There are two major national parks (Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac National Park). The warmest salt water beaches north of Virginia can be found on the Northumberland Strait, at Parlee Beach in Shediac. New Brunswick's signature natural attraction (the Hopewell Rocks) are only a half hour's drive down the Petitcodiac river valley. The Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island is only an hour's drive east of Moncton.
New Brunswick has several major attractions:
- Tidal bore - A phenomenon created by the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy which actually reverses the downstream flow of the Petitcodiac River at high tide. A causeway to Riverview was built in the 1960s, which has significantly diminished the effects of the bore. Efforts are underway to have the causeway replaced by a bridge in order to restore the river flow but there is a great amount of opposition from land owners on "Lake Petitcodiac" (the recreational headpond created on the western side of the causeway), who fear that their property values will plummet as a result.