New Brunswick and thus Fredericton attractions…okay, I just chose this beginning so that the post would appear at the very top of Google. You have to be honest about that 🙂 But…New Brunswick or Neu Braunschweig, as the Germans say, really appealed to us so much that about 8 weeks later we traveled to this beautiful province again.
After Moncton and the Tidal Bore, we also wanted to get to know the capital of Canada’s only bilingual province. Fredericton is a charming small town in the middle of a huge Canadian forest, just like almost every other city and place in Canada. But it is located not far from the Bay of Fundy, and we have done some great excursions there.
We spent another evening with Robert, who we used to live in his house. He teaches at the university in Fredericton. His field of study is film and screenwriting, which is why we are already looking forward to the cinema atmosphere in his house.
His two dogs are named Artoo and Threepio, which of course is no coincidence. What we experienced in the 9 days with the two dogs and on our trips is what I will tell you about in the following travel report about Fredericton.
01. Fredericton | The small capital on the Saint John River
Fredericton is such a small and charming capital in the Canadian Pampa. There are about 80,000 people living here and the city owes its name to the German prince Frederick. Of course, he comes from the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg, so the story surrounding Fredericton revolves around Neu-Braunschweig.
We really like it here. It’s the last stop on our Canada trip with the kids in 2026, and we’re enjoying the last 9 days here. Fredericton has some nice cafes and restaurants. Overall, we only have a short rainy day, so we can spend almost all of our time outside. The city is surrounded by rivers, lakes, and dense, large forests. The Saint John River runs through the city, which flows into the Bay of Fundy. The First Nation calls the river Wolastoq, which means „the beautiful river.“ And indeed, especially in the evening sun, the river looks fantastic.
Right next to the old town, the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge over the river. We visit the Garrison Night Market and from the bridge you have a great view of the activity in the old town. In general, the view from there is wonderful. So if you want to see things to see in Fredericton, definitely go a little way over the bridge.
By the way, the bridge has been used for trains in the past. It is 581 m long and since 1997 you can cross it on foot or by bike (or in German: Fahrrad). And speaking of the Night Market. It takes place every Thursday during the summer months and features many vendors, delicious food stands and even live music. The Historic Garrison District is one of Fredericton’s best attractions and is located right in the center. British soldiers were once stationed here.
On Saturdays we still have the Boyce Farmers Market It feels like the whole city comes together here. There are over 200 stands offering everything the culinary heart craves. We have breakfast here and treat ourselves to a delicious and fresh juice. If we had stayed longer, we would have stocked up on some vegetables, fresh herbs, maple syrup in all its variations and much more. But it also has its advantages when you’re only traveling with 2 suitcases.
02. Kings Landing | A journey through time to the 19th century
On our trips, we really like talking to locals who usually give you the best tips. Often they do it on their own, as they are often proud of what to see in their city or the surrounding area. That’s not the case with me. And we were repeatedly recommended a place. It’s Kings Landing. If you’re an aviation fan like me, you might also think of a royal airport here. 😀
But that’s far from the case, because Kings Landing is a village. At first it wasn’t that spectacular, but the houses in the village are sometimes over 100 years old and they never used to be in this village, which didn’t even exist until 1974. Let me explain that in a few sentences, without going into too much detail, because you would otherwise have to read too much text that doesn’t really add anything to the matter. And of course I don’t want to do that, because your time is valuable too and this is also about your future trip to Canada. Oh yeah…that’s right, Kings Landing.
In 1967, New Brunswick began a project after a dam was built behind which a valley was completely flooded. The houses that you can visit today in Kings Landing stood in that valley. They were dismantled from 1967 to 1974 and rebuilt in the present village. The valley was flooded, but the houses with a lot of history were saved.
In Kings Landing, which is a huge open-air museum in New Brunswick, actors or performers who live the real life, as it was 150 years ago, work. They bake bread in the most traditional way, we look over the shoulders of a blacksmith and the kids were allowed to print their own bookmark in the „Printing Office“. What’s exciting is that you can naturally ask the people there questions and they answer you as if you were just traveling in time. So it’s truly a time travel.
We then had lunch at the King’s Head Inn. They have many dishes inspired by historical recipes. The atmosphere with wooden beams, old, almost medieval-style furniture, and waiters in costumes is perfect. We found the entire tour super exciting and entertaining.
Kings Landing is not a dusty museum, but rather a place to experience and, in a way, our first real journey back in time. Our kids, but also we, learned more about life about 150 years ago here than in any history book.
Plan your visit well a half day at least. There is so much to see. By the way, you can walk all the way, but there are also carriages that come by every 20 minutes at the stops. The kids found that great, because at the end they were quite tired from running and all the impressions.
03. St. Andrews | Whale Watching with the Sailboat in the Bay of Fundy
St. Andrews, or St. Andrews by the sea, as it is officially called, is located about 1.5 hours’ drive south of Fredericton. It is located directly on the border with Maine, USA. It is located on Passamaquoddy Bay, which is a tributary of the Bay of Fundy. As in my post about Moncton As mentioned, this is the bay with the highest tides in the world.
First, we stroll through the really picturesque town. Fun Fact…it was founded in 1783 after the Americans settled here with their houses. They packed everything in their wagons and boats and simply drove over to St. Andrews or, as mentioned, founded the town there first.
The real reason for our trip to St. Andrews, however, was whale watching, which was one of the top attractions in Fredericton on our list. There are numerous operators in St. Andrews. We chose Jolly Breeze because they have a really big sailing ship and the chance of seeing whales is actually greater if you can simply turn off the engine while traveling.
We are on the water for a total of four hours and besides some white-headed gulls that are typical for the entire region in Atlantic Canada, we also see some seals that are swimming in the water. We pass by some partly very ancient lighthouses, small islands with only one or two houses on them and enjoy the fresh sea air on our sailing trip.
And then suddenly someone shouts „Whales! Whales!“ However, contrary to our expectations, we actually saw more dolphins than whales. It turns out that they were pygmy whales, which we could only see from behind. And right there, they look like really big whales. Still, it was a special moment, because we’ve never gotten this close to whales before.
The crew then had another highlight ready. The kids were allowed to touch and hold a variety of sea creatures that lived in an aquarium on the sailing boat. From slimy sea sponges to sea cucumbers and a giant clam, everything was there. I found the seahorse adorable, as it crawled around my hand in a ticklish way. 🤢
The Bay of Fundy is actually a perfect place for whale watching, and especially in August and September a large number of all kinds of whales gather here. But we had a relatively windy day. That was perfect for a sailing tour, but it means that the whales stay much further out in the bay. Therefore, the encounters with humpback and fin whales were not possible. It’s still the whales themselves that decide whether they show themselves or not.
Nevertheless, these tours, which we have already undertaken several times in total, are always a really cool highlight and especially exciting for families. I nevertheless count St. Andrews and Whale Watching in the Bay of Fundy as being among the sights in Fredericton, as Fredericton really makes a great base here.
Conclusion | Fredericton Attractions and our farewell to Canada
What a wonderful ending. Our last stop in Fredericton was so beautiful and I couldn’t have imagined a better place for the last 9 days in Canada. Moreover, we also took care of two really cute Shih-Tzus here, who made our everyday life totally exciting and interesting. According to their owner, these dogs are even happy to dress up. And of course, they used this opportunity to its fullest, as the closet was full of costumes.
Looking at the sights in Fredericton and taking trips as a family was super fun for us. The people here were also very friendly and accommodating. Compared to Moncton, Fredericton is much quieter, greener, and somehow more cozy. The city looks well-maintained and has a very unique and wonderful charm.
Have you ever been to Fredericton or New Brunswick? How did you like it? Do you have any tips that I could add here? Let me know in the comments.
Impressions and photos of our Fredericton attractions
- About the Author
- Latest posts
On my travel blog Wandernotizen I'll take you along on our family trips around the globe. Between wanderlust and everyday chaos, you'll find honest travel reports, tips, and plenty of material to ignite your wanderlust. 🧭 ❤️ 🏝️