There's a sense of awe that comes over you when you stand on our coast.

Face East. You're standing on the edge of North America.

Newfoundland and Labrador. Home to the first English colony in Canada. A place where the air is still clean, the people friendly, and hundreds of miles of coastline are yours to discover.

Rough. Rugged. Untamed. And completely natural.

Newfoundland and Labrador remains pristine. An untouched remnant of centuries long past. Explore it yourself and discover:

• Thousands of miles of rugged coastline.
• Two rural fishing villages right in the middle of a modern city.
• Wildlife of every description.
• Panoramic ocean views at every turn in the road.
• Open spaces as far as you can see.
• Air so fresh that it takes your breath away.

But the natural environment is just one of the many ways that St. John's, Memorial University, and Newfoundland and Labrador are different from just about anywhere else.

• Newfoundland and Labrador is twice the size of the entire United Kingdom, but we have half a million people and they have 60 million... we have a lot of free space for you!
• We have our own dictionary - The Dictionary of Newfoundland English
• Newfoundland issued its own postage stamp from 1857-1949... and it is still a valid mailing stamp today.
• Bell Island, near St. John's, is the only land site in North America which German forces attacked during World War 2.
• We have our own time zone - Newfoundland Standard Time.
• The Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland was once a part of Africa!
• North America's only Viking Site, a UNESCO recognized site, is right here in Newfoundland at L'Anse aux Meadows.
• We are closer to some European cities than we are to cities in our own country!

St. John's

St. John's. The capital city and home to Memorial's main campus. An urban city where a 10 minute bike ride can take you to historic fishing villages, breathtaking ocean views, or to the heart of downtown.

St. John’s is an urban city with small town warmth and safety and a rich history steeped in tradition. You’ll want to take your time and experience our creativity, enchanting stories, unique customs and spectacular rugged scenery.

Centered around a perfectly-sheltered harbour carved from granite, the downtown core is defined by quaint side streets boasting brightly coloured row houses known locally as Jelly Bean Row. From our houses to our people, colourful experiences are boundless in St. John’s.

Nestled within picturesque scenery and bound by the Atlantic Ocean, more than 214,000 people call St. John’s metro home.

Shopping

St. John's has shopping centres and districts to suit every taste.

From eclectic downtown t-shirt stores to big box stores, you can find anything you need in the local shopping scene.

Restaurants

Burgers and fries are all well and good. But beyond the basic fast food places frequented by many students, St. John's has numerous restaurants across the city.

Got a craving for something local? Fish and chips is a great St. John's favourite.

Want a more international taste? You can find sushi, Indian, Greek, Afghan, and countless other national flavours in restaurants around town.

For a large (but still not complete) listing of places to eat, check the City of St. John's website or browse Destination St. John’s listings.

Heritage and history

If you're looking to study in a place where old world charm meets new world modernity, then this is the spot.

In St. John's alone you'll find enough history to keep you busy for years.

Go back in time by visiting these city historic sites:

• Fort Amherst
• Signal Hill
• Fort Townsend/The Rooms
• The Basilica
• Water Street
• The Colonial Building

Discover more about our past by taking a walking tour of some of our haunted sites, or take a moment now and explore our heritage.

Weather

It can be windy, rainy or foggy in St. John's on any given day - but that can change quickly to blue skies and sunshine by lunch time.

We have what's known as a temperate climate. Winters here are generally mild with an average temperature of 0 degrees Celsius.

During the summer months, the temperature can go from cool to hot with an average of 20 - 23 degrees Celsius. Even on the hottest day, there's always an ocean breeze to keep you comfortable.

For more information, visit the Environment Canada website.

Please visit the A Rare Find website for additional resources and helpful information.

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Corner Brook

Corner Brook, with a population of just under 20,000 people, is located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland, at the mouth of the Bay of Islands. With a spectacular combination of ocean and mountain scenery, four seasons of adventure and outdoor activities, and friendly and welcoming people, Corner Brook is known around the world as both a popular tourist attraction and one of the best places to live, work and do business.

Living and studying in the City of Corner Brook

Grenfell is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the country: clean air, roaring ocean, majestic mountains. The west coast of Newfoundland is a hub of adventure in summer, winter, spring and fall. Hiking trails criss-cross the area. There are spots to ski, snowboard, rock climb and zipline. Marble Mountain Resort is 1,700 feet of top-notch skiing and snowboarding and Blow Me Down Trails Cross Country Ski Club has 42 km of groomed trails – both just minutes from campus. And a short car ride away is Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with marine inlets, rich forest and glacier-carved fjords.

There’s plenty of local shopping close to campus; a local grocery store provides free transportation to and from campus twice a week. Also close to campus are restaurants, gastropubs, fitness centres, a civic centre with two ice surfaces and arts and culture venues including galleries and theatres. Take a stroll downtown for shopping, nightlife and dining or visit our other shopping areas, including the retail big-box district. Corner Brook is a small city, but it’s got everything you need!