Saint John Things To Do – Attractions & Must See

Saint John Things to Do

The largest city in the province of New Brunswick, Saint John (never St. John) is along the Bay of Fundy. The populations are descendants of the original Irish and British colonialists and it’s evident  throughout the city.

What to See

Most  visitors come to Saint John via cruise ships but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a great deal to see even if you only have ten hours in port. Start with the Saint John’s Waterfront and Inner Harbor area.  People can walk, run and roller skate along the boardwalk, where they can also learn a bit more about Saint John’s waterfront thanks to a series of interpretive sites along the way. From the Hilton to Market Square is often teaming with activity and street vendors. At the Market Square, the provisional government recreated the original market area with the intent to provide fun spaces for visitors to shop, eat, and play along the waterfront. The New Brunswick Museum is located within the market offering artwork, local historical information, and interactive exhibits to entertain both parents and children.  Fort Howe has both historical significance and a great view of the harbor.  Trinity Church has beautiful stained glass windows, a collection of Union Jack flags and their most prized possession, rescued from a fire in 1877, is the Royal Coat of Arms of the House of Hanover.  Brought by loyalists from the old state house in Boston, it is believe to be from King George I.

What to do

If you are staying for longer than a shore excursion, Saint John is filled with activities, much of them involve the outdoors. Hiking, biking and even whale watching in season is available. For true history buffs, Tourism Saint John has created self-guided historic walking tours –along the Loyalist Trail which retraces the steps of the 14,000 Loyalists who arrived in Saint John between May and December 1783. There is even a marker for Benedict Arnold’s house.  The Reversing Falls is the result of a rock formation narrowing the mouth of the Saint John River as it reaches the Bay of Fundy, compounded by the fact that there is a rocky ledge 36 feet underwater. It occurs daily at high tide and can be seen from one of the bridges or close up on the Jet Boat tour.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Saint John.