Three days in New Brunswick: Best places to explore

First of all, there's the food. The temperate Maritime climate creates a wealth of regional bounty, including some of the sweetest strawberries in the country. Chefs take full advantage, serving up both traditional specialties — wild blueberries, tender fiddleheads and buttery lobster — and relative newcomers like spaetzle and local caviar.

Then there's the great outdoors. New Brunswickers are fiercely proud of the region's spectacular forests, hills and coves and delight in showing them off. Wherever you turn, it seems that someone is eager to rent you a horse, kayak or bike to explore the province's wild places. And did we mention the salt water is the warmest north of Virginia?

Tranquil villages are another draw. Summer doesn't get much better than sitting on a waterfront deck with an ice-cold pint of locally brewed Picaroons Blonde Ale while inhaling deep breaths of salty sea air.

But in the end, New Brunswick's greatest unsung attraction may be its friendly inhabitants. Whether they're pressing you to sample fresh smoked salmon or urging you to go full throttle along a root-warped mountain biking trail, they just want you to have a good time. What more can you ask of a vacation destination than that?