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Eastern Canada Travel

Let me share my favourite top 3 eastern Canada travel destinations with you.

As a tour guide I visit many great locations. Having seen so many wonderful parts of Canada, I would love to share my best-loved destinations in eastern Canada with you. Here they are.

  1. Saguenay- St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec
  2. Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick
  3. Paddle in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

Combine the best of Ontario and Quebec in a road trip through Ontario and Quebec.
Saguenay-St.Lawrence Marine Park, as well as Algonquin Park and many other beautiful destinations are include in my Road Book Ontario and Quebec



Eastern Canada Travel    # 1 

Saguenay- St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec

The unique ecosystem of the Saguenay- St. Lawrence Marine Park offers a huge diversity in marine life. 
Thirteen different whale species, such as the white beluga and the blue whale, inhabit this estuary. 

You can spot marine wildlife from the shore or by boat. Just join a whale watching company, they know the best wildlife watching spots and take you right to it.

whale watching canada

Where is the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park located?
The park is located in Québec at the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence Rivers.

The best locations to spot marine wildlife within Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park:

  • Baie-Sainte-Catherine: follow Hwy 138 East until you reach Baie-Sainte- Catherine.
    - Here you can join a whale watching tour.
  • Tadoussac: continue Hwy 138 East and take the free ferry to Tadoussac (approx. every 20 minutes).
    - Walk the ‘sentier de la pointe’ (800 metres) and keep your eyes open for both baleen and toothed whales on this short walk.
  • Cap de Bon-Désir: keep following Hwy 138 East till Cap de Bon-Désir.
    - Sit down on the rocks to look for whales to swim by.
  • Baie-Sainte-Marguerite: my most favourite location involves a short hike that leads into Baie-Sainte-Marguerite.
    - Drive from Tadoussac approximately 25 km/16 miles on Hwy 172 North.
    - A suspension bridge crosses the bay and an easy trail leads to a viewing platform.
    - This is a great spot to visit at high tide, as a lot of food for whales (such as fish, shrimp and invertebrates), enters the tidal river.

whale tail

Best time of year to visit Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park

  • Belugas inhabit the Saguenay-St. Lawrence estuary year round.  
  • Several migrating whale species arrive in July, August, and September. 
  • In spring and fall great numbers of birds fly through the region. 

Read more about Whale Watching in Canada to find the best season and location to watch several Canadian whale species.

Read the Whale Watching in British Columbia page to find the best places for viewing marine mammals in BC's waters.

Eastern Canada Travel  # 2

Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick

They call them ‘flowerpots’: tall standing (12-21 m/ 40-70 ft) olitary rock formations with vegetation on top.  Twice a day these flowerpots are watered.

Ocean water flowing in and out the Bay of Fundy causes an average difference of 12 meters between high and low tides! 

Be there at low tide and be back at high tide (+ 6 hrs). Stand at the lowest possible step on the stairs (you’ll see it once you get there) and experience the fast rising or dropping movement of the water in between tides.

low tide at Hopewell Rockslow tide at Hopewell Rocks

Best time to visit the Hopewell Rocks:

  • Two hours before, until 2 hours after, low tide. This gives you plenty of time to stroll around the beaches and take pictures of the world famous ‘flowerpots’.  Technically 3 hrs before and after low tide should keep you save and dry, however that leaves you less time to wander around these amazing rock formations.
  • For the best pictures, be there at low tide on a clear day at sunrise.
  • To kayak between the flowerpots: be there three hours before, until 3 hours after high tide. A local company offers kayak rentals.
high tide at Hopewell Rockshigh tide at Hopewell Rocks

Where to find the Hopewell Rocks

The Hopewell Rocks are located on the shore of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy.
From the City of Moncton, take the Riverview Causeway and follow the “Fundy” signs south on Hwy 114 to Hopewell Cape.

When the gates are closed, you may still enter the park.  However, you will not have access to the visitor centre and other facilities. Park your vehicle on the entrance road and walk in. 



Eastern Canada Travel     # 3

Paddle in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

paddle Algonquin Park

Paddle one of the many lakes in Algonquin Provincial Park and watch beavers bringing in their food supply.
Several outfitters offer canoe rentals. They even drop them off at your favourite lake.
 

Where to find Algonquin Provincial Park?
- Algonquin Provincial Park is located 300 km/186 miles north of Toronto and west of Ottawa.
- Hwy 60 runs through the park and is the major entrance route.
- Other access points to the park run off hwy 17 (north of the park) and hwy 11 (west of the park).


Best time to paddle Algonquin Provincial Park

  • Late September and early October offer great fall foliage.
  • Furthermore, fall is relatively quiet due to low season.  As Algonquin Provincial Park is one of the most popular destinations in Canada, summers can be very busy.
  • Be aware that most outfitters and campgrounds close after Thanksgiving.


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