History is everywhere in Saint John and there's no better place to soak it up than at the Saint John City Market. Located in the heart of what locals call "uptown," the city market is housed in the only commercial building that survived the Great Fire of 1877.

Connected by pedway to the City Market is Market Square. Winner of a national redevelopment award, Market Square is a blend of beautiful 100-year-old brick warehouse facades and modern architecture with shops and restaurants, a hotel and convention centre, as well as the New Brunswick Museum and the regional library.

Uptown isn't just a quaint local name for the shopping district in Saint John. The steepest main drag in Canada, King Street has an eight percent grade. Translation? It rises the height of an eight-storey building over the distance of two city blocks.  Be sure to wear comfortable shoes before you head out!

Another good reason to pack comfortable footwear is to walk along the new Harbour Passage trail, a series of inter-connected waterfront parks, recreation areas and heritage sites, such as Fort La Tour. The Passage will eventually connect to the Falls View Park, where people flock to look at the Reversing Rapids, one of Saint John's most intriguing attractions. Twice daily, tidal fluctuations of 30 feet reverse the current, making the St. John River flow in the opposite direction. It's a must-see stop.

If you're still in the mood to walk, check out Rockwood Park, the largest urban park in the country, or Irving Nature Park, a 600-acre park not far from the city centre.

For a small city, Saint John is clearly a place where the discoveries never stop.