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The wonders of New Brunswick
Author: By Jerry Morris, Globe Staff
Date: SUNDAY, May 10, 1998
Page: M4
Section: Travel
For adventure that's easy to take and fun for the whole family, there's no
better place than New Brunswick along the Bay of Fundy.
Here, one can witness the wonders of the world's highest tides, which range
from 18 to 48 feet in height. Twice a day, every six hours and 13 minutes,
100 billion tons of water swoosh back and forth. In the city of Saint John,
the tide is so strong it pushes back the St. John River, creating a phenomenon
known as the Reversing Falls.
And that's just one of the natural wonders of this picture-perfect
province. For those who want to do more than just sightsee, New Brunswick has
the ideal answer: 36 Day Adventure Centers throughout the province. At the
centers, located in hotels and other places, visitors can purchase a Ticket to
Adventure that can be used for a whale-watching excursion, biking, horseback
riding, birdwatching, canoeing, sailing, fishing, jet boating, and many other
options.
New Brunswick's wonders and attractions have gained world recognition.
Earlier this year, New Brunswick won one of the top international awards for
an environmentally responsible tourism project. British Airway's Tourism for
Tomorrow award honored the Irving Eco-Centre La Dune de Bouctouche as a
world-class ecological jewel. La Dune is one of North America's only two
flying spits of land and was in danger of becoming destroyed until J. K.
Irving, a New Brunswick businessman, along with oyster fishermen and others,
came to its rescue. In its first season last year, the ecocenter attracted
more than 100,000 people to hike its less than half-mile boardwalk. The site
is also linked to another of New Brunswick's ``must-see'' sights, Le Pays de
la Sagouine.
For information on visiting New Brunswick and its attractions, call
800-561-0123.
Molson Indy
Tickets are on sale for the Molson Indy, which hits the streets of Toronto
July 17-19. Included this year will be a MotorFest with go-karts, interactive
displays, and driver autograph sessions. For ticket information, call
416-872-INDY or go on line at www.ticketmaster.ca.
Canada packages
An easy and inexpensive way to explore Canada is via an all-inclusive
travel package from Air Canada. The packages -- all with round-trip air fare
-- include Victoria in British Columbia, which many say is more English than
England; Montreal, the world's second-largest French-speaking city; the
Canadian Rockies; Toronto's theater scene; and the charming town of St.
Andrews By-the-Sea in New Brunswick. The St. Andrews package is priced from
$499 and includes a rental car for two days, two nights' accommodations at the
Algonquin Resort, a whale-watch cruise, and a visit to Kingsbrae Garden. Extra
nights are $45 a person. Montreal packages begin at $259 a person and include
two nights' accommodations, a dinner, and a sightseeing tour. Extra nights
are from $35 a person. A visit to the Canadian Rockies in Alberta with a stay
at one of Canadian Pacific's magnificent resorts there -- Chateau Lake
Louise, Banff Springs Hotel, and Jasper Park Lodge -- begins at $1,024 and
includes a rental car, accommodations, breakfast and dinner for three days,
and some activities.
Canada flights
Canadian Airlines, which has been offering nonstop service from Boston to
Vancouver, now is featuring nonstop service to Toronto from Boston.
Beginning next Sunday, the Globe will expand its lowest-air-fare
coverage to include the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto.
Lowest fares to these cities now, as provided by Travelocity
(www.travelocity.com) are: Vancouver, $395.67; Montreal, $126.44; and Toronto,
$147.15.
Garden opens
Kingsbrae Arms in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada's only four-star
inn, will be celebrating the opening of Kingsbrae Garden this summer with
special tours and dinners. The gardens, located on 27 acres adjacent to the
Relais & Chateau inn, will have a formal opening on July 18, but are open for
viewing now. The gardens, built on the grounds of old estates, feature mature
cedar hedges, flower beds, and an old-growth forest along with thousands of
new flowers, shrubs, and trees, as well as a working windmill, handcrafted in
Holland. The inn, which overlooks the garden, will be featuring dinners
prepared in a regional style, and will include Bay of Fundy salmon and
seasonal fruits and vegetables. The inn is also featuring packages with
two-nights' accommodation (most rooms have fireplaces), a four-course dinner,
a country breakfast, and tickets to Kingsbrae Garden. Prices begin at $500
Canadian (about $350 US). For information, call 506-529-1897. Kingsbrae Arms
is about a six-hour drive from Boston.
Canada in style
Visiting Canada, you can't go wrong staying at one of the Canadian
Pacific Hotels or resorts. Almost all of CP's heritage properties are a part
of Canadian history and have become symbols of the country. Think of the
Canadian Rockies and you'll see the Banff Springs Hotel rising out of the
forest. The Chateau Frontenac has become a symbol of Quebec City. And
throughout the years, Canadian lawmakers have gathered at the Chateau Laurier
adjacent to Parliament in Ottawa. Canadian Pacific Hotels span the country,
and are located in the heart of the country's most popular tourist areas. (The
hotels began life as part of the former Canadian Pacific Railroad, and were
designed to lure tourists to special places such as Banff in the Canadian
Rockies.) For information, call 800-441-1414.
England flight
Beginning May 22, Aer Lingus will offer Boston to Birmingham, England,
service via Shannon. The daily service provides a new hassle-free way to
travel to the United Kingdom without having to transit Heathrow Airport.
Birmingham travelers to Boston will be use the US Immigration pre-clearance
service at Shannon.
Europe air pass
A new Eur Air Pass will allow Americans to fly on any of nine airlines to
more than 50 cities in Europe at a flat rate of $90 a flight plus airport
taxes. The Eur Air Pass, available only to US residents, is sold in packets
of three or more flight coupons, with each $90 coupon valid for a nonstop
flight between any two cities within the system. Tickets must be purchased
before leaving the United States, and are valid on most routes of Aer Lingus,
Air Baltic, Air Greece, Air One, Augsburg Airlines, PGA Portugalia, Spanair
JK, VLM, and Virgin Express. For more information or a brochure, call
888-387-2479 or visit the Web site at www.eurairpass.com.
Taste of Nantucket
The Wauwinet Inn on Nantucket will have a Taste of Nantucket May 11-June
12, featuring native dishes paired with fine wines from the inn's extensive
wine cellar. Monday through Thursdays, guests save 30 percent off the inn's
room rates and enjoy complimentary activies such as fishing, natural history
tours, and botanical walks. For information, call 800-426-8718 or
508-228-0145.
Cape heritage
The fifth annual Cape Cod Maritime Week is being celebrated through May 17.
The week features open houses at lighthouses, boatyard tours, theatrical
performances and a symposium on Cape Cod Maritime History May 16 at the Tara
Resort in Hyannis. Brochures are available at information
centers.
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