Active Pursuits in Fredericton
Fredericton’s trail system for walkers and bikers includes 120km (75 miles) of trails. The centerpiece is undeniably the South Riverfront a 5km (3-mile) path that follows the river past the Delta hotel to near the Princess Margaret Bridge. It’s a lovely walk, and passes by most of the city’s key sightseeing points: the Government House, the downtown area, and open parklands near Waterloo Row.
Connecting with this trail, a well-used pedestrian bridge crosses the Wolastoq (Saint John) River using an abandoned railroad trestle just east of downtown. From this vantage point are superb views of downtown and the surrounding river valley. If you continue, the Nashwaak follows an abandoned rail bed along the attractive Nashwaak River; after about 4km (2[bf]1/2 miles), you can cross the river at Bridge Street and loop back to the pedestrian rail bridge via the 5km (3-mile) Gibson Trail.
A number of other trails link up to this network. A free trail guide is available at the information centers or online at fredericton.ca/en.
Bikes and e-bikes may be rented at Savage’s Bicycle Center (tel. 506/457-7452), 441 King St. for C$40 half day or C$50 full day, and at Radical Edge, 386 Queen St. (tel. 506/459-3478). Expect to pay C$125 per week or C$30 per day for a rental. You can also rent e-scooters to enjoy the trail from Cruze Scooters and DRIFT Scooter Rentals.
Many visitors get out on the water in a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard. Gear can be rented from Second Nature Outdoors next to the river at the corner of Brunswick and Smythe Streets, or Wolastoq Adventures, an Indigenous-owned company located behind the Delta Hotel that offers illuminated transparent kayaks. A float down the Nashwaak in a tube is doable with a rental from either Nashwaak Tubing (629 Rte. 8, Durham Bridge; tel. 506/457-2300) from C$20 per person; or Drifters Tubing at 311 Route 628 (Manzer Road) ( tel. 506/447-8382).
If you’re looking for a more leisurely way to enjoy the water, consider renting a houseboat that sleeps from 6 to 14 people farther upriver at Mactaquac with Lakeway Houseboat Rentals (tel. 888/452-5392) for a weekend, half week, or full week. Boats sleep between 6 and 14 people, and start at roughly $600/day at the height of the season (less midweek). For a shorter experience, book an afternoon sailboat tour with the husband and wife couple who run Beyond Expectations. Kim and Faye offer three-hour excursions in the Nackawic area of the Wolastoq for up to 4 guests; call 506/476-3096 or email BESAILING25@gmail.com for more information.
Golfers will want to play a round or two at the Kingswood golf course (tel. 800/423-5969 or 506/443-3333) named one of the top 100 courses outside the US by Golf Digest. It consists of 27 holes, a par-3 course, a driving range, and a large putting green. Greens fees for 18 holes start at C$79.
Finally, if any city in the Maritimes is worth visiting the winter, it’s Fredericton. Frostival (tel. 888/888-4768) is a giant monthlong collection of over 100 activities and events, some of them of significant size themselves. You can try snowshoeing in the moonlight, discover snowga (yoga in the snow), join an old-fashioned outdoor skating party, learn an art form, hear lots of live music, or enjoy Dine Around Freddy, where Fredericton's top restaurants showcase their culinary creativity with special three-course menus.
Connecting with this trail, a well-used pedestrian bridge crosses the Wolastoq (Saint John) River using an abandoned railroad trestle just east of downtown. From this vantage point are superb views of downtown and the surrounding river valley. If you continue, the Nashwaak follows an abandoned rail bed along the attractive Nashwaak River; after about 4km (2[bf]1/2 miles), you can cross the river at Bridge Street and loop back to the pedestrian rail bridge via the 5km (3-mile) Gibson Trail.
A number of other trails link up to this network. A free trail guide is available at the information centers or online at fredericton.ca/en.
Bikes and e-bikes may be rented at Savage’s Bicycle Center (tel. 506/457-7452), 441 King St. for C$40 half day or C$50 full day, and at Radical Edge, 386 Queen St. (tel. 506/459-3478). Expect to pay C$125 per week or C$30 per day for a rental. You can also rent e-scooters to enjoy the trail from Cruze Scooters and DRIFT Scooter Rentals.
Many visitors get out on the water in a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard. Gear can be rented from Second Nature Outdoors next to the river at the corner of Brunswick and Smythe Streets, or Wolastoq Adventures, an Indigenous-owned company located behind the Delta Hotel that offers illuminated transparent kayaks. A float down the Nashwaak in a tube is doable with a rental from either Nashwaak Tubing (629 Rte. 8, Durham Bridge; tel. 506/457-2300) from C$20 per person; or Drifters Tubing at 311 Route 628 (Manzer Road) ( tel. 506/447-8382).
If you’re looking for a more leisurely way to enjoy the water, consider renting a houseboat that sleeps from 6 to 14 people farther upriver at Mactaquac with Lakeway Houseboat Rentals (tel. 888/452-5392) for a weekend, half week, or full week. Boats sleep between 6 and 14 people, and start at roughly $600/day at the height of the season (less midweek). For a shorter experience, book an afternoon sailboat tour with the husband and wife couple who run Beyond Expectations. Kim and Faye offer three-hour excursions in the Nackawic area of the Wolastoq for up to 4 guests; call 506/476-3096 or email BESAILING25@gmail.com for more information.
Golfers will want to play a round or two at the Kingswood golf course (tel. 800/423-5969 or 506/443-3333) named one of the top 100 courses outside the US by Golf Digest. It consists of 27 holes, a par-3 course, a driving range, and a large putting green. Greens fees for 18 holes start at C$79.
Finally, if any city in the Maritimes is worth visiting the winter, it’s Fredericton. Frostival (tel. 888/888-4768) is a giant monthlong collection of over 100 activities and events, some of them of significant size themselves. You can try snowshoeing in the moonlight, discover snowga (yoga in the snow), join an old-fashioned outdoor skating party, learn an art form, hear lots of live music, or enjoy Dine Around Freddy, where Fredericton's top restaurants showcase their culinary creativity with special three-course menus.
