Top Saint John Historical Tours

Listen to a tour guide through your smartphone as you explore historic downtown Saint John! Take a walk through time in Canada’s oldest incorporated city, where you'll hear a captivating mix of stories, from heroic to quirky, as you explore historic streets and admire stunning architecture. Discover the city’s unique character, shaped by the Bay of Fundy, and peek behind the facades to uncover stories you won't find in the guidebooks. Live GPS map shows where you are and where to go next. As you get close, tour guide commentary will automatically play. Along the way, meet lively characters and special guests who bring Saint John's vibrant stories and hidden gems to life. Skip crowded tour groups, tight schedules, and high prices — enjoy the freedom of your own pace and schedule. It’s yours! Explore anytime, not just on your booking date. Stop & start anywhere along the route. Trusted by over 75 tours & 25,000+ happy customers. Book today and start your Saint John’s adventure!

Discover the history of Saint John with a visit to King Square and the City Market. Drive through the city’s historic uptown, showcasing Victorian-era buildings. Explore Rockwood Park, Canada’s second-largest urban park, with 10 lakes. Visit Fort Howe National Historic Site and enjoy panoramic views of the harbor. See the Reversing Falls, a natural marvel where the Bay of Fundy meets the river.

Make the most of your time ashore in New Brunswick on this half-day shore excursion. Make your own way to the Saint John cruise pier, meet your guide, and set off. You’ll see the Bay of Fundy’s famous high tides and rock formations (as well as its reversing falls), will glimpse picturesque sea caves, and will even have the chance to stop for seafood chowder and other refreshments.

Indigenous influence in the Saint John area is largely overlooked. Prior to the establishment of Canada’s oldest incorporated city, a flourishing culture already existed, the Wolastoqiyik. Discover the local history of the Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaq peoples from a unique Indigenous point of view while meandering along the harbor and the Beautiful River – Wolastoq. Walk along a historical portage route and over archeological sites and become acquainted with the timeless wisdom of our ancestors. Learn how stewardship of the earth should look in a modern world while respecting and celebrating the traditions of the past through the eyes of traditional and modern artisans and artists and the stories that bind our cultures together.

Make the most of your time in port in Saint John by exploring the city with a local guide, and combine must-see attractions with a taste of local life. Learn about Saint John’s fascinating history as you admire the Victorian architecture along King Street, visit landmarks such as Trinity Church and the 225th Anniversary Clock, and browse the bustling City Market.

Avoid passive sightseeing and turn exploring Saint John into an interactive challenge with a private smartphone scavenger hunt. Instead of simply walking between landmarks, you solve clues that guide you through the city’s history and waterfront views, keeping you engaged and oriented without needing a fixed tour route. It’s an easy way to discover key sites while staying active and entertained.

Take in the architecture, history, and culture of uptown Saint John. During this two hour tour your costumed guide will show you where the Loyalist refugees first landed in the city after the War of Independence, where the infamous Benedict Arnold once lived, and so much more. Your guide will take you down historic streets filled with architectural wonders from the later part of the 19th century. You'll hear stories of the city's rich ship building heritage and the area's deep Irish and Acadian roots. If you like local foods and arts and crafts then you'll certainly enjoy your visit to the Old City Market. This is one walking tour you don't want to miss.

Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada's oldest incorporated city, has a past that's equal parts gritty, violent, and fascinating. On this walking tour, you'll hear stories of serial poisoners, unsolved murders, public hangings, and a notorious American traitor who fled here seeking redemption. Starting at Tin Can Beach, you'll walk the former red light district of Sheffield Street, pass the spot where New Brunswick's first murder was committed with a table fork in 1784, and stop outside where wealthy brewer Richard Oland was beaten to death in 2011 in a case with no conviction. Just steps away stood the home of Benedict Arnold, burned in effigy by locals. The tour ends near York Point Slip, where the Great Fire of 1877 ignited, reducing over 1,600 buildings to ash overnight. Along the way, hear about the 1889 Candy Killer, the last public hanging at Gallows Hill in 1956, and a 1914 streetcar strike so violent that federal troops rode in to restore order.

Make the most out of your short time in Saint John with this walking tour. Met at the port by your local guide, you’ll dive into the history of Canada’s oldest incorporated city, from historic markets and cemeteries to green spaces and downtown. The only city on the Bay of Fundy, you’ll also get to see the city’s tides roll in and out—more than any other place on the planet.