In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the ocean floor at low tide between the rock stacks of Hopewell Rocks, across the almost 13-kilometre Confederation Bridge, to the red sandstone shores and shifting dunes of Prince Edward Island: a road trip that runs on the rhythm of ebb and flow.
The spirit of the route
On the Bay of Fundy you live by the tide table. In the morning the fishing boats in Alma lie tilted on the mud, by midday they are afloat again, and if you reach the beach at the wrong hour you see nothing but brown flats out to the horizon. Add fog that swallows the cliffs in the morning, spruce forest right up to the edge and cold air off the Atlantic. Beyond Moncton the land turns flat and sunny, and on the Northumberland Strait the water is warm enough for swimming in summer. Then the bridge: a long arc over the sea, and on the other side lies a different world of red earth, potato fields, white wooden churches and lobster buoys hanging outside the sheds. In the evening you open the sliding door in Cavendish, hear the surf behind the dunes and smell salt and freshly cut grass. Prince Edward Island is small, quiet and entirely unhurried.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Saint John to Saint John (city loop) (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- Arrival day in Saint John, the oldest city in the province, on a short loop: from Highway 1 to the Reversing Falls at the mouth of the Saint John River, on across the west side to Irving Nature Park and, in the evening, to Rockwood Park, the city park north of downtown. Distances are short, but the streets in the old town are steep; with large vehicles, avoid the city centre. If you are arriving from Maine: at the New Brunswick border the clock jumps forward an hour, and Atlantic Time applies here.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Reversing Falls: at high tide the Bay of Fundy pushes the water upstream through the narrow rock gorge, and at low tide the river plunges into the sea. The most dramatic moments are around high and low water; the times are given in the tide tables for Saint John.
- Irving Nature Park: a peninsula on the edge of the city with a narrow one-way loop road, boardwalks through salt marsh and seals on the rocks off the coast. Free entry.
- Uptown Saint John with its Victorian brick buildings and the City Market, one of the oldest market halls in Canada.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Rockwood Park Campground in Rockwood Park, a large city park with lakes and woods north of Uptown: pitches for motorhomes and tents, run by the non-profit Saint John Horticultural Association, booking via letscamp.ca. Check hook-ups, facilities and season dates when you book. The location is its biggest advantage: Uptown and the Reversing Falls are a few minutes away.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There is no legal free camping in Saint John. The car parks at the Reversing Falls and in Irving Nature Park are open in daytime only, and overnighting within the city is not tolerated. A few large supermarkets on the arterial roads sometimes allow one night, but only if you ask explicitly.
- Insider tip for campers
- Shop and refuel before the Fundy coast: in Saint John the supermarkets and filling stations are large and good value, while between St. Martins and Alma there is hardly any supply. Avoid the narrow one-way streets of Uptown in a motorhome, and at the Reversing Falls head for one of the viewpoint car parks by the river; the smaller ones are tight for long vehicles, so check the access on the map beforehand.
2Stage 2: Saint John to Fundy National Park (Alma) (approx. 200 km)
- The drive
- Take Route 111 to St. Martins, a fishing village with two covered wooden bridges and sea caves, then onto the Fundy Trail Parkway: 30 kilometres of winding, well-built panoramic road along the steep coast with more than 20 viewpoints. The Parkway is now a provincial park (Fundy Trail Provincial Park); in 2026 it is open from 15 May to 25 October, until 6 pm in September and until 5 pm from 27 September. From the East Gate, take the connecting road towards Sussex Corner, about 35 km, then Route 1 and Route 114 across the uplands into Fundy National Park at Alma. With stops it makes a long day, with driving time alone of about 4 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Walton Glen Gorge: a deep gorge in the uplands, reached from the Parkway by a short trail to a viewing platform.
- Long Beach and the beaches along the Parkway: walkable far out at low tide, while at high tide only a narrow strip of shingle remains. The famous Flowerpot Rock sea stack collapsed in February 2022.
- Big Salmon River with its Interpretive Centre: the suspension bridge over the river is closed for renovation in 2026; hikers on the Fundy Footpath then park at car park P9 (check the current situation on site).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Fundy National Park has three large campgrounds, all bookable via reservation.pc.gc.ca: Headquarters near Alma (open all year, 30 sites with electricity, water and sewer, 25 with electricity and water, showers, laundry, dump station, mobile reception) – ideal, because you can walk into the village. Chignecto, 4 km inland on Route 114, is the largest: in 2026 from 15 May to 12 October, 171 sites with electricity and water, 10 fully serviced, showers, laundry, dump station. Point Wolfe by the sea (in 2026 only until 7 September) is closed to vehicles over 7.3 m in length.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park you may only overnight on the campgrounds. The viewpoint car parks along the Fundy Trail Parkway close in the evening with the gates; overnighting there is not allowed. On Crown land in New Brunswick, motorhomes are permitted only in remote areas without licensed campgrounds and no closer than 75 m to water – along this stretch of coast that is practically out of the question.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Parkway costs 23.48 Canadian dollars per vehicle in 2026 (up to ten people); you pay at the gate. Plan your drive so that you pass the East Gate before closing time. There are hardly any filling stations on the way from Sussex to Alma – fill up in Sussex. The national park charges an entry fee; from 19 June to 7 September 2026 entry was free with the Canada Strong Pass, and the regular rates have applied again since then (check current amounts on parks.canada.ca).
3Stage 3: Alma to Shediac (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- Route 915 branches off beyond Alma towards the coast: narrow, hilly, in places with a poor surface, through salt marsh and small villages on Shepody Bay. At Riverside-Albert it rejoins Route 114, which leads via Hopewell Cape to Moncton. Then take Route 15 to the Northumberland Strait at Shediac. About 2.5 hours of driving time alone, but the day is governed by the tide table for Hopewell Rocks.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hopewell Rocks: the “Flowerpots”, tall rock stacks with spruce trees on top, stand on the ocean floor at low tide and are almost up to the vegetation in water at high tide. The tidal range here reaches up to about 14 metres. 2026 season: 15 May to 25 October, and the ticket is valid for two consecutive days.
- Cape Enrage: a lighthouse on a cliff above Chignecto Bay. The entire site, with its visitor centre, café and climbing and zipline offerings, is closed to visitors for the 2026 season because no operating contract was agreed with the province. The narrow access road is steep and unsuitable for large motorhomes.
- Mary’s Point and Shepody Bay: in July and August hundreds of thousands of sandpipers rest here on their migration south, most impressively shortly before high tide.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Parlee Beach Provincial Park in Shediac, on the warmest swimming beach in the province: open in 2026 from 15 May to 12 October, unserviced sites, sites with electricity (15, 30 or 50 A) and water, and fully serviced sites, showers, dump station. Book via reservations.parcsnbparks.ca. If you would rather stay nearer the bridge: Murray Beach Provincial Park near Cape Tormentine also has a campground (check the season).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Hopewell Rocks and at the beach in Shediac, overnighting in car parks is not allowed. In Moncton a few large supermarkets tolerate one night if you ask inside; the provincial parks are more comfortable and safer.
- Insider tip for campers
- Go onto the sea floor only during the window the park opens – roughly three hours before to three hours after low tide. The water comes in quickly and from the side into the bays; take the park staff and the signals at the bottom of the stairs seriously. Wear wellies or old trainers, as the red mud is slippery. For high tide the view from the viewing platforms is enough, or you can come back the next day with the two-day ticket. Moncton is the best place for a big shop, propane and workshops.
4Stage 4: Shediac to Cavendish (PEI) (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- Take Routes 15 and 16 to Cape Jourimain and over the Confederation Bridge: 12.9 kilometres long, two lanes, with high parapets that only partly open up the view of the sea. Stopping on the bridge is prohibited. At Borden-Carleton on PEI, continue via Trans-Canada Highway 1 and Route 13 to the north coast at Cavendish. Just under 2 hours, on continuous two-lane country roads on PEI.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cape Jourimain Nature Centre at the bridge’s New Brunswick end: an observation tower and trails through salt marsh with a view of the bridge.
- Gateway Village in Borden-Carleton, right after the bridge: a visitor information centre with maps and information on campgrounds on the island.
- Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish (Parks Canada): the farmhouse that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables”, with trails through the “Haunted Wood” and “Lover’s Lane”.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Cavendish Campground in Prince Edward Island National Park, behind the dunes about a kilometre from the beach: more than 200 sites, electricity at 20, 30 or 50 A, water and sewer on the serviced sites, showers, flush toilets, laundromat, kitchen shelters. 2026 season from 9 June to 30 September, reservations via reservation.pc.gc.ca. From October only sites outside the national park remain; in this area they are mostly private campgrounds, plus Cabot Beach Provincial Park near Malpeque (until 4 October in 2026).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On Prince Edward Island there is practically no legal free camping: there is hardly any public land, and Tourism PEI states explicitly that overnighting in shop car parks is generally not permitted. In the national park you must use a campground, and the beach car parks are closed at night.
- Insider tip for campers
- The bridge toll is only charged when leaving the island, at the toll plaza in Borden-Carleton; the journey onto the island is free. In 2026 the crossing costs 20 Canadian dollars for two-axle vehicles, and there is currently no surcharge for additional axles – check the current position at confederationbridge.com. In strong winds, restrictions apply to high-sided vehicles and trailers; if a storm warning is in force, check the status beforehand.
5Stage 5: Cavendish to North Cape (approx. 160 km)
- The drive
- Head west via Kensington and Summerside, then along Route 2 and smaller coastal roads into the potato country of western Prince County: gentle hills, red fields, wind turbines and fishing harbours. At Tignish, Route 12 leads to the northernmost point of the island. About 2.5 hours of driving time alone on quiet country roads.
- Highlights & must-sees
- North Cape: a lighthouse and red cliffs at the northern tip. At low tide a long rock reef is exposed off the cape, and you can walk some way out along it – be back in good time before the tide returns.
- The wind farm and Wind Energy Institute of Canada right at the cape, plus a trail along the cliff edge.
- Tignish with the large brick church of St. Simon and St. Jude and one of the most active fishing co-operatives on the island.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Jacques Cartier Provincial Park near Kildare Capes, about 40 km south of North Cape: a campground on a long beach with strong surf, sites with and without hook-ups. 2026 season from 5 June to 27 September. Alternatively Cedar Dunes Provincial Park at West Point by the lighthouse, season also until 27 September. Book via peiprovincialparks.ca; check there for details of hook-ups, showers and dump station.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the west of the island too: no free camping in harbour or church car parks and no overnighting at the lighthouse. After the provincial parks close for the season you have to switch to private campgrounds or drive back towards Summerside.
- Insider tip for campers
- There are few filling stations on the north-west coast; fill up in Summerside or O’Leary. In the west the roads are often narrow with no paved shoulder, and farm machinery moves slowly – stay patient and overtake only on long straights.
6Stage 6: North Cape to Stanhope / Brackley (approx. 200 km)
- The drive
- Take Route 14 along the west coast to West Point, then back east via O’Leary and Summerside and along Route 2 to Charlottetown. From there take Route 15 to the north coast at Brackley Beach. About 3 hours of driving time alone; the detour to Charlottetown fits well into a lunch break.
- Highlights & must-sees
- West Point Lighthouse at Cedar Dunes: a black-and-white striped wooden lighthouse, one of the most distinctive on the island.
- Charlottetown: Province House and the Confederation Centre of the Arts, the waterfront promenade and Victoria Row with its cafés. The city is regarded as the birthplace of Canadian Confederation.
- Covehead Harbour Lighthouse and the Gulf Shore Parkway between Brackley and Dalvay: a cycle path and road along the dune crest with a view of red cliffs and sandy beach.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Stanhope Campground in the national park, in woodland near the beach: more than 100 sites for tents and motorhomes, showers, flush toilets, laundromat, kitchen shelters. Note: the 2026 season runs only from 9 June to 21 September. After that, either drive the east as a day trip from Cavendish (until 30 September) or choose Cabot Beach Provincial Park (until 4 October).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park you must use a campground. In Charlottetown there are no official pitches for overnight stays; the harbour car parks are pay-and-display and not intended for sleeping in at night.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Charlottetown, do not drive into the old town with a motorhome; parking for long vehicles is more likely on the outskirts and in the big shopping car parks on University Avenue. The island is small: from Stanhope to Charlottetown it is about 20 minutes, so you can easily stay two nights at one site and make day trips.
7Stage 7: Stanhope to Wood Islands (approx. 170 km)
- The drive
- Take Routes 2 and 313 to Greenwich on St. Peters Bay, then east via Souris to East Point and along the south-east coast via Montague to Wood Islands. Quiet country roads through woods, fields and small harbours, about 2.5 to 3 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Greenwich, PEI National Park: the floating boardwalk across a pond and the largest dunes on the island, including a rare parabolic dune system. The trail is about 4.5 to 5 km there and back, with an Interpretation Centre on Wild Rose Road.
- Basin Head Provincial Park near Souris: a beach with “singing sand” that squeaks underfoot, and the bridge over the tidal channel from which locals jump into the water.
- East Point Lighthouse at the eastern tip: this is where the currents of the Gulf and the Northumberland Strait meet.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Northumberland Provincial Park at Wood Islands, only a few minutes from the ferry terminal: a campground on a beach of red sandstone, sites with and without hook-ups. 2026 season from 5 June to 4 October, booking via peiprovincialparks.ca. Another option in the east: Brudenell River Provincial Park near Montague (until 12 October).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Wood Islands ferry terminal, overnighting in the waiting area is not allowed. Lighthouse and beach car parks are not pitches either.
- Insider tip for campers
- On the national park beaches, including Greenwich, dogs are prohibited from 1 April to 15 October because of the nesting piping plover. Lifeguards are present only in the summer season and only on the supervised beaches. Fill up with water and empty your tanks in Montague or Souris before you board the ferry.
8Stage 8: Wood Islands to Caribou (NS) / return (approx. 250 km)
- The drive
- Northumberland Ferries crosses in 75 minutes to Caribou near Pictou in Nova Scotia. The 2026 summer timetable runs from 15 June to 17 October with eight departures daily from each port, after which an autumn timetable with four departures applies until 20 December. Vehicles must be checked in 40 minutes before departure. From Caribou take Highways 106 and 104 past Truro and back into New Brunswick at Amherst; it is about 250 km to Moncton. Alternatively, return via the Confederation Bridge.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The crossing itself: from the upper deck you can see the red cliffs of Wood Islands and, in clear weather, the coast of Nova Scotia.
- Pictou with the replica of the “Hector”, the ship that brought the first Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia in 1773.
- Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park: a 3 km coastal trail and a saltwater beach on the Northumberland Strait.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park, only a few kilometres from the ferry port: in 2026 from 5 June to 12 October, 42 sites with electricity (30 A), 49 without hook-ups, six walk-in sites, showers, drinking water, dump station. Book via novascotia.goingtocamp.com. Ideal after a late ferry or as a starting point for the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Caribou ferry port and in Pictou, overnighting in car parks is not provided for. Nova Scotia does have Crown land, but around Pictou almost all shoreline is private property.
- Insider tip for campers
- Reserve for the ferry: only with a booking is your space guaranteed, and the crossing is charged when leaving the island; from Nova Scotia to PEI you can travel standby free of charge if there is room. The fare depends on the length and height of the vehicle and is the same for single and return journeys. If you take Highway 104 towards New Brunswick, you pass the Cobequid Pass toll road; vehicles without Nova Scotia plates pay the toll there.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In Fundy and Prince Edward Island National Parks, overnighting is allowed only on the designated campgrounds. Park rangers carry out checks, and violations are punished with fines.
- New Brunswick: camping on Crown land is permitted for a short time, but motorhomes only in remote areas without licensed campgrounds and no closer than 75 m to shorelines. Waste water must not be discharged. On the Fundy coast and around Moncton this is practically not an option.
- Prince Edward Island: the island has hardly any public land, and free camping is in practice impossible. Tourism PEI points out that overnighting in shop car parks is generally not permitted, and recommends licensed campgrounds.
- Fires only in existing fire pits and in line with the current wildfire danger. New Brunswick publishes daily burn-ban maps, and in dry summers (as in August 2025) forests and trails can be closed completely. Buy firewood only locally, so as not to introduce pests.
- Useful apps: iOverlander, Park4Night and Campendium; bookings via reservation.pc.gc.ca (national parks), reservations.parcsnbparks.ca (New Brunswick) and peiprovincialparks.ca (PEI, reservations from mid-April). The season at the PEI campgrounds ends as early as the end of September or the beginning of October.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations are found on all the large national park campgrounds (Headquarters, Chignecto, Point Wolfe, Cavendish) and in most provincial parks; day visitors should ask at the entrance. In Moncton, Charlottetown and Summerside a few filling stations have disposal stations.
- Tap water is generally drinkable, but boil-water advisories may apply on campgrounds – heed the notices at the taps. On PEI the water comes from groundwater, and small campgrounds sometimes have only a few individual taps.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at the dump station. Anyone who discharges waste water into the countryside risks heavy fines.
- Propane is filled by propane dealers, DIY stores and some filling stations in Saint John, Moncton and Charlottetown – only North American certified cylinders (TC/DOT) within their inspection date. European gas cylinders are not filled.
- Supermarkets in Saint John, Sussex, Moncton, Shediac, Summerside and Charlottetown. In Alma and on the north coast of PEI there are only small shops, often with restricted opening hours outside high season.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits in km/h: in New Brunswick 50 in built-up areas, mostly 80 on country roads and up to 110 on the Trans-Canada Highway (Route 2). On PEI 50 in built-up areas and mostly 80 to 90 on country roads; there are no motorways on the island. The signs are binding.
- Mobile phone ban at the wheel: in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, talking or typing on a hand-held phone while driving is prohibited – including at red lights. Only hands-free systems are allowed. Violations bring fines and penalty points.
- Tolls: the Confederation Bridge only when leaving PEI (20 Canadian dollars in 2026, additional axles currently without surcharge). The Wood Islands–Caribou ferry is charged when leaving the island, with the fare based on vehicle length and height. The Fundy Trail Parkway and Hopewell Rocks charge admission. The Cobequid Pass in Nova Scotia is a toll road for vehicles without NS plates. No low-emission zones.
- Time zone: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are in the Atlantic Time Zone – one hour later than in Maine and Québec. Turning right on red is allowed after a complete stop unless a sign forbids it. Traffic in both directions must stop for school buses with flashing red lights.
- Dimensions: Point Wolfe campground is closed to vehicles over 7.3 m in length and 4.4 m in height; the access road to Cape Enrage is steep and narrow (the site is closed in 2026 anyway). On the Confederation Bridge, restrictions for high-sided vehicles and combinations apply in strong winds.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Tide tables for Saint John, Alma and Hopewell Cape (printed or as an offline app): without them you miss the Reversing Falls and the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks.
- Wellies or old trekking sandals: the red mud of the Bay of Fundy is wet and slippery and permanently stains shoes.
- Windproof jacket and fleece: the Fundy coast is often foggy, and even in July the thermometer shows only 12 to 15 °C in the morning.
- Insect repellent with a head net: mosquitoes and black flies are fierce in June and July in the Fundy woods and in the salt marshes on the north coast of PEI.
- Bicycles: the Confederation Trail on the former railway line across PEI and the Gulf Shore Parkway in the national park are flat and car-free.
- Levelling ramps and a long power cable: many pitches in Fundy are on a slope, and the hook-ups are not always conveniently placed.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
