Pete’s Historic Walking Tour

Saint John reveals itself in small details: a mass of metal left by the Great Fire, carved stone heads above a bank, a ship model inside Market Square, and murals tucked along Charlotte Street. Pete Ferguson’s tour connects these pieces with stories that reach from the Loyalist arrival in 1783 to the modern waterfront.

I like the way Pete mixes public history with personal Saint John stories, including 35 years connected with Pete’s Pub. I also like the practical route, which can use pedways, escalators, and an elevator to reduce the steepest climbs. The main consideration is time: 2.5 hours includes plenty of standing and listening, and one stop may feel too long if you prefer a faster walk.

Key points to know before you book

• A local guide with personal ties: Pete Ferguson brings stories from a lifetime in Saint John, along with tales from owning Pete’s Pub.
• A full uptown route: You visit Market Square, the City Market, King’s Square, Trinity Church, Prince William Street, and the waterfront.
• Rare visual aids: Copies of old photographs help you picture Saint John before and after major changes.
• Easy pace, but not a short stroll: The walk is described as comfortable, with frequent stops and options to use the pedway system.
• Good value at $33.80: With 2.5 hours of guiding and no separate admission fees at the stops, the price is modest for a city orientation.
• Small-group setting: The tour accepts no more than 20 people and is offered in English, in both morning and afternoon.

Why Saint John makes a good walking tour city

Saint John is not a city where every sight announces itself with a grand facade. Its appeal comes from layers: Loyalist settlement, fire, shipping, immigration, banking, theater, industry, and local personalities all packed into a fairly compact central area.

That makes a guide useful. Without context, you might pass an old bank, theater, or church and simply note its architecture. Pete explains what happened there, who used the building, and how the city changed around it.

The tour covers Saint John from 1783 to the present. That broad time span gives the walk a clear purpose. You are not just looking at old buildings. You are following the city’s development from the Loyalist Landing through the Great Fire, the rise of finance and shipping, and the newer waterfront.

Pete also uses copies of rare photographs. I find that especially helpful in a city shaped by fire and redevelopment. A photograph can show you a vanished storefront, an earlier street layout, or a building before restoration in a way that spoken description alone cannot.

The group limit is 20 people. That is large enough to have company but small enough for a guide with a strong speaking voice to be heard. Reports from the tour indicate that Pete projects clearly, even toward the back of the group, and regularly answers questions.

Starting at Water Street and Market Square

The meeting point is at Duke Street and Water Street. The first stop is near Furlongs liquor store on Water Street, on the way to Market Square. This opening section is brief, but it gets you oriented to the waterfront side of uptown Saint John.

At Market Square, Pete explains three important moments and places. You learn where the Loyalist Landing occurred in 1783, where the Great Fire of Saint John began, and where Prince Charles and Lady Diana took part in a public walkabout.

These details give the city a strong opening chapter. The Loyalist story explains Saint John’s early development, while the Great Fire helps you understand why so many buildings and streets changed over time. The royal walkabout adds a more recent public event to the same setting.

Inside Market Square, Pete points out the Marco Polo sailing ship model. He also tells the story of the actual ship, adding a maritime thread to the tour. If you like ships, port cities, or stories about movement across the Atlantic, this is one of the more distinctive stops.

You should note the timing here. Market Square receives about 15 minutes, while the City Market later receives about 10 minutes plus a little extra time to shop. The tour gives you an introduction, not a long browsing session.

City Hall and the personal side of Saint John

At Saint John City Hall, the subject turns toward Pete’s own connection with the city. He tells the story of Pete’s Pub, which he owned, along with stories from 35 years at the pub.

This part is different from a standard municipal history talk. You get sports and entertainment stories, local characters, and a sense of Saint John as a place where a guide may know many people by name. That personal angle is one of the tour’s strongest features.

I would value this stop most if you enjoy local color as much as formal dates. If you want only architecture and major historical events, the pub stories may feel less essential. If you like hearing how a city works in everyday life, they add warmth and humor.

The City Market and Charlotte Street murals

The Saint John City Market is identified as the oldest continuously operating market in Canada. Pete points out its architectural features and explains its past before allowing a few extra minutes for shopping.

This is useful early in your visit because the market can serve as more than a sightseeing stop. You can get a feel for the building, then decide if you want to return later for a longer look. The short scheduled visit does not leave much time to study every stall or buy lunch.

After leaving the market, the group reaches Charlotte Street. Here, Pete shows large murals of famous Saint John people, located down an alley. This is the sort of stop that is easy to miss when walking alone.

The murals add a visual break after several history-heavy locations. They also show how the city remembers local figures outside formal monuments and plaques. Bring your attention to side streets and alleys, since some of Saint John’s character appears just beyond the main route.

King’s Square, industry, and the Imperial Theatre

King’s Square was established in 1785, and Pete points out the main features of the park. These include a mass of molten metal left by the Great Fire, the William Young statue, the Charles Gorman statue, and the King Edward VII Bandstand.

The molten metal is especially effective as a physical reminder of the fire. Instead of hearing only about destruction, you see a material trace of it. The bandstand and statues then widen the story to civic life, public memory, and the park’s role over time.

Across from King’s Square, on King Square South Street, is the Irving Oil headquarters. Pete traces the Irving family’s New Brunswick story back to K.C. Irving in 1899. This is a short stop, only about five minutes, but it adds business and industry to a route otherwise centered on streets, churches, and public buildings.

At the Imperial Theatre, Pete explains its beginnings as a vaudeville theater in 1913. He points out the chandeliers and other features, giving you a look at both the building’s entertainment past and its physical details.

The adjoining Admiral Beatty building adds another chapter. It began as a luxury hotel in 1925, and Pete notes famous visitors, including Amelia Earhart before her transatlantic flight. These two stops work well together because they show Saint John as a place of performance, travel, hospitality, and public attention.

Trinity Church and the Loyalist story

Trinity Church is one of the tour’s longer stops, at about 15 minutes. Pete describes the features and history of this Loyalist church and explains four main artifacts held there.

This is a good point in the route to slow down. Churches often hold small objects that make broad history more tangible, and the four artifacts provide specific things to look at while Pete explains the building.

The tour then continues along Germain Street, named for Lord George Germain. Across from the front of Trinity Church is the Union Club, a business club dating from 1884. Pete examines its history during a brief stop.

The pairing of church and business club gives you a quick view of Saint John’s social structure. You move from a Loyalist religious institution to a private organization connected with the city’s business life, all within the same few blocks.

Princess Street and the old Wall Street of Canada

At Germain and Princess Streets, the route turns right on Princess Street toward Prince William Street. Pete points out an example of a newer building designed to fit local preservation standards.

This is an important detail for anyone interested in city planning. Historic districts are not always frozen in time. A newer structure can respect its surroundings through scale, materials, and design, allowing the area to keep functioning without losing its character.

Next comes the historic Ritchie building. Pete explains its features before the group continues downhill to Prince William Street. The route is described as an easy walk, and the pedway system may be used to avoid the steepest hills. Escalators and an elevator can handle some of the harder elevation changes.

Even so, wear comfortable shoes and expect to stand at multiple locations. The walking itself is not described as strenuous, but the tour is long enough that weather and personal mobility matter.

Prince William Street was once known as the Wall Street of Canada. Pete points out Chubb’s Corner and its carved stone heads, old City Hall, the old post office, the Jarvis building, the Bank of New Brunswick Palatine building, and the Seamen’s Mission.

This is one of the densest parts of the tour. You see how banking, government, mail, shipping, and immigration all occupied the same commercial corridor. The buildings are not simply decorative survivors. Together, they explain how Saint John operated as a major port and business center.

Across from the Seamen’s Mission is a Partridge Island mural. It depicts the island’s history and immigration, with particular attention to Irish arrivals during the Potato Famine.

That mural gives the immigration story a strong local focus. Partridge Island served as a place connected with immigration and quarantine, so the stop links personal migration stories with public health and port control. It is a useful reminder that Saint John’s history includes hardship as well as commerce and civic pride.

Three Sisters Lamp and the waterfront finish

The route continues to the Three Sisters Lamp in St. Patrick Park, at the foot of Prince William Street. Pete explains why the lamps have that name and how they saved lives.

This is a short stop, but it has the kind of practical historical detail that makes an object memorable. You learn not just what the lamps are called, but why they mattered.

The tour finishes with the cruise industry at the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. Pete explains how cruising began in Saint John and how the waterfront has developed.

That ending brings the tour back to the present. You have followed the city from Loyalist settlement and immigration through fire, finance, shipping, theater, and industry, then arrive at a modern waterfront setting.

The route description identifies the terminal and Area 506 as the final sightseeing area. The booking details also describe the activity as ending back at the meeting point, so I would confirm the exact end location when arranging your day, especially if you are catching a ship or planning a tight connection.

How much value do you get for $33.80?

At $33.80 per person, I consider this a solid-value city tour. The fee covers roughly two and a half hours with a local guide, a wide collection of stops, visual aids, and a route that includes both major landmarks and lesser-noticed details.

There are no separate admission fees listed for the stops. You will want extra money if you shop at the City Market or buy lunch, since lunch is not included.

The value depends on how you like to travel. If you want a quick loop with a few photo stops, this may feel long. If you want a proper introduction to Saint John, the time is justified by the number of subjects covered.

Pete’s local background also matters. His years connected with Pete’s Pub give him stories that a purely academic guide may not offer. He is described as funny, outgoing, clear, and willing to follow up on questions he cannot answer immediately.

That style will suit you if you enjoy conversation and local anecdotes. It may test your patience if you prefer to keep moving. One of the tour’s criticisms is that it spends a lot of time standing and talking, with less time inside the market or walking through the city.

Timing, walking comfort, and who should book

Morning and afternoon departures make it easier to fit the tour around a day in port. Since the tour is often booked well in advance, around 44 days on average, reserve early if your schedule is fixed.

The experience is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. The maximum group size is 20 people. Service animals are allowed, pet dogs are welcome, and children with special needs are free.

You should have a moderate level of physical fitness, although the walking is described as easy and the pedway system can reduce steep hills. A wheelchair user was accommodated, and the route can be adjusted for comfort, but I would still confirm your specific mobility needs before booking.

The experience depends on good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted.

Should you book Pete’s Historic Walking Tour?

I recommend this tour if you want Saint John explained by a local who combines dates, buildings, personal stories, humor, and visual material. It is especially well suited to first-time visitors, history fans, cruise passengers with a free morning or afternoon, and anyone who wants an easy orientation before exploring alone.

Book it with the right expectation. This is a talk-and-walk tour, not a fast-paced march. You will spend time listening at King’s Square, Trinity Church, the theater, and other stops. If you prefer more time shopping or photographing, you may wish to return to the City Market after the tour.

For $33.80, Pete offers a broad, personal introduction to Saint John. I would choose it when I wanted the city’s overlooked details to make sense, especially the Great Fire, Partridge Island, the old banking district, and the waterfront’s changing role.

FAQ

How long is Pete’s Historic Walking Tour?

The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $33.80 per person.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Duke Street and Water Street in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Where does the tour finish?

The route description finishes at the Marco Polo cruise terminal and Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. The booking details also describe the activity as ending back at the meeting point, so confirm the exact end point before planning onward transport.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Are morning and afternoon departures available?

Yes. Both morning and afternoon tour times are available.

What places does the tour visit?

Stops include Water Street, Market Square, Saint John City Hall, Saint John City Market, Charlotte Street, King’s Square, Irving Oil headquarters, the Imperial Theatre, the Admiral Beatty building, Trinity Church, Germain Street, Princess Street, Prince William Street, the Three Sisters Lamp, and the waterfront.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included.

Is the walk physically difficult?

The walk is described as easy, but you should have a moderate level of physical fitness. The route may use pedways, escalators, and an elevator to avoid some steep hills.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Poor weather cancellations offer either another date or a full refund.