THE 16 BEST THINGS TO DO IN FREDERICTON, NB

Last Updated: July 22, 2024

Fredericton is the capital and third largest city by population of New Brunswick in eastern Canada. If you like a mix of history, culture, exploring green spaces, unique artistic vibes, and an exciting social life year-round, then Fredericton is the perfect place to visit!

While the city was founded by British loyalists in the 1780s, the Maliseet and Mi’kmaq people had lived in the area long before that. According to Fredericton Tourism, about 1.8 million visitors spend time in the Fredericton Capital Region every year.

I lived in Fredericton for five months, and got to know this city pretty well. So I’m psyched to share the 16 Best Things To Do in Fredericton with you! From the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge, Boyce Farmers Market, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, to an amazing live music scene and festivals, it never gets boring here!

Disclosure: I only recommend products that I’ve used in the past, and all opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of the links throughout the page to buy something, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks.

Wander around the Historic Garrison District

Let’s start with the Historic Garrison District in downtown, that has been a National Historic Site since 1964. Several Victorian buildings stand in this area, including City Hall (397 Queen St, Fredericton NB, E3B 1B5), which was completed in 1876.

It is the oldest city hall of the Maritime provinces that’s still in use today. Until 1952, there was a public farmers market on the square in front of the building.

The Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Officers Square is quite a spectacle, when 20 City Guards of the New Brunswick regiment start marching and playing their bagpipes and drums. This happens daily in July and August. The Canadian Military was born here in 1883, and soon after, the Infantry School Corps (ISC), Company “A” was established in Fredericton as its Maritime location.

If you keep on walking, you’ll find the Justice Building (427 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B7). First, it was constructed as a military hospital in 1827, later the Provincial Normal School (teacher’s college) took over until it burned down in 1929. In 1975, it was turned into the Justice Building.

Then there’s the Soldiers’ Barracks (463 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y7) that the British Army built in 1827. More than 200 British soldiers lived here under sparse conditions. The rooms only had iron beds, shelves, a table, and wooden benches for 19 soldiers in each room. Unfortunately, this attraction is currently closed because of construction.

Want to get more insider information about Fredericton’s history? Then join a free Guided Heritage Walking tour around this area! Your guide will wear a historic costume, and will meet you daily in front of City Hall (June to October).

Beaverbrook Art Gallery

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery (703 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C4) has been around since 1959, and is one of Canada’s best art galleries. Its Permanent Collection has more than 5,000 objects from Maritime, Canadian, Indigenous, British, and international artists to look at.

The most famous piece displayed at Beaverbrook Art Gallery is “Santiago El Grande” by the Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, the second largest mural he ever painted. Besides, you can find paintings by Andy Warhol and the ‘Grandfather Akwiten’ Wolastoqiyik canoe, that was built in the 1820s. It’s the oldest birchbark canoe in the world!

A small selection of the artwork displayed at Beaverbrook Art Gallery.

Beaverbrook Art Gallery also a small gift shop that sells unique items made by local artists and the Daily Espresso Café. The latter has locally made drinks and pastries, and is perfect for taking a break after your visit!

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery is open from 10 to 5 pm (Mon-Wed, Fri and Sat), 12-5 on Sundays, and 10 to 9 pm on Thursdays.

Shop ’til You Drop at The Boyce Farmers Market & Summer Night Markets

Every Saturday from 7 am to 1 pm, you can find tons of locally made goodies at The Boyce Farmers Market (665 George Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 1K4). It was named one of Canada’s Top 10 farmers markets and has been around for more than 70 years! It’s open year round.

More than 200 vendors offer fresh produce, pastries, smoothies, flowers, pottery items, maple syrup, jam, quilts, jewelry, soaps, and so much more! There are also several food trucks for buying lunch, e.g. Dee’s Quiet Café, Kang’s Chinese food, Nada’s Lebanese Cuisine, and Milda’s Pizza!

I was positively surprised by the many vegan items I found at the Boyce Farmers Market 😀

Vegan spread from Scottage Cheeze and a Vegan Breakfast Sammy from Dee’s Quiet Café! 😛

If you’re visiting Fredericton during the summer months, don’t miss the Garrison Night Market (11 Carleton St, Fredericton, NB E3B 3T1) and the ReCap Night Market at the Tannery (375 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E4) on Thursday evenings! With more than 100 vendors, the Garrison Night Market is Atlantic Canada’s largest night market.

You can find tons of cool stuff at the Garrison Night Market, such as microbrews, maple candy stalls, cider, arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, farm products, and food trucks with multicultural cuisine! The ReCap Night Market has up to 10 vendors, who sell thrift clothing, cosmetics, arts, and more!

Left: The Garrison Night Market (Photo Credit: Fredericton Tourism). Right: The ReCap Night Market.

Walk or Bike Across the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge

The Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge is Fredericton’s prettiest landmark, in my opinion! It was a CN Railway Bridge from 1889, before it was turned into a walking/cycling trail in 1997. The 0.6 km (1,905 ft) long steel bridge links the north and south side of the city and stands above the Wolastoq (Saint John river).

With more than 600,000 people crossing it every year, this bridge is popular with locals and visitors alike. It’s also a great photo spot, thanks to its unique design! Last but not least, the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge is a part of the Trans Canada Trail network. It spans all over Canada, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and Arctic Ocean.

The Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge at sunset. Photo Credit: Fredericton Tourism.

Explore Killarney Lake Park

Wanna spend some time in nature now? Then visiting Killarney Lake Park (1653 St. Mary’s Street, Fredericton, NB, E3G 8T6) is a great idea! It’s less than 10 minutes of a drive, or about 30 minutes by bus #12N from downtown Fredericton. This scenic park covers more than 645 hectares and has 30+ km (18 miles) of multi-use trails.

The supervised sandy beach next to Killarney Lake is perfect for playing and sunbathing, then jump into the lake to cool off! From June to early September, Second Nature Outdoors offers single kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for rent, as well as SUP yoga on the lake! There’s also a playground behind the beach area.

Once winter hits, the trails around Killarney Lake are awesome for cross-country skiing and snow shoeing!

Walk along The Green, Odell Park & Carleton Park

Fredericton has more than 120 km (74 miles) of trails throughout the city. One of them is The Green, which goes from the Government House in downtown to Morell Park, along the banks of the Wolastoq river. It is 5 km (3 miles) long and is a popular cycling, running, and walking path with locals and visitors alike.

A great spot for a break on the way is the Lighthouse by 540 (615 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y7), that has been a landmark since 1989. Many people enjoy their food (e.g. shrimp tacos, salads, chicken wings, and burgers) and drinks on the patio. Teddy’s Two Scoops Ice Cream Shack is right next door.

Another local gem in the heart of the city is Odell Park (Waggoners Ln, Fredericton, NB E3B 3X5). It covers 333 acres with 16 km (9.94 miles) of trails that snake around a diverse forest. Some of the trees are more than 400 years old! So it’s a great spot for hiking, walking, and mountain biking.

Odell Park also has a botanic garden, picnic areas, a playground, waterfowl pond, and disc golfing spots. Lastly, the Odell Lodge stands here, that the Queen Mother opened in 1967. In winter, visitors can take advantage of the outdoor skating rink, sliding hill, and groomed cross-country ski trails.

Hiking path inside Odell Park, and beautiful flowers in the Botanic Garden!

After crossing the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge, spend some time at Carleton Park. Even though it’s smaller than other parks in Fredericton, it’s an amazing spot to watch the Wolastoq river and downtown area, especially at sunset! It’s part of the North Riverfront Trail. You can launch a boat here, chill on one of the benches or in the grassy areas, or have a picnic.

Rent equipment from Savage’s, Second Nature Outdoors & Cruze Scooters

Fredericton has three major places to rent equipment for getting around the city in a fast and/or eco-friendly way!

Savage’s Bicycle Centre (441 King Street, Fredericton NB, E3B 1E5) has been around since 1897, which makes it the longest established bicycle shop in Canada! So the experienced staff will be happy to help you choose the right bike to ride around the city!

Bike rentals are available hourly, 1/2 day, full day, or multiple days. They have well-known brands, including Norco, Haro, and Specialized. Besides, they sell bikes and bike gear and offer repair services all year.

During the summer months, you can rent kayaks, canoes, bikes, SUP’s, and e-bikes from Second Nature Outdoors (63 Brunswick St, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y7)! This is their main location, right next to the Wolastoq river, about 10 minutes from downtown. Equipment can be rented per hour, for two or four hours, or an entire day.

They also offer guided and self guided tours, e.g. a Sunrise Paddle Tour within the Hartt Island Resort and Sunset Paddle and Women’s Wednesdays, both in Oromocto, about 25 minutes outside of Fredericton.

Left: Rental bike from Savage’s. Right: Rental bike from Second Nature Outdoors.

A different, but equally fun idea is to grab an e-scooter from Cruze Scooters (150 Smythe Street, Fredericton NB, E3B 3C5)! They are New Brunswick’s first e-scooter experience. I didn’t try them out this time, but lots of people were riding them around the city, so they must be very popular!

Rock Out to Fredericton’s Vibrant Nightlife Scene

Once the sun goes down, Fredericton’s nightlife scene comes to life! There’s tons of cool options, from night clubs, pubs, sports bars, lounges, to live music venues. Examples are Dolan’s Pub, The CAP, Monarch Nightclub, Snooty Fox, and Pine Tree Bar & Grill.

There’s free live music at the Garrison Night Market and the ReCap Night Market during the summer months as well, with different artists playing every time.

Local band Crosscut (Blues/Swing/Rock’n’Roll) and Klarka (Pop/Garage Rock from Sackville) playing at the ReCap Night Market.

Fredericton’s major music festival is Harvest Music Festival in September. It’s the largest music festival in the Maritimes, with 400+ musicians (both domestic and international) playing on 27 stages across six days! From Blues, Jazz, Funk, Pop, to Rock, there’s something for everyone!

Our favourite venue is The Broken Record Bar & Music Room (422 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B6)! They host mostly local and domestic live bands several times a week, from Punk, Metal, Grunge, to Pop and Hip Hop music. Also, this is a great place to go if you like karaoke and open mic nights!

They also organize the Punkocalypse Festival in June and the Metalodon Fest in October!

Another awesome spot for live music (and a pint of Guinness!) is O’Hickey’s Irish Pub (514 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B9)! You can sit inside or outside on their patio. Besides, they show football and rugby games, and the Irish decorations (e.g. flags and license plates) are just great!

O’Hickey’s Irish Pub from the outside and Teenage Bottlerocket playing at the Punkocalypse Festival in 2023!

Check Out the Craft Beer Scene & The Taproom Trail

Fredericton is the perfect place for craft beer lovers. In fact, it has the most taprooms per capita in Canada, with one taproom per 5,400 people. So it’s no surprise that Fredericton is known as Atlantic Canada’s Craft Beer Capital! There are plenty of local distilleries, breweries and cideries all over the city.

One special thing about the craft beer culture is the Fredericton Taproom Trail. Beer and cider enthusiasts can pick up a passport-style map from either of the 11 taprooms, and will get a stamp for each taproom that they had a drink at!

Once you collected 8 stamps, you’ll get a tap trail t-shirt, and for all 11 stamps, you’ll be entered into a craftcation getaway contest by Fredericton Tourism!

We tried a few local ciders and craft beers from Graystone Brewing (221 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E1) and Gahan House (426 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B6), and they were very tasty!

Left: Cider and craft beer from Graystone Brewing. Right: Cider selection by York County Cider (Photo Credit: Fredericton Tourism).

Try Out some Local Restaurants

Before you’re partying the night away in Fredericton, it’s a good idea to put some food into your tummy! Similar to other Canadian cities, Fredericton is very multicultural, which shows in the variety of restaurants to choose from. Here are some of my favourites:

J’s Asian Kitchen is perfect if you’re craving Asian food and they have two locations in Fredericton. Their menu features amazing Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese dishes, e.g. Okonomiyaki, Chow Mein, sushi, Pad Thai, Vermicelli noodles, and Bibimbap.

Although Fredericton is a smaller city, there’s a good selection of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants! The best one, in my opinion, is The Abbey Café & Gallery (546 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1B9). You can choose from their Lentil meatball panini, Seitan Gyros wrap, Coconut Curry, Caesar Salad, and more!

Another bonus are the yummy desserts and rotating art pieces displayed all over the walls.

Seitan Gyros Wrap and some of the paintings at The Abbey Café & Gallery.

Only a few minutes of a walk away, you’ll find Cinnamon Café (469 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E5). This family-owned restaurant is happy to serve vegan food with a Persian/Arabic twist!

A few examples are the Falafel Platter, Tabbouleh Salad, Shawarma Wrap, Lentil Rice, and Gheymeh Stew. Their vegan cakes are supposed to be amazing, and I loved the unique décor inside the restaurant!

Shawarma Wrap and awesome décor inside Cinnamon Café.

Isaac’s Way (649 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C3) is a great choice for (mostly) North American comfort food! Everything is made from scratch, and customers appreciate sitting on the outside patio when it’s warm out!

They serve Maritime Seafood Chowder, Philly Sandwich, Chickpea Burger (vegan), Lamb Burger, Fish’n’Chips, Smoked Tofu Carbonara, and more! Lastly, there are lots of rotating artworks displayed on their walls as well!

Haddock Fish’n’Chips and Chickpea Crunch Burger.

Fredericton also has plenty of cool locally owned coffee shops! We liked Mill Town Roasters (461 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E5) and Coffee and Friends (415 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1E5). Be sure to try their smoothies and sandwiches!

While not a “real” coffee shop, Tobe Milk Tea (608 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C2) offers the best cold tea and coffee options (e.g. Matcha, Oolong, Iced Cloud Coffee, and fruit sodas) in the city.

Snuggle with Kitties at the Purrfect Cup – A Cat Café

Although many of Fredericton’s attractions are within or close to the downtown area, there’s a unique one in the north of the city: The Purrfect Cup – A Cat Café (580 Two Nations Crossing, Unit 9 Fredericton, NB E3A 0X9)! It was opened in 2018 and is the first cat café of the Maritimes.

They offer locally made coffee, tea, and pastries, but of course, the main attraction are the adorable kitties in the separate Cat Lounge! They are rescues from all over New Brunswick and they look forward to meeting their new human friends who’ll hopefully adopt them!

Besides, you can buy some kitty-themed goodies (like earrings and cat toys) and join one of their regular events! For example, they have Yoga with Kitties, Baby Mornings, and Gift Wrapping. There are also games, books, a table, and comfy chairs and couches to sit inside the Cat Lounge.

The Cat Lounge can get very busy, so it’s recommended to make a reservation through their website. From downtown, take bus #14N, that takes only 11 minutes (or seven minutes by car) to the Purrfect Cup.

Walk Around The Old Burial Ground

If you need some peace and quiet after touring Fredericton’s downtown district, walk around The Old Burial Ground (500 Brunswick Street, Fredericton NB, E3B 1H5) for a bit. This is the final resting place of many of the Loyalist families who founded the City of Fredericton and New Brunswick.

The province’s first clergy, judges, and government workers are buried here, too. The oldest graves are from 1787, so it’s one of the most historically significant cemeteries in New Brunswick.

Browse Through some Independent Shops

When you walk around downtown Fredericton, there are quite a few cool independent shops to visit.

For example, Westminster Books (88 York St, Fredericton, NB E3B 3N5) has an awesome selection of all kinds of books! They’ve been around for more than 40 years and the store has a cozy vibe, which encourages customers to hang out for a while!

BackTrails by The Radical Edge (386 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 3L4) is perfect if you’re looking for outdoor clothes and equipment (e.g. backpacks, camping gear, hiking shoes, and canoes)!

Rocker Chic Boutique (59 York St, Fredericton, NB E3B 3N4) is the best place to go for alternative clothing! Whether your inner rebel desires Goth, Glam Rock, Punk, or Rockabilly clothes, you’ll find what you’re looking for here! They also have band shirts in all sizes!

You can find a list of all downtown Fredericton shops here.

Please keep in mind that most of these shops are closed on Sundays.

Look at Fredericton’s Street Art

As an artsy city, it’s not surprising that there’s lots of cool street art in Fredericton!

I stumbled upon these while walking around downtown.

Visit a Local Festival

Fredericton is proud to host tons of events and festivals throughout the year! Here are just a few coming up this summer:

• The Fredericton Pride Week from July 12-21, 2024. During this period, you can visit the Pride parade, drag shows, flag raisings, nature walks, and so much more! Check out Fredericton Pride’s Facebook page for more details.
• Celebrate Scottish and Celtic heritage at The New Brunswick Highland Games Festival from July 26-28, 2024. This event takes place at the historic Government house grounds. There will be music, piping and drumming, highland dances, traditional Scottish athletics, and more!
• The Trail Folk Music Festival from August 16-18, 2024. If you like nature activities and folk music, don’t miss this festival in Minto, only 40 minutes from Fredericton.

Here are a few festivals I visited during my time in Fredericton:

• The Sitansisk (St. Mary’s First Nation) Annual Powwow (510 Union Street, Fredericton, NB E3A 3N2) happens on two days in June. The best part are the many dances by indigenous performers, and everyone is welcome to join! There are also booths with Native clothing, arts and crafts, and food trucks.
• Animaritime is the premier anime convention in the Maritimes. It occurs in June as well at the Fredericton Convention Centre (670 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C2). For three days, anime fans and cosplayers can play video games, buy anime and cosplay merch, and meet famous cosplayers.

The Sitansisk Annual Powwow and the Fredericton Pride Parade. Both photo credit of Fredericton Tourism.

Stay at a Historic Bed & Breakfast

By now, you may be wondering what’s the best place to stay in town? If you’re looking for a historic accommodation with genuine maritime hospitality, I recommend the Carriage House Inn (230 University Ave, Fredericton, NB E3B 4H7).

It’s only minutes from downtown, the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge, The Green, and other attractions. Besides, it’s Fredericton’s largest bed and breakfast.

This Victorian house was completed in 1875, and Harry Beckwick, Fredericton’s Mayor, lived here with his family in the late 1800s! Some original doors, a staircase, and flooring throughout the home are still used for today’s guests.

They have a nice selection of cozy and historic rooms. The hostesses, Emily and Angie, go above and beyond to make guests feel right at home! The house is in a quiet neighbourhood, so it’s perfect to relax after a long day of exploring Fredericton.

Many guests have been raving about their homemade blueberry banana pancakes for breakfast, which are served in their elegant dining room, so don’t forget to try them!

One of the bedrooms and the impressive dining room!

Conclusion

Whichever time of year you decide to visit Fredericton, there’s always something fun going on! It’s a great place to visit with friends, family, as a couple, or solo traveler. I hope this detailed guide of The 16 Best Things to Do in Fredericton gave you lots of inspiration, no matter what the weather does! I recommend spending at least two or three days in Fredericton.

Even though it’s smaller than Toronto, Halifax, or Montreal, Fredericton doesn’t need to hide at all. Instead of high skyscrapers, you’ll find Victorian buildings and many tree-lined streets, which is much better! There are daily flights from Fredericton International Airport to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

Thanks to the many university and college students living here, Fredericton has quite a young and fresh vibe. It’s also known for its small town feel and cleanliness, and the locals are very down to earth. Besides, Fredericton is one of the safest cities in Canada and the Atlantic Ocean is only a few hours away!

It’s quite easy to get around the city by car and local buses go pretty much everywhere. Maritime Bus goes daily to Saint John and Moncton as well.

I had a blast during my time in Fredericton! My favourite things to do are Odell Park, the Bill Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge, Killarney Lake Park, Garrison Night Market, and hanging with the cats at the Purrfect Cup!

If you have any insider tips, feel free to share them in the comments. Cheers 😀

Spending time in the Maritimes for a bit longer? Then check out these posts:

3 Days on Grand Manan Island Itinerary

Is Halifax, Nova Scotia Worth Visiting in 2024? (Guest Post for Veggies Abroad)

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