Stephenville (Newfoundland and Labrador) - town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Stephenville is a town of 6,600 people (2016) in Western Newfoundland.

Understand

History

This place was known as the Acadian village, between 1848 and 1870. The populace of the village consisted of Roman Catholics who eked out a living, farming and fishing. The town's population continued to grow because of the stable economy. It was home to Ernest Harmon AFB, which was operated by the United States Air Force from 1941 to 1966.

The base precipitated an economic boom of sorts on Newfoundland's southwest coast during the 1940s. The village of Stephenville grew from a hamlet of several hundred people with no paved streets, side walks, water or sewage system in 1941 into a modern town of over 5,000 by the mid-1950s. By the time Ernest Harmon AFB closed in 1966, the town had more than doubled in size, partly as a result of the provincial government's forced resettlement policy toward residents of outports. The town uses many former USAF structures for housing, recreation and entertainment.

Get in

By car

If travelling by car, you first have to take the Marine Atlantic Ferry from North Sydney to Port aux Basques. From there it's a 2-hour drive north on the Trans-Canada Highway to Stephenville. Turn off the Trans-Canada Highway onto provincial Route 460 - White's Road (also known as Hansen Highway) or Route 490 - Stephenville Access Road. Both roads lead into downtown Stephenville.

By plane

You can reach Stephenville easily. Firstly, if visiting from the mainland or anywhere off the island, you can reach Stephenville by air. Stephenville has its own international airport with connections to just about anywhere, but first you have to connect through Halifax or St. John's as they have the largest airports within the Atlantic region.

• Stephenville International Airport (IATA: YJT), 13 Tennessee Dr, 48.545623°, -58.564361°, +1 709 643-8444, admin@cyjt.com. Porter Airlines flights from Toronto have been suspended. There is no scheduled passenger service. 2022-03-16

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. 2022-05-20

Get around

Once in Stephenville you can get out and enjoy the region by car or on foot. But be very cautious as Stephenville has the highest crime rate in the province (with the exception of Labrador's small outports). Keep an eye open for common violent attacks and mischief. Do not pick up hitchhikers on any occasion.

By car

The town no public transportation system besides taxis. Two taxi companies—Bluebird and Crown—offer a flat rate of $8 for in town trips, $10 for a round trip and an additional $1 for each stop.

By car you can take Route 460 along the French Ancestors route around the Port-au-Port peninsula, Newfoundland's only bilingual region. On the peninsula make sure you drop by Sheaves Cove for some beautiful scenery; it's near the limestone mine at Lower Cove.

On foot

If you prefer to walk, then get out and explore the town, walk through and see the former American Air Force Base, with streets named after American states.

See

• There are various sites around town that show old French heritage, later American influence, and ongoing fishing history.
• A total solar eclipse on Monday 8 April 2024 starts at 5:10PM local time and lasts two minutes. The chances of a clear sky are 20%. The track of totality is northeast from Mexico and Texas to Ohio, straddling the Canada–New England border, then across Maine, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

Do

• Port-au-Port Walking Trail. A nice hiking trail. 2018-06-15

Buy

• Arlims Company, 107 Main St (Downtown), 48.5489256°, -58.5792746°, +1 709 643-2823. A historic souvenir shop. 2018-06-15
• Riffs, Main St. A wide variety of quality clothing. 2018-06-15
• Byrnes, 83 Main St, 48.5481919°, -58.5804734°, +1 709 643-2991. 9:30AM-5:30PM. Sells high quality footwear and sports clothing. 2018-06-15

Eat

• Hartery's Family Restaurant, 109 Main St, 48.5490729°, -58.5788164°, +1 709 643-2242. Good home-style food. 2018-06-15
• Emile's Restaurant, 44 Queen St (At the Day's Inn.), 48.5490625°, -58.5728314°, +1 709 643-6666, daysinn.sville@nf.aibn.com. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa Su 8AM-10PM. Good home-style food. 2018-06-15
• Domino Pizza House, 54 Main St, 48.5471852°, -58.5823794°, +1 709 643-2742. This local restaurant—unaffiliated with the international chain— opened in the 1950s and is known locally for its great pizza and submarine sandwiches and friendly atmosphere. 2018-06-15
• Mary Brown's, West Street, 48.5455149°, -58.5888083°, +1 709 643-5153. No visit to Newfoundland is complete until you have tried this chain's fried chicken. 2018-06-15

Drink

Newfoundland is known for great drinking, and Stephenville is no exception. Bars and clubs are located throughout town. There are a handful of bars along Main St.

• The Bar and Grill, 52 Main St, 48.5471764°, -58.5825434°, +1 709 643-5017. The most popular nightclub in the area for the younger generation. 2018-06-15
• Clancy's, 120 Carolina Ave (downstairs from Razoolies, on the edge of town), 48.5505568°, -58.5604312°, +1 709 643-6623. 2018-06-15

Sleep

Hotels

• Days Inn, 44 Queen St (Next to Stephenville Mall.), 48.5488571°, -58.5725677°, +1 709 643-6666, daysinn.sville@nf.aibn.com. A chain hotel with standard rooms. Singles $165 2018-06-15
• The Dreamcatcher Lodge, 14 Main St, 48.5464739°, -58.5855215°, +1 709 643-6655. Luxury accommodations. Singles $100 2018-06-15
• Hotel Stephenville, 19 Oregon Dr (On the base.), 48.5479404°, -58.5607095°, +1 709 643-5176, hotelstephenvillenl@gmail.com. 2018-06-15
• Keyano Motel, 186 Hansen Memorial Hwy (north of town), 48.5610854°, -58.5819868°, +1 709 643-4600. A 10-room motel. 2018-06-15

Campgrounds

• Barachois Pond Provincial Park, Stephenville Crossing (30 minutes east of town on the Trans-Canada Highway.), 48.4747007°, -58.2565795°, +1 709 649-0048. A park and campground. 2018-06-15
• Zenzville Campground, 446A Kippens Road (Just outside of town in Kippens.), 48.5533891°, -58.6641522°, +1 709 648-9232, zenzville@yahoo.ca. This full-service campground even has barachois. 2018-06-15
• Harmon Seaside Park. A park and campground. 2018-06-15

Go next

• Go golfing at Harmon Seaside Links on the 18 hole golf course.
• Hike the Lewis Hills and visit Newfoundland's highest point.