5 Days in St. John's, NL
Cape Spear
A little backstory
Picture yourself at a university athletic banquet, playing the heads or tails game. Guess what, YOU WIN… FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW!!! You think to yourself, “Alright! Another iPad.” But then you learn that this year’s prize is two round trip tickets with Porter Airlines to anywhere that they fly?
Well, believe it or not, that happened to Ben! (To this day when they play the game each year, they use his face on the digital coin…that’s my husband, ladies & gentlemen, the heads or tails legend.)
Ben the celebrity at Ontario Tech (formerly the University of Ontario Institute of Technology)
What to “Sea”, Eat and Do in St. John’s
See what I did there?
Anyway, we looked at everywhere that Porter flew, and thought to ourselves, “where is somewhere we’d love to see, but might not normally go on our own”. We had heard so much about St. John’s warm, hospitable culture, the incredible scenery and history, and the adorable colourful houses. It was decided, 5 days in St. Johns!
This trip actually took place July 23-27, 2015. However, we kept an incredibly detailed journal of our trip, which is perfect for extracting some of our favourite experiences for you! (If only I had thought of creating a travel blog back then… who knew?!)
First Impressions: Direct quotes from 20 year old Becky.
“WOW!”
“It’s cold and windy” (9 degrees everyday, baby!)
“Those houses are adorable!….Those houses are affordable”
“Why is it STILL raining?”
“I love it here!”
Stay: Memorial University
We took this trip back in 2015, as two broke university students who were looking for adventure. We were researching hotels and hostels (Air BnB wasn’t really a thing yet), and found that the best place to stay for an affordable price was actually the University Residence! There were a number of different options available, each within a different price range. For roughly $80 per night today, you have an incredibly comfortable stay with all the amenities needed, and it’s a 15min walk from down town. You’re able to book a stay at Memorial by clicking here.
Eat:
YellowBelly Brewery
YellowBelly is home of the most delicious seafood chowder and fish & chips we’ve ever had. Ben also enjoyed trying some of their beers, while I enjoyed a Screech and Pepsi.
The Bagel Cafe
We had an amazing breakfast here! We were strolling around some of the streets downtown, and the Bagel Cafe was bumping! We’ve discovered that restaurants where the locals are willing to wait to get a table, it is worth it! Side note: Do not eat a major, delicious breakfast here right before you go whale watching… rookie move. My thought process was, “we’re going to be out on the water for hours, I don’t want to be hungry!”… not my best idea.
O’Rileys Irish Pub
We enjoyed a traditional Irish dinner at O’Riley’s. I’m taking salted pork, boiled cabbage, potatoes and steamed veggies- Yum! What made our dinner even better though was the fact that a Kitchen Party unfolded! One man was playing the piano when we arrived, and then a fiddler joined him, and then an Irish step dancer, and then a man playing the bodhrán (Irish drum), then a guitarist, and then a tin whistle player… the people just kept joining in! I was on cloud nine!
Newfoundland Chocolate Company
We LOVED our chocolate bars from the Newfoundland Chocolate Company for three reasons. 1) They’re locally made 2) They are delicious 3) They are adorable! We purchased a series of their Row House Bars for ourselves (yum) and friends of ours back home. They’re such a sweet gift, literally. They are available for purchase at various stores throughout the city of St. John’s.
TIP: DIY Lunches
As university students, our budget for this trip was not very much. In order to save money, we found a little local grocery store on the first day and stocked up on some necessities (bread, peanut butter, apples, granola bars, carrot sticks, etc.). These items allowed us to pack a light lunch in the morning to take with us and enjoy while we were out and about. Food costs are what can drastically alter the price of your trip, so pack your own items so you don’t have to buy expensive food while you’re out. Another helpful tip is to eat lunch at a nice restaurant you may want to try, as dinner menus are usually more expensive.
Do:
Whale Watching
We went out with Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours. The crew was amazing, and the views of the city and coastline from the water was absolutely gorgeous! We saw humpback whales, blue dolphins, puffins, and jellyfish! It was absolutely amazing! We spent time outside on the deck, holding onto the railing and looking at the views. At one point, a snagged a spot at the bow and obviously pulled a Titanic “I’M KING OF THE WORLD!”. While at the bow, we were looking at the sky are we rode a wave, and staring down at the water while we crashed back down. It was exhilarating! I’ve never felt so tiny beside such big waves. ** Keep in mind, all this is coming from a small town girl who is used to looking at Lake Ontario**
Shortly after my exciting time at the front of the boat, I began to feel… off. The huge breakfast was not a good choice. Unfortunately, the washroom was already in use by someone else who wasn’t feeling well (cough, cough, Ben), and I was handed a bag by a lovely, friendly staff member. Not my most glorious moment, but hey- WORTH IT!
Bus Tour
On our fourth day, we signed up for a bus tour! We arrived early, and hoped on the bus… but nobody else got on with us. It was us, the tour guide and the bus driver. We had a private tour of St. Johns and the surrounding area, for only $60 total! It was THE BEST! Typically, if a company doesn’t sell enough tickets, a tour won’t run, but not here! We saw the old historic buildings downtown, Signal Hill, Cape Spear Quidi Vidi, and so much more! Our tour lasted from 1-4pm, and at ever stop the tour guide hoped off with us and gave us all the history and information about what we were looking at (she also served as our personal photographer- holla!)
We can’t rave any more about this experience! As 20 year olds, we were not able to rent a car on our own (in most provinces in Canada you need to be 25), so this was the best way to see all the sights! There are lots of different companies you can book a tour with depending on your timeline, interests and budget. In 2018, the city actually started offering a Hop-on-hop-off tour!
Stroll the Streets
You never know what you’ll find! We made a point of always walking a different way to downtown, and this is where we happened upon some of the best thing! The St. Johns Famers Market, Jellybean Row, Victoria Street, etc. Just take your time!
Signal Hill
We stopped here once on the bus tour, and went back again later on our trip. The view is amazing, with lots of little paths and trails that you can stroll around to enjoy the scenery.
Cape Spear
The eastern most point of North America! Worth the trip out of St. John’s to see.
George Street
What a lively place to spend an evening! at 11:15pm on July 24th, 2015, we were Screeched In! What is this, you may ask. While, as a “come from away”/ mainlander, we were able to become honorary Newfoundlanders! We took a shot of Screech, recited the saying, and kissed the cod (yup. we kissed a fish). It was quite the experience! We called it quits at 1:30am, but the parties were still going strong!
The Rooms
This is where we spent the rainiest day. Within its walls it contains archives, galleries and museum exhibits, and THE VIEW. Oh-My-Gosh! You can see so much of the city and water from the different floors. Check out their website by clicking here.
Things to Take:
Raincoat
The weather app might tell you it is going to be sunny and warm, and out of nowhere the clouds roll in off the ocean and it begins to poor. Simply throw it into your backpack, just incase. Everyday we were there called for sunny weather, but it continued to rain on and off. It’s better to be prepared.
Comfortable walking shoes
There is so much that you are able to access by walking! Make sure you come prepared with comfortable, practical footwear.
Polaroid camera
We loved having our little polaroid with us. They are the perfect little token to put into your travel journal.