The Maple Sugar Tour and Tasting at Dumfries Maples is a sweet, feel-good glimpse into one of Canada’s best-loved traditions. Set in the Saint John River Valley, it’s the kind of visit that’s all about comforting aromas, warm hospitality, and seeing how maple sap is transformed into that familiar golden syrup.

Hosted by the Scott family, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the sugarbush and sugarhouse, with time to watch sap boiling down and syrup being bottled. Along the way, there are plenty of chances to sample the good stuff, including classic maple taffy poured onto snow (when conditions allow) and homemade biscuits served with maple butter, which is exactly as delicious as it sounds.

If you’re visiting in late winter or early spring, the experience becomes even more seasonal and hands-on. You can walk or snowshoe through the sugarbush to see sap collecting in buckets on the trees, then finish with a hearty pancake breakfast in a cosy cedar log cookhouse, a real highlight for anyone who loves local food and simple, authentic experiences.

It’s an easy add-on for travellers passing through the Fredericton area, and works particularly well for families. As it’s a small group experience that runs with a minimum number of guests, it’s worth booking ahead where possible.