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Major city · Canada

Saint John

Give Saint John 2 nights: one full day for Uptown and the Reversing Falls at tide change, one for the Bay of Fundy coast. Skip it as a day trip from Moncton.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, snow, many coastal sites closed)
Airport
YSJ
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Saint John is Canada's oldest incorporated city, built on a harbour where the Bay of Fundy's huge tides push the Saint John River backwards twice a day. Uptown is compact and walkable, the coast is a short drive, and most travellers see it in two nights on the way between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Cruise ships land here in summer, so book Uptown beds early on those days.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Saint John, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$2.50–5 (≈ US$2–4)
  • BeerDraught beer in a pubC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi Uptown to East SideC$7–10 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Budget bedHostel or shared-room bed, a night, per personC$45 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomC$190 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomC$320 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$170 (≈ US$130) · High C$300 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Reversing Falls and the Bay of Fundy tidesSaint John City MarketLoyalist and Irish historyUptown pedway and harbour walk
Airports
YSJ Saint John Airport (4180 Loch Lomond Road, about 20 km east of Uptown; taxi to Uptown about $30. Flights from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Saint John: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−2°C

−13°C

16 rd

Feb

−2°C

−13°C

13 rd

Mar

3°C

−8°C

14 rd

Apr

9°C

−2°C

13 rd

May

15°C

4°C

13 rd

Jun

20°C

8°C

12 rd

Jul

23°C

12°C

11 rd

Aug

23°C

11°C

10 rd

Sep

19°C

7°C

11 rd

Oct

13°C

3°C

13 rd

Nov

7°C

−2°C

15 rd

Dec

1°C

−8°C

16 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Uptown is a simple grid and walkable; in winter use the indoor pedway linking City Market, Brunswick Square, Market Square and Harbour Station. Saint John Transit buses run about 6AM to midnight, $3.00 adult fare, tickets via the SJTRides app. Taxis are cheap by Canadian standards: East Side to Uptown $7–10, East Side to West Side $12–15. A car helps for the coast and Irving Nature Park.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Fundy-St. Martins

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive Route 111 east, about 45 min

Covered bridges and the sea-cave beach; go at low tide.

Saint Andrews

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Drive Route 1 west, about 1 h 15 min

Waterfront town and whale-watching boats; a full day or an overnight.

St. Stephen

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Drive Route 1 west past Saint Andrews, about 1 h 30 min

Border town with the Calais, Maine crossing; bring your passport.

Grand Manan Island

overnight

Door to door: 3 h+

Drive to Blacks Harbour, about 1 h, then the ferry

Ferry crossing is about 1.5 h; too far for a comfortable return day.

Campobello Island

overnight

Door to door: 3 h+

Drive via St. Stephen and the US border, or via the Deer Island ferries

Roosevelt Campobello park; check border and ferry rules before you commit.

Sussex

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive Route 1 east, about 1 h

Market town on the way to Moncton; a stop, not a destination.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Uptown

City Market, King Square, restaurants and the harbour walk on foot; best for a short stay without a car.

East Side

Chain hotels and big-box stores near the highway; cheaper parking, 10–15 min drive to Uptown.

West Side

Quieter, close to Irving Nature Park and the Reversing Falls bridge; needs a car.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$160–240 (≈ US$120–180) excl. bed
High
C$280 (≈ US$250)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 2 nights × C$190C$380
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$170C$680
Taxi YSJ airport to Uptown, one way1 × C$30C$30
Saint John Transit day of rides2 × C$6C$12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$20C$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$114
Trip total≈ C$314 per person per day, bed includedC$1,256≈ US$950

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; sales tax is added at checkout. Flights and car rental excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$2.50–5 (≈ US$2–4)
Seafood supper, casualC$15–20 (≈ US$11–15)
Thai or Indian meal with a drinkC$25–30 (≈ US$19–25)
Brew-pub meal for twoC$30–40 (≈ US$25–30)
Draught beer in a pubC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
Saint John Transit adult fareC$3.00 (≈ US$3)
Taxi Uptown to East SideC$7–10 (≈ US$6–8)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A safe small city by Canadian standards. The real issues are winter ice on Uptown sidewalks, the odd late-night incident on Harbour Passage, and unlit coastal roads at dusk.
  • Spell it Saint John, never St. John — that is St. John's, Newfoundland, and locals correct it.
  • The Reversing Falls only reverse near tide change: check the tide table before you go or you will see a normal river.
  • Carleton Martello Tower's 1812 (≈ US$1,400) tower and command post are closed for renovation, possibly until 2027; the visitor centre and grounds stay open.
  • Harbour Passage is lit at night but has had occasional muggings: walk in a group after dark.
  • Driving Highway 7 from Fredericton carries a moose-collision risk at dawn, dusk and at night.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Saint JohnSaint John

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Saint John; the US has a consulate general in Halifax and an embassy in Ottawa. Most countries: embassy in Ottawa.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi YSJ airport → Uptown: about C$30 (≈ US$25), 20–25 min
  • Saint John Transit adult fare: C$3.00 (≈ US$3), exact change or SJTRides app
  • Bay Ferries Digby → Saint John: about 2 h 15 min in peak season; book online

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Sorry — Sorry / Excuse me
  • How much is that? — How much is it?
  • Do you take card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where's the washroom? — Where is the toilet?

English is the working language; a few French speakers, but you will not need French here.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Saint John. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, snow, many coastal sites closed) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YSJ: taxi and rideshare bands, late-arrival fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: City Market and King Square, Market Square and the boardwalk, Reversing Falls and the Skywalk, Rockwood Park.
  3. Place pages with verified tide windows (Reversing Falls) and opening hours (City Market, Carleton Martello Tower, Imperial Theatre).
  4. Cruise-ship-day fixtures so Uptown beds and restaurants can be flagged as full.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources