Autumn in New England and eastern Canada must be seen to be believed, as the deciduous trees explode in a spectrum of gold, orange, russet, and red. Leaf-peepers from around the world come to witness the annual extravaganza, further enhanced by the region’s picture-postcard towns and panoramic landscape.
A fortunate few get to experience this fiery display while traveling on one of Seabourn’s intimate, ultra-luxury ships. And if you think your more adventurous clients won’t find enough, well, adventure on a cruise, just picture them kayaking along a cliff-lined fjord, baiting traps on a lobster boat, and hiking woodland trails awash in fall colors. Here are six ways spirited travelers can stay active on a Seabourn voyage in Canada and New England.
Hitting the Trails in Acadia National Park (Bar Harbor)
Acadia National Park comprises some 40,000 acres along Maine’s eastern coast, encompassing rocky shores, unspoiled islands, spruce and pine forests, pristine lakes, and spectacular peaks. Seabourn guests can get their heartrate up while hiking some of the more than 120 miles of trails, including treks up Cadillac Mountain, which, at 1,532 feet, is the highest point along the North Atlantic Seaboard. Moose, black bear, and white-tail deer are among the 50 or so mammal species that find refuge in the park, which also hosts more than 300 bird species, including migrating birds of prey and puffins off the coast. Recommend a stop at the 19th-century Jordan Pond House for tea and popovers, an Acadia tradition.
Lobstering in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Cap-aux-Meules)
The Magdalen Islands (Îles de la Madeleine) is an isolated archipelago of a dozen or so islands sprinkled around the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Lobstering is integral to the Madelinot way of life, and your clients have the chance to hop aboard a typical lobster boat to help the captain bait and haul in traps while learning about this important industry. As they journey along the coast of Cap-aux-Meules (Grindstone in English), guests can admire the white-sand beaches and red sandstone cliffs, dotted with fantastical caves carved by the wind and pounding waves.
Kayaking Along Saguenay Fjord (Saguenay)
Saguenay Fjord is one of the longest in the world and the only navigable fjord in North America. Protected by both Saguenay Fjord National Park and Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, the fjord starts at the St. Lawrence River before stretching more than 60 miles through the Laurentian Mountains in southcentral Quebec. Black bears and wolves roam its fir and yellow birch forests, peregrine falcons nest along the 1,100-foot-high cliffs, and endangered St. Lawrence beluga whales swim along the shore. Picture your client paddling a kayak through this magnificent landscape, skirting tiny islands and getting up close and personal with the region’s rich wildlife.
Exploring Saint-Pierre by Zodiac (Saint-Pierre et Miquelon)
Set off the coast of Newfoundland, the small archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a self-governing overseas collectivity of France and the country’s last territory in North America. Seabourn guests can board a Zodiac in the colorful capital of Saint-Pierre for a water-level perspective of the islands’ many coves and cliffs, which offer sanctuary to some 300 species of migratory birds. A visit to Grand Colombier Island reveals one of the world’s largest colonies of breeding Leach's Storm-petrels, as well as the only site in the archipelago where puffins nest. Gray and harbor seals, dolphins, and humpback whales are also spotted here.
Cycling Around Cap-Aux-Meules (Cap-Aux-Meules)
Cap-aux-Meules (Grindstone) is a scenic port town on its eponymous island, as well as the main urban center for the Magdalen archipelago. Your clients can stretch their legs while pedaling an e-bike around Grindstone Island, stopping to visit Lavernière—a 19th-century church built from reclaimed shipwreck wood—and l’Étang-du-Nord harbor buzzing with lobster fishing boats. The cycling tour continues along the island’s north coast to Belle-Anse, renowned for its spectacular red cliffs sculpted by the sea, with time at Dune du Nord for a stroll along one of the archipelago’s finest beaches.
Hiking the Les Cascades Trail (Trois-Rivieres)
La Mauricie National Park in southern Quebec comprises more than 200 square miles in the Laurentians, a mountain chain that flanks the St. Lawrence River’s north bank. The park’s vast plateau is studded with gently undulating hills, intersected by lush valleys and dotted with pristine lakes, and its tranquil beauty is best discovered while hiking along the Les Cascades Trail. The four-mile-long loop trail follows a stream through a diversity of landscapes, from marshland to mature maple forest, while pretty cascades invite amblers to pause and ponder.
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