25 Bucketlist Fall Activities and Getaways in New Brunswick

Credit: The Grande Grouille Pumpkin Festival/New Brunswick Botanical Garden

Crisp days and beautiful autumn scenery make fall the best time to explore New Brunswick. There are lots of fall fun to be had across the province for locals and visitors alike to enjoy. Spend your days off this fall doing some of the 25 fall activities listed below and check them off your bucket list.

1. The Grande Grouille Pumpkin Festival

Admire more than 3,000 illuminated pumpkins at New Brunswick Botanical Garden (15 Isidore-Boucher Blvd, Saint-Jacques) during the annual Grande Grouille Fall Festival. The Botanical Garden is completely transformed with enthralling fall decor and plenty of animation. Musical performances are offered every evening; performers entertain throughout the site.

For more festivals and events, see here.

2. Get Lost in a Corn Maze

Corn mazes are a fall staple in many communities and will challenge your puzzle-solving skills in real life. Navigate your way through challenging mazes with your family and friends on a crisp fall day.

• Green Pig Market, 2927 Fredericton Road, Salisbury
• Fletchers Farm, 99 Rasche Street, Nelson-Miramichi
• Hunter Brothers Farm, 8534 Main Street, Florenceville-Bristol

3. Pick a Pumpkin in a Pumpkin Patch

Carving pumpkins is a must-do activity for Halloween. Explore a pumpkin patch and find that perfect pumpkin to carve a Jack-o-Lantern.

• Hazen Cameron and Son Farm, 2260 Route 102, Gagetown
• Bostwick’s U-Pick, 36 Bostwick Road, Kingston
• Gilbert Farm, 419 Route 102 Highway, Burton
• McAllisters Farm, 4460 Route 108, Bryenton

4. Go Apple Picking

Photo Credit: Tourism New Brunswick

Get moving this fall at an apple orchard and pick your own apples. You can eat them fresh, make applesauce, or bake with them.
Check out our list of U-Pick Apple Orchards in New Brunswick

5. Paint Your Own Pottery on Chilly Days

Credit: Clay Cafe Fredericton

The weather doesn’t always cooperate, so inside activities can keep the fall fun going. Picking and painting your own pottery pieces to take home with you can be the perfect fall-day activity.

• DIY Studio Moncton, 824 Mountain Rd, Moncton
• Clay Cafe Fredericton, 356 Queen St, Fredericton
• Dynamic Ceramics, 358 Rothesay Ave, Unit 202B, Saint John

6. Take a Boat Tour

Credit: Wolastoq Boat Tours & Private Charters

See the fall colours in a different way, with a view from a boat. Relax on the water and take in the gorgeous views of the Bay of Fundy, Saint John River, or the Miramichi River.

• Wolastoq Boat Tours, Regent Street Wharf, Fredericton
• Miramichi River Boat Tours, 1 Ritchie Wharf Miramichi,

7. Go for a Scenic Drive

It wouldn’t be fall without the lovely red, orange, and yellow leaves that the trees display. It’s not hard to find them. Go for a leisurely drive through the countryside and spend a day checking off your fall bucket list items.

• 50 Things to Do Along River Valley Scenic Drive
• 50 Things to Do Along the Acadian Coastal Drive
• Road Trip New Brunswick
• Fundy Trail Parkway

8. Chase Waterfalls

Go chasing waterfalls this fall. New Brunswick is home to many waterfalls across the province with many of them located in conservation areas and parks that have trails leading to them.

• Pabineau Falls on Nepisiguit Mi’gmaq Trail, Pabineau First Nations
• Fall Brook Falls Sussex
• Walton Glen Gorge, Fundy Trail Parkway

9. Celebrate Oktoberfest with a Brewery Tour

While many Oktoberfest events are cancelled due to COVID-19, you can still celebrate Oktoberfest by going on a brewery tour. Take in the fantastic fall scenery while you learn about local craft beers.

• Bar Hop, Shediac
• Moosehead Brewery Tour 89 Main Street West, Saint John

10. Visit Kings Landing

Credit: Kings Landing, New Brunswick

Fall is one of the best times to step back in time at Kings Landing. Enjoy a Victorian Thanksgiving, explore the village, meet the villagers, and go on a wagon ride.
Details

11. Go on a Wagon Ride

Through the valleys and over the hills, wagon rides are a timeless, classic fall family activity. Many Orchards offer wagon rides, so you can easily check off two fun fall activities.

• River View Orchard, 251 Route 616 Keswick
• Verger Belliveau Orchard 1209 Principale Street, Memramcook
• Broadleaf Ranch, 5526 Rte. 114, Hopewell Hill
• Richibucto River Wine Estate, 940 Route 495, Mundleville

12. Visit Halloween Haunt

Scares await you when you join a Ghost Tour, visit a haunted location or terrifying Halloween Haunt this fall. Hear the stories of haunted places on a crispy fall night.

• Haunted Corn Trail, 2927 Fredericton Road, Salisbury
• Night Haunted Maze Trail, 99 Rasche St., Miramichi

13. Enjoy a Spa Day

Spoil yourself with a manicure, a pedicure, a facial, or a massage at a luxurious spa. You can even book body treatment packages and advanced skincare treatments.

14. Tour Wineries

Credit: Magnetic Hill Winery and B&B

Taste the fruits of a long summer at New Brunswick wineries. Join a tour to sample the best wines and learn how the grapes go from vine to press to bottle.

• Magnetic Hill Winery, 860 Front Mountain Rd, Moncton
• Richibucto River Wine Estate, 940 Route 495, Mundleville
• Motts Landing, 3506 Lower Cambridge (Route 715) RD., Cambridge-Narrows
• Waterside Farms Cottage Winery, 2008 Scenic Route 915, Waterside
• Winegarden Estate Winery & Distillery, 851, NB-970, Baie Verte

15. Check Out Farmers Markets

Go explore what the local Farmer’s Market vendors have to offer. Most markets showcase food vendors, fresh produce vendors, and artisans who make a wide variety of crafts.

• Queen Square Farmers Market, Queen Square South, Saint John
• Sussex Farmer Market
• Water Street Farmer’s Market, 1 Ellis Street, Miramichi
• Dieppe Market, 232 Gauvin Rd, Dieppe

16. Explore the Northern New Brunswick Beer Trail

If you are a beer aficionado, then exploring the Northern New Brunswick Beer trail is the perfect activity for you this fall. The 320km route has stops at 9 microbreweries, 21 bars, restaurants, cafes and bistros, along with 4 tourist offices.

17. Enjoy a Fall Hike or Enjoy a Bike Ride

Go for a relaxing hike with your friends and take in the spectacular scenery of the many trails throughout New Brunswick.

• Laverty Falls, Fundy National Park
• Mount Carleton Trail, Mount Carleton Provincial Park
• Sugarloaf Mountain Trail, Campbellton
• Poley Mountain’s Fall Sightseeing (Autumn Sightseeing Lift Access)

18. Warm Up with a Pumpkin Spice Latte

There is nothing better than warming up in a cozy cafe on a fall day with a delicious cup of coffee. From sweet treats to warm fall-themedf drinks, a good cafe has it all.

• Black Duck Kitchen 19 Bridge Street, Sackville
• Honeybean Cafe 180 Water Street, Saint Andrews
• Grains de Folie 171 St-Pierre Blvd. West, Caraquet

19. Go Glamping

Spend a weekend camping in style and comfort when you stay with one of the businesses listed below. You can avoid the tiring work of having to set up your own campsite when you go glamping in a treehouse, oTENTik, or Yurt.

• Miramichi Treehouse & Camping Adventures, 116 North Black River Road, Black River Bridge
• Dominion Hill Glamping, 990 Reardon Road, Digdeguash
• Fundy National Park Yurt, Alma
• Creekside RNR, 4865 NB-134, Cocagne

20. Enjoy Fresh Seafood

New Brunswick is home to some of the freshest local seafood. Warm-up with some chowder or take a lobster roll to go and enjoy a meal surrounded by beautiful fall colours.

• Little Louis’ Oyster Bar, 245 Collishaw Street, Moncton
• Billy’s Seafood Co 49 Charlotte Street, Saint John
• Tides Restaurant 8601 Main Street, Alma
• One Fish Bistro, Little Shemogue, 5676 Route 15 Shemogue

21. Watch Fall Migration

Miscou Island/Credit: New Brunswick Department of Tourism and Parks

Visit some protected bird sanctuaries and parks of New Brunswick to take-in the wonder of Fall bird migration while enjoying beautiful fall colours.

• Meduxnekeag Nature Preserve, 200 Red Bridge Rd, Red Bridge
• Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre, Dorchester Cape Rd, Johnson’s Mills
• Miscou Island
• Grand Manan Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary

22. Experience Aerial Adventures

Get some friends together and go explore an exciting obstacle course in the treetops. You can challenge yourself as you move through a series of progressively harder tree to tree activities amidst fall colours.

• TimberTop Adventures
• Treego Moncton & Mactaquac

23. Go Kayaking

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Even though many of the kayaking tours aren’t open in 2020, you can still rent a kayak at one of the stores listed below. So, spend a memorable day on the water and enjoy the beautiful fall views of New Brunswick from the sea.

• Outdoors NB Inc.
• Second Nature Outdoors

24. Stay at a Resort

Spend some time relaxing this fall at one of New Brunswick luxurious resorts. Get away with your loved one for a night or spend a few days surrounded by breathtaking fall colours.

25. Scavenger Hunt

Join for Scavengers Hunt and explore Moncton, Saint John or Fredericton. The hunt leads you into the city to collect supplies to survive during this interactive scavenger game.
Explore New Brunswick