St. John's is the oldest city in Canada and one of the oldest cities in North America, but it can seem surprisingly young. Its roots date back almost five centuries, yet it boasts an eclectic blend of architectural styles and a modern, energetic atmosphere.
Built around its harbor—a natural fortress that drew both naval commanders and the fishing industry—St. John's has evolved from a fishing station to a thriving port city with an exciting blend of interests. A glance around St. John's Harbour will show you the city's strengths: trans-Atlantic cruise ships and small tour boats, docked fishing boats and long-liners, and loaded supply ships that work in the offshore oil industry.
From the harbor, you can see the glass and steel of office buildings, which are adjacent to the brick-lined buildings that house trendy shops, bustling cafes and restaurants. You can also see some of the most historic churches in Canada, as well as cultural attractions including The Rooms—a complex that towers over the city's skyline, bringing together the provincial museum, art gallery and archives.
Visitors will find great entertainment districts in the city's streets and such outdoor attractions as amazing wildlife and icebergs that drift by the rugged coastline. Just outside the city, you can explore the rest of the province, including the vast territory of Labrador.
St. John's continually reinvents itself. It has retained something of a small-town feel by capping limits on the height of new buildings, yet it is embracing new economic strengths, particularly in tourism and offshore oil development. As a trading port, it has always welcomed newcomers while preserving its colorful and unique history.
Sights—Signal Hill towering over St. John's harbor, and the lighthouse there; panoramic views from Cabot Tower, built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's exploration; views of the oldest surviving lighthouse in North America, a WWII coastal defense battery and the first sunrise over the continent at Cape Spear; Bowring Park's trails and monuments; the City of Canvas murals found on buildings throughout the city.
Museums—The Rooms, a monument to past fishing ways; the Railway Coastal Museum, housing more than 100 years of rail and coastal history; Government House, where members of the British royal family stay when visiting and site of one North America's few moats.
Memorable Meals—Aqua, for its imaginative and elegant seafood dishes and unique trail of ocean stones leading to the main dining room; fish-and-chips at Ches's Fish and Chips; an elegant Mediterranean experience at Bianca's.
Late Night—Folk music at the Ship Inn; a pub crawl along George Street; cocktails and jazz at Grafenberg's.
Walks—Explore the Grand Concourse, an intricate network of trails stretching in all directions around the city; a loop around Quidi Vidi Lake; hiking the trail up and down Rennie's River and the Our Dogs statue at Harbourside Park, a monument to an eccentric prime minister's pets; the Making Fish sculpture at the Convention Centre.
Especially for Kids—The underground rock formations in the Johnson Geo Centre; a boat tour to see seabirds and whales (in season); the Newfoundland Science Centre.
St. John's has grown from a small harborside village to a thriving metropolis that covers much of the northeast Avalon Peninsula. It is bordered by a series of smaller towns and villages, some of which have retained their historic feel and charm.
The downtown includes St. John's Harbour, a naturally constructed feature that held appeal for military and commercial purposes. There is only one access point to the harbor—a thin waterway between two rocky hills (known as The Narrows). Rows of houses, many of them brightly painted, line the streets that creep up the steep hill leading away from St. John's Harbour. The city's suburbs and other neighborhoods are to the north.
The city's two key roads are Water Street and Duckworth Street, both of which date back centuries. Once dubbed the "Lower Path," Water Street is the oldest street in North America and remains a commercial hub of Newfoundland.
St. John's once promoted itself as the site of adventurer John Cabot's 1497 landfall. (Cabot sailed on behalf of England to find a new route to the Far East but instead found North America.) There is no evidence supporting the claim, but the city appears on Portuguese maps by 1519. By 1583, there was already an established community to greet Sir Humphrey Gilbert when he arrived and declared Newfoundland the first colony in the British Empire. By the early 1600s the city's location (the easternmost city in Canada) earned it the most important access to the New World, and it prospered as a prime fishing port.
In 1892, a fire that began in a stable almost completely destroyed the city, displacing more than 12,000 people. Believing that stone would prevent the fire from progressing, well-to-do residents moved their valuables into the stone Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. A fierce wind and drought-like conditions created a tinderbox, and the church, the entire commercial district and many homes were devoured by an inferno lasting more than 24 hours. Many heritage buildings date back to that era and are known as "Southcott Style," for the architect who oversaw much of the reconstruction.
The role of St. John's in representative government began in the 19th century. The Colonial Building, seat of the first government, still stands at Bannerman Park. Government House, home of the British governors who were in command until St. John's joined Canada in 1949, is also located in the city.
St. John's is still the administrative center of Newfoundland, but it also remains a major fishing community. The city's economy is as dependent on what is below the water in oil exploration and fishing as it is on what sails across it for local and transcontinental tourists.
The nickname of St. John's is "City of Legends," alluding to an accumulated five centuries of lore and legend.
Dildo, a small fishing village about an hour's drive away, attracts visitors because of its unusual name. You can go whale watching there or just enjoy the scenery. The people of Dildo are called Dildoians. Kountry Kravins n' Krafts offers a unique selection of Dildo souvenirs—all G-rated and made in Newfoundland.
Many natives of Newfoundland have a distinct accent, much different from the rest of Canada. Although the province shifted among British, Dutch and French rule before becoming a British colony, most of the settlers came from Ireland, which may explain the interesting dialect.
St. John's is Canada's gold winner of most challenging weather conditions. It logs fewer hours of sunshine than any other Canadian city and is also the foggiest, windiest, wettest and snowiest. It does, however, have the third mildest winter. So, although you may have to deal with mountains of snow, it'll be mild enough to get outside and actually enjoy them.
George Street boasts more bars per square foot than any other city in North America, including Las Vegas and New Orleans.
People who live in Newfoundland are sometimes referred to as "Newfies." Though you'll see this word in the more touristy sections of town, be careful using it yourself. Some people think it's funny, but many Newfoundlanders still take offense. Much like the term "redneck" in the U.S., "Newfie" carries a stigma that is based on an unattractive stereotype.
You may come across a "Screech-In" during your visit. Though it's touted as being a tradition, the game was concocted in the 1970s for tourists. Participants are encouraged to down a drink of Screech (a brand of rum), recite some silly lyrics and then kiss either a cod or a puffin (usually stuffed).
St. John's hosts what is considered the oldest continuous sporting event in North America. The earliest documentation for the Royal St. John's Regatta—a day of rowing races held on the first Wednesday in August—dates back to 1818.
St. John's holds its civic holiday on 24 June—the feast day of St. John the Baptist.
Newfoundland (but not Labrador) sits in the eastern half of its time zone, just 3.5 hours from Greenwich Mean Time and a half-hour ahead of the rest of Atlantic Canada. Since it hits milestones first, it's a favorite New Year's Eve spot for celebrities.
