This Scenic Island Made Up Of 200 Million-Year-Old Lava Looks Like Canada's Version Of Hawaii

If you're not ready to leave summer behind, you can explore sandy beaches and find coastal gems at this vacation-worthy island in Canada.

Grand Manan is an island in the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick where you'll find uncrowded beaches, hiking trails and tons of opportunities to immerse yourself in nature.

Volcanic rock from the Triassic period makes up the western part of the island, making it look like something you'd find in Hawaii rather than Canada.

The picturesque island was named one of the world's seven best small islands by Reader's Digest in 2018, earning a spot alongside tropical destinations like Hawaii and Cuba for its friendly atmosphere and for being a scenic destination.

While the island is absolutely postcard-worthy, there's also tons to do here. You'll find gorgeous beaches where you can escape the crowds, opportunities to see different species of birds (including puffins, eagles and peregrine falcons) and whale watching, with humpback whales and porpoises known to play in the waters of the Bay of Fundy.

The island also has trails covering 70 kilometres of beaches, cliffs and shores for hiking, as well as bicycles you can rent to explore the island's roads.

You can embark on the scenic Lighthouse Trail to see the island's many picturesque lighthouses, a route best done by driving.

You can also visit Anchorage Provincial Park, where you can hike on a trail through a forested area to a bog where you'll find tropical-looking pitcher plants and sundews as well as a seaside picnic area where you might spot a rabbit or two.

There are both sandy and pebbled beaches on the island that makes great spots for beachcombing for sea glass and other treasures like shells and sand dollars.

According to the island's tourism service, white, brown and green sea glass are most common, but you might also find sea glass in shades of cobalt blue, lavender and turquoise.

You can explore tide pools along the beaches and see starfish and sea urchins where the water is low, with whales and porpoises often just offshore.

To get to the island, you can take the Grand Manan ferry service from the mainland, which begins in Blacks Harbour.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.