Pointe-Du-Chêne Wharf

It is hard to beat wharf vibes. I remember wharf nights as a kid, driving through, getting ice cream, and climbing on the rocks at sunset. Mmmmmm 

I fell in love with swimming at the wharf just last summer. I think it was my first time trying it. I've always been a little scared of swimming in water where I can't see the bottom, but I overcame my fear and have been loving it since. :) 

I love wharf nights at Captain Dan's, followed by a little sunset swim. It's a great weeknight activity. Send a quick text and meet some friends after work! 

Somebody missed the memo . . . :)

Where else can you drive up, jump in, and watch the sunset at eye level in some of the warmest salt water in the country? Well, there are probably other places, but THE VIBES!! 

PS - I recently discovered the millions of tiny fish there that swim all around you. Eek! Still worth it though. I guess the "fishing" section should have tipped me off . . . 

Got more than just a weeknight? Why not spend a day at Parlee Beach, and then head to the wharf for sunset . . . 

Moosehorn - Laverty Loop

This is probably one of my top two favourite locations in New Brunswick. It’s usually the first place I bring my friends who are visiting Fundy. I feel like the ratio of hiking to payoff is perfect. :) 

There are lots of ways to do this hike. My sister, friend, and I spent a few days in Fundy and decided this time to start out on the downhill Moosehorn side to avoid the switchbacks on the way out. 

It brings you out to views like this:

Up the trail a little ways, which is a bit of climbing over those otherworldly white rocks, you’ll find this little swimming hole with its own mini cliff to jump from. It can be a little hard to find this particular swimming hole as there are lots of little pools leading up to it (all of which are fun to check out), but keep going until you see something like this: 

Then go for a swim! 

Soak in the view.

And this waterfall.

And slow down and relax.

The adventure continues as you figure out a way to change out of your wet clothes and continue on the hike to Laverty Falls! 

Unfortunately I didn’t time each section, but I would guess the first hike down to the water takes about 45 mins, and this next section about 30. It's pretty scenic as well: 

Laverty Falls is also another popular fresh water swimming spot in Fundy, and a pretty great one if you ask me. Like I said, there are lots of ways to to do this trail - lots of people just hike into the falls and go for a swim and hike back out, cutting your trip almost in half. 

The last section is probably another 45 mins to the end. It is a steady incline - not gonna lie it always feels a little bit like you’re never going to reach the parking lot. :) All a part of the fun. 

And so worth it. 

Try it, if you haven’t! 

Corn Hill Nursery

When you live in New Brunswick (or if you're visiting), you have to go along with the weather. Well, at least that's how I plan my explorations. Corn Hill Nursery is a spot I would go to on a day that's a little cooler; when a day by the water isn't really an option. 

I went out here a few weeks ago now with my friend Jenna to have lunch and chat about this blog, actually. There's a really cute restaurant called Cedar Cafe with a lower and upper seating area and also a deck. We went for the deck! It had a great view of the nursery and the rolling hills behind it. 

I had a quesedilla, which was really good, and Jenna had the soup and bruschetta. As usual, I was too eager to eat my food so I forgot to take a picture of it :)

 Interested in their menu? You can take a look at it on their website here. 

We meandered through the nursery for a while, which is really quite beautiful. Some hydrangeas caught Jenna's eye, but we went home empty-handed this trip! 

Corn Hill Nursery is in Kings County at 2700 Route 890, between Petitcodiac and Sussex. 

If you're looking to go on a beautiful drive in the country and enjoy a scenic sit-down meal, this is a great place to try! Be sure to check their website for their hours before heading out. 

Third Vault Falls

Over the past couple of months, I kept seeing pictures of this beautiful waterfall on Instagram and kept being surprised it was Third Vault Falls! I decided I would go back again to see what I missed the last time. I said in my last post that I have a thing for fresh water swimming. I also have a thing for waterfalls, which I guess makes sense. 

I remember doing this hike in Fundy National Park a few years back, and all I remembered was that it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. So I was ready for a pretty good hike, and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't nearly as "bad" as I thought it would be. 

It was about 40 minutes in - downhill. 

And about 50 minutes out - uphill. :)

When you get to the end of the trail you come to a gully-ish section that takes you down to the base of the waterfall. 

I think Kristen found it! 

We were there at the end of June so it was still too cold to swim, but I think you could swim if you wanted to, which, in my opinion, makes any trail worth it. 

We had a picnic beside the waterfall, took some pics and made the trek out. Even though it’s uphill, it wasn’t too bad of a hike and I would say the whole thing took us under 3 hours. 

And of course, it’s always great to end a day with some Fundy Take-Out. Mmmmm