Companion Programs / Pre & Post Tours

Companion Programs

Whether on an organized companion or family outing, or just enjoying their own time, the families of your delegates will have lots to choose from. Fredericton Tourism’s website and social media channels, including a regularly updated blog, are the best resources for keeping up to date about what is happening while you are in town.

To kick start your imagination and planning, you will find many noteworthy suggestions in the Experience section of this website!

Pre & Post Tour Options

Whether staying in Fredericton for a few extra days, or venturing a little farther into New Brunswick, there is a myriad of choices for delegates and their families. Here are a few suggestions to get your “must visit” list started! You can also check out www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca for more ideas.

Fredericton and the Capital River Region

Stay in Fredericton and tour the Capital River Region! Within Fredericton, visit the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Christ Church Cathedral, the Provincial Legislature, and more than 26 attractions in a five block radius. Stop by a Visitor Information Centre and pick up a Visitor Guide and information on what you can do in the city.

Close by are must-see attractions for history buffs: Kings Landing Historical Settlement, only 25 minutes from downtown, is a world class living history museum; National Historic Site McAdam Railway Station, WWII Internment camp at Ripples and the coal mining exhibits at the Minto Museum are each about an 1-hour or less drive from Fredericton and offer a glimpse into important eras in Canada’s history.

For many more ideas on spending a few extra days in Fredericton and surrounding areas, visit our Experiences and The Region pages here on our site.

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Travel Canada’s ‘most storied river’, the Saint John

“Upriver” options:

Travel west on Route #2 TCH or scenic Route #102 North, (or upriver, as locals say), to visit the longest covered bridge in the world at Hartland, and pop into the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Factory for a tour & samples. Stop for fine dining at Fresh in Florenceville/Bristol, or perhaps you are more in the mood for gourmet French Fries at Potato World! Don’t miss the largest waterfall in New Brunswick, the 23-metre (75-foot) Grand Falls. There is a zip-line over the gorge for those who are adventurous! Continue on to Edmundston/Madawaska for the New Brunswick Botanic Garden, Petit Sault Blockhouse, and taste the local delicacy of “la ploye”!

The drive from Fredericton to Edmundston is approximately 275km.

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“Downriver” Options:

The geography of the Lower River Passage (or “downriver”) is quite different from what you experience upriver. On Scenic Route #102 South you will discover riverside villages, silos and cattle scattered over pastoral landscapes, small artist and craft studios, and cable ferries.

The first town on your travels is Oromocto, home to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, the largest military base in the British Commonwealth. The NB Military History Museum at the Base tells the history of military forces in New Brunswick from 1800 to present day.

The village of Gagetown is the birthplace of Sir Leonard Tilley, New Brunswick’s best-known Father of Confederation. His former home has been restored as the Queens County Museum. Gagetown is also an artists’ haven with numerous small shops and studios of potters, artists, weavers, and jewellers. Most are artist-operated and are often open by chance…watch for signs! An added feature of the Lower River Route is the series of small free cable ferries crossing the calm river waters and easily incorporated into your trip. Almost any route you choose to follow on either side of the river will offer rewarding views. The drive is especially beautiful when it’s dressed in fall foliage.

This beautiful drive will end at the city of Saint John, as the Saint John River empties into the Bay of Fundy. A busy seaport noted for its remarkable 19th century architecture, many of the old homes now operate as downtown shops, galleries, restaurants, and pubs. The city is a port-of-call for about 60 large cruise ships each season. The history and architectural gems of ‘uptown’ include the City Market and the buildings of Prince William Street and Trinity Royal. Natural sites include the Reversing Rapids, where the Saint John River reverses its flow every six hours (thanks to the brute natural force of the Fundy tides) and the Irving Nature Park of coastal walking trails. The modern interactive New Brunswick Museum with its Hall of Whales features full size models.

The distance from Fredericton to Saint John via Route #102 is about 142km.

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Bay of Fundy

Take a south-easterly course from Fredericton and in just over 2 hours find yourself walking on the ocean floor at the incredible Hopewell Rocks, close to Fundy National Park.

Fundy National Park has attracted visitors to its highland wilderness site along the upper Bay of Fundy shore for decades. It has 120km (75mi) of walking, hiking, and driving trails through high hills and valleys, past sparkling waterfalls and crystal clear streams, across covered bridges, and along the rugged Fundy coastline.

The coastline and nearby village of Alma offers good demonstrations of the 13-m (42-ft) tidal change twice daily. Fishing boats at the Alma Wharf can be floating normally the first time you see them, then a couple of hours later sitting in the mud as the tide recedes. You can adventure out of Alma into the Bay by kayak too.

East of Alma is Cape Enrage. Located on the site of an old lighthouse above 50-metre cliffs, the site offers zip-lining, rappelling, rock climbing, kayaking, and beachcombing for fossils, as well as an on-site restaurant with locally-sourced cuisine. Cape Enrage offers one of the most spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy from its towering cliffs and has been a light station and fog alarm since 1838; the current light tower is over 140 years old.

A half-hour farther up the shoreline you’ll reach the Hopewell Rocks, where the highest tides in the world are best demonstrated. It’s six hours between absolute high tide and absolute low tide but, since the tide rises or falls about one foot every 10 minutes, if you watch closely you can see the difference in just a short period while you’re wandering on the beach among the flowerpot rocks. You can also kayak among The Rocks at high tide. To maximize your enjoyment check the tide times for the day you plan to visit!

Following Route #2 TCH to Route #10 and Route #114, the distance from Fredericton to Hopewell Rocks is about 224km.

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St. Andrews-by-the-Sea

St. Andrews is a treasure trove of beautiful architecture, unparalleled scenery and rich marine life. Today a National Historic District with all the features of a thriving modern resort, the streets remain steeped in turn-of-the-century charm.

Leaving Fredericton via Route #102 South to Route #3, discover adventures such as whale watching, deep sea fishing or kayaking on Passamaquoddy Bay. Don’t forget to browse the charming shops and drop into Kingsbrae Gardens or the Fundy Discovery Aquarium. Foodies will delight in the options, including the Rossmount Inn with Chef Chris Aerni. The Rossmount has gained a reputation for its creative, market fresh cuisine, and Aerni’s kitchen has become a reputable training ground for young chefs seeking knowledge in a kitchen that focuses on the availability of products from the kitchen garden, nearby organic farmers, community supported fisheries and, not least, the seasonal foraging of wild foods such as mushrooms, cat tails, goose tongue greens, kelp and more.

Via Route #102 & Route #3, St. Andrews is about 136km from Fredericton

Be a beach bunny with Acadian Joie De Vivre!

Beautiful sandy beaches and the warmest salt water north of Virginia await you in Shediac, about 2 hours from Fredericton on the Northumberland Straight. Cottages, campfires and fantastic seafood dining are available in this vibrant Acadian town. Plan to take some time in nearby Moncton, the geographic centre of the Maritimes. We dare you to figure out how your car rolls uphill at the extraordinary Magnetic Hill!

Follow Route #2 to Route #15, and discover Shediac about 200km from Fredericton.