Last Updated: May 2026
Crossing the Restigouche River from Québec into Campbellton marked our entry into New Brunswick — and the beginning of a slow, rewarding drive along one of Canada’s most underrated coastlines. From a UNESCO World Heritage fossil site to a personal ancestral stop, lobster traps stacked to the sky, and Celtic music echoing from a lighthouse, coastal New Brunswick delivered surprises at every turn.
Campbellton, New Brunswick
Our campsite at Campbellton RV Camping was fairly new — 50-amp service, good water pressure, and a pull-through pad looking right at the bay. Wi-Fi was free and usable for browsing, though not quite up to streaming. The site needed six extra inches of blocks to level the front, but the crushed-rock pad was clean and there was plenty of space. With the park nearly empty, we took the opportunity to give both the RV and the Jeep a long-overdue bath.
We went to a local seafood market and indulged in a few pounds of lobster. The on-site restaurant had just opened a couple of weeks earlier, and the scallops and salmon were outstanding — great service and panoramic views of the water and the bridge.
Miguasha National Park
We doubled back briefly into Québec to visit the Miguasha Natural History Museum — and it was absolutely worth the detour. The park holds over 9,000 specimens of fossil fish and plants and is recognized as the world’s most representative paleontological site of the Devonian Period, known as the “Age of Fishes.” What makes Miguasha extraordinary is its concentration of lobe-finned fish fossils — the very ancestors of the tetrapods, the first vertebrates to walk on land. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
The star specimen is Elpistostege — technically a fish, with two pairs of fins rather than legs, yet those pectoral fins each contain a humerus articulating with a radius and ulna, and the pelvic fins show a femur connecting to a tibia and fibula. The earliest beginnings of arms and legs, preserved in stone. The fossil site itself was discovered in 1842 by Abraham Gesner along the ocean cliffs. Samples made their way to the British Museum and the Royal Scottish Museum, and interest escalated over the following century. When a private group threatened to purchase the land, Québec stepped in and designated it a National Park in 1985. The surrounding buffer area is cooperatively owned by about 100 people committed to protecting the location.
Petite Rocher
Petite Rocher turned out to be more than a scenic coastal stop — it’s where Michael’s paternal grandmother was raised. Her father was a carpenter and shipbuilder here on Chaleur Bay. The family left when she was young, settling in northern Michigan, where she learned English and eventually stopped speaking French. She never ate lobster, apparently, on account of their scavenging habits. Sandy and Michael have no such reservations.
The town was in the middle of its second annual Blues and Music Festival, with bands playing at various locations around the city throughout the day. It felt like the entire community had turned out. The atmosphere was joyful and deeply local.
Alongside the festival, there was a small car show. Our Jeep service advisor from Campbellton was there showing off his beautifully restored 1965 Rambler.
Grand Anse
Grand Anse is a small, quiet coastal community with a beautifully protected beach — one of those places that rewards visitors simply for showing up. The water was clear, the shoreline uncrowded, and the surrounding countryside green and unhurried.
Caraquet & the Acadian Peninsula
Caraquet sits on the shore of Chaleur Bay at the tip of the Acadian Peninsula, and its identity is deeply rooted in the sea. The local economy runs on fishing, and everywhere you look there are reminders of that — boats, docks, weathered wooden structures built to handle hard winters.
We camped at Colibri Sur Mer right on the water. Wi-Fi was excellent when working — good enough to stream Netflix — and the water pressure was solid at 30-amp service. We pulled in next to another couple with the identical Newmar Dutch Star who had been at our previous campground. They’d had theirs for five years and were a fantastic resource for tips and comparisons.
One of the neighboring campers had a teardrop trailer — compact but impressively outfitted with a queen-size bed, cabinets, heater, outdoor kitchen, lighting, and water. Tent camping is wonderful, but these take it to a whole other level.
Lobster season was about two weeks from opening, and the anticipation was palpable. Traps were stacked everywhere — docks, yards, roadsides — and locals were already talking about the cookouts and celebrations to come.
Caraquet made a perfect base for day trips out to Miscou and Lameque Islands — two low-lying barrier islands connected to the mainland by bridge, with striking landscapes of peat bogs, beaches, and bird habitat.
At the tip of Miscou Island, live Celtic music was playing at the lighthouse — an unexpectedly magical scene. New Brunswick is stunning at all hours, and the skies along this coastline put on a show at both sunrise and sunset.
Bouctouche
The campground near Bouctouche was surrounded by oyster farms, a winery, and blueberry fields — not a bad neighborhood. The site itself was brand new with 50-amp service, strong power, 50-psi water pressure, and a large pad with reasonable privacy. No cable, no internet, and too many trees for the Dish satellite to lock on. It turned out to be a perfect excuse to revisit our Marty Stouffer’s Wild America DVDs — a warm flashback to late 1970s and early 1980s public television.
Shediac — Lobster Capital of the World
Shediac proudly claims the title of Lobster Capital of the World, and backs it up with the world’s largest lobster sculpture — a giant crustacean you simply cannot miss on the roadside. We had to stop.
The seafood restaurant we tried had actually run out of lobster — lobster season hadn’t opened yet. Sandy pivoted gracefully to mussels instead, which turned out to be an excellent decision.
Visitor Information
Miguasha National Park is on the south shore of the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec, just across the Restigouche River from Campbellton. It’s easily visited as a day trip from New Brunswick. The museum is well-staffed with English-speaking naturalists and the guided fossil cliff walk is excellent. Entry fees apply; check the Sépaq website for current hours and pricing.
Miscou Island is reached by bridge from Lameque Island. Allow a half day to explore the peat bogs, the lighthouse at the northern tip, and the beaches. The Celtic music performance at the lighthouse was informal and seasonal — a wonderful bonus if you happen to time it right.
Shediac is about 25 km northeast of Moncton on the Northumberland Strait. The giant lobster sculpture is at Rotary Park on Main Street. Parlee Beach Provincial Park, one of the warmest saltwater beaches in Canada, is just minutes away.
Practical Tips
Campbellton RV Camping offers 50-amp service with pull-throughs facing the bay — a solid choice for the area, though leveling blocks are useful given the site grades. The on-site restaurant (recently opened at our visit) had outstanding seafood.
Colibri Sur Mer in Caraquet is well-positioned for exploring the Acadian Peninsula and the outer islands. Wi-Fi is available and usually strong; power is 30-amp. The campground is right on Chaleur Bay, and the evening light over the water is remarkable.
Lobster season timing varies by zone in New Brunswick and typically opens in late summer in the Caraquet/Chaleur Bay area. If lobster is a priority, check the Department of Fisheries calendar before planning your trip — the season opening is a genuine local celebration.
For RVers: the roads throughout coastal New Brunswick are in good condition and generally RV-friendly. The routes along Chaleur Bay and out to Miscou Island are manageable in a large rig, though the island roads narrow as you approach the lighthouse.
