New Brunswick’s vibrant capital and the nearby village of Gagetown are rich with history, culture, cuisine, and charming quirkiness.
FRIDAY
Evening
Fine dining and creative cocktails
This leafy city of 75,000 boasts several historic B&Bs but we went modern at the Delta Fredericton, just north of downtown, a recent “Hotel of the Year” in the Marriott chain. Located along the wide Saint John River, the river-facing rooms have great views of the tranquil water and forested landscape.
Everything is close by in Fredericton, so it takes just minutes to arrive at the 11th Mile, downtown on York Street, rated 4.8 out of five on Tripadvisor. Chef Peter Tompkins and wife Jennie Wilson own and operate it. They combine locally sourced ingredients with modern Canadian cuisine in sharable portions. The chilled shrimp salad and crusty roasted half cauliflower, served on vintage family china, is particularly enjoyable.
With its compact downtown and more than 150 kilometres of trails, Fredericton is walking-friendly. It’s an easy stroll from the 11th Mile to the Provincial Lounge, where you’ll find head mixologist Kanye Eustache. “I always use fresh squeezed juices and, when I can, some of our locally distilled spirits,” he said. We wanted one cocktail with alcohol and one without, so Kanye quickly went to work. Among his remarkable creations are Internal Imagery (vodka, pisco, strawberry syrup, red pepper syrup, fennel, lime, and rhubarb bitters) and the alcohol-free Mo Money (Granny Smith apple juice, celery juice, lime, and cardamom syrup). Both were delicious.
SATURDAY
Morning
Market day and global cuisine
Since 1951, Fredericton’s downtown Boyce Farmers Market has been a Saturday tradition. According to alive.com, it’s one of the Top 10 Community Markets in Canada. At breakfast, there are happy crowds inside and out for coffee, muffins, and other treats from a couple of the more than 200 local food and craft vendors. The Cheese Market is a local favourite, with plenty of options for nibbling on the go or taking home for later.
Fredericton boasts an international array of restaurants. For lunch, stay downtown and try a new Japanese establishment, Momo Ramen & Izakaya on Queen Street. Its ramen specialty is colourful and tasty while the main course of grilled chicken udon had just the right amount of seasoning.
SATURDAY
Afternoon
Touring Gagetown
It’s time for an afternoon jaunt to nearby Gagetown, a delightful village with unique attractions and a wonderful restaurant. Head southeast on the Trans-Canada highway, first passing a turnoff for CFB Gagetown, a large military base, the official name of which is 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown. Next is the exit for Gagetown village, where a secondary road, passing woodlands and prosperous looking farms, leads to the entrance of the community that the original Maliseet and Acadians called Grimross in the 1700s. Now with a population of 800, its quiet streets, neat homes, and modest businesses evoke an earlier era.
Remarkably, Gagetown has three active potters, with Flo Greig, the owner of Greig Pottery, the best known. Her store, now in its 50th year, is open year-round with the adjacent studio welcoming visitors. Browse her innovative work (the provincial government often gifts visiting dignitaries with Flo’s creations), then watched her work on her wheel.
Amble across the street to visit the birthplace of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, former New Brunswick premier and a Father of Confederation. The Tilley House, dating from 1786, is now a national historic site. Built in the Loyalist tradition (hewn timber-frame construction), it’s filled with Loyalist and Victorian furniture and many artifacts from Tilley’s life. The home is open seasonally, but you can arrange a private visit off-season.
SATURDAY
Evening
Gourmet cuisine and another fine mixologist
After touring the village and checking out the efficient cable ferry across the Saint John River (an optional, seasonal way to reach Gagetown), travel a few hundred metres along the river to Gulliver’s World Café, an 1860s restored farmhouse, presided over by Chef Thane Mallory and his wife Nancy. Chef Mallory was trained at the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France. His flavours and creativity dazzle diners.
Start with a lobster dip and freshly fried tortilla appetizer followed by a remarkably good Italian dish, stracotto pappardelle, tender beef cooked for four hours in tomato passata and red wine. Chef Mallory says he learned the recipe from a Sicilian chef last winter. Also share some decadent salmon and fiddlehead ravioli in a citrus butter sauce, followed by the chef’s signature rum runner cake with chocolate and almond ganache. It’s one of the best meals you’ll find in Atlantic Canada. Gulliver’s closes for the season in mid-November as Chef Mallory travels the world seeking new recipe ideas.
Once back at the Delta Fredericton, a hotel noted for its creative cocktails, enjoy an excellent nightcap of a Ukrainian Mule (vodka, lemonade, ginger beer, lime, and mint) and a mocktail Blueberry Mojito (blueberry syrup, lime, club soda, mint, and fresh blueberries). A great way to end a busy day.
SUNDAY
Morning
Culture, history and quirky things
After picking up some coffee, muffins, and tasty pastries at Chess Piece on Queen Street, Fredericton’s only Parisian-style patisserie, head farther downtown to the city’s cultural gem, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Named for New Brunswick native and British publishing magnate Lord Beaverbrook, it has more than 5,300 works in its permanent collection. Renowned for its British paintings (Turner, Constable, Gainsborough), there’s also an extensive Canadian and Indigenous collections and its best-known work, the giant “Santiago El Grande” by Salvador Dali.
Continuing the walk along Queen Street, you’ll pass several unique boutiques before reaching the well-groomed Garrison Grounds, the 18th century former British army base and its adjacent Fredericton Region Museum. The museum has artifacts from the city’s long and colourful history, but also a quirky side. One room is dedicated to a 19-kilogram stuffed frog. The Coleman Frog jumped into Fred Coleman’s canoe in 1885, became a beloved pet, died in 1899, and was preserved by a taxidermist. An adjacent room tells the story of Frederictonian Stanton Friedman, AKA the “Flying Saucer Physicist,” the first civilian investigator of the Roswell, New Mexico, UFO incident. His work and controversial alien visitor theories are fascinating. He was convinced that extra-terrestrials have visited Earth.
SUNDAY
Afternoon
Pub lunch
Fredericton is Atlantic Canada’s craft brewing capital, with 13 breweries, distilleries, and cideries. Before leaving, experience one of several brew pubs with a reputation for good food. The Gahan House, downtown in a former Queen Street bank, is ideal for lunch. Nachos, fries, burgers — excellent pub food and fine service.
Fredericton, the “City of Stately Elms,” is the kind of community that keeps luring visitors back. The culinary scene is constantly improving, history and culture are honoured, festivals run year-round, and visitors love its quirkiness. It’s an ideal destination in any season.
IDEAS FOR THE NEXT TRIP
Lodging
DINING
- The Palate.
- The Wolastoq Wharf.
- Picaroons Brewing Co.
- Lunar Rogue Pub (1,100 whisky selections).
ACTIVITIES
- 120 kilometres of hiking and ski trails.
- FROSTival and Dine Around, Jan. 22-Feb. 8, 2026.
- Visit Christ Church Cathedral, built in the 1850s, North America’s first Gothic Revival cathedral.
SHOPPING
- Fresh Vintage, antiques and more.
- Happy Hatti, artisanal women’s clothing.