Funky art galleries and craft stores featuring clever, handmade items line the streets, while a charming mural brightens the outer wall of the local drugstore. St. Andrews, New Brunswick, is a worthwhile stop on its own and an easy add-on for those traveling to Campobello. As with the island, fall is a great time to visit. Summer tourists are mostly gone, the weather remains bright and sunny most days, and the small town of about 1800 residents is quietly settling back into itself.
First, check out that handsome mural at 192 Water St. Designed and painted by local artists Andrea Mulder-Slater and Jantje Blokhuis-Mulder, it’s a startling rendition of the exact area where you are standing. Next, stroll along the nearby waterfront and choose among several restaurants for lunch. Afterward, you’ll want to wander into the town’s many galleries and shops.
Those with an interest in architecture won’t be disappointed. Many of the homes here were moved from what is now Castine, Maine, just after the American Revolution. Many Loyalist families dismantled their homes and transported them, sometimes by water, north to St. Andrews in order to remain under the British crown.
If you can’t visit in the fall, springtime in St. Andrews is also a great time to enjoy the town before the summer bustle. Gardeners should plan a lengthy stop at Kingsbrae Garden (www.kingsbraegarden.com). Named one of Canada’s top-ten public gardens, it will open again in mid-May. Among its themed gardens are a Bird and Butterfly Garden, Rose Garden, Rhododendron and Hydrangea Gardens, an eerily beautiful White Garden (try to see it at dusk), as well as a labyrinth maze, intriguing sculptures, and much more. Kingsbrae is also home to alpacas, peacocks, ducks, and other animals.
In addition, Kingsbrae boasts one of the best restaurants in Canada, Savour in the Garden (www.savourinthegarden.com). I recently had one of the best meals of my life there, enjoying a tasting menu that highlighted local seafood in such dishes as Jonah Crab Cakes with champagne vinaigrette. A clever lobster presentation called Lobster and Pearls included local lobster, couscous, and roasted carrot puree. The menu changes regularly according to what is fresh, but you can check out a sample menu on the website.
On November 17 from 5-9 PM, on Water St. in the heart of town
I can recommend the Algonquin Hotel as a place to stay. Open year round, the hotel and resort recently underwent expansive remodeling. Among the amenities are an elegant spa and, for warm-weather visitors, a challenging golf course. But before we pick up our golf clubs again, we have to get through the fall holidays and the upcoming winter. The Algonquin is offering a “Twas the Month Before Christmas” event from November 28-29 that includes meals and crafting, decorating, and wine-pairing classes. Find the details at algonquinresort.com. It sounds like a great way to kick off the holiday season.
Lovely post, Karen!