Calais

The St. Croix River is tidal from Passamaquoddy Bay to Calais. Tides here can surge more than 30 feet, the highest in the continental United States. France's settlement of North America started on St. Croix Island; its 400th anniversary was the cause of much celebrating in 2004. A shipbuilding and lumbering center in the 1800s, Calais struggled economically in the late 20th century, but tourism is beginning to change the tide. The opening of the Downeast Heritage Museum on the waterfront was part of the settlement commemorations. There is a riverfront park with a walkway; one of the nation's oldest wildlife refuges is nearby.

St. Stephen, in New Brunswick, shares a border crossing with Calais. Traffic delays at the downtown bridge can last an hour or longer in summer, but walking from downtown to downtown takes only a few minutes. A bridge north of downtown is less busy; a third bridge is to open in 2008. U.S. citizens need a passport or other federal government-approved ID when traveling to Canada.