Travel Alert--Remember to take passports to any of the Caribbean, Central American, Mexican, and Canadian locations. Even children traveling with their parents need passports.

New Brunswick is the "gateway to the Atlantic" and one of the picturesque Canadian Maritime Provinces. To reach New Brunswick, auto-tourists should drive north on I-95 through Maine to New Brunswick where they can visit Fredericton, the historic capital on the St. John River or continue to St. John, the largest city in the Province. Visitors to New Brunswick, who arrive by boat, can sail or cruise north from Maine along the Atlantic Ocean coast to the Bay of Fundy and moor at any of the scenic ports. Exploring the port cities has an advantage for gourmets who enjoy seafood fresh from the daily catches of the commercial fishing fleets and maritime cuisine. All visitors to New Brunswick should pack a camera, golf clubs, hiking gear, and fishing poles. To make the most of the visit, they also should put a canoe or kayak on the roof of the car and tie a bicycle on the back bumper. Travelers from the United States also need a passport. If there is no room for the extra equipment, outfitters are available along the way.

Campers in New Brunswick can enjoy a variety of camping sites at the many provincial parks, including two provincial parks on Grand Manan Island, and two national parks. New Brunswick has many trails for hiking, bicycling, backpacking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing in addition to the Canadian National trail system and the extension of the Appalachian Trail. Skiing in New Brunswick is not limited to cross-country skiing. Downhill skiers are astounded by the views when they are soaring up the mountains on the chair lifts. Sled dog races add to winter fun between skiing adventures.

Fishing abounds in New Brunswick whether in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, or other bodies of water such as the fast moving streams and rivers. New Brunswick is a favorite for fly fishermen. For visitors, who like the water, but prefer other activities, whale watching and sightseeing in "cigarette boats" is thrilling. There also are lots of beaches and river banks for wading, splashing, paddling, or just watching the water flow over the rapids and rocks or the seabirds play.

Some call New Brunswick "Canada's Picture Province" because its scenery with covered bridges, historic lighthouses, grand beaches, gardens, and quaint villages is beautiful. Therefore, all visitors to New Brunswick should plan a circle driving tour of the Province. Although there are many starting points, one New Brunswick Circle Tour suggestion starts at Woodstock near the Maine border and continues north to Grand Falls (Grand Sault) and follows Route 17 northeast to the coastal towns and villages such as Dalhousie. After Dalhousie, auto-tourist can continue to Caraquet, Shippegan, Ile Lameque, and Miscou Island, the most northern point in New Brunswick in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. From the islands, visitors can follow the scenic coastal highway to Sackville, circle back to St. John, and continue driving to the famous St. Andrew. At any point along this circle tour, there are beautiful side trips, good fishing, hiking, camping, bird watching, and excellent golf-not to mention perfect picture taking opportunities.

New Brunswick and all of the Canadian Maritime Provinces have rich cultural heritages that include French, British, Scandinavian, and Scottish cultures.

Other travel suggestions:

• Take the ferry from St. John to Digby, Nova Scotia across the Bay of Fundy;
• At Sackville drive to Amherst, Nova Scotia;
• Take the ferry from Cape Tormentine to Prince Edward Island across Northumberland Strait;
• Stop at Freeport, Maine on I-95 to stock up on hiking, backpacking, and paddling gear before continuing to New Brunswick;
• Hike the Appalachian Trail in Maine and New Brunswick;
• Drive from Maine through New Brunswick to Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec on the St. Lawrence River, follow the scenic highway around the Quebec side of the St. Lawrence past the Monts Chic-Chocs (Chic-Chocs Mountains), and return to the New Brunswick Circle Tour at Flatlands west of Dalhousie; or
• At Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec drive west along the St. Lawrence River to Levis and take the ferry to Quebec (city) or cross the St. Lawrence River at the Quebec Bridge.

Fly-fishing

Fly-fishing enthusiasts should add New Brunswick to their list of great fly-fishing locations like Michigan, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Connecticut, Maine, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Montana.