St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada – What to See

Featured Image: Lighthouse at Cape Spear.

This is my second time in St. John’s and both times, it was for business purposes. Unfortunately, for that reason, I am always here during the end of April, when the weather is not the most pleasant, especially compared to Ottawa, which is starting to warm up during this time of year. You can expect to possibly see some rain, freezing rain or snow during this time of year. It was definitely cold (hovering around 0 degrees celsius) and at times wet, but it was not enough to deter me from explore this nice gem on the east coast of Canada.

I’ve managed to hit a few of the main sights mostly during the evenings when I was free.

Signal Hill

If you enjoy nice walks or runs, you would appreciate this hill with a nice view of the city as well as the harbour. From downtown St. John’s, it is around a 45 minute walk. If you happen to come during the warmer months, it would probably be a lot more enjoyable as you appreciate the nice view while getting some steps in. While here, you may want to stop by the Geo Centre, especially if you are interested in geology. The exhibits here are great for people of all ages and are quite interactive. You could probably spend a couple of hours here if you wanted to read everything in detail. We had a tight schedule with a food stop for some infamous fish and chips, as well as a plane to catch so we only had an hour to spend here to quickly browse the exhibits.

Cape Spear

This was probably my top attraction in St. John’s and a must-see for those who love beautiful scenery. Despite being very windy and cold, I had no regrets with stopping by here during my first trip to St. John’s. You will most likely requiring a car to get here as it was a 1 hour drive away from downtown but it was well worth it. As the most eastern point of North America, you will be able to catch the first sunrise here. We went during sunset and it was still very gorgeous. The view was almost surreal (see featured image).

Iceberg Viewing

This was an impromptu trip but I’m so glad I went. Again, a car is required as it was another 1 hour drive away from downtown. There was apparently a huge iceberg off the coast of Ferryland (which I erroneously thought was named “Fairyland” feeling that was quite appropriate for the location of such a miraculous sight). This was a cute town with a population of around 500 people. As we entered the town, we saw sheets of ice as well as little blocks of ice. We feared that the once large iceberg has melted. We kept driving along the highway and finally found the iceberg seen in so many new articles! Unfortunately, it seemed terribly far away compared to the images online. We tried to find routes which led us closer for photos; however, we were only able to take a few shots from the distance. It did not help that it was raining at the time and visibility was affected. We later realized that the iceberg probably moved from its previous location closer to the coast, resulting in a less impressive sight. I’ve previously seen towering glaciers in Alaska, which also affected my impression. I still find it was a nice adventure and worth the drive. It’s interesting that it is not a stationary sight and will depend on your luck and when you choose to travel here.

If you enjoy nice drives, you could rent a car for a scenic drive along the coast, like Aaron did while I was at work one day. There are still many other sights here that can be explored, but due to my schedule, I have not yet had the chance to see everything St. John’s has to offer. Perhaps in the future, I will be able to return for more.