trails, parks and outdoor escapes in St. John's

your Great Escape may be just ten minutes away! #BeThereIn10

Through the summer we'll be following people across the City as they make their Great Escapes in St. John's neighborhoods. You can see it all right here, on the website and on social media.

After watching people enjoying the natural spectacles, you can plan your own Great Escape!

Great Escapes #12 ~ Encore Performance: Mash-Up

Great Escape #12 - RELEASE DATE - September 22

During summer 2021, Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong caught many different people making their Great Escapes YYT in different St. John's Neighourhoods. These people were amazing! Join Guide to the Good for a summer of Great Escapes all over St. John's to find great people who are just right there!

Great Escapes #11 ~ Bring It Home

Great Escape #11 - RELEASE DATE - September 15

During summer 2021, Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong caught many different people making their Great Escapes YYT in different St. John's Neighourhoods. Each place was magical! These ponds, hills, parks, playgrounds, lakes, rivers, and gardens all have powerful histories. You might even catch some of St. John's unique animals hanging around. Don't miss the memorials scattered across the City - and enjoy your own Great Escape this year!

Great Escape #10 ~ Bowring Park Neighbourhood

Great Escape #10 - RELEASE DATE - September 8

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to Bowring Park to make her Great Escape YYT in the Bowring Park of St. John's. She likes to walk the path and return to the willow tree where she can relax in private! A charming part of the city where people of all ages can smell the flower, walk their dogs, and feed the ducks and swans. Enjoy Bowring Park's long history and Peter Pan statue.

Great Escape #9 ~ Thimble Cottage, O'Brien Farm University Area Neighbourhood

Great Escape #9 - RELEASE DATE - September 1

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to O'Brien Farm with Shelby Beals making her Great Escape YYT in the University Area of St. John's. She likes to walk the trails and return to the field where she would come to relax when she was a MUN student! A charming part of the city where people of all ages can garden and enjoy the shade from the trees. Enjoy Thimble Cottage's long history and watch the bees care for the flowers!

Great Escape #8 ~ Rennie's River Neighbourhood

Great Escape #8 - RELEASE DATE - August 25

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to the Rennie's River Trail with Sandy Hickman making his Great Escape YYT at Rennie's River St. John's. He like to walk the trail with his wife and recall his happy childhood memories near the river! A charming part of the city where people of all ages can play and enjoy the shade from the trees. Enjoy Rennie's River beautiful waterfalls!

Great Escape #7 ~ Quidi Vidi Neighbourhood

Great Escape #7 - RELEASE DATE - August 18

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to the park with Mary Dut making her Great Escape YYT at Quidi Vidi Lake St. John's. This place helps her relax with her children after a long day! A charming part of the city where people of all ages can feed the ducks (duck food - no bread please!). Enjoy Quidi Vidi's beautiful trail!

Great Escape #6 ~ Long Pond Pippy Park Neighbourhood

Great Escape #6 - RELEASE DATE - August 11

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to the park with Jessica Spooner making her Great Escape YYT at Long Pond in Pippy Park St. John's. This place helpped her connect to the City when she moved here! A charming part of Pippy Park with a great view! Enjoy this beautiful trail!

Great Escape #5 ~ Martin's Meadow Downtown Neighbourhood

Great Escape #5 - RELEASE DATE - July 31

Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong went to the playground with Viviana Ramirez-Luna making her Great Escape YYT at Martin's Meadow in Downtown St. John's with her son. That place is the City's best secret spot! A charming downtown park with a great playground! Don't miss the view of the St. John's Harbour and Signal Hill!

Great Escape #4 ~ Kenny's Pond Kent's Pond Neighbourhood

Great Escape #4 - RELEASE DATE - July 28

On a sunny day in July, Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong caught up with Ted Power making his Great Escape YYT at Kenny's Pond in the Kent's Pond Neightbourhood St. John's. That place is great for relaxing! A charming lake with ducks, cool historic signs you can learn more about the pond's history! You can even see plenty of interesting plants!

Great Escape #3 ~ Victoria Park Downtown Neighbourhood

Great Escape #3 - RELEASE DATE - July 24

On a sunny day in July, Guide to the Good's Melissa Wong caught her co-worker Amanda Russell making her Great Escape YYT at Victoria Park in Downtown St. John's with her daughters Sofia and Gabby in the Downtown Neighbourhood of Victoria Park. That place is magical! A charming downtown park with a great playground, cool historic things you can learn more about during a Story Walk (bring your phone!), you might even catch a baseball game! Don't miss the 100 Portraits of the Great War - the sculptures were cast from living descendants of the Newfoundland Regiment soldiers.

Great Escape #2 ~ Signal Hill Neighbourhood

Early in the morning early in July, Melissa Wong caught up with Sarah Hanna and Marlene Power on top of Signal Hill. They are part of the Morning Hill crew who make their Great Escape at sunrise all year long.

Great Escape #1 ~ Mundy Pond Neighbourhood

Early in June before the hot spell, Guide to the Good Founder, Kim Todd makes her Great Escape to Mundy Pond Park in the Mundy Pond Neighbourhood - an oasis in the middle of St. John's, minutes from factories, heavy equipment depots, suburbs, and the cross-town highway!

parks and trails of St. John's

Fabulous outdoor spaces are a gift of Newfoundland and Labrador. Even in our largest urban centre, Great Escapes are not more than 10 minutes away.

This summer be inspired by digital tours with locals who know the trails, parks, beaches and other neighbourhood outdoor places! They share first-hand experience in how nature restores, relaxes, and revitalizes the body and mind!

Embracing our natural environment builds healthier, stronger communities, and a strong sense of belonging - at no charge.

2021 digital campaign

These Great Escapes are digital monuments to the way our natural environment connects our communities to the Earth, shapes our culture and neighbourhoods, and gives people of all ages and interests a place to relax and restore in the great outdoors.

The City's beautiful locales inspire many different people to get out there and reap the benefits of being outdoors. It is Just Right There.

The Great Escapes YYT Project is a multi-media campaign celebrating good living, community engagement, and love for our “smiling land”. We're proud to acknowledge support from the City of St. John's.