6 days ago
Musician Points Out Beautiful, Unknown Canadian Destinations
Canadian singer-songwriter Matt Andersen has lived and now lives in unique Canadian towns unknown to most Americans. Matt Andersen
Singer-songwriter Matt Andersen has lived in many unique Canadian cities and towns that few Americans are familiar with. American travelers looking for new destinations may want to absorb his knowledge.
Andersen, who recently released a new album The Hammer & The Rose , grew up in Perth-Andover, a tiny town that has since been incorporated into Southern Victoria in New Brunswick, Canada. Perth-Andover has about 1,500 residents and is about a 2-hour-and-40-minute drive northwest of Saint John, the province's largest city. The Saint John River runs through Perth-Andover, dividing the Perth side from the Andover side.
'Perth-Andover is quiet and serence and in a beautiful part of the Saint John River Valley,' says Andersen who will be performing August 17 at Mountain Stage in Charleston, West Virginia. 'If you're looking for hustle and bustle, this might not be for you. The area is full of charm that used to bore me as a kid, but now I wish more and more that I could spend my time there. Home cooked meals, local produce and mechanics that won't try to rip you off, because you're from out of town. It's very much a-less-is-more kind of place.'
The beauty of the Annapolis Valley vineyards is apparent near Wolfville; Nova Scotia, where singer-songwriter Matt Andersen lives. (Photo by: Dave Reede/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Explore NB, New Brunswick's tourism department, calls Perth-Andover the place 'where people and trails meet' in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. Visitors can enjoy many experiences there, the department says.
'Take the self-guided Cultural Walkway tour for a glimpse into the area's Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) English and Scottish heritage,' Explore NB says. 'Depending on the season, you can explore the area with hiking, biking or cross-country skiing excursions on three local trail systems: the International Appalachian Trail, the Trans Canada Trail and the Sentier NB Trail.'
The village also sits near great hunting, fishing and wilderness areas, according to the tourism department. Every Saturday in the summer, a local farmers market features 'the best of the region's lands, woods and waters.'
Perth-Andover, Andersen says, also hosts some 'world-class events,' including the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo music festival and The Gathering of the Scots, an annual celebration of Scottish culture with various competitions.
'I threw my first caber (a young tree trunk) there many years ago and was part of the evening's entertainment,' Andersen says about The Gathering of the Scots. 'It has since turned into a holdfast in the Highland Games circuit.'
Visitors should eat and stay, Explore NB says, at the 13-guestroom Pathsaala Inn & Restaurant, 'a castle-style manor.'
If you are going to a festival or just visiting, don't miss Carl's Dairy Bar, Andersen says.
'This place has been here since I was a kid and beyond I assume,' he says. 'The onion rings are the best, and I'm a sucker for the chicken roll.'
The Tobique River Trading Company is worth a stop to pick up some local beers and roasted coffee, Andersen says. It is located in a century-old building on a bank of the Saint John River.
A few years ago, a four-lane highway was built, and it has provided some apparently unexpected benefits for locals, Andersen says.
'The benefit of the new highway is that the old Trans Canada Highway is left alone to the locals,' he says. 'You can drive along the Saint John River and take in its splendor without having to worry about a car riding your bumper while trying to get a prized lobster trap home.'
About a 40-minute drive northeast of Perth-Andover is Plaster Rock, a town that hosts the World Pond Hockey Championships.
'It is just what it sounds like,' Andersen remarks. 'Teams from all over the world compete in the tournament that takes place on a frozen lake. It's about as Canadian as you can get.'
The Tobique River flows through Plaster Rock and is known for its fishing and wildlife.
'If you visit at the right time of year, you can go on the hunt for fiddleheads—a local fern that lands on supper plates every spring,' Andersen says. 'You'll love them or hate them, though it is commonly agreed that the best way to love them is with more than the daily recommended dose of butter and a few splashes of vinegar.'
About a 40-minute drive south of Perth-Andover, the town of Hartland is home to the world's longest covered bridge. The Hartland Covered Bridge is about 427 yards long and opened uncovered, according to Parks Canada, in 1901. A spring ice jam washed out two spans in 1920. By early 1922, the bridge was repaired and fully covered, with a walkway added in the 1940s.
A six-minute drive from the bridge is the home of Covered Bridge Potato Chips, which offers tours and sells more than 30 types of chips in its gift shop.
'They make some of the best kettle-style chips,' Andersen says. 'Go for the creamy dill.'
Nearby is the McCain Foods factory in Florenceville. The company, known globally for its French fries, has annual revenues of $16 billion Canadian, according to the company's website.
'I worked there in my days before going full-time as a musician,' Andersen recalls. 'You're in potato country now. Stop into Potato World to see where McCain's products are sent all over the world and dig into some fresh-cooked French fries.'
Potato World says it is 'two acres of state-of-the-art hands-on displays, educational video theaters and antique machinery. Finish off your visit with tasty fries, baked potato soup, chocolate potato cake, potato smoothie and many more tasty treats!'
Abot a six-hour drive from the factory where he once worked, Andersen lives today in another province, Nova Scotia. He resides in Wolfville, about an hour's drive north of Halifax.
'Like many moves people make, I followed my heart to Wolfville,' he explains. 'Got it broke and found another reason to stay. It has become home over the last 20 years.'
Wolfville is nestled in the Annapolis Valley.
'It's where our vineyards are and a good portion of our farmland,' Andersen says. 'From spring to fall, we're spoiled with an abundance of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables. The road to my house is lined with roadside stands with produce at the end of the driveways and a cash box and a price list. We're spoiled.'
About a 35-minute drive north of Wolfville, Andersen recommends visitors go to Cape Split Provincial Park.
'Cape Split is a gorgeous hike that will give you beautiful views of the Bay of Fundy,' he exclaims.
Why does one prefer living in Wolfville over Halifax, a city teeming with local musicians?
'I'm a country kid,' Andersen replies. 'I grew up with great neighbors, but you'd have to dig out the binoculars to get a good look at them. Wolfville still has lots of space. I live on a seven-acre lot. It's quiet when you need quiet and dark when you need dark. The supply of local produce and meat is a huge plus. We know where our money is going when we drop it into the boxes by the road. My place is only about 45 minutes to Halifax or the airport. That's perfect by me.'
