The capital of Newfoundland is a vibrant city with colourful neighbourhoods and dynamic, friendly people. The city has a rich history that begins on its edge, in Signal Hill, and permeates throughout many parts of its core. You’ll need a few days to explore all that St. John’s has to offer, but once you have, this city will stay in your heart for a long time.
Jelly Bean Row
Established by the British in 1497, St. John’s is the oldest community in Canada. The best place to begin your exploration of this charming city is in its historic downtown. The homes here are collectively called Jelly Bean Row. That makes you think it’s just one street, but it’s not. Victorian era row houses, painted in a multitude of colours, take over many of St. John’s hilly downtown streets. It feels as if you could spend an entire day wandering the neighbourhoods and never see the same colour twice. It’s a very fun place to explore.
George & Water Streets
Near the bottom of the hill are the popular George and Water Streets where heritage buildings have been repurposed as restaurants, pubs and shops. The streets have been converted into pedestrian walkways making the area feel very welcome. Although it was quiet on a rainy afternoon when we visited, the area came alive at night.
Quidi Vidi
Undoubtedly the cutest, most photographed neighbourhood in all of St. John’s is Quidi Vidi (pronounced Kiddy Viddy). What used to be a small fishing community has become a busy tourist attraction. A collection of fishing shacks, huddled around the small protected harbour, creates one of the most picture-perfect spots.
The harbour, known as The Gut, is still used by local fishermen. A few fishing boats were entering the harbour as we arrived.
Even though we had to search and search for parking and walk amongst throngs of other tourists, we were still thrilled to see this unbelievably cute spot. A wedding was taking place in one of the restaurants. Their wedding pictures would be unique and gorgeous.
Screech-In
Newfoundlanders refer to all non-Newfoundlanders as people who ‘come from away’. To become an honorary Newfoundlander, we took part in a very fun Newfoundland tradition; a Screech-In Ceremony.
Generations ago, Newfoundlanders traded salt fish with the West Indies for barrels of rum. That is how this rum, called Screech, became the traditional drink of Newfoundland. In those days it wasn’t the finest rum. In fact, it is often said that it came from the bottom of the barrel. There are a few different stories to explain how the rum received this name. Most are different versions of the same story where someone lets out a loud screech after their first swig of the cheap rum.
A few pubs in downtown St. John’s offer the traditional Screech-In ceremony. Christian’s Pub on George St. offers one of the most entertaining options. We entered Christian’s to hear Newfie folk music blaring from the stereo as we grabbed a stool by the bar. The place was full with ‘come from awayers’ waiting for the show to begin.
Once the music is turned down, the fun begins. The charismatic bartender, who calls himself Skipper Lukie, dons a sou’wester and carries a paddle as he recounts Newfie folklore to the mainlanders.
After learning a few Newfie sayings such as ‘Aye b’y’ (I agree), we had a ‘Newfie steak’ (fried baloney), kissed a (frozen) cod and a had shot of Screech.
“Is yee a Screecher?” Skipper Lukie asked us all. We responded “Deed I is me ol’ cock! And long may yer big jib draw!”
Here’s a short 50 second video that will give you a sense of how much fun you’ll have at a Screech-In Ceremony.
We are now proud to be honorary Newfoundlanders!
Well, after driving 12,550 km from British Columbia to Newfoundland on Our Great Canadian Roadtrip, we’ve reached kilometer 0 of the TransCanada Highway. It must be time to turn around and go home.
After exploring the city’s historic centre, it’s time to visit Signal Hill. You can read about this part of the city in our post Explore Signal Hill.
Tips for Visiting Newfoundland
- The TransCanada Highway in Newfoundland is shaped like a horseshoe as it travels along the west, north and eastern edge of the island province. There are smaller highways leading to the various capes, but in order to get from east to west, you have to drive all around the northern edge. There are no shortcuts across the island. It will take a full day to drive from one side to the other. There are quite a few potholes across the province so drive with caution.
- Watch for moose while driving, especially between dusk and dawn. With 125,000 moose on the island there are, on average 700 moose-car collisions per year.
- If you’re planning to rent a car or RV, the best advice is to book early. Even when there isn’t a worldwide pandemic, there are not many available.
- Newfoundland Standard Time is 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Standard Time so do don’t forget to change your watch.
- Don’t confuse St. John’s, Newfoundland’s capital city with Saint John in New Brunswick.
Where to stay and eat on Avalon Peninsula
There are many hotel and B&B options in St. John’s and surrounding communities. Staying in or near downtown St. John’s allows you to experience the energy of this vibrant city. George Street is a popular pedestrian street in downtown with many restaurants, pubs and shops.
Getting to Newfoundland
Marine Atlantic ferries travel between Sydney, NS and western Newfoundland’s Port aux Basques (7 hrs) twice a day and to the eastern province’s Argentia a few times a week. If travelling to or from Argentia, it is a long 16 hour trip, usually overnight. Another ferry travels from Blanc-Sablon, Quebec to St. Barbe on the Great Northern Peninsula. This ferry is much closer to L’Anse aux Meadow, however it is a long and difficult drive to reach the Quebec Port.
Most flights travel to St. John’s, but there are also international airports in Stephenville and Gander. Gander is famous for accepting planes from the US during 9/11.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in St. John`s.
Read more about Newfoundland in our posts – The Adorable Town of Trinity, Western Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park, Vikings in Newfoundland, Conception Bay, Bonavista Peninsula, Signal Hill, and Day Trips from St. John’s.
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88 responses to “Colourful Communities In St. John’s, Newfoundland”
To live in St John’s would be like a perpetual vacation. So amazing.
It would be. A perpetual fun vacation!! Maggie
I admit to having given Newfoundland little thought before seeing your posts. I’m sold. Hope to get there soon.
Haha yes it is a little known gem. We loved almost everything about the province. It’s small but has great landscapes, history and colourful towns placed in incredible settings. Hope you get there one day Ken! Thanks for your comments, Maggie
St. John is an awesome place, so full of colour and life….and really cheap rum. It has now been 17 years since we visited. Glad you were screeched in. Thanks for the memories. Allan
We really fell in love with St. John’s. The screeched in ceremony was so much fun! Time to go back for you I guess 😊 Maggie
Love the fact that the cod wore a mask!
Yes it was quite funny! Don’t want it to get sick 😊😊 Maggie
I so love the vibrant colors of St. John’s.
Yes so do we! Thanks for your comments Suzette! Maggie
What a lovely little city to find at the end of the road! I love the colours on Jelly Bean Row, the night life sounds wonderful and Quidi Vidi looks so photogenic. It reminds me a little of Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island but more colourful. Do you know how it got that odd name?
Thanks Sarah, it is one our favourite cities in the country. No one is sure where Quidi Vidi got its name. It’s likely a very poorly pronounced and spelled French, Portuguese or Italian name(s). It’s been that name for generations but doesn’t really have a counterpart in any country. Thanks for your interest. Maggie
Oh now that sounds like our kind of night in our kind of bar! I bet that was one of the best nights of the entire trip.
You two would definitely have fun at the Screech In! You’re right it was the most fun night on this trip and the most fun we had in a while. Maggie
I just love the little fishing villages! And the screech in ceremony certainly sounds interesting LOL
It was a true Newfie experience! A lot of fun. Thanks for reading Chelsea. Maggie
Kilometer zero! Amazing, fun post!
Yay! The real km zero moved to the outside of St John’s but there are no markers, the highway just ends, so we’ll go by the traditional one 😊 Maggie
Haha 😂
Beautiful and vibrant pictures
Thank you!!
Amazing trip!
It was thanks Bill!
I have heard so much about the screeching in ceremony! I heard interviews from the people stranded because of 9/11 in Gander, and they talked about being screeched in and they end up visiting Newfoundland a lot. It’s like they became honorary TCKs as well. Made me cry so hard!
You would love it, it was so much fun! I’ve read so much about he 9/11 people’s experiences too. They received a full Newfoundland welcome!!
I’m sure I would love it! Sounds very special
Wow, what a beautiful place! I can’t get over the colorful buildings and that harbor looks like something out of a storybook. What a fun road trip that would make to go all across Canada like that.
Yes, St. John’s is an awesome city, with so many amazing neighbourhoods. It was a really great trip. Thanks for your comments 🙂 Maggie
Ah, this place looks absolutely great. I know that I would love it. The city looks a bit like San Francisco, I think. Am I correct about that?
It’s a very hilly harbour town like San Francisco, but St. John’s has a small town friendliness that makes it unique.
That really is a happy ending. It looks a lovely place, with plenty of life and a sense of humour. I expect you need that to cope with the weather. I’ve really enjoyed looking over your shoulder so thanks a lot!
Thanks Jo, it was a great trip. It was fun to explore our own country for a change. Glad you came along on the journey! Maggie
🤗💟
A perfect ending! I’ve loved following your cross-country trip and can’t wait to do it myself someday!
Thanks Lex, it was an awesome trip, I hope you get to visit the Maritimes one day! Maggie
Well, you clearly ‘gotta do what ya gotta do’ when in Newfoundland. I loved the colourful streets and beautiful bay. A great end to the adventure and its always nice to be heading home. Safe travels.
When in Rome, or Newfoundland for us! It was a great trip, exploring Canada’s East Coast. Thanks for following along 😉 Maggie
Beautiful and colorful villages!! Lovely captures, Maggie!
Thanks Jyothi! Maggie
I love the old and new juxtaposition of St. John’s skyline. And I always like cities that are hilly — Hong Kong and Istanbul are among my favorites. The contour of such places makes them even more interesting to explore in my opinion. I also love the look of Quidi Vidi. Well, it really looks like I will enjoy St. John’s if I go one day. It’s great that you took part in a Screech-In ceremony before you left. What a great place to end your epic journey!
That’s true about hills making great cities even more pretty and interesting. St. John’s makes really good use of its landscape. I’m very sure you would love Newfoundland, and I hope you are able to travel there one day. Maggie
The colourful neighbourhoods look so neat and cute, this is love at first sight! Although it might be a harsh life to live on this coast during the winter time, it is definitely a delight during the summer months😊
And still on my list😊
So many of the downtown streets are filled with colourful heritage rowhouses, it’s not hard to fall in love with it. I think you’re right though, winters would be pretty harsh. A bad hurricane hit the island three days after we left, so it was a stark reminder of life in the Maritimes. you definitely need to visit! Maggie
I’m sad to see your road-trip come to an end, but boy did I enjoy following along. Newfoundland was already a place I can’t wait to visit and now I have even more things to see and do while I’m there.
Thanks Diana, it was a great trip. You would love Newfoundland, and I already miss it! 🙂 Maggie
Sladja and I wouldn’t mind having our very own “bean” in the row. What a wonderful place to have a home. Dildo brewing eh? My word that’s some branding… Love the whole look and feel of Christian’s and really dig the history around the Screech-In. Congrats on your honorary titles!
I’m with you guys, I’d love a Jelly Bean Row house. Apparently dildo is a part of a boat, but they sure love to play with the name. The Screech In was one of the most fun nights we had in a while., so glad we did it. Maggie
One of things we missed out on when visiting Newfoundland was getting screeched in. Sounds like it was quite the event!!
It was so much fun! Too bad you didn’t do it. Christian’s is supposed to be the best show. Next time….
Such a gorgeous place. Picture postcard perfect. Not like a place I would ever get an opportunity to visit. So thank you for this virtual trip.
You’re welcome! It’s a unique city with so many great neighbourhoods. I’m glad I was able to show it to you 🙂 Maggie
Sounds like you had a great time throughout your journey. I love your photos. I was wondering about parks? I notice that the way the houses are made, there are no yards, so I wondered if they have any parks? Of course there is nature just looking at the water, and close by hikes, but obviously no room for gardens.
That’s a good question, the downtown heritage homes didn’t have much of a yard. There are quite a few parks around the city. The houses in newer areas though do have large yards so that’s probably where most of the families live. Naggie
I just love the boldness of those colours. Why are we normally so conservative in our architecture?? Although it looks from your other photos that this community has a true sense of fun. What a road trip! I am sorry we have reached 0km. Mel
I know! Our cities are quite boring with so many earth tones. Newfies have fun with just about everything, the colourful communities really suit them. Thanks for coming along Mel! Maggie
Happy trails!
Oh I absolutely love Jelly Bean Row, it’s perfect! It looks like such a vibrant and exciting community 🙂
It feels it to when you walk around the neighborhoods. How can you kit be happy surrounded by such colour!! Thanks for reading Hannah. Maggie
I can’t believe it’s over! While you’ve shown us some stunning, amazing, interesting, and adorable places along the way, you’ve definitely saved the best for last. St. John’s, Newfoundland for the win! Whatever will you do next?
It is definitely our favourite! We loved it so much we looked at homes for sale in St. John’s on-line once we got home! Hmm not sure what’s next. It does not seem very appropriate to travel right now, hard to even think about it. Ill6justbdram jf a Jelly Bean house😊
Jelly Bean Row must be great to explore – how beautiful is that historic church. And I agree, Quidi Vidi is charming indeed! The night at Christian’s Bar looked like a lot of fun … congratulations on becoming honorary Newfoundlanders! Km 0 … you have driven a very LONG way! I can’t believe it’s the end …
Just look at all the wonderful colours, Maggie. I love the Jellybean Row, and I very much enjoyed following your journey around some of Newfoundland’s most iconic places and very much look forward to seeing your photos from Atlantic Canada! Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
I have a friend who lives there and I would love to visit one day. It looks like such an amazing place!
We loved so much of Newfoundland from the rugged shores to the colourful towns. I hope you get there 🙂 Maggie
I’ve always known very little about Newfoundland.
Thank you for helping me make some wonderful discoveries through your posts, dear Maggie!
It is a difficult to reach place and therefore not as often visited, but as we found there are many beautiful landscapes and colourful friendly towns. We really fell in love with it:) Thanks for your kind words Luisa, Maggie
Thanks to you, Maggie, for all the beautiful places you show me through your posts
My hubby was born there in St John’s..his Mom and most of his family live there . Such an interesting place where we visit every year. My hubby says Quidi Vidi..English ..Beautiful Site .
We fell in love with Newfoundland and especially St. John’s. It’s a great place. Maggie
I don’t know that I’ll ever get up that way again… but I’d love to wander Jelly Bean Row and Quidi Vidi.
They are as darling in person as you want them to be. 😊 Maggie
what a brilliant town! It’s almost a city! The buildings are brilliant!
St. John’s is one of our favourites, the colours are brilliant aren’t they. Maggie
What a great trip! I am totally sold on St John’s, it looks beautiful. I’ve enjoyed your Newfoundland posts. Jelly Bean Row? Dildo Brewing Company?!? Haha. The screech-in ceremony looks so fun as well!
Thanks! I’m glad our love for Newfoundland rubbed off on you. We had so much fun exploring the city and especially getting screeched in! Thanks for your comments 😉 Maggie
St, John’s is such a beautiful place with that cold, clear light. It reminds me a little of Stavanger in Norway with the vivid colors. Even prettier at night!
Yes, we love the colours and atmosphere in St. John’s. I haven’t been to Norway, but from pictures I’ve seen I can see the similarities.
Wow! This place is absolutely fascinating. Loved the pictures and also your experience.
Thanks! It’s such a fun city, especially for a provincial capital. Maggie
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