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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
St. Stephen
Give St. Stephen one night as a border stop between Maine and Saint John: the Chocolate Museum and a Ganong shop fill an afternoon, not a trip.
St. Stephen is a town of about 4,400 on the St. Croix River, directly across from Calais, Maine. It is Canada's chocolate town: Ganong has made candy here since 1873, and the old factory now holds the Chocolate Museum. Most travellers use it as a half-day border crossing stop on Route 1 between Maine and Saint John, or as a base for the Fundy coast and the Passamaquoddy Bay islands. The town itself is small; one night is enough unless you are using it as a launch point.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, many seasonal businesses closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
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$140–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ 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 · RCMP non-emergency 1-888-506-7267
- 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$2–4 |
| Diner meal | C$15–25 |
| Chocolate Museum entry, adult | C$10 plus tax |
| Beer at the brewhouse | C$7–9 |
| Motel room, summer | C$89–160 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YSJ · Saint John Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car via Route 1; the nearest scheduled airport.
- BGR · Bangor International Airport, Maine
- About 2 h by car via US Route 1 and the Calais border crossing; useful for US arrivals.
- YHZ · Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- About 4 h 30 min by car; the main international gateway for the Maritimes.
Typical fares
- Taxi in town
- short hop, about C$8–12
- St. Stephen → Saint John by car
- about 1 h 15 min via Route 1
- St. Stephen → Calais, Maine
- about 5 min plus border wait
Get around
The town centre is walkable in 15–20 minutes end to end. Route 1 and Route 170 are the main roads; a car is needed for Saint Andrews, Saint John and the Fundy coast. Friendly Cab (+1 506 466-5500) is the local taxi. The Calais, Maine border crossing is a short drive across the river.
See and do
Known for
- Ganong chocolates, made here since 1873
- The Chocolate Museum in the old Ganong factory
- Chocolate Fest in early August
- St. Croix River border crossing to Calais, Maine
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Andrews | Drive Route 1 east, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Calais, Maine | Drive across the St. Croix River border crossing, about 5 min | About 15 min with the border check |
| Saint John | Drive Route 1 east, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
| Campobello Island | Drive Route 1 east then Route 774 through Lubec, Maine; two border crossings | About 2 h |
| Grand Manan Island | Drive to Blacks Harbour, then the ferry | About 2 h 30 min including the crossing |
| Fundy-St. Martins | Drive Route 1 east then Route 111 | About 2 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Milltown Blvd / downtown
- Walk to the Chocolate Museum, Ganong Chocolatier and the waterfront; the Blair House Heritage Inn is here.
- King St
- The main street for diners and the Picaroons brewhouse; a short walk from the river.
- Route 170 / Oak Bay
- Motels north of town on the road to Saint Andrews; you need a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank youEnglish is the main language |
| Where is the border crossing? | Where is the border crossing?ask at any shop on King St |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?most places take cards |
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
- The US border crossing at Calais can queue in summer; carry your passport and check current entry rules before you cross.
- Many businesses are seasonal and close or shorten hours outside Jun–Sep.
- Distances between Fundy coast towns are longer than they look on the map; plan driving times, not just kilometres.
- Cell coverage is fine in town but patchy on some coastal roads.
St. Stephen is a small, safe town; the real issues are winter driving on Route 1, moose and deer on rural roads at dusk, and the US border crossing, where you need your passport and a check on current entry rules.
One and two days
No timed day plan for St. Stephen yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ganong chocolates, made here since 1873
- The Chocolate Museum in the old Ganong factory
- Chocolate Fest in early August
- St. Croix River border crossing to Calais, Maine
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Town of St. Stephen: town.ststephen.nb.ca
- Ganong Chocolatier: ganong.com/the-chocolatier-store/
- International Homecoming Festival: internationalhomecomingfestival.org/
- Wikivoyage: St. Stephen, revision 5241559 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241559
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
St. Stephen
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- RCMP non-emergency1-888-506-7267
Canada has no embassy here; US travellers: the nearest US consulate is in Halifax. Canadian services: Service Canada in Saint John.
Small town; carry a card and some cash, and check opening hours outside summer.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/st-stephen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.