The best St. John's tours by private car fall into three shapes: a four-hour run to Cape Spear, Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi; a longer city highlights day that adds The Rooms and Petty Harbour; and a full day south on the Irish Loop for the Witless Bay puffin colony and the Colony of Avalon at Ferryland. Through Elly8.net, the four-hour Cape Spear package costs from US$405 in a business sedan to US$810 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, all-in.
A chauffeured day suits St. John's unusually well. The sights are spread along a coast where the weather changes by the hour, the old town is steep, and the best places are a short drive apart but not on one bus route. This guide sets out three itineraries with real distances, which Elly8.net package fits each, what to book separately, and how to plan around fog, wind and the season.
How do you plan a chauffeured tour in St. John's?
Decide how long you have, then pick the matching package: the four-hour Cape Spear trip from US$405 per vehicle, the private city highlights tour from US$440, or the full-day chauffeur from US$810 for the Irish Loop. Book any boat tours separately, start early, and leave room in the plan for the weather.
Every Elly8.net price is fixed and per vehicle, including the chauffeur, the vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity. The vehicle choice depends on the group: a business sedan seats up to 3, a business SUV up to 6 with room for coats and day bags, and an Executive Sprinter up to 12. Parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost.
| St. John's tour | Typical length | Business Sedan | Business SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Spear, Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi | 4 hours | US$405 | US$520 | US$810 |
| Private city highlights tour | Half to most of a day | US$440 | US$560 | US$880 |
| Full-day chauffeur, Irish Loop | A full day | US$810 | US$1,035 | US$1,620 |
| By the hour, your own route | 3-hour minimum | US$110 an hour | US$140 an hour | US$220 an hour |
| Evening out and event night | An evening | US$550 | US$700 | US$1,100 |
See St. John's prices and reserve
Itinerary one: Cape Spear, Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi in four hours
This is the classic St. John's tour and the one that fits a cruise port day. It uses the signature four-hour Cape Spear package.
Cape Spear first. Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site sits about 15 km from the city at the end of Route 11, and Parks Canada describes it as the most easterly point of land in Canada. Going first gives you the best chance of clear views, and for early risers, the sunrise over the Atlantic. Allow an hour for the lighthouse, the clifftop paths and the views.
Signal Hill on the way back. Signal Hill National Historic Site, about 3 km from downtown, is where Cabot Tower stands above the narrows at the harbour mouth. The chauffeur drops you at the top and waits while you walk the lookouts.
Quidi Vidi to finish. The fishing village of Quidi Vidi, about 5 km from downtown, is a gentle end to the morning before the drive back to your hotel or ship.
Total driving on this loop is modest; most of the four hours is spent at the sites, with the car waiting. If the fog is down at Cape Spear when you set off, the chauffeur can reverse the order and try the cape again at the end.
Itinerary two: the city highlights day
The private city highlights tour, from US$440 in a business sedan to US$880 in an Executive Sprinter, is built for visitors who want the city as well as the coast.
The Rooms. The Rooms, the provincial museum, art gallery and archives, stands on the hill above downtown and is the best place to understand the province before seeing more of it. Give it at least an hour and a half.
Downtown and the harbour. Water Street and Duckworth Street, with the painted row houses climbing behind them, are best seen on foot for an hour, with the car meeting you at the far end so you do not have to walk back uphill.
Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi. As in the first itinerary, with time to walk.
Petty Harbour. About 15 km south of downtown and roughly 20 minutes by road, the fishing village of Petty Harbour lies close to Cape Spear, so the two pair naturally if you want both.
This day is flexible by design. If the weather turns, The Rooms becomes the long stop and the outdoor sights shrink; if the sun is out, the order flips. See private city tours for how the tour works in every Elly8.net city.
Itinerary three: a full day on the Irish Loop
For a full day, head south along the Avalon's eastern shore on the route known as the Irish Loop. The full-day chauffeur costs from US$810 in a business sedan, US$1,035 in a business SUV and US$1,620 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle.
Witless Bay and the puffins. The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve protects four islands just off the coast between Bay Bulls and Bauline East, about half an hour south of St. John's. According to the provincial government, it contains North America's largest Atlantic puffin colony, with more than 260,000 pairs nesting in late spring and summer, along with one of the world's largest colonies of Leach's storm-petrels. Seabirds come ashore to breed from May to August. Landing on the islands requires a permit, so visitors watch from licensed tour boats that run from nearby communities from spring to fall, with chances to see icebergs and whales as well. Bay Bulls is about 33 km (20 mi) and roughly 30 minutes from downtown.
Ferryland and the Colony of Avalon. About 78 km (49 mi) from downtown, around an hour and a quarter by road, the Colony of Avalon at Ferryland was established in 1621 by Sir George Calvert and is described by the site as the best preserved early English colonial site in North America. Its season runs from June to October, with guided tours several times a day.
The shape of the day. Leave St. John's around 8 a.m. for a morning boat tour out of the Witless Bay area, continue south to Ferryland for lunch and the Colony of Avalon in the early afternoon, and drive back along the shore, arriving in the city in the early evening. The chauffeur waits at each stop and keeps your coats, cameras and dry layers in the car.
What to book separately
Elly8.net books the car, the chauffeur and the route. Boat tours, admission to The Rooms and the Colony of Avalon, and any guided walks are booked directly with those operators. In summer, book the boat tour first and tell us the departure time and the community it leaves from; we plan the pickup backwards from it.
For a cruise call, add the ship name and date to the booking. Ships berth along Harbour Drive at the foot of downtown, and the St. John's Port Authority lists the ships in port. The chauffeur meets you near the berth with a name board and plans the return well ahead of all-aboard. See cruise port transfers.
Planning around fog, wind and the season
Fog. The Avalon is known for fog that rolls in and out within the hour, especially near Cape Spear. Keep the plan loose: a good chauffeur reorders the stops to chase the clear spells.
Wind. Even on a sunny summer day, the cliffs at Cape Spear and Signal Hill are windy. Bring a warm layer and a windproof jacket whatever the forecast says.
Season. The full Irish Loop day is a summer and early autumn plan, because the seabird season runs from May to August and the Colony of Avalon opens from June to October. The four-hour Cape Spear run and the city highlights tour work year-round, with The Rooms as the anchor in colder months.
Steep streets. Downtown's hills are part of the charm and a hazard in winter. Chauffeurs often pick up and drop off on a flatter street one block over; give the exact address and expect a call to agree the spot.
Chauffeur, taxi, rental or bus?
For a couple on a budget who are happy to drive, a rental car is the cheapest way to see the Irish Loop, and it is a beautiful drive. Taxis work well for single short hops, such as downtown to Signal Hill and back; our St. John's taxi guide explains how they work. Metrobus serves the city but not the coastal sights.
A chauffeured tour is the better choice for families and groups who would need a large rental, for cruise passengers on a deadline, for travellers who would rather not drive unfamiliar coastal roads in fog, and for anyone who wants every stop to start and end at the door. The per-vehicle price is what makes it work for groups: an Executive Sprinter for ten people on the four-hour Cape Spear trip at US$810 is US$81 each, as arithmetic only. See chauffeur vs car rental.
Tours for families, groups and visiting clients
Families. With children, shorter is better. The four-hour Cape Spear run keeps each leg under half an hour, and the chauffeur can build in a stop for food or a playground break. Request child or booster seats when you book, with each child's age, and they are fitted before pickup. A business SUV gives room for seats, coats and a change of clothes for the damp clifftops.
Groups. An Executive Sprinter carries up to 12 people and 12 bags, so a family reunion, a wedding party on the day after the celebration or a small tour group can travel together and stop together. See Sprinter van with driver.
Visiting clients. Companies hosting guests in St. John's often add a half day of sightseeing to a business trip, and a chauffeured afternoon at Signal Hill and The Rooms is an easy way to show visitors the city between meetings. Corporate accounts get monthly invoicing and fixed US-dollar fares across all 141 Elly8.net cities.
Going further
St. John's is also the starting point for longer trips across Newfoundland. If Gros Morne is on your list, read our guide to driving from St. John's to Gros Morne, which compares the nine-hour drive with flying to Deer Lake. Arriving by air? Our St. John's airport taxi guide explains the YYT stand, and a tour can start at the terminal.
How to book a St. John's tour
- Enter the pickup (your hotel, the airport or the cruise berth) and the date and time. For a cruise call, add the ship name.
- Choose the package and vehicle. The Cape Spear trip, the city highlights tour and the full-day chauffeur all have fixed prices; for your own route, book hourly chauffeur service from US$110 an hour, 3-hour minimum.
- Reserve. Fixed fares go straight to secure checkout in US$, and confirmation arrives by email with the chauffeur's details before the day.
Rides in St. John's are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, and the fleet guide shows what each one carries. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show.
The full price list is on our St. John's car service page, and Destination St. John's lists current events and seasonal sights. Continuing through Atlantic Canada or Quebec? The same service runs as our Halifax and Quebec City car services. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tour in St. John's?
For most visitors with half a day, the four-hour Cape Spear, Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi run, from US$405 per vehicle in a business sedan. With a full day in summer, the Irish Loop adds the Witless Bay puffin colony and the Colony of Avalon at Ferryland.
How long does a Cape Spear tour take?
The Elly8.net package is four hours. Cape Spear is about 15 km from the city, and the time covers the drive, an hour or so at the lighthouse and cliffs, and stops at Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi on the way back.
When can you see puffins near St. John's?
Seabirds in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve come ashore to breed from May to August, according to the provincial government. Licensed boat tours run from communities between Bay Bulls and Bauline East, about half an hour south of St. John's, from spring to fall.
Does the tour price include boat tours or admissions?
No. Elly8.net prices cover the car, the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity. Book boat tours and admissions directly with the operators, then give us the times so the pickup works backwards from them. Parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost, and the price is per vehicle, not per person.
Can a tour start from a cruise ship?
Yes. Give us the ship name and date, and the chauffeur meets you near the berth on Harbour Drive with a name board. The four-hour Cape Spear package fits most port days, with the return planned well before all-aboard. See our cruise port transfers page for how the meeting works.
What happens if it is foggy?
The chauffeur reorders the stops to make the most of clear spells, often visiting Signal Hill and The Rooms first and trying Cape Spear later. Dress for wind and damp whatever the forecast, because conditions on the cliffs change quickly.
