Discover Shippagan: Harbor Trail, Nature and Culture

Shippagan combines experiences by the harbor and coast with nature, cycling and culture. A wooden boardwalk runs along the shore, at the aquarium you can encounter fish and invertebrates from the region, and La P’tite Église tells the story of local communities. These different experiences give families a range of ways to spend their days without having to squeeze everything into a single itinerary.

Walking by the harbor

The Sentier Rivage runs along the shore of Shippagan harbor between Rue Pointe-Brûlée and the Aquarium et Centre marin du Nouveau-Brunswick. The wooden boardwalk is a little over two kilometers long. This makes it easy to plan the route as a walk on its own or as part of an active day. The trail is also suitable for running and cycling.

Cycling on the Véloroute Péninsule acadienne

The Sentier Rivage is part of the Véloroute Péninsule acadienne loop. At the route’s Shippagan station, visitors can stop by the offices and shop and begin their ride; bicycles and tricycles are available to rent there. Separate from this is the Shippagan Visitor Information Centre, which rents bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters. These options offer practical guidance for planning your trip if you would like to explore Shippagan by bike.

Walks and bike rides on trails in the wider area around the town can also be combined with birdwatching opportunities. This lets you choose between a loop on the Sentier Rivage and trails that lead through the region and include nature observation.

Aquarium, coast and marine life

Aquarium NB features fish and invertebrates from the Gulf of St. Lawrence as well as from lakes and rivers in eastern Canada. The collection also includes brightly colored lobsters, including blue lobsters. For children and adults interested in animals and different habitats, the aquarium offers a focus of its own alongside outdoor activities. The collection’s origins connect marine life with the inland waters of eastern Canada.

There are sandy beaches along the Shippagan coast that invite visitors to swim. Water and beaches are also part of what defines the area. When choosing a vacation rental, you can consider which experiences you would like to shape your trip, taking the coastal setting into account alongside the harbor trail, bike rides or culture.

History and culture at La P’tite Église

La P’tite Église is a heritage-protected building dating from 1903; the entrance area was added in 1950. The site recalls the presence of Jersey and Scottish communities in the municipality and the region. So, alongside experiences in nature and by the water, Shippagan also offers a tangible connection to the history of the communities that shaped this area.

La P’tite Église has been recognized as a cultural venue since 2013. Its annual summer program includes intimate musical performances, visual art exhibitions, literary conferences and various smaller cultural events. This range makes the venue a distinct reason to explore music, visual art and literature. For families with different interests, these cultural offerings can complement other ways of discovering the area, while walks, cycling and the aquarium each provide their own focus for a trip.

Choose Shippagan as a vacation destination

If Shippagan suits what you have in mind for a trip, you can search specifically for a vacation rental here.

Other places: Janeville, Salmon Beach, Tracadie-Sheila, Beresford, Petit Rocher, Caraquet, Lamèque, Pointe-Verte.

For the broader travel overview: Gloucester County.