Creating Magical Moments in Moncton, New Brunswick
Published August 5th, 2025
Photos by Jay Kana
I’ve done a few trips to New Brunswick, or as it should be called, New FUNswick, over the past few years, including the Fundy Coastal Drive, Miramichi River Route, Fredericton, St. Andrews, Hopewell Rocks, Saint John, and Ministers Island. It was high time I spent some time in Moncton.
Steph and I spent a few jovial July days here and our visit included two must-attend yearly festivals; Shediac’s Lobster Festival and the Atlantic Nationals Car Show. We did explore the Moncton Dieppe area outside of those and there’s oh-so much to see, do and experience, especially outdoors!
For reference, our home base was the Chateau Moncton as it has an excellent location to explore and recharge daily.
Oh - fun fact! In 2002, Moncton, the largest city in New Brunswick, became Canada’s first bilingual city.
And with that, let’s soak up magical and memorable Moncton!
Things to do in Moncton
Bouctouche Dunes
As one of the longest dunes in North America at a whopping 12 km in length and dipping into Boctouche Bay, stroll the winding wooden boardwalk to soak in the atmosphere.
A haven for a delicate ecosystem, several plants and animals call this home.
Enjoy a walk on the sand and dip your toes in the Northumberland Strait, enjoy the interactive displays and learn more through public tours through the Irving Eco-Centre.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 66 km
Akadi Lumina

Having experienced a few other wonderful Lumina exhibits, Akadi Lumina was spectacular.
Lighting, projections and sounds harmonize perfectly for an immersive journey.
You decide on the pace as you wander through 10 installations, each with a unique story told in a creative way along a 1.5 km path.
When you go and reach The Singing Bridge section, be sure to turn around to admire the beauty of the earlier sections from a different vantage point.
After the 10 installations, there’s a fire pit, a seating area and live music to end your journey.
While I enjoyed and appreciated all of them, the High Seas stood out as my favourite. Why?
The creative use of lighting and sound, the artificial smoke machine adding character to it and as a Pisces, I’m enthralled with all things water.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 54 km - 12 km from Boctouche Dunes
Parlee Beach Provincial Park

Featuring the warmest salt water in Canada, slow down and soak up the sun and sand here.
Mobility is prioritized here and includes a mobi-mat from the sidewalk to the water, enabling wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers to easily reach the beach and enjoy the water.
There are male, female and gender-neutral family washrooms with accessible features as well.
As Steph and I peacefully sauntered over the sand, we’d zig zag between getting close to the water and further from shore for different views. We stumbled upon a vacationing family from Quebec that were on their fourth and final consecutive day of building a sand sculpture, this one of a mermaid.
Families, friends and solo visitors dotted the beach and the sense of peace found here makes this Pisces very, very happy. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it if you’re not a Pisces…
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 30 km
Magnetic Hill Park
I’m in my mid-40’s and remember going to Magnetic Hill in my early teenage years. It was kinda cool at the time but I didn’t quite understand the appeal. 30-ish years later, which includes a successful career as both an automotive journalist and travel writer, I get it.
Let’s start with at the bottom, err, top, err, bottom? How about this; let’s start with the driving portion.
When you look at it, Magnetic Hill, also known as Gravity Hill, appears as if you’re driving downhill. So when you reach the bottom and put your car in neutral, your car shouldn’t move, let alone climb back up the hill you descended.
Your eyes aren’t quite engaging in sorcery; it’s an optical illusion and a good one at that.
Steph and I did it four times and my pro tip is to keep your right foot hovering above the brake pedal and check all three vehicle mirrors constantly to ensure you don’t accidentally turn off the road into the grass.
There’s the Magnetic Hill Zoo, featuring nearly 100 indigenous and exotic species, divided into African, Asian and American exhibits, plus a Discovery section. From turtles to tigers to wolves to wallaby’s, there’s plenty of fun to be had here.
The Magnetic Hill Wharf Village is quaint and colourful, with a few retail shops, a restaurant, a pond with ducks and channeling my inner child, a small portion of a miniature boat that you can pretend to be the captain of.
There’s also the Magic Mountain Waterpark, featuring four nine-hole mini-golf courses, rides, an arcade and of course, the waterpark portion. Definitely a convenient way to cool off after going to the neighbouring zoo.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 12 km
Chateau Scoudouc Maple Products
Open year round, this marvelous maison of maple is dripping with sweet, sweet charm.
Remember how in Forest Gump, Bubba was talking about all the ways shrimp could be prepared? Take that idea north of the border and flip the shrimp for maple and you get the idea.
Here you can get maple salsa, maple peanut brittle, maple BBQ sauce, maple vinegar, maple lip balm, classic and authentic maple syrup, maple soaps and body creams, maple sponge toffee and more.
Owned by local couple Eric and Jocelyne, their products can be found across nearly 30 stores in southeastern New Brunswick.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 19 km
Riverfront Park

I saw The Petitcodiac River, also known as the Chocolate River, from my window seat arriving into Moncton. And it was steps away from our hotel, the Chateau Moncton!
Steph and I, in a serendipitous moment, were walking the trail toward the Atlantic Nationals Car Show, when we noticed a group of 50-ish people on the path gathering and looking at the river. We overheard someone say that the tidal bore was minutes away so we decided to stop and take a look as we’d not witnessed one before.
Sure enough, in a few minutes, the water came barreling down the river with a visible crescendo of waves, filling the empty banks.
What we didn’t notice until that night was our hotel had a sign showing the tidal bore times. Plus, you can find the info online as well.
The Riverfront Trail is the hub to the streets of downtown Moncton, there are art installations, you can run, walk, or cycle along it, or you can perch yourself on the shores and relax.
At night, the sheen of the river paired with the lights of the city create a beautiful backdrop that’s worth staying up for.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 50 paces
Shediac

Our visit was timed in conjunction with the famous Shediac Lobster Festival, which has been happening annually since 1949.
There are dozens of things to see and do from rides to games to a plethora of food, highlighted by lobster dishes and more. How much more? Well…there are several guest chefs, including the famous Kilted Chef, Alain Bosse, specialized lobster dishes, live music lobster-eating contests, races, and it truly is an inclusive community event.
Impressively, in 2025, the Shediac Lobster Festival earned the title of a “Signature Event” in New Brunswick.
The upscale yet approachable Corks & Claws event is also held here for one night, which features local restaurants preparing specialized lobster dishes with unique wine pairings.
Pro tip; ride the Ferris wheel for excellent aerial views of the festival and literally take a spin on the merry-go-round because it’s fun.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 25 km
Shediac Giant Lobster
Being the lobster capital of the world, Shediac has a massive lobster statue/attraction that’s nearly impossible to miss as you enter town.
Standing proudly since 1989, this world’s largest lobster monument measures 11 m (35 ft.) in length, 5 m (16 ft.) in width and 5 m (16 ft.) in height.
It weighs 90 tonnes and there’s a short staircase for you to climb and get some pictures with this colossal crustacean.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 23 km
Atlantic Nationals Car Show
Celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2025, the Atlantic Nationals Car Show is an experience everyone should have at least once. Sure, there are hundreds of classic cars, trucks and all things automotive to peruse and admire. But there’s more; live music, the sense of community, making new friends and it really highlights how welcoming Moncton is. Steph and I experienced this for the first time this year and as automotive journalists, we loved it. As travel writers, we loved it. As regular people, we fell in love with it.
Check out the video as a sample of some of the people we met over this five-day festival of fun.
Where To Eat In Moncton
Tide and Boar Gastropub
Found in downtown Moncton, Tide and Boar has been recognized by McLean’s magazine, Air Canada and The Food Network Canada. Clever name, too, with a play on “tidal bore.”
I usually start with wings wherever I go and then get a main.
Their dinner menu has Smoked Wings as the first item and for some odd reason, I decided to only get the wings and then decide if I wanted/needed a main. Good thing I did that because these wings were gigantic, not to mention delicious, perfectly seasoned and are now in my Top 10 Wings Ever book.
There are gluten-free options as well, along with burgers, charcuterie boards, poutine, fish and chips, steak salad, which Steph quite enjoyed, lobster rolls and more.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 850 m - easily walkable. It’ll take much longer by car and to find parking. Work up that appetite and walk off the meal on the way back to the hotel.
Pump House Brewpub
Also in downtown Moncton, Pump House Brewpub has a cool newspaper style, four page menu, complete with their famous “The Burger That Ate Moncton” offering, self-proclaimed as the biggest burger in town. Yeah, I ordered it to see what the hype was about.
A beef patty, pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and BBQ sauce with a side of fries and a ginger ale lay in front of me, in all its delicious glory. And yes, it was quite good.
There are gluten-free options here, other types of burgers, salads, wings, mussels, wood fired pizzas and more.
Pro tip; dine on the covered patio because everything tastes better on a patio in summer.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 750 m
Vito’s Pizza & Restaurant
Classic Italian fare lives here in this long-standing Moncton establishment. Pizza’s, lasagnas, pastas, salads and a comfortable dining room make for a cool dining spot.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 3.5 km
Magnetic Hill Winery
After Steph and I finished off at Magnetic Hill Park, we were looking for a quick lunch spot and we decided to stay with the Magnetic Hill theme and visit the winery. And what a smart decision that was!
Sitting on their patio with panoramic views of the area, we each enjoyed charcuterie boards, sampled some wine and enjoyed more open air dining.
There’s even a menu-specific gluten-free charcuterie board.
Distance from Chateau Moncton: 13 km
Where To Stay in Moncton
The Chateau Moncton has such a sweet location, being steps from the Riverfront Trail, a short walk to downtown Moncton, close to highways, the airport and well, you can’t beat that.
Our room was spacious, comfortable with a good-sized bathroom and a wonderful bed that helped us recharge every night.
The staff were/are helpful and friendly and the on-site restaurant has an excellent array of breakfast options.
There’s plenty of parking spots and it’s got a 4.5/5 Google rating based on over 1,200 reviews.
This is an excellent hub for all things Moncton and for reference, the popular Hopewell Rocks is only 40 minutes away.
For even more Moncton, visit their website!