Things To Do

There’s lots to do in Newfoundland. Great restaurants and bars. Lots of music venues. A wonderful Provincial Art Museum and some great art galleries. And wonderful hiking - all in St. John’s.

ART

The Rooms is Newfoundland’s Provincial Museum of Art and Natural History. There are wonderful exhibits this summer celebrating the Twentieth Anniversary of the Rooms and Memorial University’s 100th Anniversary. “Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou” is a fantastic permanent exhibit on the role that Newfoundland played in WWI and profound impact the war had on Newfoundland. There are several private galleries in St. John’s. Two of our favorites are Christina Parker Gallery (50 Water St.) and Emma Butler Gallery (111 George St.).

MUSIC

  • George Street is 2 blocks long and packed with bars, pubs and live music. The George Street Festival is on from July 31-Aug 6. (georgestreetlive.ca)

  • Erin’s Pub (186 Water Street): Live music daily with jazz on Wednesday at 8 pm and a Traditional Irish Session on Friday at 7 pm

  • The Ship Pub (265 Duckworth St.) Live music and pub food. A St. John’s institution

  • Peter Easton Pub ( 29 Cookstown Rd.). Live music most nights

  • O’Reilly”s Pub (13 George St.) Live music and food and a Traditional Irish Session on Sundays 3-6 pm

FOOD

St John’s has lots of very good restaurants - most of them we haven’t visited. Restaurants we have enjoyed:

  • Portage (128 Water St.) $$$

  • Terre (125 Water St. in the Alt Hotel) $$$$

  • Merchant Tavern (291 Water St.) $$$

  • Pho FM (117 Long’s Hill near the Rooms $

  • Piatto Pizzeria and Enoteca (377 Duckworth St.) $$

  • The Cafe at the Rooms great view, good for lunch $$

  • Quidi Vidi wharf food trucks

HIKING

The coastal hiking in Newfoundland is fantastic. The East Coast Trail is 330 km of continous coastal trail from Cappahayden up the coast of the Avalon peninsula, to Cape Spear, though St. Johns, up to Cape St. Francis and then south along Conception Bay, past our door in Bauline ending in Topsail Beach. A few years ago National Geographic championed it as one of the worlds great coastal hiking destinations. If you are inclined to walk some of the trail visit the website: eastcoasttrail.com. Some of our favorite sections of trail are easily accessible by car from St. John’s and they are detailed in the website. We usually hike these trails as an "out and back" walk.

  • Father Troys Path:  One of our favourites.  Access is by the wharf in Flatrock off Windgap Rd.

  • Stiles Cove Path:  Access is behind the post office in Pouch Cove.  We park in the church lot across the street from the post office.  Hike until you want to turn around.  Shoe Cove is 3 km from the post office and is a good turn around point.  Stiles Cove is a beautiful site with 2 waterfalls.  It is 10 km from the post office in Pouch Cove but it can be accessed from a small trailhead off of Satellite Rd.  Google Maps shows the spot. Follow the trail through the woods for about one km till you reach Stiles Cove.

  • Cape Spear Path: Cape Spear is the most easterly point in North America. It has a beautiful, historic lighthouse and is a great place for whale watching from the top of the cliffs. This is a wonderful section of the East Coast Trail. It is relatively flat, beautiful and about 5 km from the lighthouse to North Head - but if you're not up for a 10 km walk turn back whenever you feel like it.  

  • Signal Hill:   This must be one of the most beautiful city hikes anywhere.  Pick up the trail at the end of Outer Battery Rd. and walk up Signal Hill. Great views of the city, Fort Amherst and Cape Spear in the distance.

WHALE AND BIRD WATCHING   

There are whale watching boat tours out of St. John’s harbour.  We have never used them.  If you have a car and are up for a 45 min drive to Bay Bulls we have often gone out with:

  • O’briens Boat Tours (1-877-639-4253)

  • Gatherall’s Tours (1-800-419-4253)

BELL ISLAND

For those with a car, Bell Island is great day trip and 14 km from St, John's. (tourismbellisland.com)  Bell Island is in Conception Bay - there is a ferry from Portugal Cove to Bell island.  The Gregory Normore Trail is a great coastal walk along the cliffs.  There is an interesting tour of the Bell Island Iron Mine at the Miner’s Museum.  If you get to the ferry ticket office and the line of cars is crazy long, you can park your car near the ferry and travel as a walk on passenger. If you go, don’t miss Dick’s.  It has a great atmospheric bar with great fish and chips.