Whether you are a newcomer or a local, during a long semester of work it can be hard to find sources of fun. At first glance, Saint John looks like your typical small town, but with a little digging, you will find that there is a lot to do.
If you wish to be involved in the community or get to know the city, look no further; consider this your go-to guide for all things Saint John. From on-campus groups, to secret study spots, or the best ways to spend a Friday night, we have it covered.
Arts
For those who have an interest in the arts, Saint John has many opportunities to become part of the scene or get to experience some of our local entertainment.
If you fancy poetry, prose, art, or photography, UNBSJ has s Student Arts Publication called VOX. Check out our recent article on The Lorenzo Society for more information.
If you would rather sit back and watch artwork unfold before your eyes, keep an eye out for the productions put on by the various theatre companies in our wonderful city, which include the KV Players, Saint John Theatre company, or the Imperial Theatre.
There are also numerous art galleries in the uptown area. Jones Gallery opened recently and is located at 1 Charlotte Street, not far from King Square.
Trinity Galleries is located at 128 Germain Street, Buckland Merrifield Gallery is located at 36 Canterbury Street, Cobalt Art Gallery is located at 111 Prince William Street, and the Saint John Art Club is in Brunswick Square.
The best part is that they are within walking distance of each other.
Sports
TD Station, formerly Harbour Station, is the home of the Saint John Seadogs hockey team. Games can be quite eventful, and tickets are cheap compared to bigger city sports games. They have also hosted Jerry Seinfeld, ACDC, and other popular performers.
UNBSJ’s Seawolves also have a variety of sports teams, whose games are open to the public. If you would care to take the field or court yourself, we offer badminton, field hockey, football, hockey, and rugby as club sports.
More of an athlete? Join one of the many clubs in Saint John and surrounding areas!
We have archery, boxing, skating, hockey (duh), basketball, baseball, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, fencing, football, mixed martial arts, soccer, swimming, and a whole lot more. Check out the city’s website for an official list with contact information.
Entertainment
Cineplex Saint John is located on the east side of town and is within walking distance of McAllister Place shopping mall. Breakout Saint John and Oasis Trampoline Park are also worth checking out.
Queen Square Farmers Market, Saint John Night Market, and other local markets are hosted weekly but take a break throughout the winter. They feature various local businesses, artists, live music, and amazing food.
If you are looking for something different to do on a night out, Eighty Three Bar Arcade is uptown and quite the incredible place to grab a drink. It features many old-school arcade games, plays the best throwback music, and is covered in abstract neon paint, and you don’t need quarters! It doesn’t get much better than that.
The clubs are great, but if you’re not 19 yet there is still plenty for you. Taco Pica is a local Mexican restaurant that often hosts late events, like live bands, for all ages. So if you can’t get into the clubs yet, or the bouncer rejected your fake ID, Taco Pica will still let you in.
Education
While you are uptown exploring, you can pop into one of the many of the coffee shops or cafes. Just in the uptown area, there is Java Moose, Second Cup, Tim Hortons, Rogue Cafe, Catapult Coffee & Studio, and so many more! These happen to be some of the best places to put your headphones on, grab a coffee, and get some work done.
Any history buffs out there who are itching to learn more about Saint John will enjoy popular tourist locations such as the Loyalist House, the Loyalist City Burial Grounds, Fort La Tour, Fort Howe, Martello Tower, and the New Brunswick Museum.
Health/Lifestyle
Socializing not your thing and rather spend your free time working on yourself? The YMCA of Greater Saint John (with an indoor track, fitness centre, gymnasium, and pool) does not require you to sign any locked-in contracts.
There are group fitness sessions, both in and out of the pool, weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. If you would rather swim leisurely, the Canada Games Aquatic Centre has Ultimate Swim (all pools open to the public) events Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 – 4:00p.m.
Saint John also has fantastic places for the runners out there, and if you haven’t visited it yet, the Irving Nature Park is a beautiful place to get some exercise. The road that runs through it is 6.5km total, but there are trails of a lesser distance for shorter distance runners.
If you live on campus and can’t quite make it to the west side of Saint John easily, the UNBSJ track is just down the hill. Rockwood park is also quite close to campus and has plenty of beautiful trails.
Volunteering
If you’d like to be a bigger part of the community, there are tons of opportunities to volunteer in the city. UNBSJ has various clubs and societies that would be happy to take on new members, like Jack.org and Kreating Conversations.
The Canadian Mental Health Association is a volunteer driven organization that is always looking for help, you can apply on their website.
You can volunteer through the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Romero House (soup kitchen) or the Teen Resource Centre, as well.
There is also a website dedicated to promoting and supporting volunteerism in Saint John, you can find them here.
For any international students who have questions about Saint John and more specific places/events, please email editor@thebaron.ca.
