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7 Best Things to Do in St. John’s, Newfoundland

7 Best Things to Do in St. John’s, Newfoundland

Looking for the best things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland?

From visiting historical lighthouses (dating back to the 1800s!) to tasting local seafood, you’ll definitely love exploring all that St. John’s has to offer.

St. John’s is the capital city of Newfoundland, and it’s also the oldest city in North America!

If you’re planning a trip, you might also want to check out my post on my 4 day Newfoundland road trip itinerary.

Here are some of the best and most fun things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland!

Be sure to also follow me on Instagram and TikTok – I share a lot more content on those platforms that don’t make it to the blog!


Best things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland


Visit the Signal Hill Historic Site

Signal Hill is one of St. Johns’ most popular tourist attractions, and it’s literally a hill that overlooks St. John’s.

There are multiple trails you can walk along and explore here, and they offer stunning views of St. John’s and the Atlantic Ocean.

We couldn’t see much when we visited because it was super rainy, foggy, and windy, but I definitely plan on visiting again next time I come to St. John’s!

LOCATION: 230 Signal Hill Rd, St. John’s, NL

Signal Hill Historic Site in St. John's, Newfoundland

Visit the Cape Spear Lighthouse

As soon as we arrived in Newfoundland, we headed off to Cape Spear.

It’s the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland (dating back to the 1800s), as well as the most eastern point in North America.

I can’t even imagine how incredible watching the sunrise here would be!

You can spot icebergs, seabirds, and whales from here, hike on the trail, or explore the creepy WWII ruins.

The lighthouse has actually been restored to its original state, so you can see how a lighthouse keeper and his family would’ve lived back in the day.

LOCATION: Cape Spear, NL

Historic Cape Spear in St. John's, Newfoundland

Explore Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove

Petty Harbour is perhaps my favourite spot in all of Newfoundland.

It’s a super cute little fishing town that dates back as far as the 1600s.

We came here twice during our trip and had this gorgeous viewpoint all to ourselves both times!

Chafe’s Landing, one of the best seafood restaurants you’ll ever visit, is located here.

LOCATION: Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, NL

Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland
Petty Harbour is adorable.
Petty Harbour Maddox Cove in St. John's, Newfoundland

Explore Quidi Vidi

Quidi Vidi is another super cute area in St. John’s, and it’s less than a 10 minute drive away from downtown.

Take a hike along the Quidi Vidi Lake Trail and sample beer made with 20,000 year old iceberg water at the Quidi Vidi Brewery.

There’s also an awesome restaurant called Mallard Cottage here, but it was fully booked when we came.

LOCATION: St. John’s, NL

Quidi Vidi is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland
Quidi Vidi is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland
Sampling beers during our brewery tour at the Quidi Vidi Brewery.
Quidi Vidi is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland
Quidi Vidi is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland
Hat: American Apparel (similar beanie from Amazon) | Scarf: Zara (similar scarf from Amazon) | Coat: J.O.A. (similar jacket from I.AM.GIA)
Quidi Vidi is one of the best stops to make during your 4 days in St. John's, Newfoundland

Walk through downtown St. John’s

I absolutely love how colourful and charming the neighbourhoods in St. John’s are.

There are plenty of colourful houses and buildings, which are also called “Jellybean Row”!

It’s a lot of fun to just walk or drive around and explore all the colourful neighbourhoods.

LOCATION: St. John’s, NL

Colourful houses in St. John's, Newfoundland
Downtown St. John's, Newfoundland
Colourful homes in downtown St. John’s.
Colourful houses in St. John's, Newfoundland
Downtown St. John's, Newfoundland

Stroll through Bowring Park

Bowring Park is one of the prettiest parks in Newfoundland, and it’s the perfect spot to take a stroll or even have a picnic.

There are plenty of walking trails, and you can even peep out some historical statues along the way!

It was originally designed as a Victorian-style park in the early 1900s, and the city has since quadrupled its size.

LOCATION: 305 Waterford Bridge Rd, St. John’s, NL


Eat fresh Newfoundland seafood

St. John’s surprisingly has some incredible restaurants, and you’ll especially love the food if you love seafood.

Chafe’s Landing was our absolute favourite – we tried a Newfoundland specialty, cod tongues, and it was a little slimy but delicious!

Mallard Cottage is a spot we really wanted to try in Quidi Vidi, but it was fully booked when we visited!

Chafe's Landing in Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, Newfoundland
Chafe’s Landing has amazing seafood.
Chafe's Landing in Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, Newfoundland
More food from Chafe’s.

Best things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland:

  1. Visit the Signal Hill Historic Site
  2. Visit the Cape Spear Lighthouse
  3. Explore Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove
  4. Explore Quidi Vidi
  5. Walk through downtown St. John’s
  6. Stroll through Bowring Park
  7. Eat fresh Newfoundland seafood

These were some of the best and most fun things to do in St. John’s, Newfoundland!

If you’re planning a trip to Newfoundland, you might enjoy these posts as well:

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Jessica Lam | Toronto lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel blogger | Diary of a Toronto Girl, a Canadian lifestyle blog


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