Shediac is a tiny coastal town along the eastern shoreline of New Brunswick known for its robust lobster fishing. Nestled on Shediac Bay on the Northumberland Strait, just across from Prince Edward Island, Shediac was once a part of the French colony of Acadia and remains mostly bilingual today.

The town greets visitors with a 36-foot-long, 16-foot-tall lobster statue — the largest of its kind in the world. There are a couple of sandy beaches where you can take a swim in the surprisingly warm water, try your hand at windsurfing, or go kayaking beside the Giant Lobster itself. The Old Train Station Museum in town teaches visitors about Shediac’s role as the first railway station in New Brunswick, and there are more museums, galleries, and antique shops along the main strip. Not surprisingly, most of the seaside restaurants offer lobster dinners, and when you’re finished, head to Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf for a stroll beside the water while you enjoy an ice cream and admire the sunset over the bay.

Like many parts of eastern Canada, Shediac experiences extreme weather with long, hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Summer is the perfect time to visit if you want to hit the beach or get out on the water. During July, the city hosts the Lobster Festival, complete with parades, live music, carnival rides, and lots of fresh lobster to try. The spring and autumn months are cooler, but are great times to avoid the crowds and catch a glimpse of the spring flowers or autumn leaves as they provide a dash of color to the surrounding countryside. Things quiet down as the temperature drops in winter, the winds pick up, and the snow accumulates. Although some businesses may be closed for the off-season, this is a lovely time to explore Shediac in solitude.

Parlee Beach

With some of the warmest saltwater in Canada, this golden beach is one of the best places to go for a swim off of Canada’s eastern coast. You’ll find soft sand and shallow waves, making this a great spot for families; you can even join in a game of beach volleyball while you are there. The beach is just a short walk from the wharf, where you can pick up lunch.

Acadian Coastal Drive

Stretching over 450 miles, this scenic drive takes visitors through Acadia, passing by historic towns, gorgeous beaches, sprawling national parks, and breathtaking bays. Shediac is near the southern tip of the route, so it is easy to explore a small portion of the drive from town or to make it part of a much longer roadtrip.

Giant Lobster

Weighing in at 100 tons, the gargantuan lobster statue at the edge of town is made of concrete and reinforced steel and looks uncannily lifelike. It was built in 1989 to stand as a symbol of the town’s self-proclaimed role as the “Lobster Capital of the World.” You can climb up to the statue to get some great photos of yourself standing between its powerful claws.