Plan your visit to St Stephen around its chocolate history and the many ways to enjoy its parks, river and events. The best time to travel also depends on whether you want to focus on culture, a seasonal activity or a particular event.
Chocolate History and Events
The Chocolate Museum documents the history of Ganong Bros. Limited as a confectionery manufacturer in St. Stephen since 1873. The company’s history is a distinctive cultural point of reference when choosing what to see. If you’d like to plan your visit around a larger event, the International Homecoming Festival is another option: every August, it brings St. Stephen and Calais together for food, activities, a cross-border parade and fireworks. Check the current event schedule for specific dates.
Music and other events are also part of what’s on locally. Summer concerts take place at the bandstand in David Alison Ganong Chocolate Park. Milltown Bandstand hosts many outdoor concerts and events. The park also has a splash pad. These different occasions can help you plan your trip around either seasonal programming or a visit to the museum.
Parks and Activities Throughout the Seasons
The parks offer different ways to spend time outdoors. Trails in Elm Street Nature Park lead to Dennis Brook. In summer, a trail in Dover Hill Park leads to the riverbank; in winter, there’s a toboggan run. This gives you a clear distinction when choosing when to travel: the trail to the riverbank is a summer offering, while the toboggan run is a winter option. Summer concerts in David Alison Ganong Chocolate Park add another type of event to the warmer months.
Cyclists can ride along the Waterfront Trail behind the Garcelon Civic Center toward Crocker Hill. If you’re interested in the river landscape, you can also explore the Skutik/St. Croix River near St. Stephen: it’s a tidal river that flows directly into the Bay of Fundy. There’s a lighthouse at St. Stephen Wharf that’s suitable for photography. The river, bike trail and lighthouse are separate points of interest for planning; the information provided doesn’t indicate that they form a single route.
Milltown Bandstand also offers a recreational activity apart from concerts: two tennis courts behind the bandstand give residents and visitors a place to play. If you’re choosing individual activities, you can distinguish between cycling, visiting a park, playing tennis and attending cultural events without treating them as a set itinerary.
More to Explore in the Wider Destination of Charlotte County
The wider destination of Charlotte County offers additional, distinct things to see. Kingsbrae Garden in Saint Andrews is a horticultural and ornamental garden covering 27 acres. It’s open daily from mid-May through October; check the seasonal dates before your trip. Ministers Island includes the Van Horne estate and offers walking trails and coastal views. The island is accessible only at low tide, so check the tide times before planning your visit.
For another perspective on history and the coast, visit St. Andrews Blockhouse. It was built by residents during the War of 1812 to protect the town from American privateers and military forces. Visitors can explore the barracks and gun battery. At the Blockhouse, the water level along the coast and harbour rises and falls twice daily by an average of 7.24 metres. In Charlotte County, a garden, a tide-dependent island visit and a historic site with a pronounced tidal range are distinct experiences alongside St Stephen’s parks and confectionery history.
Explore more destinations: Caithness, Bocabec, St George, Saint James, Pocologan, Saint Andrews, Fairhaven, Pennfield
For the wider travel overview: Charlotte County.
