New Brunswick's provincial capital is a compact and historic city of brick and concrete that unfolds lazily along the banks of the wide St. John River. The handsome buildings, broad streets, and wide sidewalks make the place feel more like a big, tidy village than a small city. Keep an eye out for the two icons that mark Fredericton: the stately, stubborn elm trees that have resisted Dutch elm disease and still shade the occasional park and byway, and the Union Jack, which you'll occasionally see fluttering from various buildings, attesting to long-standing historic ties with the Loyalists who shaped the city.
For travelers, the city can be seen as divided into three zones: the malls and motels atop the hills and near the link to the Trans-Canada Highway; the impressive, Georgian-style University of New Brunswick on the hillside just south of downtown; and the downtown proper, with its casual blend of modern and historic buildings.
Most visitors focus on downtown. The main artery -- where you'll find the majority of the attractions and many restaurants -- is Queen Street, which parallels the river between 1 and 2 blocks inland. An ill-considered limited-access four-lane bypass separates much of downtown from the river, but you can still reach the water's edge via the Green or by crossing a pedestrian bridge at the foot of Carleton Street.
Fredericton, with a population of about 80,000, is low-key and appealing in a quiet and understated way. There's really not a must-see attraction here, but the collective impact of strolling the streets adds up to a full sense of history and place. (Surprisingly, it has also been selected as one of the most "wired" cities in North America; this rating must have been per-capita, but it's still worth using your laptop to hunt for hot spots.) My advice: If eastern Canada's allure for you is the shimmering sea, deep woods, and wide open spaces, you won't miss much by bypassing Fredericton. If your passions include history -- especially the history of British settlement in North America -- then it's well worth the detour.
