In The Land Of Giants – New Brunswick Roadside Attractions
Looking for some fun and quirky roadside attractions? Look no further than New Brunswick, Canada. From a colossal crustacean to an enormous axe, check out all these interesting sights. And they’re all dog friendly!
Shediac Lobster
You can see the World’s Largest Lobster in Shediac, a town proudly nicknamed the “Lobster Capital of the World”. The sculpture is easy to find on Main Street. At 11 meters long (36 feet) and 5 meters tall (16 feet), it weighs 90 tonnes (almost 200,000 pounds) and took 3 years to build. It was unveiled in 1990.
Moncton Magnet
Check out this giant magnet at the site of New Brunswick’s most famous optical illusion. This natural phenomenon is known as a gravity hill. Drive to the bottom, put your car in neutral and feel yourself roll back uphill. Visit the site.
Dorchester Sandpiper
Shep the semipalmated sandpiper is found on the main road in the village of Dorchester next to the former Dorchester jail, which has been converted into a museum and inn. It stands 2.4 meters tall (almost 8 feet) and weighs 135 kg (300 pounds). The statue is made out of steel, fibreglass and epoxy and is a replacement for the original wooden statue that had begun to rot.
Salisbury Silver Fox
Salisbury was once a centre of Silver-fox fur ranching. A large silver fox stature is located at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 112, just outside the Salisbury Irving service centre. See a picture here.
Caraquet Shells
The small town of Caraquet boasts the World’s Largest Conch and a large Seashell sculpture. See them here.
Blackville Fish Hook
Located along the renowned Miramichi River, this village celebrates its rich fishing heritage with a giant fish hook. Also called The Veteran’s Fly, it’s located at the corner of Main Street and South Bartholomew Road. See a picture here.
McNamee-Priceville Suspension Bridge
The first bridge was built in 1938 and was 200 meters long (656 feet). It was damaged by high water in May 1939, and so it was rebuilt higher with a pier in the middle. This bridge was upgraded in 1961, and then replaced in 1988.
Campbellton Salmon
Meet Restigouche Sam, the 8.5 meter tall (28 feet) Atlantic salmon on the Campbellton waterfront.
Saint-Quentin Maple Leaf
Boasting the world’s largest maple leaf at 6 meters high (20 feet), this copper statue is in Le Parc du Centenaire. See a picture here.
Salmon River Train Trestle
About 10 minutes from Grand Falls, is the Salmon River Trestle, the second largest in Canada. You can see it from Route 108 in the distance but to see it up close turn left on Davis Mill Road and drive out until you see it. The trestle was built in 1911 and is 1.2 km long (4000 feet) and 60 meters high (200 feet). You can read more about it in this post: A Doggy Day Trip To Grand Falls, NB
Plaster Rock Fiddleheads
You can see the sculpture from the road at the intersection of Routes 108 and 109, but you can also drive in at the Welcome Centre and park and walk over to them. The wooden sculpture is 7.3 meters tall (24 feet).
Oakland Noah’s Ark
Originally a Bible school, this 90 meter long (300 feet), 9 meter wide (30 feet) and 14 meter high (45 feet) ark was never built to float. It’s now affordable apartments and also has a cafe in the side. There are picnic tables where you can enjoy your lunch with your pooch. Located on the Burnham Road near Florenceville-Bristol.
Hartland Covered Bridge
Drive or walk across the world’s longest covered bridge. It crosses the St. John River and is 391 meters long (1282 feet). Mozzie wrote a book all about his visit to the bridge and the town of Hartland: Mozzie Visits Hartland
Milleville Maple Leaf
While the plaque claims it’s the world’s largest maple leaf, the one above in Saint-Quentin is clearly bigger. This one is about 3 meters high (10 feet). It was built in 1999.
Nackawic Axe
The world’s largest axe is found along the St. John River in the town of Nackawic. It was built in 1991 and is 7 meters wide (23 feet) and 15 meters tall (49 feet). It weighs 55 tonnes (121,254 pounds). There is said to be a time capsule in the handle. The huge “stump” is 10 meters in diameter (33 feet) and is used as a stage for outdoor gatherings in the community.
Florenceville-Bristol French Fries
Florenceville-Bristol is the French Fry Capital of the World. The town sign just down the road from the Potato World Museum has some pretty big fries.
Harvey Fiddle
The fiddle is a tribute to local fiddler Don Messer (1909-1973) who had a popular variety show in Canada in the 1960s. Located in the parking lot of the elementary school, it stands 4.5 meters high (15).
Maugerville Potato
Originally built in 1969 by the same sculptor who made the Shediac Lobster, the potato was restored in 2022 (pic).
St. George Blueberry
Take a selfie with a giant blueberry outside Granite Town Farms on Brunswick Street. The visitor information center is also here.
Deer Island Whirlpool
You can get to Deer Island on a free ferry. Drive across the island to the Deer Island Point Campground to see the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere and second largest in the world. You can view it best from the lighthouse and day use picnic area.
Bay of Fundy Tides
The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. There are many places to see the difference between high tide and low tide. Our favorites are the Sea Caves in St. Martins, the Fundy Trail Provincial Park and Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Check tide schedules before exploring because it’s easy to be trapped by the tide. You can also see the dramatic rise and fall of the tide in the town of Saint Andrews.
Four Corners Cow and Calf
Buttercup and Daisy, a concrete mama cow and her calf were made in the 1980s. See pic here.
Penobsquis Blowhard the Bony Horse
Built in 1967 by the same sculptor who did the Shediac Lobster and Maugerville Potato. See pic here.
Malden Vodka Potato
Wave to the smiling potato at Blue Roof Distillers on Route 16 on the way to the Confederation Bridge.
Confederation Bridge
The 12.9 kilometer long (8 mile) fixed link between the two provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. There are many vantage points to see the bridge from either province. In NB, the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre is a good place to stop. On the PEI side, the Marine Rail Park in Borden-Carleton has great views
In Loving Memory of Mozzie who visited most of these attractions with me.
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