Saint John

The city of Saint John lies on the northwestern side of the Bay of Fundy, which separates New Brunswick from Nova Scotia. Originally an Indian trading post dating back to 1604, Saint John was the first incorporated city in Canada. In fact, the Saint John City Market, held in a building built in 1876, is the oldest market in North America. The market bell rings at the opening and closing of the market day, 6 days a week. Here, the downtown area is known as Uptown and the river flows backwards twice a day! A tourist guide to Saint John will surely carry a tide map to be there for the incredible spectacle of the ocean from the Bay of Fundy forcing the Saint John River to reverse up its own rapids for several hours a day. This natural phenomenon beckons thrill-seekers with activities such as the Reversing Falls Jet Boat Rides and the Reversing Rapids Zip lining Tour. And then of course, there is the spectacular coastline around Saint John, with many public beaches, the Fundy Nature Trail, Irving Nature Park and the St Martin Caves waiting to be explored.