Pour It On! Hit the Trails!
Hit the Trails for a Fun and Frothy Day in Fredericton!
One of the best ways visitors to Fredericton can explore the city is to bring or rent a bicycle and take advantage of the more than 115 kms of award-winning, non-motorized, multi-use trails to explore the many attractions along both sides of the river. In just a short 10 kms, you will see many of the cultural and historic highlights of the city and, as an added bonus, many of our best craft breweries are strategically located all along the way!
I’ve Got Lots of Energy – Where do I Start?
Beginning your adventure at the Delta Fredericton on the Woodstock Road, your first stop is Government House, the official residence of New Brunswick’s Lieutenant Governor. This historic and imposing building was constructed of New Brunswick quarried sandstone from 1826-28. Its original use was as the residence of New Brunswick's Governors and Lieutenant-Governors, but Government House has seen a number of different uses over the years, including a school for hearing impaired students, a military barracks, a hospital for returning soldiers after the war, and even the headquarters for the RCMP in the province. Today, it has been restored to its former glory, and is open to the public for tours and a variety of exhibitions throughout the year.
Get back on the trail and follow the meandering river past the Small Craft Aquatic Centre. You may already have the urge to get out on the water, and this is where you will want to stop! They offer SUP, kayak and canoe rentals to help you enjoy the mighty Saint John River.
If the day cycling has been warm already, and you feel the need for a refreshment, you are in luck! Fredericton is Atlantic Canada’s Brewing Capital, and many of its renowned craft beer makers can be found just a short distance off the trail. Your first stop on this journey is at one of the newer breweries. Graystone Brewing is located at 221 King Street, and their wide selection of beer and cider can provide a quick and easy way to cool off on a hot day. You can also rest your tired legs in one of their patio hammocks, and grab a bite to eat at the Monks & Jonesie gastro truck located on site.
Downtown Is a “Wheel” Good Time
Hop back on the trail and head under the Westmorland Street Bridge. Here, you can get off the trail and explore Queen Street, named one of Canada’s Top 20 Streets by vacay.ca in 2013, or any of the wonderful side streets that make up Fredericton’s downtown core. Have a delicious meal at 540 kitchen & bar, 11th mile, Moco Downtown, or any of our other delicious restaurants.
For dessert, stop by Chesspiece Patisserie and Café for a scrumptious macaron or other baked goods or, on a hot day, swing down to Delish Gourmet Rolled Ice Cream to try one of the 20 types of hand-crafted from scratch on site ice cream flavours and six types of dessert waffles. This is also the cultural and historic heart of the city, so stop by the Visitor Information Centre in City Hall to find out what is going on down in Officers' Square, go see the Changing of the Guard, and visit one of the many small museums like the School Days Museum and the York Sunbury Museum.
If beer isn’t your thing, take advantage of being downtown to visit the Red Rover Ciderhouse right across from Officers’ Square. Conveniently located with vegan restaurant The Abbey, Red Rover offers tasters, small glasses and large glasses, as well as flagon sales if you simply want to put some in your backpack to bring back to your hotel.
Back on the trail, you will go past the lighthouse, and continue on until you see the Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook Hotel. Just past the hotel, you’ll find some beautiful sculptures, signaling to you that you have arrived at the newly-expanded Beaverbrook Art Gallery, one of Fredericton’s crown jewels. Gifted to the people of New Brunswick by Lord Beaverbrook and officially opened to the public on September 16, 1959, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery is home to some of the most important art collections in the country. It is also widely known for being the permanent home of one of Salvador Dali’s largest pieces, the 13-foot (3.96 m) Santiago el Grande.
Once you are done enjoying the treasures in the Gallery, across the street you will find the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly building. Opened in 1882, this Second Empire-style structure was designed by Saint John architect J.C. Dumaresq and replaced the previous building destroyed by fire in 1877. Check ahead for the schedule of tours.
Just down the street from the Legislative Assembly is Christ Church Cathedral. This will be your last stop on the south side of the river. Designated a National Historic Site in 1981, this cathedral was built in the mid-1800s and is an excellent example of the influence of the English Gothic church style.
This area is also home to several B&Bs, including the Carriage House Inn near the University of New Brunswick, and Quartermain House B&B, ranked #1 B&B in North America by Booking.com in 2014 and 2015.
“Cross” the Northside off Your List
You will now cross the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge, a former railroad bridge that has been restored to connect the north and south side trails. At the foot of the bridge you will find Trans Canada Trail Pavilion, marking the fact that this bridge has been part of the Trans Canada Trail, the world's longest hiking and biking trail, since 1997. This is a popular place for sunrise and sunset photos along the river, so take your time going across!
At this point in your trip, you may need another pit stop. Conveniently located just off the bridge is the Picaroons Roundhouse. Picaroons is Fredericton’s oldest craft brewery, producing a traditional British-style beer. The views of the southside of the city that you just explored are beautiful from this location.
The Roundhouse also marks the start of Carleton Park. With stunning views of the river, and benches and picnic tables, this is a great place to take a break and enjoy a picnic lunch, or soak up some sunshine.
Continue following the northside trail along the riverfront for beautiful vistas. One part of the trail is on St. Mary’s First Nation land. If you are cycling by in mid-June, look for signs of the annual St. Mary’s Pow Wow, which is open to the public. A Maliseet cultural program is the focal point of the weekend festivities, complemented by a traditional craft and artisan marketplace complete with food vendors for everyone to enjoy. Other highlights include the Grand Entry, sweat lodge, teepee teachings, feast and hand-held drum competition.
Back on the trail, continue past the bridge where you will enter the Nashwaaksis Stream Nature Park. A wetland oasis inside the city, this area is home to a unique ecosystem, with two classes of wetlands, and is a habitat for many waterfowl, wildlife, flora, fauna, and a variety of wetland plants.
Once you are done appreciating the beauty of this area, you can choose to go for a refreshment break at either the TrailWay Brewing Co., for beer lovers looking for unfiltered hoppy goodness or, a bit further along the trail, cider lovers can visit the York County Cider House to try their English-style cider with a twist. In the summer, there is also musical programming in the evenings at the nearby Lawrence Amphitheater.
You’re almost finished! From here, simply go back along the trail to the Westmorland Street Bridge, and head back to your hotel, with a belly full of local craft beer goodness and tired legs from your day on the trails.
Bus and Beer Bonus: Fredericton’s transit system is also bike friendly! Fredericton Transit buses are equipped with bike racks on the front, which is great news if you want to take your beer exploration to some of our other renowned craft brewers who are located off-trail, or if you have enjoyed our beer scene too much to be riding your bike home. We’d recommend trying out Maybee Brew, offering one dollar off for those who arrive by bike on the trail system, or head up to the top of the hill to test the delicious Belgian-inspired brews of Grimross Brewing Company.
Boo – I’m bikeless!
Need a bike to make all of this happen? We can help!
- If you are staying at the Delta Fredericton, they offer free bikes for their guests to use during their stay.
- Savage's Bicycle Center and The Radical Edge are both located downtown and have bicycles available for rent.
- Second Nature Outdoors, located at the Small Craft Aquatic Centre, also offers rentals as well as a self-guided ‘Gears & Beers’ tour. Your half-day bike rental includes a helmet, lock, and two beer tickets that can be used at either Picaroons Roundhouse, or Trailway Brewing, both located on the Northside trail!
**While we love our craft breweries and enjoy their beer as much as anyone, Fredericton Tourism encourages you to drink responsibly, and to walk your bike or take alternate transportation back to your hotel if you have had too much to drink.
