Saint John is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, located in the south of the province on the Bay of Fundy. Saint John is a city whose population is composed almost entirely of the descendants of Irish immigrants and British loyalists. Canada's oldest incorporated city, Saint John boasts a population of approximately 70,000 and routinely plays host to cruise ships and individual tourists from all over North America.

Get in

Driving to Saint John is not a hassle like many cities. Saint John is only 107 kilometers or 66 miles from the Calais/St.Stephen border between Canada and the United States of America. Driving distances from major cities are 496 kilometers or 310 miles from Portland, Maine, 940 km or 588 mi from Montreal, Quebec and 424 km or 265 mi from Halifax, Nova Scotia. For residents of western Nova Scotia planning to visit Saint John, your best bet is the ferry from Digby. There are three crossings daily from mid June to mid October, these take two and a half hours on average. During the rest of the year there is at least one crossing daily and they usually take two hour and forty-five minutes. There are eleven car rental dealerships in the city including an Avis Rent A Car at the Saint John Airport. Saint John is home to a domestic airport; flights arrive and leave several times daily for larger International airports should transportation to and from other countries be required. Bus service with SMT Bus Lines deposits travelers into the heart of the city's Uptown, where transportation to any area of the city can be found easily. Train service is not available to Saint John directly, but is available to the nearby city of Moncton, where travelers can then make the two hour SMT bus ride into Saint John. Saint John also boasts a booming cruise ship industry and has cruise ships enter the cities dock on a regular basis.

Attractions

 • Fort Howe - Located in the city's North End, Fort Howe offers a panoramic view of the city and harbour as well as being a historic attraction.
 • City Market - The city market is located in the Uptown, with entrances on Charlotte and Germain Street. Local businesses, craft workers, artists, farmers, bakers and grocers sell a wide array of unique foods and crafts, native both to New Brunswick and around the world. The building is a historic site with amazing period architecture.
 • New Brunswick Museum - Located in Market Square in the city's Uptown. The museum boasts a wide array of local historic information and artifacts, artwork, scientific exhibits and displays, and a Discovery Centre with many interactive and educational activities. Museum has a to scale plaster of a mastadon skeleton and skeletons of whales.
 • Rockwood Park - Located in the North End, admission is free and the park offers a wide variety of walking, biking and horseback riding trails. Rockwood Park is landlocked but its paths weave around both natural and man-made lakes (public swimming is free, but no Lifeguard service is available.)
 • Irving Nature Park - Located on the West Side, admission is also free. A variety of walking trails lead travelers through woods, guide them into marshes, and bring them to beaches and lookout points on the sea.
 • King Square - In the heart of the Uptown, King Square is home to gardens, monuments, and the trademark Bandstand / Fountain at its center. Adjacent to King Square is the Loyalist City Burial Ground, whose cobblestone paths lead past graves over two centuries old.
 • Reversing Falls - As the Saint John River flows into the Bay of Fundy, whose tides are the highest in the world, strong rapids form as the tide rises and clashes with the flow of the river below the Reversing Falls bridge. During the summer months a Jet Boat offers tourists the thrill of tackling the rapids up close.
 • Carleton Martello Tower- The Carleton Martello Tower was originally built for the War of 1812. However by the time of its completion in 1815, the war was completed. It became used for military in 1866 and was used on and off by Canadian troops for nearly eighty years. It is now a Canadian National Historic Site.

Buy & Eat

The Uptown is home to hundreds of privately owned and operated shops that sell a wide variety of food and merchandise. A stroll down King Street will offer stores selling local arts and crafts, while across the street the Brunswick Square Mall offers more commercial stores for your shopping pleasure (clothes, shoes, cards, books, music, Laura Secord Chocolates, etc.) Try Germain and Canterbury Street (both off King Street) for used books, international cuisine and independent record stores.

The city is home to eight shopping centers. Brunswick Square and Market square which are both located in uptown offer modern class shopping and are connected by a pedway system which links much of uptown Saint John. Prince Edward Square (also in uptown) is nearby. The north end of the city is home to one shopping center called Lansdowne Place, there is also Lancaster Mall on the west side. The east side of the city is home to MacAllister Mall (the cities largest), parkway mall, Loch Lomond Mall and numerous box stores including Canadian Tire, Old Navy, Pier 1 Imports and Future Shop.

The City Market in the uptown is the oldest operating farmers market in Canada. It is home to fresh fruits and vegetable, fresh from the sea seafood, a coffee shop and many other products. For the best seafood in the city, try Billy's Seafood near the City Market. A variety of locations for dining in are available in Market Square. For the more thrifty traveler an eatery is located in Brunswick Square, or try the side aisles of the City Market for fresh salads, sandwiches, and other local fare.

Sleep

Finding a place to stay in Saint John shouldn't be a hassle. For those of you who prefer a comfortable stay near everything you could possibly wish to see, try one of the hotels B&Bs in the uptown. Hotels in Saint John cost on average $120 per night for a single. However, if you are traveling on a budget there are still some comfortable motels around the city. If camping underneath the stars is more your style, Rockwood Park or the village of St.Martins make great choices. If you are looking more along the line of cottages or country inns, there are a few options in the city and many more in the suburbs and nearby country.

Get Out

The city of Saint John offers so many events that it is hard to chose where to begin. The Reversing Falls is a one of a kind natural attraction in the heart of the city, during high tide (which is the highest in the world) the rapids of the Saint John River reverse.

Get around

Buses are available from approximately 6AM to Midnight for public transport within the city. Schedules are available on the buses themselves and in information booths throughout the city. Fare is 2.25$ Cdn (as of July 2004) for adult passengers; discounts are available for children, seniors and students with proper identification. Taxis are available to be called (see the yellow pages in phone books at local payphones for listings] and charge a flat fare depending on travel between city zones (adding a 1$ charge per extra passenger.)

Within the Uptown it is possible to travel on foot between the City Market, Brunswick Square Mall, Market Square, the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, Mercantile Centre and Harbour Station via underground and pedway connections without venturing outside. (The "Inside Connection".)

Climate

Temperatures in Saint John vary by season. In the summertime temperatures are usually around 22 degrees Celsius and in the wintertime they usually dip to around 3.9 degrees Celsius. Rain is common in the summer and autumn, but it usually doesn't rain much in the summer. There is the occasional heavy snowfall in the winter however snow is usually moderate.

Internet

Internet Access is available in several areas within the "Inside Connection", including a convenience store in Market Square and an Internet Cafe located en route between Market Square and Brunswick Square.

Stay Safe

Saint John is safe compared to most cities, however it is a good idea to walk on well lit busy streets after dark and not on darker side streets.

Links

New-Brunswick.Net Site - Saint John  For further information and current local weather.
www.tourismsaintjohn.com - For more detailed tourism information.