St. Andrews, New Brunswick | This Small Town Surprised Us | RVing the Maritimes #1

Welcome to Episode 1 of our RV journey through the Maritimes and eastern Canada, exploring New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, the Magdalen Islands (Les Ilse de la Madeleine) and Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. We begin our Atlantic Canada travels in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick—a historic seaside town on the Bay of Fundy and only about 30 km (20 miles) from the Maine border. For RVers entering Canada through Calais, Maine and St. Stephen, New Brunswick, it makes for an interesting first stop after crossing the border. We set up right on the water at Kiwanis Oceanfront Camping, where the famous Bay of Fundy tides provided an ever-changing view—and gave us the unusual opportunity to walk on the ocean floor one evening and drive across it the next. That drive takes us to Ministers Island National Historic Site, the remarkable former summer estate of Sir William Van Horne, one of the driving forces behind the Canadian Pacific Railway. The island is accessible by road only at low tide, and what Van Horne created there turned out to be one of the most interesting surprises of our visit. Back in St. Andrews, we explore the town’s waterfront and its long history, including the St. Andrews Blockhouse and the old Charlotte County Gaol—with a private early-season tour courtesy of the wonderfully named “Miss Demeanor.” From there, things take a decidedly different turn as we trade a haunted jail for Spring Garden Tea at the historic Algonquin Resort, followed by a visit to Kingsbrae Garden. And for fellow RVers, we take a closer look at Kiwanis Oceanfront Camping, including the sites, services, waterfront location and just how easy it is to explore St. Andrews without moving the rig. New Brunswick sometimes seems to be the Maritime province people simply pass through on their way somewhere else. After spending our first few days here, we were already beginning to wonder why.