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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Fredericton
Give Fredericton one full day plus a night: walk the Garrison District and river trail, then use it as a base for King's Landing. Two nights if you add a day trip.
Fredericton is New Brunswick's capital and its most walkable city: the legislature, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Garrison District and a 3 km riverfront trail all sit within about 20 minutes on foot. It is a small city, not a big stop — most travellers pass through on Route 2 between Moncton and Edmundston, or break the drive from Saint John. One night covers the downtown; a second night buys you King's Landing or a river day. Summer is short and warm, autumn is the best window, and winter is genuinely cold with heavy snow.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for warm days and river trails; mid-Sep for the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival; late Sep–early Oct for fall colour
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (lows near −15 °C, heavy snow), and the muddy spring thaw in late Mar–AprJan–Feb (lows near 5 °F, heavy snow), and the muddy spring thaw in late Mar–Apr
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Health Link NB (24 h nurse line) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2.50–5 |
| Diner or pub main | C$16–28 |
| Beer: draught in a pub / can at a store | C$7–9 / C$2.50–4 |
| 5 km taxi ride3.1 mi taxi ride | C$15–20 |
| Fredericton Transit fare | C$2.75 |
| Museum entry (Beaverbrook, Science East, Region Museum) | C$6–10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YFC · Fredericton International Airport
- In Lincoln, 13 km southwest of downtown; no shuttle, taxi about $21 to the centre, car rentals on siteIn Lincoln, 8.1 mi southwest of downtown; no shuttle, taxi about $21 to the centre, car rentals on site
Typical fares
- YFC airport → downtown, taxi
- about C$21, 15–20 min
- Fredericton Transit single fare
- C$2.75, under-6s free
- Maritime Bus Fredericton → Saint John
- about 1 h 15 min; check the current fare and times
Get around
Downtown is a grid and walkable in 15–20 minutes end to end; Brunswick and Queen streets are one-way. Fredericton Transit runs nine routes Monday–Saturday roughly 6:15 am–11 pm, $2.75 cash, under-6s free. The Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge crosses the river for pedestrians and cyclists only. Taxis are the fallback after the last bus; the airport has no shuttle.Downtown is a grid and walkable in 15–20 minutes end to end; Brunswick and Queen streets are one-way. Fredericton Transit runs nine routes Monday–Saturday roughly 6:15 AM am–11 pm, $2.75 cash, under-6s free. The Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge crosses the river for pedestrians and cyclists only. Taxis are the fallback after the last bus; the airport has no shuttle.
See and do
Known for
- New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
- Beaverbrook Art Gallery
- Historic Garrison District
- Saint John River and the Walking Bridge
- Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| King's Landing | Drive Route 2 west about 35 km, or a taxi; no direct public busDrive Route 2 west about 22 mi, or a taxi; no direct public bus | About 40 min each way |
| Gagetown | Drive Route 102 south along the river, about 50 kmDrive Route 102 south along the river, about 31 mi | About 45 min each way |
| Mactaquac Provincial Park | Drive Route 2/105 west about 20 kmDrive Route 2/105 west about 12 mi | About 25 min each way |
| Saint John | Maritime Bus from the Fredericton terminal, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Moncton | Maritime Bus, about 2 h 30 min | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Downtown / Garrison District
- Queen and King streets: walk to the legislature, gallery, museums and the river trail. Best for a one-night stop without a car.
- North Side (Nashwaaksis, Devon, Marysville)
- Across the river via the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge or the Westmorland Street Bridge; cheaper rooms and free parking, 10–15 min drive to downtown.
- Prospect Street / UNB area
- University district southwest of the centre; quiet, close to Odell Park and the Botanic Garden, needs a car or a bus.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Please | Please / S'il vous plaît |
| Excuse me | Excuse me / Excusez-moi |
| How much is it? | How much is it? / Combien ça coûte ? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? / Puis-je payer par carte ? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? / Où sont les toilettes ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter is severe: −15 °C nights and 500 mm+ of snow in December–February. Rent a car with winter tyres and allow extra time.
- The airport has no shuttle service — book a taxi or a rental car before you land.
- The Saint John River has strong currents at spring high water; swimming is not recommended.
- Many downtown sights keep short or seasonal hours (some close Mondays or in winter) — check each site before you go.
Fredericton is a low-risk small city; the real hazards are winter driving, icy sidewalks and the river's spring current. Downtown is quiet late at night — stay on lit streets and use a taxi after the last bus.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fredericton yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
- Beaverbrook Art Gallery
- Historic Garrison District
- Saint John River and the Walking Bridge
- Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism Fredericton: www.tourismfredericton.ca/
- City of Fredericton: fredericton.ca/en
- Fredericton International Airport: www.frederictonairport.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Fredericton, revision 5207150 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5207150
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Fredericton
To this address, please / À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Fredericton; the US consulate-general is in Halifax and most embassies are in Ottawa. For consular help, contact your embassy in Ottawa.
New Brunswick is officially bilingual, but Fredericton is overwhelmingly English-speaking; French service is limited outside main tourist sites.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/fredericton). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.