Destinations

St. John’s Will Steal Your Heart

In this week’s digital edition of Travel Courier, Ashley Rochefort provides a first-hand report on what she did on her summer vacation with her family on a visit to beautiful St. John’s, Newfoundland … so read on … and enjoy [Ed.]).

Deciding on St. John’s for my family summer getaway was easy. The city’s multi-generational appeal is its perfect combination of sights, natural beauty, shopping, world-class dining, and charming character.
Perched over the Atlantic Ocean, atop a ragged and rocky terrain, lies North America’s oldest and most easterly city. St. John’s is surprisingly sprawling.

With a population of just over 205,000 spread over 446 sq kms (comparatively, Toronto has 3 million people in 630 sq kms) it feels more like a small town than the province’s largest metropolis. Even in the height of summer, it’s impossible to escape the winds of the North Atlantic, and carrying a light jacket is always recommended.

Set on a steep hill, St. John’s downtown core is small in size, but big in personality. Spread over just a few main streets makes it easy to navigate the many galleries, stores, restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops.

There’s a photo-op on every corner; side streets are stacked with the famous jelly-bean coloured rowhouses, Signal Hill’s Cabot Tower looms in the background, and St. John’s Harbour, a working harbour inaccessible to the general public, is beautiful in its own bustling way.

But it’s the people of St John’s who bring the city to life. They’ve got a friendly ease, a worry-free demeanor, a twinkle in their eye, and a song in their voice that will make you feel instantly at home.

It took only a weekend for St. John’s to steal my heart, but a weekend sure does go by quick. Here are some bona fide restaurant and attraction recommendations from my itinerary that your clients will thank you for.

For the full story check out this week’s digital edition of Travel Courier.