Ironically, one of the most frequently asked questions by summer tourists is how we manage to navigate the streets of St. John’s during the winter months. In fairness, even on the hottest day of July, this must seem like a legitimate concern when you consider the steep inclines in the down town core, how narrow…

I recently met Zack Werner, and like most celebrity encounters in Newfoundland, it made for a great conversation and a brilliant story to share. Last week, I was heading for Green Sleeves Pub on George Street in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to celebrate ‘Musician Appreciation Night’ with my good friend Erin O’Mara. Many of you will…

Most all our guests, and I suspect nearly every person on the planet, is fascinated by the Newfoundland Dog. He is an especially noble creature whose sheer size creates an enormous presence, but his thick black mane, spotted tongue, rescue credits, and wonderful disposition, make him an easily recognizable fan favorite the world over. Unfortunately,…

I recently rang my cousin David in Toronto and was fortunate to have his wife pick up the phone first. I always enjoy speaking with Joanne and appreciate her take on everything that we think of as Canada. Joanne was raised in Toronto as a first-generation Italian Canadian, which is similar, and yet so very…

When he first moved to Corner Brook, my brother Jason asked why I insisted on introducing him as Doctor Jason McCarthy. Eh boy? Because you make me look smarter! You’re my brother. We have the same DNA, were raised in the same house, and grew up with the same crowd. When people hear that you’re…

Despite all the information, the insights, observations, interpretation, songs, jokes and stories we share, sometimes it’s the simple preparations and proper ground work that establish appropriate expectations for our guests, and this truly distinguishes a master tour guide from his peers. This past summer I was tripling down on an overnight destination, sharing the same…

A few years ago, I was providing a private tour for a professional photographer who hoped to add several iceberg shots for his upcoming exhibit in New York City. It was an opportune season for ice and he was presented with many spectacular vistas, including an ocean side cliff that towered above an iceberg that…

I talk about my family a lot when I’m on tour. My brothers, parents, cousins and uncles are my best friends and closest confidants. They are a smart and astute crowd who help form and moderate many of my views and opinions. I speak to most of them daily and no more than a week…

Just like the crowd down north claim more than 100 words to describe snow, so too does Newfoundland use a variety of terms when we talk about rain. There’s driving rain, gentle rain, sly rain, freezing rain, and my all time favorite, “wet rain”. Thankfully we don’t see “wet rain” very often, and when we…

On August 23, 2017 McCarthy’s Party was privileged to host Gloria Davies as one of their guests on our 12 Day Comprehensive Cross Island Tour of the province. Whether it was a coincidence or an occurrence of faith  this was Gloria’s second visit to the town of Gander. Exactly 63 years ago to the day,…

Newfoundland is a big island and when you add an extra day to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Red Bay and experience the magnificent coastline of south eastern Labrador, McCarthy’s Party’s ’12 Day Comprehensive Newfoundland and Labrador Tour’  has a lot of ground to cover with many amazing people, vistas, history, language, music,…

My Father tells a great story to emphasize Newfoundland’s unique concept of “time”, whenever he welcomes a group of guests on our 12 Day Comprehensive Newfoundland and Labrador adventure with McCarthy’s Party Tours.     It is terribly important for guests to understand and appreciate Newfoundland’s temporal perspective at the onset of their trip. This…

Its Canada’s 150th birthday and on this day of celebration its difficult to remember July 1st as a day of memorial for Newfoundland. But on this date in 1916 – 778 of our boys were instructed, “Over the top” and reminded to “Fall on the barbwire”, if they were shot at Beaumont Hamel during the…

A few years ago I had the great fortune to find myself guiding a private tour for a really interesting character and his family of three – him, a son of about 17, and his wife. This gentleman had recently sold a huge, advertising agency he’d created in Chicago. Now retired he had taken up…

My brother Mark has suggested that our guides provide a personal reading list of Newfoundland books we can add to their profile page on the McCarthy’s Party Tours website. This is part of our plan to familiarize our guests with their potential hosts and perhaps afford them with an opportunity to better prepare for their…