How is it possible that a travel writer who has lived in a province more than 20 years hasn’t truly explored its capital city? Downright embarrassing, I say!
Alas, my dirty little secret is a thing of the past after a weekend of adventure and learning in Atlantic Canada’s ‘Riverfront Capital’—Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Hubby and I hit the road from Moncton mid-afternoon Friday for the two-hour drive along the Trans-Canada Highway to the province’s third largest city (population of 64,000). Some find the drive a tad boring with few landmarks and continuous forests but we thoroughly enjoyed the trek, just so glad to be travelling! (And, yes, there was an obligatory detour at the Irving Big Stop/Tim Horton’s in Salisbury for treats/caffeine.)
Dance Fever at the Crowne Plaza
After eventually veering off the T-Can onto Route 7 (aka The Vanier Highway), we found ourselves on Fredericton’s Regent Street and spotted familiar sites, like the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, the ‘FREDERICTON’ water tower, and Regent Mall. Memories flooded back of running around said mall many moons ago with my teenage daughters and their friends during a visit for a high school drama festival. Wow, it had
been a while!
We followed Regent Street along its straight, downhill course into the heart of Fredericton, heading to Queen Street and the Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook Hotel, where we’d stay our first night. It was my inaugural visit to the seven-floor, riverside hotel, which opened in 1948.
As we hauled our suitcases into the spacious lobby, past elegant décor and impressive staircases with beautiful wrought-iron work, all seemed serene for a Friday afternoon.
Not for long.
An elevator opened producing a bubbly gaggle of girls with ponytails and matching outfits. Soon, the adjacent elevator revealed another bouncy crew who we’d later learn were among many guests taking part in a dance competition.
The upbeat vibe continued after we checked in and dropped by The Joyce, a cozy pub/craft beer mecca, located on the hotel’s main floor. The place was hopping with dance families, but I nabbed a table and a cold brew for hubby and me.
We soon spotted Tourism Fredericton rep Mary Ellen Hudson who I’d arranged to meet for suggestions on how to get better acquainted with the city. Since her initial recommendation involved a night on the town, hubby and I made haste to get spiffy in our recently renovated room. Then we were off for a duel.
Dueling pianos, that is.
Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
We opted to grab a cab for the five-minute drive from the Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook to the Delta by Marriott Fredericton, which was hosting the Dueling Pianos and Dinner Theatre Experience. (The hotel holds creative events often, I’m told.) I’d heard of such piano shows before but had never seen one and was excited to witness Toronto’s ‘Great Canadian Dueling Pianos’.
Once the sold-out, seated crowd of 300 enjoyed a delicious, three-course meal served by Delta staff, keyboard masters Joel Lightman and Cody Fenwick took centre stage, each at his own piano. The musicians—who boast decades of international touring experience—took audience requests as they tickled the ivories and belted out tracks ranging from pop and country to disco, hip hop, and heavy metal.
We joined folks we met at our table of eight in singing along to classics like Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, Meatloaf’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light, and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Some in the crowd opted to dance the night away next to their tables or in the aisles. There was a whole lot of happy going on! (Pandemic, what pandemic?)
Eat, drink, and browse
The next morning, I pondered a dip in the Crowne Plaza’s heated, saltwater pool or a relax in its steam room, but opted to get rolling since we had a jam-packed slate of places to go and things to do.
Our plans would see us cover much of Fredericton, which is bisected by the St. John River.
The city’s southside includes the downtown core, which consists of provincial government offices, historic buildings, and numerous businesses, including our hotel and several others. It also contains many of the city’s cultural attractions, such as The Fredericton Playhouse, the Fredericton Region Museum, and the soon-to-reopen Beaverbrook Art Gallery.
South of downtown is a neighbourhood known as ‘The Hill’. In addition to homes and retail outlets, this area houses the adjoining campuses of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University. Further east are more residential neighbourhoods as well as malls, big box stores, and shops galore.
Fredericton’s northside is comprised of suburban areas once considered separate communities, such as Devon, Nashwaaksis, Marysville, and Barker’s Point. The northside is also home to the Saint Mary’s First Nation.
The fact that Fredericton’s downtown is relatively small and very walkable meant we could leave our vehicle parked for much of our initial exploring.
After a stroll from the hotel, past the Playhouse, the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, and Christ Church Cathedral, we hiked a few streets over to the Boyce Farmers Market, which is open Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round. I love a good market and this one—considered one of the top 10 markets to visit in Canada—sure fit the bill.
My late mother-in-law lived in Fredericton for 15 years and raved about the market, often purchasing items as Christmas gifts for our family, including our beloved fish-shaped cribbage board. Low and behold, we located Joe’s Woodworking, the vendor where our fishy board originated! We didn’t see Joe but chatted with his wife, Joyce Pitre, one of the many pleasant conversations we had with merchants on our tour.
It was tempting to start early Christmas shopping with the multitude of well-priced, finely crafted items for sale. We resisted and instead exited with yummy baked goods and fresh produce.
To re-energize for the next segment of our Fredericton Refresher, we took a seat at Ready to Eat, a newer restaurant at the market. Chef Matt Mackenzie, formerly of the Crowne Plaza, offers an interesting menu of breakfast classics with a twist, each made with local ingredients from market vendors.
I would be lying to say I did not inhale my wild mushroom bruschetta. Our courteous server had barely put my full plate in front of me before it was licked clean. Patrons at adjoining tables might have wondered how such a petite person could have devoured the two-poached-egg-sourdough-toast-fresh-parmesan-rosemary-and black-pepper-cream creation so quickly. It was seriously that good. (Apologies to those who witnessed the carnage, and to Chef Matt if I inadvertently proposed marriage.)
The remainder of the morning involved me gushing about my breakfast and engaging in a pursuit I enjoy almost as much as eating: shopping! Fredericton has an awesome array of unique boutiques, stores, and galleries making it a fun destination for shoppers of all interests.
Hubby and I spent a few hours perusing wares throughout the downtown core, with faves including those at The Artisan District, Urban Almanac, and Room to Remember. When our feet needed a break, we grabbed hot drinks at the Tipsy Muse, a sweet café on Regent Street where one can apparently also go for live music, art installations, poetry, and film screenings. Very cool vibe. Very rejuvenating beverages.
History lessons
Tea and coffee in hand, we sauntered over to the riverfront trail in time to see a solo kayaker cast beautiful reflections on an eerily calm St. John River. Darkening clouds didn’t deter him, nor us, as we continued our walk along the paved trail.
Hubby stopped not far down the path to check out a series of posts near the Westmorland Street Bridge, striking a pose next to one for height comparison. Online research later revealed that the City of Fredericton commissioned artist Gerald Beaulieu to create the public sculpture in 2016 to serve as both a high-water measuring stick as well as art.
Beaulieu later added another post to “Watermark”. The new pole, encased in copper, denotes ‘2018’ at the 8.31-metre mark. That was the year a spring flood displaced hundreds of New Brunswickers and caused tens of millions in damage. We’d seen photos of the flood’s aftermath, but the art installation made our history lesson that much clearer.
From the flood zone, we made a brief stop at the lighthouse that dots the Fredericton landscape. The red-and-white structure once housed the gift shop and ticket booth of a local tour boat business and is now operated in summer as ‘540 at The Lighthouse’, one of three restaurants in the ‘540’ family.
We wound our way back from the river’s edge to the Historic Garrison District, an area established as a British military garrison in 1784, the same year the province was founded. The Officers’ Quarters building that today houses the Fredericton Region Museum forms the centrepiece of what was the military compound. The Soldiers’ Barracks, Guardhouse, and Militia Stores are among other compound buildings still standing.
Historical records reveal that Fredericton was first inhabited by aboriginal peoples, the Wolastoqiyik (also known as Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq. French pioneers established settlements at the head of the Bay of Fundy and along the St. John River Valley as far as present-day Fredericton and called the entire Maritime region Acadia. In 1692, the French built Fort Nashwaak, which served as the capital of Acadia. (The site of the fort is marked by a plaque located in what is now Carleton Park, near the intersection of Union and Gibson streets on Fredericton’s northside.)
Fast forward to 1713, when the Treaty of Utrecht was signed in Holland, putting an end to the War of Spanish Succession. The treaty saw France cede mainland Acadia (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) to Britain.
The decades that followed were tumultuous, from the deportation of all Acadians who refused to take an oath of allegiance to Britain, to the arrival of the Loyalists, who fled persecution in the aftermath of the American Revolution. While there’s much that can be said of this period, I’ll wrap up this historical brief by saying that Britain went on to establish Fredericton as the capital of New Brunswick in 1785.
If time had permitted, this history buff would have loved to have toured the Fredericton Region Museum and discovered more about the city’s past. Hubby and I made note to do that next time, and to learn more about the Garrison District in warmer months, when our noses and toes weren’t so cold.
With the Garrison Night Market set to return for the summer on Thursday nights, we’ll have yet another reason to visit. That market features everything from local and imported handmade products, art, craft, clothing, local farm products, local beverages, and great food. (Did I mention how much I love good food??)
Of course, the folks at Tourism Fredericton had also encouraged me to return when the Beaverbrook Art Gallery reopens in April after a major expansion to its Queen Street building. Or maybe consider at ticket for the East Coast Music Awards in May. How about the Harvest Music Festival in September?
Maybe we should just relocate to Fredericton?
A tale of two trails
After a quick thaw in our van, hubby and I ventured to Odell Park, just south of downtown. We picked a non-snow-covered trail, one of 16 kilometres of paths winding their way through an old growth forest. The sun broke through as we meandered, its warmth awakening birds of all kinds perched high in the treetops. It also seemed to bring out joggers and families, with some of the latter spotted in the distance enjoying the playground, having a picnic, or walking their dogs.
Having built up a thirst on the Odell excursion, we motored to a trail of another sort, The Taproom Trail.
Fredericton boasts the largest number of craft brewers per capita in the Maritimes with 26 local breweries, cideries, distilleries, meaderies, and wineries. In 2020, Fredericton Tourism partnered with local taprooms to create the ‘Fredericton Taproom Trail’. Each time a patron buys a pint or flight at a participating establishment, they receive a stamp, enabling them to collect prizes.
We parked on the city’s northside near the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge, a former railway bridge that has been used as a pedestrian crossing since 1997. Today, the 607-metre span is part of the Trans Canada Trail and appeared popular with cyclists, runners, walkers, and families with strollers during our jaunt.
Rather than walk the bridge after a good hike in Odell, we followed the riverfront trail to Picaroons Roundhouse, part of the Taproom Trail. What a cool spot!
Built in 1885, B. Mooney & Sons erected the massive roundhouse at the Gibson Railway Yard for the Northern and Western Railway. The brick structure, which later served the Canada Eastern and Canadian National Railway, has been beautifully restored and now serves as Picaroons’ brewery and tasting room.
After hubby and I made our beer selection, we grabbed a couple of stools along a window bar and surveyed the large, casual space. While busy with clusters of families, friends, and loads of folks with dogs (yes, it’s a dog-friendly business), the cavernous layout meant it didn’t feel crammed. The huge outdoor patio gives Roundhouse customers another seating option, with groupings of Adirondack chairs around glowing firepits adding to the chill atmosphere.
Picaroons was one of the highlights of our weekend, as was the dinner that followed at the 540 Kitchen & Bar on Queen Street, and a chocolatey dessert from Isaac’s Way, another restaurant on Queen.
Sweet dreams are made of this
But the most memorable part of our stay came after a short drive along Fredericton’s Waterloo Row, a southside riverfront street with beautiful Victorian mansions. Our destination was the Quartermain House Bed and Breakfast.
The exterior of the 1840s Gothic Revival home made hubby and I feel as if we were stepping into a dollhouse. In fact, the steeply pitched roof, pointed arches, delicate wooden trim, and paint colours (burgundy and white with a dapper blue door) reminded us of our daughters’ dollhouses.
Once inside, the dreaminess of the five-star property continued.
The downstairs entrance with its glorious chandelier led to a drawing room (library) on one side, featuring a large fireplace, quality furnishings, and gentle lighting. The living room on the other side seemed straight out of Pride and Prejudice, abundant in florals of pink and green, rich velvets, and timely accents, such as adorable Easter decorations.
It was no surprise when we later learned that co-owner Debra Quartermain, is a design aficionado, not to mention chef and hostess supreme.
From the moment we arrived, Debra tended to our every need and felt like someone we had known forever.
I made an audible gasp as she opened the door to our room for the night, the ‘Quartermain Quarters’. Wonderfully decorated with gorgeous furnishings and crisp white linens, the bedroom was the epitome of luxury. Its ensuite was pure heaven.
I’m not sure what I liked most about our bathroom: the double-headed shower, the massive soaker tub, or the stunning tiles that adorned the walls and floor. (In-floor heating was a delightful bonus.)
Debra returned for a chat after we’d gleefully settled in, telling us about the property’s history. Thomas Harrison occupied the two-and-a-half-storey home as early as 1871. The UNB professor resided in the home in 1885 when he was appointed President of the university, the first New Brunswicker to hold the title.
New Brunswick Premier and Lieutenant-Governor John Babbit McNair later owned the property. Debra noted that during McNair’s time at 92 Waterloo many dignitaries and royalty were entertained.
After being subsequently owned by various individuals, Debra and her brother, Robert, purchased the residence in 2012. After months of meticulous renovations, Quartermain House B&B opened in 2013. In its first two years of operation, it garnered top ranking in North America by Booking.com and continues to receive guest accolades.
After a wonderful night’s rest, hubby and I floated to the lovely breakfast room downstairs. Debra’s attention to detail came shining through yet again as she unveiled an enormous breakfast of juice, tea and coffee, homemade mini doughnuts (still warm!), a fluffy frittata or omelette (I was too absorbed in the taste to ask), and scrumptious waffles with peaches and maple syrup. Let’s not forget the exquisite tray of extras: a mini pail of maple syrup, a bowl of strawberries, orange slices, and whipped cream.
At some point we pushed away from the ample table, solemnly packed our belongings, and said our heartfelt goodbyes to Debra.
We weren’t back in the van long before making plans for our next visit to Quartermain House and to Fredericton, in general. We look forward to making more memories in the provincial capital and encouraging others not to wait too long to do the same.
PS: If you go, don’t forget that the City offers free parking for visitors! Parking passes are available at the Visitor Information Centre—one day for New Brunswick residents; three days for out-of-province guests. The passes permit the vehicle owner to enjoy free parking at downtown meters and the City Hall parking lot.
*During her visit to Fredericton, Cathy was a guest of Tourism Fredericton, which neither reviewed nor approved this blog post.
6 thoughts on “Fredericton Refresher”
What a wonderful article about our city! You were such lovely guests Cathy!
Thank you, Debra! We had such a fantastic visit to the city and fabulous stay at Quartermain House B&B!
What a wonderful writeup. Thank-you so much for promoting our lovely city. If I didn’t live handy to Fredericton I would definitely plan to visit here.!!!
Nice to see you at the market, Joyce, and glad you enjoyed the piece! I’ll definitely be back soon 🙂
Thanks so much for this great review of so many of Fredericton’s great features and attractions. Although I now live in South Surrey, BC, beside White Rock on the coast, I was born in Fredericton, grew up in Maugerville, spent many a Saturday at the market as a vendor with my farther—at the old outdoor market in Phoenix Square and the Boyce Market. My brother Eldon sold vegetables there for many years after that and my sister Ardeth spent many years there working for Mulder’s Meats, which transitioned into Tony’s Prime Cuts. Now gone from the market. I taught in Fredericton High School for 15 years (1964–79. So I know Fredericton very well and was a colleague with Bill Thorpe. But my wife and I have been gone since 1979. Yet we have visited most years since then. So much has happened over the past four decades and Fredericton has developed into much more than it was. My remaining siblings as well as nieces and nephews still live in the city or nearby. So good to hear your review. I hope you do make another visit. Neil Bramble. (PS: I’m also a writer and editor)
Lovely to hear from you, Neil! Thanks very much for the kind words and interesting history!