Corner Brook

Canada

Corner Brook is the largest city in Western Newfoundland. It offers many urban amenities and is a great launching point for exploring Western Newfoundland. The city's excellent port is also an attraction for visiting cruise ships, such as the Queen Mary II.

The Corner Brook area has been home to settlement for over a century and a half, but it has a fishery history going further back. It was surveyed by Captain Cook in 1767 before he went on to survey Australia and New Zealand. The Corner Brook area became a highly developed centre for pulp & paper with one of the largest operations in the world. The city of Corner Brook came into existence in the year 1956 with the amalgamation of four area communities, each still reflected in the areas of Humbermouth, Curling, Westside, and Townsite. In many ways, the city's vibe is best described by former Mayor Charles Pender: "As a regional centre, we have the small town atmosphere with a big city infrastructure where people can live in peace and security and raise a family."

  • Grenfell Campus. Memorial University of Newfoundland's western campus in Corner Brook.
  • The Sir Richard Squires Building. Home to the Corner Brook Public Library, the Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial & Supreme Courts, the Provincial Cabinet on the West Coast and a fountain from Expo 67's Czech Pavilion, purchased by Premier Joseph Smallwood.
  • The Glynmill Pond. Home to swans and other waterfowl.
  • Humber Valley Resort. A scenic golf course, 2 beautiful restaurants, 3-6 bedroom chalets complete with hot tubs and barbeques.
  • Massey Drive Pond Trail. A beautiful man-made walking trail through the woods of Massey Drive, built around an outdoor swimming pond.
  • Marble Mountain, +1 709 637-7601. Great skiing in the winter, and a nice hiking destination in summer. Chair lift rides year-round.
  • Captain Cook's Monument. A memorial monument for Captain James Cook with a wonderful view of the city and the Atlantic ocean.
  • The Man in the Mountain. A nature-made face of a First Nations man is chiselled into the rock. A great tourist attraction, and postcards are available with this image pictured on them.

Grenfell Campus. Memorial University of Newfoundland's western campus in Corner Brook.

The Sir Richard Squires Building. Home to the Corner Brook Public Library, the Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial & Supreme Courts, the Provincial Cabinet on the West Coast and a fountain from Expo 67's Czech Pavilion, purchased by Premier Joseph Smallwood.

The Glynmill Pond. Home to swans and other waterfowl.

Humber Valley Resort. A scenic golf course, 2 beautiful restaurants, 3-6 bedroom chalets complete with hot tubs and barbeques.

Massey Drive Pond Trail. A beautiful man-made walking trail through the woods of Massey Drive, built around an outdoor swimming pond.

Marble Mountain, +1 709 637-7601. Great skiing in the winter, and a nice hiking destination in summer. Chair lift rides year-round.

Captain Cook's Monument. A memorial monument for Captain James Cook with a wonderful view of the city and the Atlantic ocean.

The Man in the Mountain. A nature-made face of a First Nations man is chiselled into the rock. A great tourist attraction, and postcards are available with this image pictured on them.

In early summer, take a walk or go for a drive along the ocean. Look for whales and dolphins.

  • Corner Brook Stream Trail. Hike or stroll along the trail. The trail system has two sections, one within the downtown area and another above Margaret Bowater Park that takes visitors into the Gorge, the deep valley through which the stream flows. Most of the trail is a wide gravel path, but portions of the Upper Trail along the Gorge become rough and narrow dirt paths. The main corridor's gravel path is 4 km.
  • Margaret Bowater Park. Eat at picnic areas, relax on the green, or swim in the stream (when lifeguards are on duty, of course).
  • Blomidon Golf & Country Club, +1 709 634-2523. 18 holes.
  • Corner Brook Winter Carnival. A yearly event celebrating the long snowy season.
  • Blow-Me-Down, 78 Shamrock Crescent, +1 709 639-2754. Cross-country skiing.
  • Marble Mountain Ski Resort, +1 709 637-7601. A downhill ski area.

Corner Brook Stream Trail. Hike or stroll along the trail. The trail system has two sections, one within the downtown area and another above Margaret Bowater Park that takes visitors into the Gorge, the deep valley through which the stream flows. Most of the trail is a wide gravel path, but portions of the Upper Trail along the Gorge become rough and narrow dirt paths. The main corridor's gravel path is 4 km.

Margaret Bowater Park. Eat at picnic areas, relax on the green, or swim in the stream (when lifeguards are on duty, of course).

Blomidon Golf & Country Club, +1 709 634-2523. 18 holes.

Corner Brook Winter Carnival. A yearly event celebrating the long snowy season.

Blow-Me-Down, 78 Shamrock Crescent, +1 709 639-2754. Cross-country skiing.

Marble Mountain Ski Resort, +1 709 637-7601. A downhill ski area.

There are many Newfoundland-specific shops in Corner Brook, as there are all over the island, but a good concentration of them are on Broadway. You'll be able to find provincial flags, unofficial Newfoundland tricolour flags, traditional and contemporary music, books and art. Cheeky Newfoundland separatist t-shirts are popular. They usually read: "Free NFLD", or "Newfoundland Liberation Army". You'll also be able to pick up t-shirts and the usual items of the tourist variety at these shops.

If you're looking for non-Newfoundland shops, there are two downtowns (relics of the pre-amalgamation communities) centred on Broadway in the west part of Central Corner Brook, and West Street in east Central Corner Brook. These areas have the charm of small communities and give the visitor a more accurate feel for the Newfoundland culture.

As for the fare of generic malls, you can find those inside Corner Brook and on the outskirts of the city. Inside, there's the Valley Mall and Millbrook Mall, nestled right next to each other in the centre of the city where Main Street becomes Herald. On the outskirts, there's Murphy's Square, a collection of big box retailers, and Corner Brook Plaza, a typical city mall with a second floor in the works.

  • Dominion, 5 Murphy Square (At the Murphy Mall..
  • Sobey's, 2 Broadway St. (At the Valley Mall downtown..
  • Coleman's, 137 O'Connell Drive (On Caribou Road near Broadway..
  • More for Less, 9 Herald Avenue. A health food and bulk food store stocked with much of the ingredients for ethnic cuisine not found elsewhere.

Dominion, 5 Murphy Square (At the Murphy Mall..

Sobey's, 2 Broadway St. (At the Valley Mall downtown..

Coleman's, 137 O'Connell Drive (On Caribou Road near Broadway..

More for Less, 9 Herald Avenue. A health food and bulk food store stocked with much of the ingredients for ethnic cuisine not found elsewhere.

Firstly, expect lots of opportunities to eat seafood. Secondly, like Cape Breton, Newfoundland offers plenty of Donairs. In Corner Brook, you'll find them at nearly every pizza joint in the city (for example, Greco at 93 West Street). You'll also have no trouble finding the usual fast food culprits in every conceivable nook and cranny.

  • Aroma's Plus. A charming Newfoundland-style cafeteria.
  • Jennifer's Upper Level Restaurant, 48-50 Broadway, +1 709 632-7979. Specializes in steak and seafood. Come for the food, stay for the atmosphere.
  • Jungle Jim's. An Atlantic Canadian chain of restaurants. Similar to East Side Mario's and the like.
  • Lucky Star, 4 Humber. A Chinese-Canadian take-out place.
  • Mamateek Restaurant and Pub, Confederation Drive. Serves a wide variety of Canadian cuisine. The specialty is seafood: fresh cod, salmon, scallop, shrimp, mussels is a delight for locals and tourists alike. They also offer delicious baby back ribs (the best in Corner Brook), steak, pasta dishes, and a wide variety of sandwiches. Lunch specials noon-2PM.
  • Newfound Sushi, 117 Broadway. Corner Brook got a sushi place. We can hardly believe it either. Nicer interior and food preparation than you would expect in a small mill town.
  • Shez West, 13 West Street. Fine dining with a cozy sidewalk patio in warmer weather.
  • Somethin' Fishy, 43 Main Street. Fish & chips place with a few tables. It gets quite busy on Friday night as it's the only takeout fish & chips in town.
  • Sorrento, 18 Park St.. An elegant restaurant, screened patio overlooking the park, and cozy lounge. Vast variety of organic foods, vegan, vegetarian, seafood, lamb, steaks. Perfect portobello sun-dried tomato gourmet pizza, pear & blue cheese, rustica, stuffed crust baby spinach & organic feta. Reservations recommended.
  • Thistle's Place. An internet cafe with coffee and the works. Part of a florist on the lower level of the Millbrook Mall downtown.
  • The Wine Cellar & The Carriage Room. Two fine restaurants with a large selection of fine wines.
  • Z'S Fast Pizza, 117 Broadway, +1 709 632-FAST. Daily until 4AM. The fastest pizza in town: 7-10 min for orders, pick-ups, take out & delivery. Oven-roasted wings, home fries & donairs.

Aroma's Plus. A charming Newfoundland-style cafeteria.

Jennifer's Upper Level Restaurant, 48-50 Broadway, +1 709 632-7979. Specializes in steak and seafood. Come for the food, stay for the atmosphere.

Jungle Jim's. An Atlantic Canadian chain of restaurants. Similar to East Side Mario's and the like.

Lucky Star, 4 Humber. A Chinese-Canadian take-out place.

Mamateek Restaurant and Pub, Confederation Drive. Serves a wide variety of Canadian cuisine. The specialty is seafood: fresh cod, salmon, scallop, shrimp, mussels is a delight for locals and tourists alike. They also offer delicious baby back ribs (the best in Corner Brook), steak, pasta dishes, and a wide variety of sandwiches. Lunch specials noon-2PM.

Newfound Sushi, 117 Broadway. Corner Brook got a sushi place. We can hardly believe it either. Nicer interior and food preparation than you would expect in a small mill town.

Shez West, 13 West Street. Fine dining with a cozy sidewalk patio in warmer weather.

Somethin' Fishy, 43 Main Street. Fish & chips place with a few tables. It gets quite busy on Friday night as it's the only takeout fish & chips in town.

Sorrento, 18 Park St.. An elegant restaurant, screened patio overlooking the park, and cozy lounge. Vast variety of organic foods, vegan, vegetarian, seafood, lamb, steaks. Perfect portobello sun-dried tomato gourmet pizza, pear & blue cheese, rustica, stuffed crust baby spinach & organic feta. Reservations recommended.

Thistle's Place. An internet cafe with coffee and the works. Part of a florist on the lower level of the Millbrook Mall downtown.

The Wine Cellar & The Carriage Room. Two fine restaurants with a large selection of fine wines.

Z'S Fast Pizza, 117 Broadway, +1 709 632-FAST. Daily until 4AM. The fastest pizza in town: 7-10 min for orders, pick-ups, take out & delivery. Oven-roasted wings, home fries & donairs.

There are several bars on Union Street and several more on Broadway.

  • Crown & Moose Pub, 48 West Street (Attached to the Holiday Inn., +1 709 634-5381. A typical rural Canadian interpretation of a 'pub' (in essence, no different than any other bar but in name).
  • King Henry's Pub & the Cellar, 1B Cobb Lane (At the Glynmill Inn, +1 709 634-5181. Unlike other spots in town, these two bars have Smithwick's ale.
  • On the Rocks. A fairly cosmopolitan lounge. It often features live music on the weekends along with 2-for-1 all day & night. They offer organic espresso, latte, cappuccino. Jazz piano bar with trendy desserts and cocktails.

Crown & Moose Pub, 48 West Street (Attached to the Holiday Inn., +1 709 634-5381. A typical rural Canadian interpretation of a 'pub' (in essence, no different than any other bar but in name).

King Henry's Pub & the Cellar, 1B Cobb Lane (At the Glynmill Inn, +1 709 634-5181. Unlike other spots in town, these two bars have Smithwick's ale.

On the Rocks. A fairly cosmopolitan lounge. It often features live music on the weekends along with 2-for-1 all day & night. They offer organic espresso, latte, cappuccino. Jazz piano bar with trendy desserts and cocktails.

  • Drive down the south and north shores of the Humber Arm to take in all of the small Bay of Islands communities. Taking you along the Blow-me-down Mountain Range in the midst of the Long Range Mountains, you will be able to see the Bay of Islands as the ocean opens up in front of you. On both shores, you'll have about 50 km of road to explore, not to mention countless communities to explore on foot. Take the Captain Cook's Trail via Route 450 on the South Shore, or take Admiral Palliser's Trail via Route 440 on the North Shore.
  • Drive the Trans-Canada Highway East and take in the Humber Valley. You'll see Marble Mountain, Atlantic Canada's best downhill skiing resort, and take in roughly 50 km of breathtaking views all the way to Deer Lake. Other attractions along the way: Breakfast Mountain's Old Man in the Mountain, a rock formation resembling a man's face, Steady Brook Falls, a lovely waterfall accessible by trail that leads to a small swimming hole, and Pasadena Beach, an excellent summer swimming destination.