If the weather’s cooperative, start by wandering around near the waterfront. Tourism
Saint John has published three walking-tour brochures that offer plenty of history and
architectural trivia, including a rundown of the odd and interesting gargoyles and
sculpted heads that adorn the brick and stone 19th-century buildings downtown. If
you have time for only one tour, I’d opt for “Prince William’s Walk,” an hour-long,
self-guided tour of the impressive commercial buildings. Obtain the tour brochures at
the Market Square information center.
Try to end your walk at the Old Burial Ground across from King’s Square, which
is an especially attractive spot to wander while reading the old headstones or simply
to sit and rest your feet. The cemetery dates from 1784 but was recently renovated—
note the new beaver fountain, symbolic of the town’s hardworking citizens.
If the weather’s disagreeable (and it might be), just head indoors. Over the past 2
decades, Saint John has been busy linking its downtown malls and shops with an elaborate
network of underground and overhead pedestrian walkways, dubbed “The Inside
Connection.” It’s not only for shopping—two major hotels, the provincial museum,
the city library, the city market, the sports arena, and the aquatic center are all part of
this network

Canada Games Aquatic Centre The gleaming and modern Aquatic Centre was
built right downtown in 1985 for the Canada Games. It remains a remarkably popular
destination for exercise and recreation among locals, and it’s also open to the public
most hours all week long. You do have to pay admission, however. The facilities
include an eight-lane Olympic-size pool, warm-up and leisure pools, water slides, rope
swings, whirlpools, and saunas. Also available are weight and exercise rooms (for an
extra charge).
50 Union St. & 506/658-4715. Admission C$7.50 (US$6.75/£3.75) adults, C$5 (US$4.50/£2.50) children, C$20
(US$18/£10) families. Summer Mon–Thurs 6am–9pm, Fri 6am–8pm; rest of year Mon–Thurs 6am–10pm, Fri
6am–9pm.

Loyalist House A mandatory destination for serious antiques buffs, this stately
Georgian home was built in 1817 for the Merritt family, who were wealthy Loyalists
from Rye, New York. Inside is an extraordinary collection of furniture dating from
before 1833; most pieces were original to the house and have never left. Especially
notable are the extensive holdings of Duncan Phyfe Sheraton furniture and a rare
piano-organ combination. The house also features doors steamed and bent to fit into
the curved sweep of the stairway, and intricate carvings on the wooden chair rails.
Tours last 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the number of questions you ask. Note
that this house is open only 2 months out of the year, though it does sometimes open
in the fall when cruise ships are at port in the harbor. Failing to catch one of those in
town, you might get together a small interested group or big family, give these folks a
call, and ask them nicely to open the house.
120 Union St.&506/652-3590. C$3 (US$2.70/£1.50) adults, C$1 (US90¢/50p) children, C$7 (US$6.30/£3.50) families.
July–Aug daily 10am–5pm; June Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sept–Apr by appointment only

New Brunswick Museum The New Brunswick Museum is an excellent
stop for anyone the least bit curious about the province’s natural or cultural history.
The collections are displayed on three open floors, and they offer a nice mix of traditional
artifacts and quirky objects. (Among the more memorable items is a frightfullooking
“permanent wave” machine from a 1930s beauty parlor.) The exhaustive
exhibits include the complete interior of Sullivan’s Bar (where longshoremen used to
slake their thirst a few blocks away), a massive section of a ship frame, a wonderful
geological exhibit, and even a sporty white Bricklin from a failed New Brunswick
automobile-manufacturing venture in the mid-1970s. The Wind, Wood, and Sail
exhibit describes 19th-century shipbuilding in the province. Allow at least 2 hours to
enjoy these eclectic and uncommonly well-displayed exhibits.
1 Market Sq. & 506/643-2300. Admission C$6 (US$5.40/£3) adults, C$4.75 (US$4.30/£2.40) seniors, C$3.25
(US$2.95/£1.65) students and children 4–18, C$13 (US$12/£6.50) families. June–Oct Mon–Fri 9am–5pm (Thurs until
9pm), Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm. Closed Mon Nov–May.


Old City Market Hungry travelers venture here at their peril! This spacious,
bustling, and bright marketplace is crammed with vendors hawking meat, fresh
seafood, cheeses, flowers, baked goods, and bountiful fresh produce. You can even
sample dulse, a snack of dried seaweed from the Bay of Fundy. (One traveler has compared
the experience to licking a wharf.) The market was built in 1876, and it has been
a center of commerce for the city ever since. Note the construction of the roof—local
lore says it resembles an inverted ship because it was made by boat builders who didn’t
know how to build anything else. And watch for the small, enduring traces of tradition:
The handsome iron gates at either end have been in place since 1880, and the
loud bell is rung daily by the Deputy Market Clerk, who signals the opening and closing
of the market. A number of vendors offer meals to go, and there’s a bright seating
area in an enclosed terrace on the market’s south side. It’s worth an hour or two
(including a stop to eat, of course).
47 Charlotte St.&506/658-2820. Mon–Thurs 7:30am–6pm; Fri 7:30am–7pm; Sat 7:30am–5pm. Closed Sun and
holidays