Saint John - is probably the most visited port city of Brunswick as many cruise lines dock to spend a day. If you happen to be exploring this way, here are some attractions worth seeing that are not too distant from your ship. With much confusion of the spelling and pronunciation of the city, Wayne D. Harrison, former owner of Mahogany Manor, composed this poem:

“It's really very simple, Saint John is spelled out so.
It's wrongly spelled quite often.
So we thought you'd like to know.

It's blasphemy to contract the Saint so spell Saint John completely, and don't you dare add apostrophe 's' to put it quite succinctly.

We're proud of our fine city for it's Saint John not St. John.
And we feel it's such a pity to be referred to as St. John's.

For the latter is in Newfoundland a city as proud as we.
We both have very fine people but separate identities.

So, when you speak or write the name though this verse be gone, nothing else is quite the same; for there's only one Saint John”.

Watch the Fundy tides in action in the three-story Tidal Tower of the New Brunswick Museum. There are fifteen galleries to explore of which the museum’s permanent exhibits include: Industrial and Marine History of New Brunswick, Marine Animals and the Hall of the Great White Whale as both NB and Canadian art. For an extensive preview go to their website of www.nbm-mnb.ca

Barbour’s General Store - located at the Market Slip, is an authentic 19th century country store with about 2000 artifacts. Fort Howe Lookout on Magazine Street offers a panoramic view of the harbour and the city. King’s Square Bandstand, located at the top of King Street, hosts concerts during the summer months.

Saint John Jewish Historical Museum - created in 1986, is the only Jewish museum in Atlantic Canada and is located on Wellington Row in City Centre. You can experience Canada’s oldest continuing farmers’ market in operation since 1876 at the Saint John City Market located at 47 Charlotte Street www.sjcitymarket.ca . Here you will have an opportunity to taste Dulse, a leafy sea vegetable which grows on the shores of Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy. Locals munch on this dried snack food like potato chips.

City Centre offers two theatres. Imperial Theatre houses Symphony New Brunswick, Theatre New Brunswick, Saint John Theatre Company and Opera New Brunswick. Phoenix Dinner Theatre at the M.A.C. School for the Performing Arts is the newest dinner theatre. Water Street Dinner Theatre, located above Steamers Restaurant on Water Street sports great food and music.

Reversing Falls - Take a side trip to the Reversing Falls, a phenomenon caused by the tremendous tide in the Bay of Fundy, the highest tides in the world. The funnel shape of the bay along with the moon’s phases affects the tidal action. Twice each day the powerful tides of the Fundy push the 450-mile long St. John River backwards for a period of several hours. One fun way to challenge the falls is by going aboard a jet boat ride that splashes your way through the whirlpools, white caps and rapids.

With loads of restaurants to choose from I can honestly recommend the one that I dined at; Opera Bistro, located at 60 Prince William Street. It’s local ingredients with and international flavour. Breads of Bavarian rye and Morrocan olive. My local choices were Fundy sea scallops wrapped in smoked Sussex bacon and Wolfhead smoked salmon.

Now that gay marriage is legally recognized in Canada you can expect to find some more than just gay-friendly places to stay. There are purported to be six gay-owned B&B’s and Inns within about a 40-minute drive of Saint John, including Mahogany Manor, a fully restored Victorian home with modern amenities. Gay marriage was not legal in NB at the time, however Carl Trickey and James Crooks were married back in the early 90's at the Centenary Kings Square United Church, and were the first in NB & Maritimes to do so. Presently, they seem to be the most “up” on gay tourism in New Brunswick. The manor has five guest rooms that are tastefully appointed with a queen (no pun intended) or king-sized bed and private bath, with shower.