Family Fun Weekend in Fredericton
Load up the kids for a road trip to Fredericton for a family fun weekend!
You’ll want to check out our Hotel Stay & Play package deals which make it fast and easy to book and with awesome inclusions like Second Nature Outdoors or family passes to Kings Landing!
Day 1 or Friday Afternoon/ Evening Arrival
Check in to your family-friendly hotel. There are several choices in Fredericton! Hampton Inn & Suites with their popular water slide, the Quality Inn Amsterdam who have fun kid themed 2-bedroom rooms, the Delta Fredericton with both an indoor and outdoor pool and the Fredericton Inn – so close to the Regent Mall!
Explore your hotel, get your bearings and then why not head out for a walk to pick up snacks and drinks for later. Just about every hotel have in-room fridges and microwaves too. Start making plans for dinner too – check out our list of family friendly restaurant options.
Day 2 or Saturday
The Boyce Famers Market is open bright and early (7am-1pm, Summer 2020) so if your kids have you up early, why not head to the market. Fresh coffee or espresso for you and smoothies for the kids. Find lots of preserves, bakery goodies, fresh local produce, cheeses and meats and the always popular, samosas and stroopwafels.
If it’s a nice sunny day, there are lots of outdoor activities your family can do together:
Bike the trails – Fredericton’s flat (and many paved) trails are lots of fun for biking – and you can’t beat the great views off the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge! Bike rentals available at Second Nature Outdoors and Savages Bike Centre. If you’d rather be on the water, Second Nature Outdoors also rents paddleboards, canoes and kayaks.
At 12 noon every day, catch the free Outdoor Summer Theatre on the Cathedral Lawn – The Calithumpians Theatre troupe presents humorous and historical fare, with a repertoire of alternating shows. Why not pick up lunch and enjoy picnic style while watching the show!
While you’re so close by, stop by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery (closed for this season), and check out all of the statues and public art surrounding the building. You can even add your own chalk art to the perimeter wall. And if you enjoy seeing public art, you’ll want to read our public art blog post for other nearby pieces to visit.
An afternoon option to be on the water but without all the paddling is a river cruise aboard Wolastoq Tour Boat, docked at the Regent Street Wharf (in front of the Lighthouse). A scenic cruise on the majestic Saint John River is a relaxing way to see the City’s landmarks. Regularly scheduled cruises are at 12, 2, and 4pm.
Pre-book your family bubble visits at these 2 spots in the Historic Garrison District, a National Historic Site. At the Fredericton Region Museum (formerly British Officers Quarters) in Officers’ Square you can book a private visit for your family bubble to explore Fredericton's history and learn about our First Nations, Acadian and Loyalist roots, life in the trenches of the First World War and learn about New Brunswick's role in Confederation. Don’t forget to meet the famous Coleman Frog!
The NB Sports Hall of Fame celebrates New Brunswick’s greatest sports heroes and many of the great moments in New Brunswick sports history, kids love the 5-in-1 interactive virtual sports system – one of a kind in New Brunswick! Pre-book your family bubble visit 2 days in advance and have the place to yourselves.
Evening
It’s time for dinner! Some packages include pizza delivery but all restaurants in the city are listed here. There are plenty of family friendly options to choose from! Another idea is to enjoy dining al fresco! You’ll find a number of bistro-style and picnic tables in downtown Barracks Square, Phoenix Square and at Nashwaaksis Commons where you can sit, order delivery and enjoy local musicians and art in the European-inspired dining atmosphere. In Phoenix Square, enjoy the public art installation, Weathergrams for Good, which involves hundreds of colourful strips of paper featuring loving-kindness mantras.
Next to City Hall in Phoenix Square you may catch the Fredericton City Guard, standing on sentry duty from 10am-6pm daily… a fun photo opp for the kids!
At dusk, join the Calithumpians Tour & Theatre Company for a Haunted Hike, a lantern-lit tour, with a costumed guide through historic neighbourhoods and ghostly graveyards. This summers meeting point is beside the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and the tour is approximately 90 minutes long.
Day 3 or Sunday
Pack up the car (don’t forget your mask) and head upriver. Take the “old highway”, Route 105 (River Valley Scenic Drive) and after a beautiful 20 minute drive along the Saint John River you will arrive at one of New Brunswick’s biggest attractions, Kings Landing (open 10am-5pm, Wednesday – Sunday for the 2020 season).
See how families lived during the 1800s in New Brunswick … the bustle of farm life, ladies cooking over an open hearth, spinning wool, braiding rugs and farmers tending to animals. Kids love seeing all of the animals and certainly appreciate todays modern conveniences and technology after learning about the hard work involved in everyday chores in the 19th century.
It’s a large village and a lot of walking so when your feet get tired, hop aboard the horse drawn wagon and when the gang is hungry, how about lunch at the Kings Head Inn. Serving traditional and modern fair, this summer, the indoor dining room is not open, but a takeout window offers lunch or a mid-afternoon treat, served by costumed staff on the patio.
Check out the large gift shop before leaving – lots of one of a kind things hand made by the villagers and great New Brunswick souvenirs.
If it’s a rainy day, no problem! Here are some indoor family fun options:
Kingswood Entertainment Centre is Fredericton’s largest indoor entertainment facility with bowling, laser tag, and arcade games. The Play Zone and Toddler Zone are only available this summer for bubble family & friends. A food court has snacks and Pizza Hut Express.
The Drome offers another bowling option on Main Street. This smaller bowling alley with 12 lanes is operated by Trailway Brewing, so you’ll find their craft beer on tap as well as snacks and drinks for the whole family.
Unplugged Board Games Café on Queen Street has over 100 games to play. You’ll find lots of family and kid games, and they serve drinks and snacks too. Upstairs they have three Escape Rooms, one’s even designed for younger kids.
Clay Café paint your own pottery studio is also located on Queen Street. The little ones can unleash their creativity on their choice of a number of fun pottery pieces. They are also providing take home kits.
The Purrfect Cup – new cat café is a great spot for both cat and coffee lovers. Part of the café houses cats available for adoption and in a cat free zone, baristas serve up coffee and locally sourced bakery goodies.
Please note: all attractions, tours, hotels, places mentioned, have public health policies and procedures in place to keep all visitors safe.
View more suggested itineraries on our Itinerary Inspiration page!
