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St. John's - capital and largest city of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

For other places with the same name, see St. John's (disambiguation).

Cabot Tower on Signal Hill St. John's is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the oldest city in North America and is on the Avalon Peninsula in the southeast corner of the island of Newfoundland. The city is the easternmost point on the Trans-Canada Highway, a network of roads leading more than 8000 km westward to Victoria, British Columbia.

With 206,000 residents (2016), the metropolitan area is the second largest in Atlantic Canada, behind Halifax.

Understand

Houses in St. John's are typically painted in bright colours. John Cabot was believed to have sailed into the harbour on June 24, 1494 - the feast day of John the Baptist, for whom St. John's Harbour is named. The first year-round settlement was not long after 1630, although a seasonal fishery operated in the region long before then. Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed the area as England's first overseas colony on 5 August 1583 under Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I. Fishermen from England's West Country controlled most of Newfoundland's east coast by 1620. Fortifications were installed from 1670 onward to defend the city, against the Dutch and then against the French—both of whom had briefly captured the town at one time or another. The province's House of Assembly meets in St. John's, at Confederation Building. When Newfoundland became a self-governing dominion within the British Empire in 1907 (a status similar to that of New Zealand), St. John's was its national capital. Confederation with the Dominion of Canada in 1949 demoted the city to provincial capital status; by then, Newfoundland had fought in two world wars.

With a location 2100 km (1339 miles) northeast of Toronto, St. John's is closer to Dublin than Vancouver. It is the most easternly urban settlement in North America and is 3½ hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Vancouver on the west coast of Canada is 8 hours behind GMT.

Get in

By plane

Airport

Airlines

Canadian airlines operating to St John's:

  • Air Canada, +1-514-393-3333. Canada's largest airline with hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. 2022-04-25

  • Air Borealis, reservations@airborealis.ca. Native-owned airline with scheduled air service between Goose Bay, Makkovik, Natuashish, Nain, Postville, Rigolet, and Hopedale from Sunday to Friday; small aircraft transport people and cargo to remote points otherwise difficult to access except by sea. 2022-04-27

  • Lynx Air, CustomerSupport@LynxAir.com. A small low-cost airline with flights to parts of Canada. 2022-04-25

  • PAL Airlines, reservations@palairlines.ca. One of the largest regional airlines operating in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and to Ottawa. 2022-04-27

  • Porter Airlines. Operates flights in Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and some flights to the United States of America. For flights departing from or arriving in Toronto, the airline's turboprop plane flights land at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The airline's jet plane flights and flights by all other airlines almost exclusively land at Toronto Pearson International Airport. 2022-04-27

  • Sunwing Airlines. Low cost Canadian airline that operates some flights within Canada throughout the year and specializes in seasonal flights to warmer, southern international vacation destinations in the winter. 2022-04-25

  • Swoop, +1-587-441-1001. WestJet's low-cost airline with flights to less-busy airports. Swoop charges a fee for new reservations or changes to reservations made over the phone. 2022-04-25

  • Westjet. Canada's second largest airline services with hubs in Calgary and Toronto. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. 2022-04-25 Other airlines:

  • Air Saint-Pierre, +508-41-00-00. Operates flights from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, two small islands that are a territorial overseas collectivity of France, located just south of Newfoundland. 2022-04-29

Ground transportation

You can reach downtown by public bus No. 14 on weekdays only, buses leave roughly hourly from 6:45AM to 7:15PM to the campus of Memorial University, where connections to various downtown buses are available. A single fare costs $2.50.

Taxi to downtown costs about $25.

By car

St John's is the easternmost point on Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), the main road across Newfoundland. If you splash loudly into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you've gone past the city.

Traffic arriving from out-of-province normally crosses by ferry from North Sydney (Nova Scotia) to either Port-aux-Basques or Argentia, then follows TCH 1 east to town. (It's also possible to cross from Labrador via a ferry at Blanc-Sablon Québec, but the Trans-Labrador Highway to Quebec Route 389 in Labrador City-Fermont is no easy journey.)

By boat

The island portion of the province is accessible by several ferries leaving North Sydney, Nova Scotia. From there, you can take a 5- to 6-hour ferry ride to Port-aux-Basques, at the southwest corner of Newfoundland, and drive 905 km across the island to St. John’s, near its eastern tip.

From mid-June through September, you can take a 14- to 17-hour ferry ride from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Argentia, Newfoundland, which is 131 km from St. John’s. Ferry schedules and reservation information are available from Marine Atlantic. You should make a reservation well in advance, especially if you want a cabin on an overnight crossing. Marine Atlantic ferries offer a wide variety of on-board accommodations and features, including deluxe cabins, dormitory sleepers, full meal and beverage service, live entertainment, movies, and children's activity programs.

By bus

  • DRL-LR, +1 709-263-2171, drl@eastlink.ca. Operates a route daily between Port aux Basques and St. John's with numerous stops including in Stephenville, Corner Brook, Deer Lake, Grand Falls-Windsor, Lewisporte, Gander, and Clarenville. Travel time to St John's from Port aux Basques is 13.75 hours, from Corner Brook is 10.5 hours, Deer Lake is 9 hours, from Grand Falls-Windsor is 6.5 hours, from Gander is 4.75 hours, and from Clarenville is 2.5 hours. Port aux Basques is the location of the main ferry terminal to reach Nova Scotia. As of January 2022, costs $135 between Port-aux-Basques and St. John's 2022-04-23
  • New Hook Bus Lines, +1 709 426-4876. Connects Argentia to St. John's. Argentia is the site a ferry terminal that operates trips to Nova Scotia, but the route only operates from June to September and it operates only a few days per week during that period. A one-way ride takes 1-2 hours. 2018-07-11

Get around

By bus

Metrobus, +1 709-722-9400, informationservices@metrobus.com. St. John's public transit system, serves nearly all of St. John's, with limited service to the neighbourhoods of Shea Heights, Kilbride and the Goulds, as well as the neighbouring city of Mount Pearl. Surrounding communities are not served by bus.

The fare is $2.50 per ride (adults and seniors, Jan 2022), and not per distance, making it a very cheap, affordable way of getting around town. A ten-ride pass is $22.50 for adults, $18.00 for seniors. Most bus drivers are kind and courteous to passengers and are willing to give directions.

Travellers can check routes and the current position of any bus on the Metrobus website or app. Buses are frequently late/early and are not considered a reliable transportation option by locals. Walking is often quicker for journeys under 4 km, especially for destinations that aren't on main roads. Bus stops typically do not have shelters or benches, and are not cleared during winter - if it has snowed recently, bus stops are often buried/hidden by snowbanks.

Bus trips typically involve walking for the beginning/end legs of the journey. Some buses are accessible for people with mobility issues, but sidewalks and stops are not accessible, especially during the winter. Metrobus operates GoBus Accessible Transit - a shared ride, door-to-door service as an alternative. 2.50 2022-09-26

By car

St. John's is a driver-dominated city, although the road layout is haphazard and a map or GPS is de rigueur for visitors. Except for the Downtown centre, parking is almost always abundant. Traffic jams are frequently encountered during road maintenance season due to limited transportation corridors to outlying communities. The downtown area contains many one-way streets so it is important to watch for signs.

St. John's International Airport has the following car rental agencies: Hertz, Avis, Thrifty, Budget, and National. In the city you can also find Enterprise, Discount, and Rent-A-Wreck. Executive Car Service is also available for chauffeured car rentals and tours from several providers such as Black Car Service, Corporate Concierge and Jimmy's Sedan Service. If no rentals are available, U-Haul vehicles may be another option.

Book rental cars early for travel during the peak summer months. Rental cars are often totally unavailable during tourist season, so it's recommended to book rentals months in advance.

By foot

The Downtown core can be easily explored by foot if you have full mobility. Take a stroll up Water Street, stop for a drink or take in some live music at a wide range of drinking establishments, a wide range of restaurants, and distinctive shopping. For several weeks during the summer, a section of Water Street is made pedestrian-only, bringing life to the normally car-filled streets.

George Street, just above Water at the west end of the downtown core, near City Hall and the Convention Centre, is a concentration of nightclubs, taverns, restaurants that is typically busy any night of the week, with bar patrons spilling onto many patios and onto the street. Adjacent streets such as Duckworth Street also have interesting shopping and restaurants, and there are a number of (liquor-licensed) billiards halls.

Quidi Vidi Lake, Quidi Vidi Harbour and Signal Hill are popular areas within walking distance of downtown. During the summer, a private free Hop On Hop Off bus service connects downtown, Quidi Vidi, Cape Spear and Signal Hill.

Caution: during the winter, most sidewalks are not cleared, so pedestrians must walk on the streets and climb over icy snowbanks. These dangers make walkers a relatively rare sight - typically only the poor and stubborn walk in St. John's. Stops signs are routinely ignored by drivers, and drivers often run red lights, especially when turning right. Traffic laws are generally not enforced by the police. Pedestrians must be extremely cautious to protect themselves - don't expect your legal right of way to be respected.

By bicycle

There are a handful of steep hills in St. John's, although they can often be avoided by taking more gradually sloped routes. Be warned: although the hills are frequently cited as a reason for the lack of cyclists, the reckless drivers and poor infrastructure are the most significant barriers to active transportation. Few cycling lanes are available, and most are placed in dangerous door zones beside parking areas. Cycle lanes are only designated by a faded stripe of paint - there are no separate protected cycling lanes. Cyclists are officially banned from the network of gravel paths, the Grand Concourse, which is mostly treated as a recreational activity for drivers rather than a legitimate transportation option. This ban on cycling is frequently ignored by cyclists who are terrified of the dangers imposed by car-centric culture. There are very limited bicycle rental options in the city.

By taxi

Many of the cab drivers are quite knowledgeable and eager to help visitors find out about local attractions. If you want to see something but aren't sure what or where, ask a cabbie for a tour of the city or Cape Spear, the easternmost point in Canada. Note that if you are flying in to the airport, taxis may not be available, so you may be stranded at the airport. Taxi drivers are often reckless drivers, so pedestrians and cyclists should be wary, and should not expect them to stop at stop signs or red lights.

See

  • Signal Hill, 47.570071°, -52.681731°. Majestically overlooking the city and designated as a National Historic Site. The hill was the last stand of the French army in North America during the Seven Years War. Cabot Tower, built in 1897, stand as the top today. The first wireless transatlantic message was received there in 1901.
  • The Battery, 47.5707°, -52.6944°. Small village on the edge of the downtown where small houses are framed by the sheer cliffs. The village was once part of the British Defence for the St. John's Harbour. A trail leads from the end of the Battery around the cliffs and up to Signal Hill.
  • Bowring Park, 305 Waterford Bridge Rd, 47.5229°, -52.7563°, +1 709 364-1531, bpf@bowringpark.com. A beautiful 20-ha (50-acre) park with duck ponds, bridges, walking trails, tennis courts, playground equipment, an outdoor pool and many monuments. 2017-06-16
  • Memorial University's Botanical Garden, 306 Mt Scio Rd (on the campus of Memorial University), 47.5713°, -52.7589°, +1 709 864-8590. M-F 9AM-4PM. 2017-06-15
  • Fort Amherst, Fort Amherst Rd, 47.5634°, -52.6806°. A lighthouse and World War II military fortification across "The Narrows" on the opposite side of the harbour from Signal Hill. Offers unique views of the city and Cape Spear. 2017-06-15
  • The Rooms (The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery), 9 Bonaventure Ave, 47.5661°, -52.7115°, +1 709 757-8090, information@therooms.ca. Fall/Winter: Tu Th Sa 10AM-5PM; W F 10AM-9PM; Su Noon-5PM (closed M). Spring/Summer: M Tu Th Sa 10AM-5PM; W F 10AM-9PM, Su Noon-5PM.. The major cultural centre at Fort Townsend for Newfoundland & Labrador. The building has become one of prominence (and controversy) rivalling that of the Basilica. The Rooms contain the Newfoundland Museum, Provincial Archives, and Art Gallery. From the upper floor you can get an unrivalled view of the area. Adults $10, seniors (60+) and students $6.50, youth (age 6-16) $5, child (under 5) free. Free admission W 6-9PM 2023-02-24
  • Colonial Building, Military Rd & Bannerman Rd, 47.5709°, -52.7068°. The Colonial Building is a neoclassical building constructed of white limestone brought from Cork, Ireland. Opened in the 1850s, it was the seat of Newfoundland's legislature until 1959. 2017-06-16
  • Commissariat House, Provincial Historic Site, 11 Kings Bridge Rd, 47.5725°, -52.7025°, +1 709 729-6730. The commissariat procured supplies for the local military in 19th century. The first commissariat had a house built to provide a residence as well as a staffed public office. The rooms on display are furnished with many antiques circa 1830. A narrated guided tour is provided. Price also includes admission to Newman Wine Vaults 2017-07-09
  • Supreme Court, 309 Duckworth St, 47.5645°, -52.7075°, +1 709 729-1137. The Court House, built in 1901, is a Victorian-era building built of local granite and sandstone. The building extends between Duckworth and Water streets, and has an interesting façade on each of the two streets. 2017-07-09
  • Government House, 50 Military Rd (between Bannerman Rd & Kings Bridge Rd), 47.5721°, -52.7051°, +1 709 729-2669, governmenthouse@gov.nl.ca. Government House contains the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, and sits in a park with flower beds and blossoming trees. As well as visiting the gardens, the public may go within the main entrance of Government House to sign a guest book and pick up a free postcard. (The main entrance of the building is at the rear on its north side; bypass the side entrance on its west side.). Free 2017-07-09
  • Railway Coastal Museum, 495 Water St (south of downtown), 47.5545°, -52.7135°, +1 709 724-5929. 10AM-5PM, closed M & Tu from Oct to mid-June. The museum has various exhibits about rail and coastal shipping located in the original 1903 Riverhead Railway Station. The museum contains dioramas of passenger car interiors built into the dismantled passenger car bodies. Outside, south across the street from the museum, a locomotive and two carriages are on display in a small park. Behind the museum at its NE corner, the shop building of the Newfoundland Railway still stands without any tracks; although closed to the public, the shop front can be viewed from a public area. 2017-07-09
  • Eastern Edge Art Gallery, 72 Harbour Dr, 47.5646°, -52.7058°, +1 709 739-1882. Tu-Sa noon-5PM, closed Su-M. Contemporary art from Canada and the province. 2017-06-15
  • Suncor Energy Fluvarium, 5 Nagles Pl, 47.5799°, -52.7326°, +1 709 754-3474. Scientific exhibits explaining water in relation to rivers, watersheds and ecosystems. 2017-06-19
  • George Street, 47.5619°, -52.7106°. This narrow street lined with colourful buildings is the core of St. John's busy nightlife. 2017-06-15
  • Newman Wine Vaults, 436 Water St, 47.5570°, -52.7126°, +1 709 729-2627. Open in the summer months. Historic wine vaults, constructed in the late 18th century to age port wine, occupy one of St. John's oldest buildings. Port wine was imported from England, aged in the cellars, and often exported back to England because the sea voyage and Saint John's cool temperature were good for the wine. The front of the building was modernized in the early 20th century; however, the interior is well preserved in its original state. A free sample of port is offered to adult visitors. Price includes admission to Commissariat House 2017-07-09
  • Terry Fox Mile 0 Site, 1 Water St (behind the St. John's Port Authority building), 47.5703°, -52.6973°. A small park containing a bronze sculpture of Terry Fox dipping his foot in the water at the site where in 1980 he began his Marathon of Hope to raise money and awareness for cancer research. 2017-06-20
  • The Johnson GeoCentre, 175 Signal Hill Rd, 47.5729481°, -52.69005°, +1 709 737-7880, info@geocentre.ca. 2018-07-12
  • Historic St. John's Harbour. 2018-07-12

Churches

Do

Learn

The only university in Newfoundland and Labrador is Memorial University, located on the northwest side of the city. There is also College of the North Atlantic, which is the province's community college.

Buy

St. John's has two modern shopping centres. The Avalon Mall, the largest shopping centre in Newfoundland, has 140 stores (including Winners/HomeSense, Sport Chek, H&M, Old Navy, a 12-screen Cineplex movie theatre (Scotiabank Theatre), and The Rec Room) and is on Kenmount Road. The Village Shopping Centre is in the West End on Topsail Road. St. John's also has several big box centres; Stavanger Drive in the east end; Kelsey Drive (off Kenmount Road); and Pearlgate located in the suburb of Mount Pearl. Also near Pearlgate is The Shoppes at Galway, which is the home of St. John's Costco store.

Downtown St. John's boasts a wide array of shops and boutiques, most notably Water Street. Everything from unique souvenirs to designer clothing.

Unlike most provinces in Canada, cold beer can be purchased in convenience stores. Liquor and wine are only available at NLC locations. Cannabis products can be purchased from several retail locations by adults (max 30 grams), including pre-rolls and beverages.

Groceries

Clothing

Souvenirs

Eat

St. John's is the hometown of Canadian fried chicken chain Mary Brown's Chicken. The first location opened in 1969 in St. John's at the Avalon Mall, where there is still a branch. Many of their locations are available in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Breakfast

Budget

Newfoundlanders will tell you that you can't leave St. John's without having fish and chips at either Ches's or the Big R (known to locals as "the Big Arse"). Local favourite dishes include "chips, dressing and gravy" (french fries and stuffing covered in thick gravy), "fish-and-brewis" (a sort of hard bread), and "cod cheeks" (the cheeks of cod fish, really).

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

George Street, in the heart of downtown, is a prime location for nightlife. Water Street, said to be the oldest street in North America, also contains several pubs, usually of a more relaxing atmosphere.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

  • Delta Hotels St. John's Conference Centre, 120 New Gower St, 47.559017°, -52.713941°, +1 709-739-6404. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. New Gower at Barter's Hill. Near George Street, Mile One Stadium and the St. John's Convention Center. For Tim Hortons fans: There is a footbridge behind hotel reception leading to a small Tim Hortons outlet open on weekdays only. 2017-07-09
  • Ryan Mansion, 21 Rennie's Mill Rd, 47.569673°, -52.708955°, +1 709 753-7926. A 5-star Bed and Breakfast in a Heritage home in downtown St. John's. Marble en suite baths feature heated floors and therapeutic tubs for two. Suites have en suite baths featuring personal steam/shower rooms and century-old tubs carved from granite. A collection of local, national, and international artworks, sculpture and artefacts are exhibited throughout the mansion, and a cosy library offers a selection of books & games.
  • Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, 115 Cavendish Sq (near the business district), 47.571273°, -52.700329°, +1 709 726-4980. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Offers 301 rooms with free wired and wireless internet use. Newly renovated lobby and lounge. Many rooms feature views of the harbour and downtown.

Cope

Visitors should have clothing for highly variable weather in Saint John's. For example, the high for July 5, 2017 was 9 °C but was more than 20 °C on the next day.

Stay safe

While St. John's is generally regarded as a safe city, increases in the crime rate have been reported. Panhandling is very common in downtown, however simply replying "no" or ignoring those individuals usually does the trick, while a few more may be more persistent. Very rarely will these people become violent, and are usually not a problem.

As in any other city of comparable size, use caution when travelling after dark. Common areas to avoid after dark include Buckmaster Circle, Old and New Penneywell Road, areas immediately around Hamlyn Road, Livingstone Street, Water Street west (Springdale Street west to the beginning of Waterford Bridge Road including Victoria Park) and Shea Heights. Most of these places are not areas which tourists would normally be in, and shouldn't be a huge problem.

Caution should be used when on George Street, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. With excessive drinking and drug use, there is a high tendency for people to turn violent. However, it's unlikely that you'll fall victim to assault if you keep out of trouble. Take caution at 24-hour restaurants and convenience stores across town, especially in the downtown area. Patrons from George Street often stagger into such restaurants after last call and can be violent, sometimes attacking unsuspecting individuals. As well, a rise in armed robberies in the metropolitan area have left 24-hour convenience an easy target for criminals.

However, with crime rates much lower than the national average, little is to fear about walking around St. John's at most times of day or night. With some basic caution, there is no reason why your visit to the city can't be a safe one.

Nearby

Cape Spear

Go next

  • Bonavista and its famous lighthouse are 310 km further north
  • Dildo - quiet little fishing town is less than an hour's drive away - go whale watching or check out the archaeological remains of early Indian settlement
  • Irish Loop - 7- to 8-hour scenic drive following the southern 'cape' shore (route 10) back to the Trans-Canada Highway. Bay Bulls, one of the closest points to town, is a small bay 32 km east on route 10 which is home to various boat tour companies offering whale, puffin, and iceberg watching.

St. John's

stjohns.ca
Postal code:A1A–A1HDate Time:Please wait...Timezone:America/St_JohnsPopulation:108,860Coordinates:47.57, -52.71

Newfoundland and Labrador

Primary administrative division

Canada

canada.ca
Population:37.1 MDial code:+1Currency:Dollar (CAD)Voltage:120 V, 240 V, 60 Hz
NEMA 14-30NEMA 14-50