spot ( www. algonquinresort.com). Perched on a hill above town, the 233-room Tudor-style hotel with its distinctive red roof, sweeping verandas and kilted porters, remains a Maritime landmark. Having already expanded several times, it emerged from a $50-million makeover in 2014 to become the fi rst Canadian property in Marriott's upscale "Autograph Collection." So it's no surprise that guest rooms now combine timeless sophistication with modern amenities, or that the leisure facilities— a spa, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, plus a private beach among them— are all top-notch. In many respects, the legendary Algonquin is a fi tting symbol for St. Andrews. After all, like the postcard-perfect town below, it lends the Fundy region a lustrous level of refi nement. KinGSBrae GarDen • toUriSM nB NEW BRUNSWICK