St. John’s is a historic seaside city and one of the oldest settlements in North America. Known for its spectacular coastal setting (icebergs occasionally present!), hills, and colorful homes, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador is a popular tourist destination…in summer. Running in St. John’s can be gorgeous and a great way to explore the city. But it can also be challenge, owing to the rugged terrain, wind, and long winters.
We’ve put together a good variety of places to run in St. John’s. The most spectacular coastal running is on Southside Rd., Signal Hill, and the East Coast Trail, where you can run to the easternmost point in North America. Explore the downtown area with our Downtown Tour or the Downtown Residential route. For a more pastoral run, enjoy the pastoral 4k loop around Bowring Park. There are also some great paths along lakefronts and ponds, including Quidi Vidi Lake, Long Pond, and Octagon/Neil’s Pond. For a longer route, the Paradise Trail between St. John’s and Paradise, is part of the extensive Newfoundland Trailway.
The weather will influence your run experience in St. John’s — see our ‘weather and climate’ page. The city itself is compact and walkable, with a decent bus system. Outside of St. John’s, a car is needed.
