Why Saint John is a Must Stop On Your New Brunswick Coastal Road Trip

Disclaimer: We received compensation from Tourism New Brunswick to visit Saint John and check out the Hula as he worked on his latest tidal mural, however, this post was created above and beyond our collaboration because we just love Saint John so much! All opinions and reviews are my own.

Can we all agree that your vacation coming to an end is the absolute worst? And while all holidays are magical, there’s a certain something about vacations ending on Grand Manan that leave me bluer than the deep blue sea.

I’d be lying if I said I don’t get a bit misty-eyed when the ferry pulls out of North Head and we leave Swallowtail behind us.

But when our recent vacation to Grand Manan island came to an end, we were lucky that our trip wasn’t quite over when we drove off the ferry.

You see, our friends at Tourism New Brunswick invited us to come to Saint John and check out some local sights. Best of all? We got to see world-renowned artist The Hula paint his latest tidal mural on the seawall on the harbourfront.

Want to recreate our Port City adventure? Here’s how!

THE REVERSING FALLS SKYWALK

The Reversing Falls Skywalk was on my 2018 Summer Bucket List but unfortunately, didn’t open in time for me to check it out last summer. All good though, because Dan and I included it as part of our visit to Saint John.

The Reversing Falls is a unique phenomenon created by the collision of the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River.

At low tide the river empties into the bay causing a series of rapids and whirlpools. As tides rise they slow the river current for a brief period called slack tide.

The Bay’s tides continue to rise, gradually reversing the flow of the river; rapids form again, peaking at high tide. An 8.5-metre (28-foot) tide cycle is roughly 12.5 hours.

And you can witness it all from the Skywalk! Hop an elevator to the top floor and check out stellar views of the Reversing Falls, walk the glass floor if you dare, and catch a 13-minute film about the Reversing Falls and history of Saint John.

Mermaid Tip: New Brunswick residents save 50% off their ticket price when you show your ID.

THE HULA TIDAL MURAL

The Hula Mural was painted as part of a live experience from July 28th to August 8th, 2019 before it was removed to find a permanent home for it in the city. For those of you that missed it – I hope our behind the scenes look gives you a little sense of how cool it was to see Hawaiian artist Hula paint from a paddle-board as the tide changed.

As someone who is inspired by the ocean every day and who has built passion projects and a company out of my love for the ocean, it’s incredibly powerful to see someone create art from the ocean surface.

FRESH SEAFOOD AT BILLY’S

We asked Saint John what the best seafood in the city was and you answered!

After exploring some of the city, we took a break from playing tourist to have dinner at Billy’s Seafood Company, inside Saint John’s historic City Market.

To say I was in seafood heaven is an understatement – this meal was incredible!

From my PEI sourced oysters starter to my delicious Deep Sea Platter of fried clams, sea scallops and haddock—I can’t imagine a better meal to end our vacation.

Oh, and I made sure to steal a bite of Dan’s fresh Halibut and Scampi and it was super tasty too!

Amazing service. The freshest seafood. Relaxed coastal atmosphere. We’ll be back 😉

THE SAINT JOHN NIGHT MARKET

New this summer is the Saint John Night Market, located outdoors right beside the historic City Market. Happening on Thursday nights from 5:00pm to 10:00pm until September 26th, the Night Market is worth checking out if you find yourself in the city on a Thursday night.

We saw market friends, tried some samples, and picked up some super cute reusable napkins from Heaps Handworks. You can also grab a beer and some tasty food truck grub to enhance your experience!

COFFEE AT ROGUE

A trip to Saint John is not complete without popping into Rogue Coffee for a caffeine fix or adult beverage. I was EXTRA excited that the Rogue Alien was still up on the alley wall from the Moonlight Bazaar to snap an Instagram shot in front of it!

STROLL THE WATERFRONT

Lastly, one of my favourite things to do when visiting the Port City is to stroll the harbourfront.

You never know what you’ll see from cruise ships to harbour seals to running into friends.

There are plenty of restaurants and food trucks to check out. Grab a drink on a patio and take in the sights or check out some of the free concerts happening all summer long.

We can’t wait to plan our next visit to Saint John!

Have questions about our trip? Want to plan your Saint John experience or Explore NB? Get in touch – we’d love to help you plan your New Brunswick adventure 💌

And a HUGE thank you to Tourism New Brunswick for inviting us to Saint John – we couldn’t have had a better end to our vacation!