Top 10 Best Places To Visit in Saint John: A Historic City with Modern Charm

The Port of St. John is Canada’s third-largest port, with bulk carriers and container ships coming and going. The city’s energy is fitting for a city built on shipbuilding.

Saint John, Canada owes its origins to British Loyalists (including the infamous Benedict Arnold), who fled to Canada after the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783. A massive influx of immigrants from the Irish Famine of 1845 was another major influence.

Both distinct communities have left their mark, from Loyalist forts and mansions to a rich arts and music culture. This history is a big part of this beautiful city’s charm, but there’s a lot more to see here. Discover the best places to visit in the city with our list of the top places to visit in Saint John.

Its historic streets, museums, and art galleries make it one of Atlantic Canada's favorite cruise ports

Before Traveling - Prepare Yourself with A Saint John Travel Guide

Is Saint John, Canada worth visiting?

Saint John, New Brunswick, is the only city on the shore of the Bay of Fundy, home to the world’s highest tides. Canada’s oldest incorporated city, Saint John is a popular tourist attraction known for its historic uptown streetscapes, cultural attractions and natural wonders. 

How to get to Saint John, New Brunswick

Saint John is easily accessible by road, sea, and air, with a ferry service from mainland Canada and an international airport just minutes from the city center.

Plane

When flying to St. John's, you'll arrive at St. John's (YSJ), which is 9 miles from downtown.  While there are no direct international flights from the United States to YSJ, travelers can connect via major Canadian cities like Toronto (YYZ), Montreal (YUL), or Halifax (YHZ).

Important:
Do not confuse Saint John (YSJ) with St. John's (YYT) in Newfoundland — they are different cities in separate provinces.

Car

Another option for getting to St. John’s is to rent a car from Halifax, which is about 129 miles from St. John’s. You’ll find branches of companies like Turo and Avis in Halifax.

Bus

Saint John’s bus station is located 0.4 miles from the city center.

The best time to visit Saint John

The best times to visit St. John are April to May and September to October. These two seasons offer mild weather, colorful scenery (flowers blooming or leaves changing color), and lower housing prices. 

Summer is by far the most popular time to visit Saint John due to the warmer temperatures and abundance of festivals, but huge crowds can make exploring the relatively tiny downtown area a test of patience. If you visit during the winter, you'll have the city to yourself, but freezing sea breezes will keep you confined to the underground corridors and above walkways of the Inside Connection.

The best times to visit Saint John are April to May and September to October

Is Saint John safe for tourists?

Saint John, nestled in the heart of New Brunswick, Canada, stands out with its vibrant community and rich history. With a CSI of 71.1, it's known for its dynamic urban environment, offering a blend of safety and cultural diversity.

Do you need a visa to visit Saint John?

Yes. Most travelers need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport. The document is easy to obtain because you can get it online, and with Canada immigration services’s help, you can obtain your travel authorization in 24 hour

Top 10 best places to visit and things to do in Saint John, NB

Saint John, New Brunswick, is the only actual city on the Bay of Fundy, with a booming food and drink culture, great architecture, a rich maritime history, and an abundance of natural beauty. Here are the best places to go Saint John

Rockwood Park

Look for the places to visit in Saint John for an ultimate vacation. Rockwood is one of Canada’s largest urban parks and part of the UNESCO Stonehammer Geopark. You can see billions of years of history in the rock formations here. You can boat, swim, fish, and (in winter) skate on the park’s lake. Explore one of over 50 hiking trails, relax at the spa, go kayaking or rock climbing, or play a round of golf – there are countless things to do in this beautiful and peaceful city park. 

Rockwood Park is one of the best places to go in Saint John

Saint John City Market

One of the most beautiful places to go in Saint John, the oldest market in North America, St. John’s City Market is home to butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, bakeries, great coffee, equally delicious bagels, and some great craft stalls. The building was built in 1876 and quickly became the center of the community. Just a year later, a devastating fire raged through the city, but residents won the battle to save the market, although more than a thousand surrounding buildings were destroyed. Today, the market is open Monday through Saturday year-round. Want a coffee? You can find great coffee at JavaMoose. Hungry? Head to Slocum & Ferris for a delicious bagel or burger.

Reversing Falls, Skywalk, and Stonehammer Geopark

One of the best places to visit in Saint john to experience the full power of the Bay of Fundy tides is in the narrow gorge at the head of the harbor, where the tides rush in and push through a series of rocks to form waterfalls that flow upstream. The eight-meter difference between high and low tide actually causes the St. John River to flow backward here, creating a violent eddy that flows against its natural flow out. Twelve hours later, the river returns to its natural course and the waterfalls flow in the opposite direction over the rocks.

You can see this phenomenon from the Reversing Falls Bridge (which spans the narrowest part of the gorge) and from the new St. John’s Skywalk at the end of the bridge. The viewing platform here extends more than eight meters out over the cliff, and the glass floor allows you to see the waterfalls and whirlpools 30 meters below. Interactive displays explain the tidal action of the waterfall and the geology of the cliffs on either side.

You can also see the rushing water at nearby Fallsview Park, where the Stonehammer Geopark, North America’s only UNESCO-designated geopark, provides information about the tides and cliff geology. You can take a boat ride into the gorge or get closer to the falls by taking a gondola ride over the rushing water.

The skywalk location includes a theatre, gift shop, restaurant, and Visitor Information Centre

Irving Nature Park

The 600-acre Irving Nature Park sits on a narrow peninsula and represents six different ecosystems designed to protect 7 miles of shoreline on the Bay of Fundy. The park features forests, mudflats, salt marshes, volcanic rock and long sandy beaches, the landscape changing hourly with the Fundy tides. The park’s marine clay, formed before the Ice Age when the site was the mouth of the St. Johns River, contains shells dating back 13,000 years. Eight hiking trails of varying lengths lead to various viewing points, and park staff regularly conduct free guided tours. 

One of the best things to do in Saint John is go birding in Irving Nature Park. More than 250 species of migratory birds and shorebirds have been spotted here, and the boardwalk through the marsh is a great spot for birdwatchers. You can watch seals from the seal observation deck. In addition to the picnic area, there is a new children’s park with a playground and two cedar hedge mazes. 

The park features forests, mud flats, salt marshes, volcanic rock, and a long sandy beach

New Brunswick Museum

New Brunswick Museum is among the top tourist attractions in Saint John as it houses almost everything any traveler can wish for. This city centre museum tells astonishing stories about New Brunswick's cultural heritage and natural history. The exhibitions provide a superb introduction to the area's unique geology and rich marine history. In the Hall of Great Whales, you may learn about the local marine life while admiring the life-sized model and an actual skeleton of a North Atlantic right whale suspended from the ceiling.

Carleton Martello Tower

Built in 1813 to protect the port from a possible American attack, the Carlton Martello Tower is now a National Historic Site. It is typical of the circular defensive fortifications built across the British Empire in the first half of the 19th century and is one of only nine of the original 14 remaining towers in Canada.

Although advances in firepower later rendered these towers obsolete, they have often been repurposed; Carlton Tower served as the regional headquarters for air defense and firefighting during World War II and is now a museum of 18th-century military life.

Thanks to its height and hilltop location, the tower is in a prime position to view the town, harbor, and Bay of Fundy. Please note that ongoing restoration work may prevent you from visiting the tower.

Tread the Boards of the Imperial Theatre

The Imperial Theatre, one of the famous places to visit in Saint John, opened in 1913 and was designed in a style similar to the great American theatres of the time. After a complete renovation in 1994, this stunning Italianate building was inaugurated. Actor Donald Sutherland, born in Saint John, attended the Imperial Theatre with his father. Another local lad, who made his debut on stage as a singer at the age of 13, was Oscar-winning Hollywood legend Walter Pidgeon. The restoration was financed by public subscription, with the local population raising $1.1 million in individual donations. That display of public affection reflects the place the Imperial has always held in the city’s heart. The wonderful Victorian auditorium is noted for its acoustics. Chandeliers, rich carpets, ornate moldings, and plush seats are a tribute to the original workmanship. The best thing to see in Saint John is to take a tour to admire the architecture, both inside and out. The theatre is a central part of the cultural life of Atlantic Canada.

The Bay of Fundy

St. John’s is a great place to see the Bay of Fundy, which is famous for having the highest tides in the world – the water level is higher than a four-story building. You can also see the world’s rarest whale species here – the right whale. Humpback, fin and minke whales can also be seen here. From July to early September, this is a great place to see whales.

St. John’s is a great place to see the Bay of Fundy

Go for a Beer at Moosehead Breweries

Canada is famous for its beer, so you might be surprised to learn that nearly 40% of Canadians never drink beer. That’s certainly a number that Moosehead, “Canada’s oldest independent brewery,” is working hard to achieve.

Moosehead was founded by the Oland family in 1867 (the same year as Canada) and is still family-run to this day. They even survived Prohibition in Canada, in part because it was still legal to sell “2% beer.”

You can learn more about the history of beer on a tour, as well as gain insight into the science and art of brewing. For beer lovers, sampling some of the famous beers produced here is definitely one of the best things to do in St. John.

You can try some of the innovative craft beers that may soon be hitting the mass market at the Small Batch Taproom. A popular store that also sells T-shirts and other souvenirs featuring key Canadian brands.

The region's drinkable offerings are equally as impressive.

Go Back in Time to St. Andrews By-The-Sea

Considered to be one of the popular places to visit in Saint John, it owes its popularity to its scenic beauty. Saint Andrews, was founded in 1783 by Loyalists leaving America, notably Maine. Much of the town's well-preserved architecture still reflects the New England influence.

A magnificent painting on gallery-lined Water Street depicts the town as it would have appeared in those early days. Sailing ships and wooden wharves adorn a peaceful waterfront flanked by multiple church spires.

St. Andrews has the most heritage buildings in Canada, with over 100 of these markers. These still include two stunning churches: the square-towered All Saints Anglican Church and the spike-spired Greenock Presbyterian Church. 

The robust Pendlebury Lighthouse and the intimidating St. Andrew's Blockhouse are also impressive. The blockhouse is the last of many erected to defend the coast against American privateers during the War of 1812.

The town's opulent Algonquin Resort was constructed in the late 1880s as Canada's railway network grew. Its golf course is one of Canada's best.

Tourism dominates—but has not spoiled—St Andrew, with whales now one of the main attractions. From June to October, local boats provide outstanding whale and wildlife trips in the Bay of Fundy.

Saint Andrews is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Saint John

Conclusion

A wonderful combination of history, natural wonders and diverse culture make Saint John Canada’s hottest tourist destination.

No matter where you visit in Saint John, there is a rich and varied experience for all visitors, and the hospitality of the locals contributes to the welcoming atmosphere of the city.

We hope these top places to visit in Saint John will help you in some way before traveling to this place. So pack your bags and get ready for an adventure in one of Canada’s most spectacular cities!