George Street is the epicenter of nightlife in all of Newfoundland and Labrador. Many St. John’s residents of all (adult) ages enjoy a trip to George Street every now and again to enjoy the sights and sounds of “North America’s biggest little street.” As with most places in the world, such a nightlife-heavy spot can create a negative reputation of the area. So, is George Street dangerous?
Is George Street Dangerous?
The answer to this question largely depends on the time of day that you find yourself on the street. During the daytime, George Street is just as safe as pretty much anywhere else in St. John’s. Not much to look out for besides beggars, but even they are not all that common.
There is definitely a shift in the street’s atmosphere once the darkness comes and bars begin filling up. Even still, our writers agree that George Street is overall quite safe for nightlife. Stabbings and assaults happen at a higher frequency compared to the rest of the city, but the chances of these happening to your average person out on the town are very rare. People at the centre of incidents such as these usually have poor decision-making abilities or are looking for trouble themselves. We are generalizing here, of course. But between the countless nights that our writers have spent on George Street, we can’t recall a single incident that made us fear for our safety.
There is definitely a shift in the street's atmosphere once the darkness comes and bars begin filling up. Click To TweetDo Any Crimes Regularly Occur?
We’ve seen crimes regularly occur, but nothing that is particularly worrisome. More often than not, in our experience, a fight or two can be witnessed on a busy weekend night. Remember though, these are often between two individuals who are not looking to involve bystanders. Marijuana use on the street and its small alleys is easily spotted and smelled as well, even since before Canada’s legalization in 2018. Besides these two, nothing comes to mind that regularly make a trip to the street dangerous.
How Can I Stay Safe on George Street?
As we’ve outlined here, George Street is generally safe at all times. To be the most cautious you can limit your visits to the daytime only, but this is not necessary and would certainly not be giving yourself the complete experience. The bars begin filling up more at midnight, so coming after dusk but before 12:00 would allow you to view the street in its nighttime glory. Still, going after midnight will be fine.
There are no bars that are noticeably more dangerous than others – even the street’s two strip clubs are quite safe. Any cases of getting ripped off by staff, drinks spiked, etc., would be purely by chance as no place on George Street has a known reputation for this.
Besides that, you just need to practice normal nightlife precautions. Beware of who you’re talking to, walk away from any potential altercation, and so on. George Street is a must-visit when in St. John’s, Newfoundland, so check out some more things to know before coming!
