St John's Attractions

Strikingly modern in its architecture the Arts and Culture Center in St John's, on Prince Philip Drive was built in 1967 for the centenary celebrations. It plays a leading part in the province's cultural life and incorporates a quite exceptional theatre, two art galleries, a museum of the sea, three libraries and a commercial art school.

Bowring Park in St John's is a little gem in the city that is continually developing, and a great place to be during the summer. This green space has a number of interesting water features, statue, and amphitheatre. One of the newest additions to this park is the Fountain Pond, which was opened in 2008. Bowring Park is also expanding to include a children's play area and splash park.

Situated on the northern perimeter of St John's, is C.A. Pippy Park (opened in 1968). There are walkers' trails, picnic places, a golf course and a children's animal farm.

C.A. Pippy Park is also the location of a botanical garden belonging to St John's Memorial University. The garden occupies some 42 ha (100 acres) of undulating ground and incorporates the about 6 ha (15 acre) Ox Pond. Spruce and fir, bog, heath and alder intersperse with rocky outcrops and natural landscape.

Standing next to one another in King's Bridge Road Commissariat House and the little Anglican Church of St Thomas make an attractive ensemble. The house (built between 1819 and 1821) and the church (1836) are among the few buildings to have escaped the devastating fires in the 19th c. The restored Georgian-style house was the headquarters of a Commissariat responsible for keeping the St John's military post supplied. An Interpretive Center in the adjoining reconstructed coach house illustrates how the house was restored.

Occupying a site high above the rest of the city of St John's the Confederation Building is the seat of Newfoundland's provincial government. It is also the location of a permanent exhibition which includes some of the best of the province's art both traditional and experimental.

With its many restaurants George Street is a popular city center rendezvous in St John's.

In the evenings George Street is closed to traffic making it a pleasant area to walk around with lots of entertainment options and live music.

Johnson GEO Centre in St John's presents interactive exhibits that describe the earth's geological history, cultural history, and other unique displays. A visual presentation shows the development of the earth throughout history. In addition to this there are The GEO Centre itself is uniquely designed to incorporate the surrounding rocky terrain.

The Longshoremen's Protective Union Hall at the bottom of Victoria Street in St John's (referred to simply as the LSPU) is home to the highly successful Resource Centre for the Arts. The company stages a wide variety of modern and classical plays, including works by Newfoundland authors. Interesting art exhibitions are mounted in the gallery of this lively cultural and social center. It is also a center for municipal activities.

An excellent view of the St John's harbor can be had from the 18th c. Queen's Battery overlooking the Narrows.

The lighthouse on the other side of the Narrows stands among the remains of an old fort - Fort Amherst.

St John's Railway Coastal Museum, housed in the restored 1903 Newfoundland Railway Station, exhibits the 150 year history of the Newfoundland Railway and Coastal Boat services. Some of the highlights include model trains, themed exhibits, the train park, as well as posters and books.

The East Coast Trail is a 540 km long hiking trail that runs along the East Coast of Newfoundland. The trail starts north of St John's at Pouch Cove and runs south to Cappahayden. There are a number of different access points that allow you to hike individual sections of the trail. This is a great way to see some of the rugged landscape and beautiful scenery of the Avalon Peninsula.

The War Memorial (1924) on Water Street East in St John's stands on the spot where in 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed possession of the colony in the name of Queen Elizabeth I.

For more than 400 years Water Street, one of the oldest streets in North America, was the commercial center of St John's. It is still the meeting place for sailors from all over the world, with a host of inviting shops, restaurants and bars.