Historic Walking Tour in Canada: Explore the City on the Bay of Fundy
4.9
100 Ratings
Saint John
Discover the rich history of Canada's first City on the Bay of Fundy through a guided walking tour. Explore hidden gems and learn about Saint John's fascinating past.
Duration:
2 hours, 5 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Water Street - On Water Street ,on the way to Market Square, the tour passes by the Jardine Building and the St. Andrews Society Bicentennial Green.
- Market Square - From the exterior area or Market Square, your guide will show where the Loyalist Landing in 1783 occurred, where the Great Fire of Saint John began, and the location of the Prince Charles and Lady Diana walkabout Details and history are provided. Inside Market Square is the Marco Polo sailing ship model; the history of the famous ship is given.
- Canada Games Aquatic Centre - After leaving Market Square this Olympic- sized Pool is viewed from an indoor pedway and the history of the facility is recounted.
- Saint John City Hall - Here in city hall the history of Pete’s Pub, owned by your tour guide is told. Stories about sports and entertainment and 35 years at the pub.
- Saint John City Market - Architectural features of the city market, along with its history, are shared by your guide. Extra few minutes to shop here .Oldest continuously operating market in Canada.
- Charlotte Street - On Charlotte Street after leaving the City Market your guide will show you large murals of famous Saint John people. This is a hidden gem, down an alley.
- Loyalist Burial Ground - Your guide will show you all of the beautiful features of this cemetery from 1783,including the beaver fountain.
- Sydney Street - After leaving the Loyalist Burial Ground, the tour proceeds to the old county courthouse on Sydney Street. History of the courthouse and jail is related including the last hanging in Saint John.
- King’s Square - All of the main points of this park established in 1785 will be pointed out by your guide, including a mass of molten metal from the Great Fire, the William Young statue, the Charles Gorman statue, and the King Edward vii Bandstand.
- Irving Oil Home Office - Across from King Square on King Square South Street is the Irving Oil Headquarters. The history of the Irving family in New Brunswick is told by your guide ,beginning with K.C. Irving in 1899.
- Imperial Theatre - The history of the theatre is given by your guide ,beginning as a vaudeville theatre in 1913.The chandeliers and other features are explained.
- Admiral Beatty - As the guide shows you the Admiral Beatty building, beside the Imperial Theatre on King Square South ,its history is told, beginning as a luxury hotel in 1925.Famous visitors are noted ,including Amelia Earhart before the famous transatlantic flight .
- Trinity Church - Your guide will describe all of the features and history of the Loyalist Church ,including the four main artifacts held there.
- Germain Street - Your tour proceeds on Germain Street, after leaving Trinity Church ,named after Lord George Germain, whose history will be noted. Directly across from the front of Trinity Church on Germain is the Union Club, a business club from 1884. The club’s interesting history is examined.
- Princess Street - At Germain and Princess Streets the tour turns right on Princess Street in order to reach Prince William Street. There is a good example on this corner of the way in which a newer building has been constructed to conform to preservation standards. Next to this is the historic Ritchie building, and its features will be explained by your guide.
- Prince William Street - After a downhill on Princess to Prince William ,your guide will show you all of the main buildings and other features of this street ,once known as the Wall Street of Canada. These include Chubb’s Corner with the carved stone heads ,old City Hall, the old post office, the Jarvis building, Bank of New Brunswick Palatine building ,and the Seamen’s Mission .Directly across from the mission is the Partridge Island mural, depicting the history of the island and immigration. Immigration and quarantine at Partridge Island will be explained, especially the Irish during the Potato famine.
- Three Sisters Lamp - The tour proceeds to the Three Sisters Lamp in St. Patrick Park at the foot of Prince William Street. The reasons for the name and how the lamps saved lives are explained.
- Marco Polo Cruise Terminal - The tour finishes at the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. Your guide will tell a history of the cruise industry in Saint John, including how it all began.
What's Included
- Pete’s Historic Walking Tour
What's Not Included
- Lunch
Additional Information
Welcome to the first city of Canada, located on the Bay of Fundy, recognised for the world’s tallest tidal waves. We’ll begin at the entrance of Area 506 Waterfront Container Village and make our way through historic Water Street towards Market Square to enter the indoor pedway system of the city. This helps us avoid climbing King St, the most uphill main street in the country. The tour mainly stretches out flat, with a downhill portion towards the end. Historical facts from 1783 to the present will prominently feature throughout the tour, accompanied by replicas of rare photographs. You will gain insights into many unique attractions and the hidden treasures of Saint John spanning 240 years of history. The tour concludes on Prince William St, formerly referred to as the Wall St of Canada.
Location
AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village
Water Street
Go to Area 506 Waterfront Container Village entrance on Water Street, beside Marco Polo Cruise Terminal. Look for your guide in a Tilley hat, Pete's Historic Tour. The meeting point is at the entrance fronting on Water Street, across from Steamers restaurant.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(100 Ratings)
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Nassim_g
Apr 23, 2024
Pete's a great way to get to know Saint John. - Pete is knowledgeable, funny and very accommodating, has a great couple of hours in his company, and he even followed up with some great tips for the rest of our trip.
Review provided by Viator
Andrew_f
Mar 19, 2024
Great Tour! - Pete did a great job sharing the history and some highlights of Saint John. I really came away with a better understanding of the town.
Review provided by Viator
Laura_w
Feb 18, 2024
Had a great time. Pete is... - Had a great time. Pete is very knowledgeable and made it a special experience for our group. Highly recommend his tour.
Review provided by Viator
Rosa_m
Oct 29, 2023
Thorough and entertaining walking tour. - First we were very lucky to have Pete as our guide in Saint John. Appreciated the in depth historical background of this city. Also news on the future development which is already underway in St. John. Giving us a reason to return. We enjoyed and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Roverix
Oct 26, 2023
Great Walking Tour - Well worth it. Excellent walking your. Great choice of route to minimize steep hills. I highly recommend it.
Quite interesting and fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johndt5772sg
Oct 26, 2023
Excellent experience - Pete was great. He’s a lifelong resident and business owner so he knew a lot about the area. He has a very informal style and was funny and informative. I highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patrick_r
Oct 25, 2023
Fun in the sun - Pete was a great host and excited to share the history of Saint John. We had fun in a city that we were not very familiar with in the beginning.
Review provided by Viator
W7609oamarke
Oct 25, 2023
History, Architecture, Fun and Exercise - Pete led us on an enjoyable and informative stroll through downtown St. John. He is a retired pub owner with lots of stories about the city's history, local personalities, visits from royals and famous people who were born here, such as actor Donald Sutherland. We also learned about the catastrophic 1877 fire that destroyed much of the waterfront district. The tour included the City Market, the Anglican church and the Loyalist Burying Ground. The pace is brisk.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Linda
Oct 25, 2023
Excellent Tour Guide - Pete is very knowledgeable - we learned so much about the town history. We truly enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamela_k
Oct 23, 2023
Pete is a knowledgeable,... - Pete is a knowledgeable, vivacious, and thoroughly delightful fellow who makes his beloved hometown come to life with the tales of historic background, current projects the city is involved in, architecture, colorful characters (most of whom are his friends and several whom we passed and he exchanged pleasantries with!)
My husband and I say that Pete “made our day!” We highly recommend Pete’s Historic Walking Tour. Just can’t say enough good things about our experience!
Pamela Kuch
Manhattan Beach, CA
Review provided by Viator