Small-town escapes: Get outside Canada's big cities to find charm and adventure

April 17, 2025

"Tourism in Canada has long been synonymous with postcard scenes: the mist and spray of Niagara Falls, Toronto’s CN Tower aglow at night, Lake Louise’s bright blue glacial waters in Banff National Park. These famous sights draw continuous crowds each year, all vying for the same selfie. But Canada is a vast land with stunning and diverse topographies and cultures. What lesser-known, small-town destinations are we missing out on?

Hampton, N.B.

Situated on the Kennebecasis River, a bird watcher’s paradise, Hampton is a picture-perfect village only a 30-minute drive from Saint John. Community spirit keeps the place alive, with locals often congregating in the town square pavilion for movie nights, concerts and yoga lessons. Nature lovers can rent a kayak and explore the network of waterways or hike the many trails around Spooner Island Nature Park, which is surrounded by marshy wetlands. Take a self-guided walking tour of Hampton’s historic heritage homes, which look right out of a Stephen King novel – some built as far back as the late 1800s. Hampton is also home to one of the most scenic golf courses in the province: the Hampton Golf Club, an 18-hole course overlooking a lake with gorgeous sunset views."

Read the full Globe and Mail article here.
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