St. John’s, Nfld., is one of those cities I’ve always had on my “someday” list because it’s so far from my West Coast home.
In fact, it’s a shorter flight from St. John’s to Dublin, Ireland, than to Vancouver.
When my husband and I visited the Maritimes in 2022, I initially thought we’d add St. John’s to the trip. Then we realized just how far it was from Halifax: we’d need to fly (not inexpensive), or face a 19+ hour car-and-ferry journey.
Reluctantly, we decided to make that vacation a Maritime Canada trip rather than an Atlantic Canada one. But we promised ourselves we’d make a separate trip to St. John’s as soon as we could.
In the summer of 2026, we finally made it. And I can say without reservations that St. John’s was worth the journey, even with the two connections it took us to get there.
For a Canadian capital, St. John’s feels surprisingly under-visited. Some travellers bypass it in favour of larger cities. Others, like us on our first trip to the region, explore Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island without making it to Newfoundland.
That’s a shame. From colourful “jelly bean” houses and picturesque fishing villages to lively pubs, excellent food and spectacular scenery, St. John’s has personality in abundance.
Here are the things, grouped loosely around geography, you shouldn’t miss. My favourites were the puffins (No. 6) and the Terry Fox statue (No. 10).
1. Walking tour
St. John’s is hilly but compact, making it ideal for exploring on foot. Start with a guided walking tour to get your bearings while learning about the city’s maritime history, colourful downtown neighbourhoods and the people who shaped Newfoundland.
There are also stories everywhere about the city’s Chinese immigrant community, including the history of Chinese laundries and restaurants.
And, of course, you’ll see the brightly coloured “jelly bean” homes climbing the hills around the city. They’re distinctive and almost impossibly Instagram-worthy.
Post-tour, you’ll have a much better sense of which streets and neighbourhoods you want to go back and explore on your own.
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| The Artisan Loft is one of the many charming businesses on Water Street. |
2. Explore Water Street
Water Street is one of the oldest commercial streets in North America and a great place to experience downtown St. John’s.
Browse the local shops, restaurants, pubs and galleries, and look for Newfoundland-made crafts, food products and souvenirs. We came home with a couple of jars of partridgeberry jam, and it brings back such lovely memories every time I put it on my morning toast.
This is one of the best pedestrian-only streets I’ve ever visited; it’s long, wide and there are so many charming stores to wander into.
Water Street is closed to vehicles from late June until early September, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., between Adelaide Street and Prescott Street.
3. Duckworth Street
Make time for Duckworth Street, one of downtown St. John’s’ most characterful streets. Running through the heart of the historic city centre, it’s a good place to slow down and catch your breath.
Look out for local favourites such as Tickle Trunk, known for its Newfoundland-made goods and souvenirs, and Bagel Café, a longtime downtown institution where you can enjoy a relaxed meal. Both of these stops were 10/10 recommendations from our tour guide.
Don’t rush this one. Duckworth Street is short but there’s a lot to see, so leave time for spontaneous stops.
4. Visit The Rooms
The Rooms houses Newfoundland’s Provincial Archives, Art Gallery and Museum in a lovely, soaring space.
Even if museums aren’t usually your thing, The Rooms provides useful context for everything else you’ll see around the city.
The building itself is also worth visiting for its spectacular views over St. John’s.
We got a great tip from our tour guide: Have lunch in their restaurant, and go early. You’ll have the best view in the city if you can get a window table.
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| George Street is pretty sleepy by day, but comes to life at night. |
5. Get Screeched In on George Street
If you’ve seen the play Come From Away, you know all about getting “Screeched In,” the iconic ceremony that turns visitors into honorary Newfoundlanders.
Head to George Street, the city’s small but mighty entertainment district, and find a venue offering the ceremony. Expect Newfoundland traditions, plenty of laughs, a shot of Screech and, depending on the ceremony, a cod kiss.
Yes, it’s touristy. But it’s also a quintessential Newfoundland experience, and a good excuse to spend an evening exploring George Street’s pubs and taking in its live music.
6. Go puffin- and whale-watching
Getting out on the water is one of the best ways to experience Newfoundland’s coastline. Depending on the season, boat tours around the Avalon Peninsula can offer sightings of humpback whales, puffins, seabirds and dramatic cliffs.
The wildlife and scenery are spectacular, although there are a few things to know. The puffins are comically tiny, only about six to eight inches tall. And be warned: Puffins and their friendly seagull pals are enthusiastic poopers. So they smell. A lot.
Another word of caution: The seas can be choppy. Take your Gravol if you’re prone to seasickness, and dress in layers.
Our tour included hotel pickup and drop-off, which we appreciated; ride-shares might get you to the tour’s departure point but can be difficult to find for the return trip.
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| Petty Harbour is a real working fishing village. |
7. Take a sightseeing tour
A sightseeing tour is an easy way to cover several of St. John’s’ major attractions without worrying about the logistics.
Look for tours that include Signal Hill, Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi and Petty Harbour. You’ll see the easternmost point of Canada and North America at Cape Spear, a picturesque fishing village at Quidi Vidi, and a traditional working harbour at Petty Harbour.
If you’re short on time, it’s an efficient way to see a lot in one day. (Also, see note about ride-shares in No. 6.)
One practical tip: Newfoundland weather can change quickly, and fog can completely obscure Signal Hill’s views. If you have a choice, take an afternoon tour so that, hopefully, any early-morning fog will have burned off.
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| Lobster benny |
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| Jigg's Dinner |
8. Eat your way through St. John’s
Newfoundland has a distinctive food culture, and St. John’s is a great place to try local seafood and traditional dishes.
I hate to admit this, but most of the dishes that were on my “must-try” list came from what I’d learned from the play Come From Away.
And so I channelled my inner Miss Piggy and tucked into all the toutons, cod cheeks and cod tongues my tummy could handle. I also ate a lot of fish and chips, and cod au gratin.
And oh, the lobster in every form: lobster bennies, lobster rolls, steamed lobster, and so much more. Try to come during its high season, which is when we found lobster for as little as $6 per pound at restaurants.
After chatting with one of our tour bus drivers, we added a Jigg’s Dinner to our list. Don’t miss this traditional meal that consists of salt beef, turkey, turnip, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and pease pudding — and be prepared to be in a slight carb coma afterwards.
Finally, don’t skip Mary Brown’s. The Canadian fried-chicken chain was founded in St. John’s in 1969, so eating it at its birthplace feels a little different from grabbing it elsewhere in Canada.
9. Titanic & Iceberg Exhibit
St. John’s has a fascinating connection to the Titanic and Newfoundland’s North Atlantic maritime history.
The disaster happened roughly 650 km southeast of Newfoundland, and Newfoundland's Cape Race wireless station played a massive role in relaying the distress signals.
The Titanic & Iceberg Exhibit in St. John's offers more than the familiar movie story, exploring the disaster and Newfoundland’s relationship with the ships that travelled these waters.
Visitors receive a cool replica boarding pass featuring a real Titanic passenger or crew member. At the end of our self-guided tour, we were able to check the memorial board to discover whether our passenger had survived.
But my favourite exhibit was the container of water set to −2°C, which was the temperature of the seas the night the Titanic sank. Visitors are invited to put their hands in the water to see exactly how cold it was that night. After about five seconds, my arm was numb and I had to remove it from the water.
10. The Terry Fox memorial
It was a real bucket-list item for me to visit the Terry Fox Mile Zero Memorial Site in St. John’s, and I was so happy to see that the city of St. John’s has done justice to this Canadian hero.
Fox ran the equivalent of a marathon every day for 143 days, covering 5,373 kilometres before he was forced to stop near Thunder Bay when his cancer spread to his lungs.
The Terry Fox Monument includes a sculpture of Fox as well as information plaques detailing his journey.
You’ll find it at the east end of Water Street, right by the spot where Fox dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic before beginning his Marathon of Hope in 1980.
If your tour does not include a stop here, it’s an easy, flat 900-metre walk from downtown to the site at 2 Water St.
St. John’s is a long way from Vancouver but that distance, and its vibe, are part of what makes the city feel special.
We left wishing we’d had more time, not just to see more of St. John’s, but to explore more of Newfoundland. I suspect this won’t be our last trip to the island.
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| View of St. John's from Signal Hill |
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| The iconic jelly bean houses can be found all through the city. |
If you go:
TIME ZONE: Be aware that Newfoundland has its own time zone. Newfoundland Time is 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Time, which means the clock doesn’t simply change by a full hour when you cross into the province. It’s one of those little geographical quirks that sounds insignificant until you’re trying to figure out what time your tour starts, when dinner reservations are booked or when you need to catch a flight.
AIRPORT: St. John’s International Airport is only about nine kilometres from downtown, so getting into the city is relatively easy. You have the usual options: taxi or ride-share. When we arrived, we checked both and found that the Uber was about $10 cheaper than the taxi.
RIDE-SHARE: Using ride-share around St. John’s can be a little unpredictable. St. John’s itself is small and extremely walkable so we didn’t use ride-sharing in the city. But once you start venturing farther out, you need to think about how you’re getting back. For example, you might be able to get an Uber to Petty Harbour without much trouble. The problem comes when you want an Uber to take you back. There simply may not be enough drivers in the area to pick you up.
RENTAL CARS: Book your rental car early. If you’re visiting St. John’s in the summer and think you’ll rent a car, book it as soon as you know your travel dates. Rental cars can be in short supply, particularly during the busy summer season, and the prices can reflect that. If you want one, reserve it early.
SHOPPING: Don’t expect St. John’s to have every chain store you’re used to. There is a Dollarama right on Water Street, which is handy if you’ve forgotten toiletries or some other basic item. But don’t count on finding an Old Navy or Gap downtown.
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