ST. JOHN'S

12 Nights with Side Trips

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

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CITY GUIDE

"The personality of St. John's, Newfoundland, hits you like a smack in the face with a dried cod, enthusiastically administered by its citizenry."
- Jan Morris

BIRTH DATE -

There was a Basque fishing town here in 1497, it was incorporated as a city in 1888 or was it 1921 - widely regarded as one of the oldest cities in North America

POPULATION -

200,000+

AKA -

The Rock

MEANING -

Named after John the Baptist

RIVER -

Rennies Mill River

HISTORY -

Spruiked as The oldest city in North America, St John's European history goes back to the 16th century.
Because of it's good harbour and location near fishing grounds it was visited by the Basques, French, Spanish, Portuguese and English.
As the British became a world naval power they developed St John's infrastructure for the fishing industry. A path that connected these buildings and led down the hill over several streams became known as Water Street. It is the oldest commercial street in North America.
Being an important fishing port made St John's a military target and numerous wars were fought over it through the centuries. The last one was in 1762 when the British kicked the French out.
In 1791 the Napoleonic wars created a shortage of Salt Fish. As prices increased people headed to St John's for the good wages. A lot of them were Irish.
The town had to be rebuilt 3 times in the 19th century when it was destroyed by fires.
It is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador and the main commercial hub.

BEST TIME TO GO -

As it can get down to -10 in the winter it's probably best to go in July to September when the weather is warmer.
August is the month of 3 festivals.
May, June is the time to see icebergs.
Mid May to September is Whale watching season.
You can see the Puffins between April and August.
The Northern lights can be seen in September / October and March / April if you're lucky.
Christmas is a special time here.
There are plenty of fun things to do in the winter as well so pack your thermals and have ball.

TOP 10 - IN NO ORDER

Iceberg Tours
Water Street
Whale and Puffin watching
George Street
Signal Hill
Screech-In ceremonies
Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site
Basilica of St. John the Baptist
Royal St John's Regatta
Jellybean Row Houses

FUN FACT -

Newfoundland has it's own time zone and two Police Forces.

AIRPORT TRANSFER - St. John's International Airport (YYT) 8 km

10 mins from downtown.
You could rent a car at the airport and do some sight seeing with it.
There is also the Metro bus and taxis which run 24 hours.

SAFETY -

St John's is one of the safest cities you will ever visit.
Watch out for moose when driving.
Black bears could be encountered if hiking.
Be careful on cliffs and when swimming or kayaking. Water temperatures and currents can be dangerous.
It's safer to leave the bar area at 2 am than at 4 am.

FOOD -

For local food Velmas on water Street and Nautical Nellies are recommended.
Some examples of local dishes are macaroni cod-au-gratin and the battered cod tongues.
Toutons are fried bread dough with molasses.
Fish and chips are everywhere (Cod is King),
a visit to the Newfoundland Chocolate Company where they use native berries and other local ingredients is in order,
the lobster and oysters are pretty good up this way as well as is all seafood from this pristine environment, Seafood stews, Cod with parsnip

NIGHTLIFE -

St John's famous George Street has a higher density of pubs and clubs than anywhere else in North America. Most of the time the street is closed to traffic and open to party.
Newfoundlanders (Newfies as they are known in other parts of the country, but not a moniker they embrace) are the Irish of Canada so they like a drink and a bit of craic. So no surprise they have a lot of Irish bars.
If you would like to become an honorary Newfoundlander you can be initiated with a Screech in ceremony. It involves kissing a cod, reciting an oath and then downing some rum (Screech).

SIDE TRIP -

Dildo and Mobile

COSTS -

Very expensive. Will need to save up the pennies and use a few budgetary tricks.

GETTING AROUND -

A rental car from the airport is a good idea. Book Ahead.
Walk around down town the rest of the time.
Taxis and Ubers for getting further afield and home from the pub.
Also bikes for rent.

MUST DO -

A visit to the Quidi Vidi Brewery to try their signature Iceberg Beer, made from 25,000 year old iceberg water

SHOPPING -

Downtown is a good area for specialty shops,
there are 2 malls and 2 Big Box centres

Image by Kevin O'Leary from Pixabay

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MEET ST JOHN'S 12N

2021-03-19 22_50_06-St. John's to St. Jo

Part Road Trip

HIGHLIGHTS - icebergs, george street & screeching

St. John's 5N to St. John's 1N - via Mobile & Ferryland to St. Mary's 1N - via Brigus, Harbour Grace & Red Head Cove to Dildo 2N - Trinity 1N and Twillingate 2N

Newfoundlanders first and Canadian second. Newfoundland was a British dominion until it joined Canada in 1949 due to financial reasons. It has its own time zone, anthem and flag. They are very proud and extremely friendly people. When you hear their accents you won't feel like you're in Canada either. They sound Irish and they like a drink and a good time like the Irish. The nightlife in this town is legendary. You can become an honorary Newfoundler by getting "Screeched In".

This won't be a terribly cheap holiday but it will be a lot of fun and unlike any you've had before. St. John's was founded in 1497 and is the oldest city in Canada. It's also the largest one on Newfoundland - by a long way. As it is so far north your experience will depend a lot on what time of year you come. In fact you could come in summer and winter and it would be like going to two different destinations. There is something going on here whatever month you choose. (See best time to go - above)

Spend the first week looking around the local attractions. If you're the outdoors type you are in for a treat. Wild life and bird life abounds. See whales, puffins and icebergs. Activities include hiking, kayaking, diving, fishing, camping, skiing, snowmobiling and plain old walking. Head out to the traditional fishing village where they make beer from iceberg water. Then have lunch in the 300 year old Mallard Cottage that has been turned into a unique eatery. Visit Petty Harbour (which should have been called Pretty Harbour) and get involved with the myriad activities available. Play a round of golf with stunning views. See the local historical sites that go way back. Party all night in George Street. Where there are more bars per square foot than anywhere else in North America. Or better yet, come here in August when they have 3 festivals. Being the most Irish place outside of Ireland makes it an ideal place to celebrate St Patricks Day. It usually stretches out to a week.

Some of the local specialties here are Jiggs Dinner (boiled salt beef and veg), Cod Tongues (Floured and fried), Bakeapple jams and pie (Like a sour raspberry), Touton (Deep fried dough ball with molasses), Partridgeberry (With amazing health benefits). Of course there's amazing seafood here as well so enjoy the lobster, scallops, oysters, cod, mussels, chowder and fish and chips. If you're really hungry Get Stuffed - will look after your appetite. If you're thirsty go for the Beer and Vodka made from 10,000 year old iceberg water.

Hire yourself a car and start heading south. If it's the right time of year you'll be seeing icebergs, whales, puffins and all sorts of surprises. Continue around to St. Mary's Harbour where you will spend the night with a great view of the harbour and having a few drinks in Newfoundlands smallest pub - Padraig's Folly. St Mary's has a mini replica of a traditional fishing Village.

Next day heading north via the lovely towns of Brigus and Harbour Grace with its resident shipwreck. Continue all the way north to Red Head Cove and follow the coast around to Dildo. Spend a couple of nights in this great little town now famous thanks to its unofficial mayor Jimmy Kimmel. It's a pretty spot with plenty to do and the best Fish and Chips you'll find in this part of the world. You can have another Screech In ceremony here and start collecting certificates. Plus get as much Dildo merch as possible for your friends back home. You'll find the Dildodians incredibly friendly. Don't miss the Dildo Brewery and Captain Dildo. If you time it right you could be here for Dildo Days the lacal Dildo Festival.

Trinity is so pretty it's been in a couple of movies. It used to have an amusement park that has since been abandoned. Strangely enough it still draws a lot of tourists who want to see an abandoned amusement park. It also has art galleries, museums and dinner theatre.

Twillingate on Iceberg Alley is your quintessential Newfoundland town. Stunning rugged coastlines, picturesque old streets and lush countryside. It's one of the best places to see icebergs as well as whales, dolphins, harp seals and seabirds. Boat trips allow you to get up close and personal. The houses are painted bright colours and there some really scenic walks to be had. In summertime there is live music and entertainment in various forms. Summers are short up here so they are celebrated with gusto.

Drive back to St. John's for another night before flying out. If you can work it out with your tickets there is an International Airport in Gander 1 hour and a half south of Twillingate. If you like the sound of this trip but want it to be longer have a look at #15 French 2 Irish Canada.

This is the most easterly point in North America. The Cape Spear Lighthouse is perched on a rugged cliff, seemingly jutting out to sea but undeterred by wave erosion. Indeed, it is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province and has earnt its place as a National Historic Site, as well as being an iconic symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador's marine history.
Hop onboard a whale-watching boat tour and keep your eyes peeled for the 10,000 humpback whales that migrate past Eastern Canada's coastline between May and September. For an even more immersive experience, you can also take a tour to sea kayak or snorkel alongside these gentle giants.
Signal Hill is one of the most famous landmarks in Newfoundland and a National Historic Site. Take in the scenic views over the city and the harbour, as well as breathtaking vistas over the Atlantic Ocean. Time your visit right, and you might even see 10,000-year-old icebergs floating past...
This wonderful fishing village is just a 45-minute walk from Downtown St John's and is home to Quidi Vidi Brewery. Sample their seven brands of award-winning ales and beers on a tour and tasting. The beers here are unique in that they’re brewed using the water from icebergs.