Where to stay in Fredericton

The complete Fredericton accommodations guide: downtown anchor hotels, uptown chains, heritage B&Bs like the Carriage House Inn, and Mactaquac camping, matched to your trip.

Updated August 8, 2026

Plan your visit

Quick answer

Most visitors do best with a downtown base within walking distance of the market, the Garrison District, and the riverfront trail. The Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook, Delta Hotels Fredericton, and Hilton Garden Inn anchor the core. Drivers who want value and easy parking cluster uptown around Regent and Prospect, couples lean to heritage B&Bs like the Carriage House Inn, and campers head to Mactaquac Provincial Park about twenty minutes west.

Last verified July 8, 2026

Start here: how to pick your Fredericton base

Fredericton is small, flat, and walkable in a way that makes your choice of base matter more than it would in a bigger city. Get it right and you can drop the car for a weekend, wander to the market on Saturday morning, and stroll home from a taproom after dark. Get it wrong and you will spend the visit driving back and forth across the river for things that other people reached on foot.

The good news: there is no bad neighbourhood here, and the whole compact core sits on the south bank of the Wolastoq (the Saint John River). The real decision comes down to three questions. Do you have a car, or do you need everything within walking distance? Are you here to see the historic downtown, or to shop and sleep cheaply near the highway? And do you want a polished hotel, a character-filled heritage room, or a tent under the pines?

This guide walks through every base by feel and by who it suits, digs into the three downtown anchor hotels in real detail, lays it all out in a comparison table, and then covers the unglamorous but important stuff: when festivals sell the city out, where to park for free, and how to get in from the airport or the bus. If you already know your itinerary, pair this with our one-day plan or weekend plan to see how walkable your days will actually be.

Choose your base

Open the block that matches how you travel. Each one covers who it suits, what it feels like, the walk-or-drive reality, and the specific places to stay there.

Downtown core (best for most visitors)

Who it suits: First-timers, no-car travellers, couples on a weekend, anyone who wants to see the historic city on foot.

What it feels like: Tree-lined streets of red brick and clapboard, the riverfront trail a block or two away, the Garrison District and the Boyce Farmers Market a short stroll off. This is the postcard Fredericton, and it is genuinely lived-in rather than a museum.

The walk reality: From any of the three downtown hotels you can reach the market, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Playhouse, Officers' Square, the Garrison District, and a cluster of restaurants and taprooms in ten to fifteen minutes on foot. The river path runs right along the bank for flat, car-free walking. See what fills those walkable blocks in our things to do and eat and drink guides.

Where to stay: The Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbrook, the Delta Hotels Fredericton, and the Hilton Garden Inn Fredericton. All three are written up in detail in the next section.

Uptown: Regent Street and Prospect Street

Who it suits: Drivers, families who want a pool and a parking spot, budget travellers, shoppers, and anyone road-tripping through on the Trans-Canada.

What it feels like: This is the practical, big-box side of town, built around Regent Mall and the Prospect Street retail strip near the highway. Less charm, more convenience, and the prices tend to sit a notch below downtown.

The drive reality: You will want a car. Downtown is roughly a ten-minute drive, and the free parking at your hotel means you can leave the car all evening. Restaurants, groceries, and shopping are on your doorstep, which is why families and longer-stay travellers like it.

Where to stay: This cluster holds the largest concentration of chains in the city. Verified options here include the Fredericton Inn (on Regent Street, in the up-town shopping district), the Best Western Plus Fredericton Hotel & Suites, the Comfort Inn, the Days Inn by Wyndham (near Regent Mall off Prospect), the Ramada by Wyndham, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, and the Chateau Fredericton by Wyndham. Expect familiar mid-range rooms, free parking, and often a pool and breakfast.

Heritage-block B&Bs and inns

Who it suits: Couples, anniversary trips, slow travellers, and anyone who would rather have character and a home-cooked breakfast than a chain lobby.

What it feels like: The blocks just uphill from the river, around University Avenue and the historic streets near Christ Church Cathedral, hold grand Victorian homes turned into inns and bed and breakfasts. Period furniture, creaky staircases, personal hosts, and a quiet residential hush.

The walk reality: Most sit within a five to fifteen minute walk of the cathedral, the gallery, and the downtown core, so you keep the on-foot advantage while trading a hotel gym for antique charm.

Where to stay: The Carriage House Inn (230 University Avenue) is the standout: an 1875 Victorian once home to lumber baron and former mayor Harry Beckwith, now the city's largest bed and breakfast, with original doors, staircase, and flooring, and breakfast served in a ballroom. Other verified small-scale options include the Quartermain House B&B and the Colonel's IN B&B. Rooms are limited, so these book up first.

Mactaquac and the river valley (camping)

Who it suits: Campers, RV travellers, families who want a beach and a budget, and outdoorsy visitors happy to trade walkability for pines and water.

What it feels like: Big provincial-park calm about twenty minutes west of the city, wrapped around the Mactaquac headpond. Serviced and unserviced sites, a sandy beach, trails, and a golf course, all a short drive from downtown when you want the city.

The drive reality: You need a vehicle, full stop. Plan on a twenty to twenty-five minute drive each way into Fredericton, so this base works best if your trip mixes outdoor days with the occasional evening in town.

Where to stay: Mactaquac Provincial Park is the anchor and takes reservations through the NB Parks system; sites go fast for summer weekends and holidays. A handful of private campgrounds and cabins also dot the valley if the park is full, though availability shifts year to year, so confirm current operation before you count on one.

The downtown anchors

Three hotels carry the downtown core, and they sit within a few blocks of each other, so any of them puts the market, the gallery, the Garrison District, and the taprooms within an easy walk. The differences are in personality and price.

Crowne Plaza Fredericton Lord Beaverbrook. The grande dame. This riverside hotel sits in the literal heart of the city, next to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and the Fredericton Playhouse, with the river and the trail right out front. It carries the most history and the most sense of occasion of the three, and its location is unbeatable for anyone here to soak up culture: you can catch a show, see the gallery, and walk to dinner without touching a car. If you want to feel like you are staying in old Fredericton rather than beside it, this is the one.

Delta Hotels Fredericton. The polished modern pick. Freshly renovated and named Marriott's Hotel of the Year for North America in 2023, the Delta sits on the riverbank at 225 Woodstock Road with a genuine waterfront setting, sunset views, and the walking-and-biking trail at the door. It is the most resort-like of the three, with indoor and outdoor pools, a seasonal patio, a spa, a fitness centre, EV charging, and on-site dining including a BBQ and social spot. It is also openly pet-friendly (up to two pets for a fee), which makes it the easy default for dog owners and for anyone who wants a bit of polish and a pool. It is a five to ten minute walk to the core rather than dead-centre, but that riverfront makes the trade worth it.

Hilton Garden Inn Fredericton. The reliable downtown-core choice. This one sits right in the middle of the action, adjoining the Fredericton Convention Centre, with river views and shops, restaurants, and attractions steps from the door. It is the newest-feeling of the three in a straightforward, consistent-brand way, which makes it a strong pick for business travellers, Hilton loyalty members, and anyone who values being able to walk everywhere over having a spa or a big pool. If your priority is simply the shortest walk to the most stuff, start here.

All three put you within roughly a ten to fifteen minute stroll of the Boyce Farmers Market on Saturday morning, the Garrison District's galleries and patios, and the downtown taproom cluster. If beer is part of the plan, our taproom trail crawl routes map the walkable loop, and the best restaurants guide covers where to eat between them.

Compare your options at a glance

Price bands are general, not exact rates, and shift hard with the season. Read $ as budget, $$ as mid-range, and $$$ as the top of the local market.

Base	Feel	Best for	Rough nightly band
Downtown core (Crowne Plaza, Delta, Hilton Garden Inn)	Historic, walkable, riverfront	First-timers, no-car trips, culture, couples	$$ to $$$
Uptown (Regent / Prospect chains)	Practical, big-box, highway-close	Drivers, families, shoppers, budget, road trips	$ to $$
Heritage B&Bs and inns	Victorian character, personal, quiet	Couples, slow travellers, special occasions	$$
Mactaquac / river valley camping	Pines, beach, park calm	Campers, RVs, outdoorsy families, budget	$

If two options land in the same band, let walkability break the tie: every step you can take on foot in Fredericton is a step you are not spending on parking and driving.

Booking smart

Book early for festival season. Fredericton has a genuinely small hotel supply, so a handful of weekends sell the whole city out. The big ones: the Harvest music festival in mid-September, UNB and STU move-in weekends and spring convocation, and major hockey and sports tournaments. For any of these, book two to three months ahead, and closer to four for a downtown room. If you turn up without a reservation on a Harvest weekend, you may be driving to Oromocto or beyond for a bed.

Outside those peaks, Fredericton is forgiving. Summer weekends and any event weekend are worth booking a few weeks out; a random midweek night in the shoulder seasons you can often grab last minute. Winter is the quietest and cheapest stretch, holidays aside.

Where to find deals: The chain-brand loyalty programs (Marriott Bonvoy at the Delta, IHG at the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express, Hilton Honors at the Hilton Garden Inn, Wyndham Rewards uptown) often beat third-party sites on member rates and throw in free Wi-Fi or breakfast. For the independents and B&Bs, booking direct by phone or on the property's own site is usually cheapest and gives you a real person to ask about parking and check-in. The uptown chains near Regent and Prospect are where the lowest published rates live if budget leads.

The short-term-rental reality: Fredericton has Airbnb and other short-term rentals, but the supply is thin and concentrated, so it is not the automatic money-saver it is in bigger cities. On a normal weekend a whole apartment can undercut a hotel and suits families or longer stays; on a sold-out festival weekend the few available listings spike right up alongside the hotels. The city has also been tightening short-term-rental rules, as many places have, so read the listing carefully and confirm it is a legitimate, licensed operation before you pay. For a first short visit, a walkable downtown hotel is usually the simpler bet.

Matched to your trip

Quick picks by traveller type, using only the verified options above.

No car: Stay downtown. The Hilton Garden Inn or Crowne Plaza put you in the middle of the walkable core, and the Delta adds the riverfront trail. You will not need a vehicle for a city-focused trip.
Families: Uptown near Regent and Prospect for free parking, a pool, and food on the doorstep; or the Delta downtown if you want pools plus the riverfront. Mactaquac if the kids want a beach and a campfire.
Couples: The Carriage House Inn or another heritage B&B for character and a home-cooked breakfast, or the Crowne Plaza for a riverside room next to the gallery and theatre.
Business: The Hilton Garden Inn, adjoining the Convention Centre and in the walkable core, or the Delta for its meeting space and amenities. Both have reliable Wi-Fi and fitness rooms.
Budget: The uptown chains (Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Fredericton Inn) for the lowest room rates, or Mactaquac for camping in summer.
Pet owners: The Delta is openly pet-friendly (up to two pets for a fee); always confirm the current pet policy and any fee when you book, since these change.

Parking, walkability, and the free-evening angle

Parking at downtown hotels: The three downtown anchors have their own parking, though at the busiest core hotels it can be paid or valet, so ask when you book. Uptown, parking is free and plentiful, which is a real part of that area's value.

The free-evening and weekend angle: Here is a local trick that saves real money. Fredericton's on-street meters and many municipal lots downtown are free in the evenings and on weekends. That means if you are staying downtown and only need the car occasionally, you can often skip a hotel parking charge and use street or lot parking outside business hours. Always read the specific sign, since a few spots differ, but the general rule holds and it is one reason a car is more of a nuisance than a help downtown.

Walkability: The core is flat and compact, and the riverfront trail gives you a car-free spine from the Delta past downtown. From a downtown base you can reasonably walk to the market, the gallery, the Garrison District, restaurants, and taprooms without ever moving the car. That is the whole argument for paying a little more to sleep downtown: you get the car-free version of Fredericton that our weekend itinerary is built around.

Getting in: the airport and Maritime Bus

From Fredericton International Airport (YFC): The airport sits about 13 km southeast of downtown, roughly a fifteen-minute drive. There is no dedicated airport shuttle and no Uber in the city, so plan on a taxi (budget somewhere around thirty-five to forty dollars into town) or a rental car if you are heading uptown or out to Mactaquac. If your hotel offers a pickup, arrange it in advance.

From Maritime Bus: The intercity bus that connects Fredericton with Moncton, Saint John, Halifax, and beyond uses the terminal at 105 Dundonald Street, which sits close to the downtown core. If you are arriving by bus and staying downtown, you are within a short taxi ride or a walk-with-luggage of your hotel, another point in favour of a downtown base for car-free travellers.

Once you are here: A downtown base needs no further transport. From uptown or Mactaquac you will drive. Either way, Fredericton is compact enough that nothing in the city is more than about fifteen minutes away by car, so wherever you land, you are close to everything on our things to do list.

Common questions

Should I stay downtown or uptown in Fredericton?

Stay downtown if you want to walk to the market, gallery, Garrison District, and taprooms, or if you do not have a car. Choose uptown near Regent and Prospect if you are driving and want lower rates, free parking, a pool, and shopping on the doorstep. Downtown is a roughly ten-minute drive from uptown.

Which downtown hotel is best in Fredericton?

All three anchors are within a few blocks of each other. Pick the Crowne Plaza Lord Beaverbrook for historic character beside the gallery and theatre, the Delta Hotels Fredericton for a renovated riverfront property with pools and pet-friendly rooms, and the Hilton Garden Inn for a central, reliable base next to the Convention Centre.

When do Fredericton hotels sell out?

During the Harvest music festival in mid-September, UNB and STU move-in and convocation weekends, and major sports and hockey tournaments. Book two to three months ahead for these, and closer to four for a downtown room, since the city has a small hotel supply that fills fast.

Is there camping near Fredericton?

Yes. Mactaquac Provincial Park is about a twenty-minute drive west, with serviced and unserviced sites, a beach, trails, and a golf course. Reserve through the NB Parks system well ahead for summer weekends and holidays. A few private campgrounds also operate in the river valley, though you should confirm current operation before relying on one.

Do I need a car to visit Fredericton?

Not if you stay downtown. The core is flat and walkable, with the market, gallery, Garrison District, restaurants, and taprooms all within a ten to fifteen minute stroll and a riverfront trail for car-free walking. You will want a car if you stay uptown, camp at Mactaquac, or plan day trips out of the city.

How do I get from Fredericton airport to downtown?

The airport (YFC) is about 13 km and a fifteen-minute drive from downtown. There is no dedicated shuttle and no Uber, so take a taxi (roughly thirty-five to forty dollars) or rent a car. The Maritime Bus terminal, for intercity travel, is at 105 Dundonald Street close to the downtown core.

Official sources

Hey Freddy is independent. For official confirmation, these are the primary sources this page was verified against:

Get the Hey Freddy week ahead, every Monday

Fredericton’s events for the week, in one short email. Free, unsubscribe anytime.

One email every Monday. Unsubscribe anytime.