Getting There 

Fredericton's not on the way to anything. Fortunately, though, it's only about 112km (70 miles) -- a little more than an hour's drive -- north from Saint John via Route 7. From the U.S.-Canadian border at Houlton, Maine, it's about the same distance: Take Route 95 to Woodstock, New Brunswick, then turn onto the Trans-Canada Highway and follow it east for an hour. Look for signs directing you downtown. (From the west, follow Woodstock Road, which tracks along the river. From Saint John, look for Route 7 to Regent Street, and then turn right down the hill.)

Fredericton International Airport (tel. 506/460-0920; www.frederictonairport.ca), coded YFC, is located 10 minutes southeast of downtown on Route 102 and is served by cab and rental-car companies. For flight information, contact Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.com), which is basically the only carrier here. The airline connects Fredericton daily with Montréal, Halifax, and Toronto.

Visitor Information 

Always careful to cater to visitors, Fredericton maintains several central visitor information centers. There's one in City Hall at 397 Queen St. (tel. 506/460-2129), open May through October; one in an Irving Big Stop gas station, near the airport; and a third at King's Landing (tel. 506/460-2191), at 20 Kings Landing Rd. just west of town in River Valley, open from mid-May through early October. No matter which one you find first, ask for a Visitor Parking Pass, which allows visitors from outside the province to park free at city lots and meters in town for several days without penalty. You can also request travel information in advance by visiting the city's website at www.tourismfredericton.ca or by calling tel. 888/888-4768 or 506/460-2129.

Fredericton: The Land of Wi and Fi

Surprisingly, Fredericton has several times been named one of the most "wired" cities in all of North America; it's now easier to find a free (and legal) "hot spot" with a laptop in this city than it is in New York City or San Francisco. That's thanks to the 2003 installation of a citywide Wi-Fi network. Known by the odd name of Fred-e-Zone (www.fredezone.ca), the city's network offers numerous access points -- not only downtown, but at the local airport, in shopping malls, even in parks and sports arenas throughout the city. Fredericton was the first city in Canada to offer such a service, and while coverage isn't guaranteed on every street corner, it is available in most of the downtown. And it's free (did I mention that already?); no overpriced gourmet cup of coffee required.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.