Driving New Brunswick’s Acadian Coast—Stopping for Lobster in Shediac

All you have to do is take one look at the 35-foot long lobster sculpture at the entrance to the seaside town of Shediac to know that you’ve reached the crustacean capital of the Maritimes. You’ll soon pass a lobster plant and many restaurants offering lobster rolls and PEI mussels. Yet, the best way to have a taste of lobster is aboard the Lobster Tales Cruise with Ron and Denise Cormier. For 29 years, Ron worked as a lobsterman scouring the waters of Shediac Bay and Northumberland Strait, the large body of water between New Brunswick and PEI. Now he passes on his vast knowledge of lobster to the fortunate visitors who board his boat for a 2 ½-hour cruise. Not only will you pull up traps to find lobsters, crabs, and a rubber chicken (Ron has a great sense of humor), but you’ll also learn to tell the difference between a female and male lobster (wider tail, of course) and how to eat a lobster properly. And eat you will, out at sea overlooking Shediac Island. Listen to traditional Acadian music while digging into the sweet lobster meat, which needs no butter to savor. If you need something to wash it down, the boat is well-equipped with a full bar. 

 
For more upscale dining, head to Maison Tait in town. Chef Mike Harris has returned home after working for six years at the Fairmont Hamilton in Bermuda. One bite of a succulent mussel dipped in a tasty coconut and curry sauce, and you’ll be happy to have him back in the Moncton area. If you need a place to crash after the rich chocolate lava cake, the circa-1911 Maison Tate just renovated their rooms upstairs.