List of tourist attractions in Moncton
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The Moncton area has several major attractions:
- Champlain Place - At 816,000 sq ft, and with over 160 stores and services, is the second largest shopping mall in Atlantic Canada,
- Crystal Palace - An indoor amusement park with rides such as a roller coaster and a Tivoli swing; located adjacent to Champlain Place. The facility also includes a hotel, conference centre, restaurant, eight cinema multiplex and a Chapters bookstore/Starbucks Cafe.
- Tidal bore - A phenomenon created by the extreme tides of the Bay of Fundy which actually reverses the downstream flow of the Petitcodiac River at high tide. A causeway to Riverview was built in the 1960s, which has significantly diminished the effects of the bore. Efforts are underway to have the causeway replaced by a bridge in order to restore the river flow but there is a great amount of opposition from land owners on "Lake Petitcodiac" (the recreational headpond created on the western side of the causeway), who fear that their property values will plummet as a result.
- Magnetic Hill - An optical illusion created by local topography, is also the site of a major tourism development. Components include:
- Magnetic Hill Zoo - A nationally recognized zoo with over 400 animals, it is easily the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada
- Magic Mountain Water Park - The largest water park in Atlantic Canada
- Magnetic Hill outdoor concert site - A large outdoor concert venue. Pope John Paul II held a papal mass there in 1984 for 75,000 people. The Rolling Stones held a concert here on the 3rd of September, 2005 in front of 85,000 fans. The city holds one or two megaconcerts at the facility every year. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will be playing there in 2007.
Moncton is well situated as a tourism destination. There are two major national parks (Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac National Park) within a one hour drive of the city. The warmest salt water beaches north of Virginia can be found on the Northumberland Strait, only 15 minutes away at Parlee Beach in nearby Shediac. New Brunswick's signature natural attraction (the Hopewell Rocks) are only a half hour's drive down the Petitcodiac river valley. The Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island is only an hour's drive east of the city.
Other nearby attractions (within 30-60 minutes of the city) include:
- Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Preserve (at the base of the Confederation Bridge)
- La Dune de Bouctouche Irving Eco-Centre (ecotourism site, beach, longest remaining unspoiled barrier dune system on the eastern seaboard (twelve kilometers))
- Cape Enrage (historic lighthouse, fossils and adventure tourism)
- Le Pays de la Sagouine (Acadian cultural theme park).
- Fort Beausejour (National Historic Park) located in Aulac, New Brunswick.
- Sackville Waterfowl Park (nature trails & boardwalk over freshwater marsh, waterfowl viewing platforms).