Leave Edmundston as early as you can and head north/east on Route 2 to Route 11 toward Campbellton—it’s usually about 3.5 to 4 hours of driving, depending on how often you stop for coffee, gas, or a quick leg stretch. The road is straightforward, with the most practical break being somewhere around Grand Falls or Sainte-Léonard if you want a bathroom and caffeine without detouring far. Parking is easiest once you’re in the waterfront area of Campbellton, so don’t stress about finding a spot until you’ve arrived and checked into the day’s rhythm.
Settle into Sugarloaf Provincial Park first, because it gives you the best “welcome to the Chaleur Bay” view of the day. The main lookout and short trails are the real draw here, and in June the air is usually clear enough to see the Restigouche River curling below. If you’re up for a bit more effort, a quick hike on one of the park’s trails is worth it; plan on about 1.5 to 2 hours total. Entry is typically a modest provincial park fee, and good walking shoes help even if you’re only doing the easier viewpoints. After that, continue to Dalhousie for the New Brunswick Aquarium and Marine Centre, a low-key stop that’s perfect when you want to sit down, see local marine life, and break up the driving without losing the day to a big attraction. It’s an easy 1-hour visit and a nice change of pace before evening.
For dinner, head to The Iron Bound Cider House in the Campbellton area and keep it relaxed—this is the kind of place that fits a road trip perfectly, with cider, pub-style dishes, and a laid-back room where you can actually decompress after the drive. Budget around CAD $20–35 per person depending on what you order, and it’s smart to go a little earlier than peak supper time if you want a quieter table. After dinner, do one last slow walk along the Campbellton Waterfront and the Restigouche River promenade. Sunset here can be lovely in late June, and it’s an easy 30–45 minute stroll before calling it a night and getting ready for tomorrow’s longer run down the coast.
Leave Campbellton early and make Miguasha National Park your first real stop of the day; if you’re on the road by around 8:00 a.m., you’ll have a relaxed shot at the fossil cliffs and the visitor center before the day gets long. Plan on about 1.5 to 2 hours here — long enough to see the UNESCO-listed shoreline, read the exhibits, and do the short coastal walk without feeling rushed. Admission is usually in the roughly CAD $10–15 range for adults, and the site is easiest to enjoy when the tide and weather are calm, so check conditions before you go. Parking is straightforward, and from here the rest of the day is mostly a scenic roll along Route 132.
By late morning, settle into the drive toward the Rimouski area and aim for Bic National Park as your lunch-and-stretch break. This is the kind of place where you can keep it easy: a coastal walk near the shoreline, a lookout, or just enough time to breathe salt air before getting back in the car. Give yourself 2 to 3 hours total if you want a proper pause, especially if you stop for a picnic or a quick café lunch in the surrounding area. The park fee is typically in the low-teens per person, and the main thing to know is that this is not a “see everything” stop — pick one or two easy viewpoints and save your legs for the rest of the drive. If you want food nearby rather than a picnic, Rimouski has simple reliable options along Rue Saint-Germain and near the waterfront, but don’t linger too long or you’ll cut into your later stops.
Continue east and make Bistro du Capitaine in Sainte-Flavie your first proper sit-down meal on the Gaspé side. It’s a very good road-trip dinner stop: seafood, local comfort food, and bay views that make the whole detour feel worth it. Budget about CAD $25–45 per person depending on what you order, and it’s smart to arrive a little before the supper rush if you want a table with the best light. After that, head straight into Sainte-Anne-des-Monts for Exploramer, which works well as a late-afternoon or early-evening stop; give it 1 to 1.5 hours if you want the aquarium and maritime exhibits without overdoing it. If you still have energy and daylight, finish with a short scenic visit to Gaspésie National Park from the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts side — even a brief evening look at the mountains and visitor area is enough to reset after a long drive. Keep the evening flexible here; this is the kind of day where one or two good stops are better than trying to cram in everything.
Start with a short, fresh-air stop at Parc national de la Gaspésie before you commit to the long coastal push. If you’re coming in from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, aim for an early departure so you can get a 1.5-hour taste of the park without losing the day—think quick scenic pull-offs, a light walk, and mountain views that feel very different from the shoreline you’ve been following. Even in June, it can be cooler up here than you expect, so a windbreaker and a thermos coffee go a long way. Entrance fees are usually around the national park standard range, and parking is straightforward if you keep the visit brief and focused.
From there, continue east on Route 132 toward Gaspé and make Forillon National Park your main nature stop. This is the big one for the day: dramatic cliffs, salt air, and those wide-open coastal viewpoints that make the whole peninsula feel cinematic. If you only have time for one zone, head straight for the easier-access viewpoints and shoreline areas rather than trying to cram in long hikes; 2.5 to 3.5 hours is enough to feel the park without rushing. Budget roughly CAD $9–10 per adult for park entry, and keep some cashless payment handy. Afterward, roll into Gaspé for a culture break at Musée de la Gaspésie on Boulevard de York—it’s a compact, worthwhile stop for learning the backstory of the region before you head farther east. Plan on 1 to 1.5 hours here; it’s an easy, low-effort reset after the park, and it gives you a better appreciation for the communities you’ve been driving through all week.
Once you leave Gaspé, keep following Route 132 toward Percé and check in, then slow the pace completely. For an easy late-afternoon stop, settle at Café des Artistes in town for coffee, dessert, or a light meal—perfect if you want something relaxed before sunset, and a reasonable stop at about CAD $15–30 per person. Then head to the waterfront for the classic view at Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island viewpoint; the light is best near golden hour, when the whole scene softens and the rock really pops against the water. Give yourself 1 to 1.5 hours just to wander, sit, and take photos without feeling like you have to “do” anything else. If you’re staying overnight in Percé, this is the nicest way to end the day; if not, this is still the moment to linger as long as you can before turning in.
Leave Percé before sunrise if you can and aim to have the tank full before you hit the road; once you’re on Route 132, this is a long, scenic but very real driving day, so the early start makes all the difference. Plan a first proper stop in Rimouski around late morning or lunch, with downtown parking easiest near Rue Saint-Germain Ouest and the waterfront area if you want to stretch your legs before sitting down. Bistro 1910 is a smart reset point here: expect around CAD $20–40 per person, and it’s the kind of place where you can get a solid lunch without losing too much time.
After lunch, keep the pace flexible and use the coast as your excuse to pause when the road starts feeling long. A quick stop in the Le Bic area gives you one last real look at the St. Lawrence—even 30 to 45 minutes at a scenic pull-off is enough to breathe, walk a bit, and remember why this route is worth the effort. Farther west, a halt routière near Matane or Mont-Joli is ideal for coffee, a bathroom break, or a picnic snack; these roadside stops are usually easy in and out, free or very low cost, and they help break the afternoon into manageable chunks.
From there, it’s mostly heads-down driving to Edmundston, with the final stretch on Route 20 and Route 2 feeling much easier once you’re past the Gaspé-to-bas-Saint-Laurent part of the trip. Expect a late-evening arrival depending on traffic and how many breaks you take, so don’t plan anything ambitious when you get in—if you’re hungry, keep it simple with an easy dinner near your hotel, usually around CAD $20–35 per person. If you still have energy and daylight left somewhere along the inland stretch, a quick fuel-and-snack stop is better than trying to push through tired; this is one of those days where arriving safely matters more than squeezing in anything extra.