The East Coast Mermaid Guide to the Perfect Bay-cation in Saint John

You’ve heard of vacations, you’ve heard of staycations, but this summer, I’m inviting you to experience your first bay-cation in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Over the years, we have been fortunate to have spent plenty of time in the Port City. In fact, my husband, lived in Saint John for over six years, before we met. We’ve visited for concerts, events, meetings, conferences, and dinners with friends. And we’ve always had a splashing good time.

But we’ve never actually vacationed there – until now. And when I tell you this “bay-cation” will go down as three of the best days of my summer – I mean it.

We had boatloads of fun and I can’t wait to go back.

And now, I’m sharing our itinerary so that you too can plan a dreamy Saint John bay-cation!

If you’re ready to start planning your Saint John bay-cation, here are some of the salty deets you’ll need to know. Saint John is located in Southern New Brunswick – approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes from Moncton, and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Fredericton.

While driving there is the easiest option, you can also take a ferry from Digby, Nova Scotia to Saint John via Bay Ferries. I haven’t had the opportunity to experience this sail but as someone who loves to travel by ferry, it’s been on my New Brunswick bucket list for ages. It’s also an excellent way to see the Bay of Fundy.

Whether you’re traveling solo, with your favourite humans, or as a family – Saint John has something to offer everyone. For Dan and I – a couple who love to explore and eat incredible food, Saint John checks all of the boxes and then some. It has everything we look for in a vacation.

We stayed for two nights, but honestly, we could have stayed a few more as we ran out of time to see and do all of the things on our wish list. If you have a few nights to work with for your bay-cation, book it!

When visiting Saint John, there are plenty of options for amazing places to stay, all depending on the mood and vibe you’re going for during your stay.We’re big fans of hotels with all of the amenities and as I’m sure you can imagine, an ocean view is paramount for me whenever possible.

We love staying at either Delta Hotels Saint John or the Hilton Saint John, both of which offer views of the ocean and my favourite – seagulls flying by your window at any given moment. And you simply can’t beat either location as you can park and walk nearly everywhere uptown, during your stay.

On our recent Bay-cation, we stayed at the Delta Hotels Saint John and our experience from check in to check out was excellent. The front staff were incredibly friendly and there was lemon water and fresh cookies available for guests in the lobby, which always scores brownie points in my travel book.

The rooms have been recently renovated, are very spacious, and offer great views of the city and harbour. The beds are heavenly to fall into after a long day exploring the city or in our case, kayaking to Partridge Island, but more on that later. There’s also an indoor pool and fitness center, as well as an on-site restaurant with a fantastic (and affordable) breakfast buffet option that we took advantage of during our stay. It was perfect for fuelling up before another day exploring the city.

If staying in a hotel room where you wake up and feel like you’re on the ocean is your jam, the Hilton Saint John is your spot.Located, quite literally, on the harbour, this older but charming hotel offers stunning views of the harbour, playful seals below, and if properly timed, the arrival of multiple cruise ships just outside your window.

This was once the view outside my hotel window when I woke up in the morning. Some of you may recognize that ship on the left as one from the Disney Cruise Line. See? Saint John is magical.

The Hilton also has an indoor pool, fitness center and restaurant that offers a delicious breakfast menu and breakfast buffet.The hotel is also connected to Market Square and is just steps away from award-winning restaurants and the newly opened, Ihtoli-maqahamok, Gathering Space.

Unless you’re new around these waters, you’ve heard me rave about the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village. So much more than a concert venue, AREA 506 is a must when exploring the harbour. As its name suggests, AREA 506 is a village of brightly-coloured shipping containers, which creates one of the most unique destinations around for tourists AND locals alike.

AREA 506 offers a number of retail shops, public art, pop-up activities, and food vendors, as well as The Docks, where you can purchase a cold drink and enjoy a three-level patio with epic views of the AREA 506 stage and the harbour. We grabbed Friday afternoon bevies after our kayaking adventure and curled up to enjoy the sunshine and catch some live entertainment, which made for the perfect way to sail into the weekend before our dinner reservations.

AREA 506 is open seasonally, from mid-May to early November, Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 7pm, as well as holidays and cruise ship days. You can learn more and plan your visit here.

A beloved destination in Saint John, the City Market (established in 1876) is the oldest continuing farmers market in Canada. Today, you can visit the City Market to purchase local produce, seafood, meats, crafts, treasures and more. You can also purchase delicious meals from their food court or enjoy a beverage from Uncorked Tours, on-site. On Thursday evenings in the summer, the City Market transforms into the Night Market.

We had lunch at Jeremiah’s Deli – more on that to come – and oh my goodness, it was amazing. I’d eat there every day if I lived in Saint John. We also picked up treats for the road from Charlotte Street Bakery – their cinnamon buns and donuts are fantastic. And of course, I paused for a moment to drool over the fresh smoked salmon and seafood at North Market Seafood.

Lastly, we couldn’t resist purchasing some beautiful prints from Linda Cooke, owner of Impressions of Saint John, who has been at the Saint John City Market for over 28 years selling beautiful prints, frames, and gifts. She was so kind to us and I’m thrilled about our new framed print of the Passamaquoddy Bay.

Rockwood Park is free to visit and I would definitely recommend squeezing it into your bay-cation itinerary! Start planning your visit here.

Last, but certainly not least, we couldn’t resist stopping at the famous Saint John sign nestled above the city at Fort Howe on the Hill. After all, it’s the most perfect opportunity for an excellent snapshot for Instagram.

The sign was very easy to get to, free to visit, and there was ample parking. Fort Howe also offers sweeping views of the city and harbour and is worth visiting.

If you love adventure, Saint John has plenty to offer thrill seekers and outdoor adventure enthusiasts. During our visit, we squeezed in one big adventure per day on our bay-cation and I’m so happy with our choices. I will be talking about both of these experiences for years to come!

When we first booked our trip to Saint John, I did not have ride the Reversing Falls Rapids on my trip bingo card, but in an exciting twist of fate, I was given the opportunity to be one of the first creators to ride the Reversing Falls Rapids Jet Boat, operated by Tripshepherd. This was a popular tourist attraction years ago, but it has been missing from the Saint John River these past few years. This summer, it’s back and it’s one s’hell of a ride.

The Reversing Falls Jet Boat offers a 30-minute tour, departing from the Market Slip below the Hilton Hotel, along the Saint John River and into the Reversing Falls Rapids. When I tell you, you’re going to get wet, you’re going to get wet. But this adventure is so much fun – I mean, so much fun – you won’t even care.

That said – plan ahead and wear appropriate clothing. You are given a poncho and a life jacket, but neither will stop you from getting soaked from head to toe. I absolutely did the Jet Boat walk of shame to our hotel to check in, dripping in the hotel lobby as though I’d just crawled my way out of the harbour via the new tidal steps at The Gathering Space.

Again, totally worth it. I belly laughed like I haven’t belly laughed before on this ride as Captain Nick, safely took us into the rapids and proceeded to complete over a dozen donuts with the jet boat. Enter the belly laughs. You’ll also get fantastic views of the Reversing Falls lookout and bridge, as you pass underneath.

To experience this thrill of a lifetime, you’ll want to budget about $135 per person. In my opinion, it’s worth every sand dollar. You can splash over to their Facebook Page to learn more about how to book – I can’t wait to hear what you think!

It’s hard to choose a highlight from this trip, because every moment was so much fun, but if I had to pick, it would absolutely be our kayaking adventure to the famous Partridge Island.

I’ve been fascinated by Partridge Island since the first time we came to Saint John ages ago. And every time we visit and I see the light from the island’s lighthouse at night, I say — “One day — I’ll find a way to get on that island.”

Well, I did it!

I thought it was next to impossible unless you were royalty or crossed over by means which would be both dangerous and highly illegal, but as it turns out, there is ONE tour company, River Bay Adventures, that can make all of your Partridge Island dreams come true with a kayak tour to the island.

Our experience was so incredible, I’ll be writing a longer article about our adventure at a later date, but in short, Partridge Island was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1974 because of the significant role it played in immigration to Canada (Source). It’s incredibly notable for a number of reasons, including the fact that it’s home to New Brunswick’s FIRST lighthouse (1791), it was North America’s FIRST quarantine station (1785) and the FIRST fog horn (steam-operated) was on Partridge Island.

Yes, the fog horn, my favourite weather-related apparatus, was invented in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Our kayaking adventure began at the Bay Ferries terminal beach, where we kayaked over to Partridge Island along the breakwater, and docked along the shores of the island. The crossing is about one hour on the way, and 40-45 minutes returning, totally do-able and no need to be a seasoned kayaker – we certainly are not!

Once on the island, your guides will take you ALL OVER THE ISLAND to explore the lighthouse, foundations of former homes and buildings, the bunkers, the underground tunnels, radio towers, and so much more. I couldn’t believe how much of the island we were able to explore and it was such a dream come true.

If you’re equally fascinated by the history of Partridge Island or just looking for one heck of an adventure during your bay-cation, I can’t recommend River Bay Adventures and their Partridge Island kayaking experience enough. I’ll be talking about this one for a long time to come.

Plan to budget $115 per person – it’s absolutely worth it. The duration of the tour is around 3-4 hours and River Bay Adventures uses tandem sea kayaks, so if you’re traveling solo, you’ll be paired up with an adventure buddy. Make sure to bring closed toe footwear and pants for Partridge Island – no flip flops or sandals – as well as snacks and water.

While I’m not claiming to have saved the best for last, dining in uptown Saint John is truly an experience in itself and offers a compelling reason for any foodie to plan a “bay-cation” to the city at any time of the year.

The area boasts an impressive array of award-winning restaurants, offering diverse menus that cater to all tastes. Whether you’re in the mood for fresh seafood, international cuisine, or the warm hospitality of family-owned eateries, there’s something for everyone.

Here are a few mermaid-approved restaurants you should try during your bay-cation:

Where do I even begin when talking about Italian by Night? My first visit to IBN (as it’s affectionately known) was back in 2020, and I’ve been fortunate enough to return several times since for dinners with friends. However, date nights at IBN are truly unmatched.

Italian by Night easily serves the best Italian food in New Brunswick, featuring the freshest ingredients. We started our evening with the calamari—a mermaid favorite that’s absolutely to die for—and the Polpetti, which consists of hand-rolled beef tenderloin, veal, and pork meatballs served with a delicious marinara sauce and grilled rosemary focaccia.`

For our main courses, I had the Penne Carbonara Capesante pasta dish featuring scallops and smoky bacon, while Dan had the Primavera, packed with delicious fresh vegetables and herbs. Both dishes were fabulous, as always.

The service at Italian by Night was impeccable, the atmosphere was incredible, and the Prosecco was delightfully bubbly—making it the perfect date night.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve been spending a lot of time at the Saint John Ale House this summer, and with good reason. It’s an absolute treasure and Chef Owner Jesse Vergen, has one of the best menus, not just in Saint John but in the province, dedicated to keeping fresh and local ingredients in every dish.

I’m just crazy about their Periwinkles – or, mermaid snacks, as I like to call them. And needless to say, I was thrilled during this visit when our server recognized me as “The Periwinkle Lady.”

We might have gone a little overboard on our most recent visit, but trust me when I say, everything we had for dinner was an excellent choice. Although, I’ve got to say, the Grilled Romaine Salad, blew all of my expectations out of the water. Here I thought we were ordering a Caesar Salad, when in reality, we were served the most delicious, drool inducing salad of my dreams. I can’t even begin to describe it – there’s hints of smoke, the digby chick dressing is perfection, and well, add capers to any dish and this mermaid is thrilled.

If having a hearty and epic breakfast on vacation is a priority for you, look no further than Britt’s Pub + Eatery. This was our second time having breakfast at Britt’s Pub + Eatery, and there is a reason why. It’s so gosh darn good.

On our recent visit, we had breakfast on their outdoor patio to fuel up ahead of our kayaking adventure later that day. I enjoyed a delicious mimosa, followed by their Breakfast Burrito, it was amazing. We saw a handful of tables trying their famous Chicken & Waffle Benedict. I don’t eat chicken, but if I did, I would have been all over this dish. It looked amazing.

I can’t believe this was my first time at Jeremiah’s Deli & Catering during our most recent visit. Jeremiah’s Deli opened in 1978 and as their website shares, it has been an anchor in the Saint John City Market for over 40 years. I can absolutely understand why.

I had the smoked meat sandwich, and it was fabulous. I’m always cautious when ordering smoked meat sandwiches as I’ve ordered some over the years (in Montreal for example) where there is so much meat on the sandwich, I end up being wasteful. This smoked meat sandwich was the PERFECT amount of smoked meat (made in house) and it was so tasty.

While we didn’t make it in to Thandi on this bay-cation, we have eaten at Thandi over the years, most recently in May, so I wanted to make sure to include it as a mermaid-approved restaurant in uptown Saint John.

I wish I could say I’ve tried multiple dishes, but I’m absolute sucker for their Butter Paneer (or Butter Chicken, if you love chicken) and so that’s always been my go-to. The restaurant vibe is lovely, with dining on two floors, and excellent service. Request a window to people watch while enjoying a fabulous meal.

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After having an incredibly busy first half of 2024, this trip to Saint John was exactly what my husband and I needed to recharge and have a little fun. In some ways, I can’t believe we were only an hour and change from home, because in so many ways, it truly felt like we had left the country.

So if you haven’t made plans to explore our beautiful province yet this summer – what are you waiting for? Book the bay-cation – you can thank this mermaid later! 🧜🏻‍♀️

Boatloads of thanks toEnvision Saint John for sponsoring this post and welcoming us to the city for the perfect bay-cation. We’ll be talking about your warm coastal hospitality for decades to come and can’t wait to return! To learn more about, visit www.discoversaintjohn.com.

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The East Coast Mermaid Guide to the Perfect Bay-cation in Saint John - East Coast Mermaid (2024)

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