St. Barbe is home to the region's arena. The community hosts a variety of events such as broomball, skating, and hockey, as well as the annual Straits Festival each summer.
Community and business services for St. Barbe residents include a K-12 school, Viking Trail Academy (located 25 km (16 mi) south in Plum Point). Health care is provided in Port Saunders at the Rufus Guinchard Health Centre, 130 km (81 mi) south, or Straits of Belle Isle Clinic/Flowers Cove Clinic 20 km (12 mi) north. Local fire service is based in Pigeon Cove. The community also has an RV Service Centre for travellers. Additional community, recreational, and business services are found in the communities in the Plum Point area and south (130 km (81 mi)) in Hawkes Bay, Port au Choix, and Port Saunders.
In addition to the transportation connection to Labrador, the coastline and the Long Range Mountains offer incredible scenery to visiting tourists.