Kings Landing Historical Settlement is located about 20 minutes from Fredericton.
We went on Canada Day. They were having a re-enactment of the debates leading up to the 1865 election in which one candidate was running based on the promise of joining the union that would become Canada and the other was promising to prevent it.
The 9-year-old was really hoping that the vote would be against New Brunswick joining Canada, but the votes were in favour. Of course, then we found out that the 1865 vote was in fact against joining Canada. 2 years later, New Brunswick decided they made a mistake and with Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, formed Canada.
There were many houses and shops all preserved in the style of the mid 1830s. The print shop was interesting, but the printer wasn't there that day. The print shop still prints all the flyers up around the town.
The sawmill and grist mill were actually working mills. The sawmill was really neat because you could see the waterwheel working from the outside and the inside of the building. Buckwheat flour, bran, and husks were available for purchase, and you could see how they were made. Candles, toys, bread, and other items made at Kings Landing were sold at both the period 'general store' and the gift shop at the entrance.
The cost was $36 for the family ($15 for adults, $10 for kids, preschoolers free, discounts for students and seniors). There is a family restaurant, as well as the Kings Head Inn which serves period food, and the Prince of Wales Ice Cream.
The 5-year-old was most excited about the end of the day when she got to get a wagon ride. There is a horse drawn wagon that brings people from the main entrance to the main village on a 'load and go' basis. We missed the ride over (there are many things to see on the way too, so we didn't want to miss it all), but we caught the ride back.
We did not pay enough attention when we went in, to see when all the different displays would be happening, so we missed most of them. It would have been interesting to see the candle making etc. Oh well.
The paths are mostly gravel so it was hard to push the stroller. Some of the buildings have 2 floors and no elevators, so it was hard to get the baby to some areas. The roads that the horses walk down were also hard to navigate as there were hoof prints (and horse poop) along them.
Overall we had a really good time, so good that the first thing the kids said was that they wanted to come back the next day.
From journal Canada Day in Fredericton