First time at the Hopewell Rocks

Start with the tide, not the clock

Most attractions are planned around opening hours. This one is planned around the sea. NB Parks publishes tide tables for the park, and it is the first thing to look at. Walking on the ocean floor among the sea stacks is possible only around low tide, and the park warns that tides rise quickly. About six hours separate the two extremes, in the park's own description.

Because the ticket is valid for two consecutive days, you do not have to fit both tides into one visit. From a base in Moncton, about 48 km away by our measurement, that opens a comfortable pattern: the ocean floor on one day, the rocks surrounded by water on the next.

Choosing your way down

There are three ways to reach the ocean floor, and the right one depends on who you are with:

• The Main Deck stairs: 99 steps down to the ocean floor and, by the park's count, 101 back up. Fine for most children over five; tiring for toddlers who want to be carried.
• The ramp near North Beach: no stairs, with benches along the incline. Suitable for wheelchairs, though the park says many people find the ocean floor itself too difficult on wheels.
• The Demoiselle trail: a gentler path south from behind the Interpretive Centre that descends to sea level, with views of Shepody Mountain, Mary's Point and Grindstone Island.

If walking from the Interpretive Centre to the top of the stairs is too far for someone in your group, the park runs a shuttle for a small fee.

What children need

Good shoes, mainly. The park recommends footwear with ankle support that is non-slip and easy to clean, and it means it: the rocks are slippery and the sediment is everywhere. Bring a towel and a bag for the muddy shoes on the drive back to the hotel. Children aged 4 and under enter free, and the family ticket covers two parents and their children aged 18 and under.

Give them something to look for. The park says the sea stacks have names like Elephant, Bear, Dinosaur, ET and Mother-in-Law. At low tide, it adds, you can spot rock crabs, barnacles, sea snails, hermit crabs and even sea anemones.

The rules worth knowing

No swimming, though dipping your feet is allowed. No drones of any size. Dogs on a leash of 3 metres or less, and not inside buildings unless they are service animals. No camping, and everyone leaves before dark. And, outside the season, no entry at all.

The season for 2027 runs from May 14 to October 24. Our Hopewell Rocks page has the hours, prices and route from the hotel.