Day Trips
Sackville is located in the centre of the Maritime Provinces and offers great day trip opportunities to our neighboring communities.
Driving Tours on Tape (CD)
Terrific Tantramar Talking Tour
Enjoy a light hearted, self-guided auto tour filled with facts, local history and enchanting landscapes of the Tantramar area. This auto tour will guide you to 17 sites within a 30-km radius of Sackville, taking approximately one hour to complete. Tapes and CDs for sale at various locations in Sackville, including the Sackville Visitor Information Centre.
Printed Day Trips
- Tantramar Tourism Association: for more information on printed day trips of the area. Some of these are available as downloadable PDF files.
Other suggested day trips include:
Fort Beausejour National Historic Site
Exit 512 Highway #2 follow the brown signs • Tel. 364-5080 • Open: June 1 to October 15
A star-shaped fort built in 1751 overlooking the Bay of Fundy. Fort Beuasejour was the site of the beginning of the Seven Years War. Visit the fort's ruins, restored underground casemates and the indoor interpretive tours. Discover the importance of the fort in the company of a knowledgeable historic site interpreter. Imagine the impact of the battle for Acadia on the everyday life of soldiers of the garrison and the residents of the isthmus of Chignecto, including the Acadians and the Mi'kmaq. With your interpreter, tour the ruins which date from both the French and British occupations, and explore the underground casemates.
Tours offered daily in English and French, and vary from one hour to two hours. Admission fee charged. On-site boutique offers a wide selection of books and souvenirs relating to the fort's history. Panoramic view of the Tantramar Marsh provides an outstanding place to picnic. Accessible to visitors with special needs.
Cape Jourimain Nature Centre
Tel. 1-866-538-2220
Located on Trans Canada Highway #16 and 54 km north of Sackville is the spectacular Cape Jourimain Nature Centre.
The centre is located at the base of the Confederation Bridge and was created by a local non-profit corporation to tell the story and provide controlled public access to the Cape Jourimian National Wildlife Area. This 675 hectare property features 11 distinct ecosystems, 17 km of trails and is considered the best spot in Atlantic Canada to observe the effects of climate change on the natural environment.
The Nature Centre houses a large exhibit hall featuring displays on ecology, history, climate change, transportation and the 170 species of birds found in the area.
Other amenities found at the Centre include: a Provincial Visitor Information Centre with high speed internet access, the gift shop features locally made juried crafts, full service restaurant serving Sunday brunch and the four storey observation tower. The panoramic view of the Confederation Bridge and coastline from the top deck is breathtaking.
Village of Port Elgin
Tel. 538-2120
The picturesque village of Port Elgin is located 22 km north of Sackville just off Hwy 16. Port Elgin is home to approximately 450 people and has a range of activities for a day trip.
Trail enthusiasts will find over 70 km of trails in the Port Elgin area travelling through riverside parks, open fields and along the banks of the warm waters of the Northumberland Strait. Heritage lovers can explore the Monro Heritage Centre. The centre contains a trail interpretation centre, displays relating to Fort Gaspareaux National Historic Site and a community museum documenting the history of the village and the natural history of the Gaspereau River. Visit the Port Elgin Suspension Footbridge, built in 1968 and located on the Gaspereau River in the village.
Village of Memramcook
Tel. 758-9808
The Memramcook Valley, birthplace of the new Acadia following the Deportation of the Acadians, is located at the mouth of the Petitcodiac and Memramcook rivers just 25 km away from Sackville following highway 106. When you arrive in the Memramcook Valley you can see the many smaller villages established in this serene Acadian valley. Well known for its hospitality, you will soon discover that Memramcook is a great mixture of history, culture and exceptional scenery.
A must stop in Memramcook is the Monument Lefebvre which houses an interactive exhibition on the Acadian Odyssey. The exhibition explores the history of the Acadians of Atlantic Canada from 1755 (expulsion) to the present. The second floor hosts the magnificently restored 400-seat auditorium with near perfect acoustics. Theatrical events were a colourful part of the Monument Lefebvre's past and the space is being reborn as a venue of exploration of Acadian Culture.
Just next to Monument Lefebvre is the Memramcook Learning and Vacation Resort. The Resort's amenities include: hotel with full conference facilities, dining room, hiking trails and the full service Gravité Spa & Health Centre.
Other sites of interest include the old Gayton covered bridge, century old Lourdes church with its grotto, the Indians chapel in Beaumont, the Socièté historique de la Vallée de Memramcook's museum and ecomuseum providing an overview of the monuments and historical sites of the area.
Stop at the Belliveau Orchard and sample a glass of apple cider or indulge in a glass of apple, pear or cherry wine handcrafted by the grower.
Golfers will not want to miss the Parc de la Vallée 18 hole golf course. This course will challenge every skill level, especially the picturesque island green on the 12th hole.
Village of Dorchester
Tel. 379-3030
The village of Dorchester is located 10 km west of Sackville on Highway 106. The village overlooks the Memramcook Valley, Dorchester Island and the head of the Bay of Fundy.
Dorchester is a safe, quiet community, rich in heritage and natural beauty. History buffs will not want to miss visiting the Bell Inn, Keillor House Museum or St. James Presbyterian Church Museum.
The Bell Inn was built in 1811 and is the oldest stone structure in New Brunswick. It is now a restaurant and is listed in Where to Eat in Canada.
Keillor House Museum was built in 1813 by Yorkshire stone mason, John Keillor. The house contains nine working fireplaces, period furniture, much of the original construction and a working bake oven. Be sure to climb the spiral staircase rounding a ship's mast to the attic bedroom. The Coach House contains antique carriages and tools as well as the unique Penitentiary Collection -- a collection of artifacts used over 100 years ago in the Dorchester Penitentiary.
St. James Presbyterian Church Museum built in 1884 houses a variety of tools and equipment used by the church's builders. The Beachkirk Collection provides a history of textiles and other domestic crafts and trades. Demonstrations and teaching of carding, spinning and weaving. Open early June to mid-September.