There’s just something about Newfoundland.
Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada’s easternmost province, and in many ways it’s a world apart from the rest of North America. On our road trip through Atlantic Canada last fall, we spent 18 days traveling around Newfoundland island (we’ll save mainland Labrador for another trip). Of the five provinces we visited on that epic journey, Newfoundland seemed the wildest and wooliest – and in many ways, the most fascinating. Here’s everything that enchanted us about Newfoundland.
Europeans landed in Newfoundland around 1000 AD, beating Columbus to the “New World” by about 500 years. The L’Anse aux Meadows archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the island marks the spot where the Norse explorer Leif Erikson landed and established the first, and possibly the only, confirmed Viking settlement in North America.
At least twice (and probably lots more), Newfoundland has stepped up to help in a disaster. When the RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, the Cape Race Marconi wireless station in Newfoundland was the first to receive its distress messages and pass them along to rescue vessels. And in more modern times, on Sept. 11, 2001, the town of Gander played host to more than 6,600 people as part of “Operation Yellow Ribbon.” These were the passengers and crew from 42 flights that were forced to be rerouted when Canadian and US airspace was closed after the 911 attacks.
Newfoundland made communications history in 1901, when Guglielmo Marconi received the world’s first transatlantic wireless message on Signal Hill in the provincial capital, St. John’s. The signal traveled over 3,400 km across the Atlantic from Cornwall, England, overcoming doubters who thought the Earth’s curvature would block the transmission.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only Canadian province with its own time zone, including a quirky 30-minute offset that puts the province a half hour ahead of Atlantic Standard Time.
The easternmost point in North America is Cape Spear, near St. John’s on the Avalon Peninsula. Here you can visit a beautiful, historic lighthouse and experience the first sunrise on the continent.
Newfoundland and Labrador is not considered a Maritime province. That’s because Newfoundland remained a separate dominion of the British Empire until it joined the Canadian Confederation in 1949 (with the province’s name changed to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001). The three Maritime provinces – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island – had joined the Canadian Confederation as a group almost a century before.
THE COLORFUL CAPITAL: ST. JOHN’S
We loved our stopover in St. John’s, a quaint and oh-so-friendly city steeped in history and Newfoundland lore. The most easterly city in North America, St. John’s is also one of the oldest (some say the oldest). Today, it’s a bustling seaport but still retains its quirky charm.
Jellybean Row Houses
One of the first things you’ll notice about St. John’s is the rainbow-hued row houses occupying a large swath of the downtown area. There are all sorts of theories about how the colors came to be. Most likely the trend began in the 1970s, when the locals were looking for a way to liven up their city and spread some cheer during the drab, cold winters. The only rule is that no two adjacent houses can be painted the same color.
The Rooms: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Provincial Museum
Billed as Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest cultural space, The Rooms is a must-see for St. John’s visitors. t’s named for the traditional fishing shacks, called rooms, that you see at virtually every waterfront and on the end of every dock in Newfoundland. The building pays tribute to that heritage with its gabled architecture, housing an extraordinary array of artifacts from virtually every aspect of Newfoundland culture.
We were especially moved by the large and beautifully presented exhibit on Newfoundland’s participation in the First World War. The Dominion of Newfoundland (this was well before it joined the Canadian Confederation) suffered catastrophic losses during WWI; in one battle, almost an entire regiment was wiped out. For such a small and sparsely populated country, Newfoundland lost a huge percentage of its young men. War is hell.
Signal Hill
Now a national monument, Signal Hill looms high over The Narrows, the entrance to St. John’s main harbor. Signal Hill offers a natural fortification that has served as a vital defense for St. John’s in every North American war since the American Revolution. Today it’s laced with hiking trails and sweeping views of the harbor and the Atlantic.
Quidi Vidi
Now a neighborhood within St. John’s, Quidi Vidi is a historic fishing village on a small natural harbor. Its origins reach back to the 17th century, when fishermen would arrive each spring from England to tend their fishing “rooms” and process their catches through the summer. Quidi Vidi is filled with beautifully maintained historical homes and buildings. A must-visit, of course, is Quidi Vidi Brewery.
Cape Spear
Located about a half hour’s drive from St. John’s, the Cape Spear National Historic Site is well worth a visit. In addition to the monumental lighthouse shown in the introduction, visitors can tour the beautifully restored lighthouse keeper’s residence and marvel at the ocean vistas from North America’s most easterly point.
The Crow’s Nest Officer’s Club
This place isn’t easy to find, but it’s well worth a visit. The Crow’s Nest opened in World War II to provide a retreat for officers of the Newfoundland Escort Force, which offered critical protection for Allied convoys against German attacks. A functioning naval officer’s club to this day (the public is welcome), the Crow’s Nest is part bar, part living museum. Oozing with atmosphere, it’s filled with interesting artifacts – such as a periscope from a captured German u-boat (how it got there is an amazing story!). The staff, many of whom are retired officers of the Royal Canadian Navy, are happy to tell you story after story about the Crow’s Nest and Newfoundland’s support of Allied defenses.
The Newman Wine Vaults
Dating back to the late 1700s, these brick and stone vaulted wine cellars are among the oldest still-standing structures in St. John’s. The cellars were once used by the English mercantile firm of Newman and Company to age port wine. On the guided tour, we learned about the 300-year connection between wine produced in sunny Portugal, aged in the cool climate of Newfoundland, and enjoyed by England’s aristocracy for generations.
BONAVISTA AND TRINITY
Located about an hour’s drive from each other, Bonavista and Trinity are two of the oldest towns in North America (from a European perspective, anyway). We based ourselves for four days in Bonavista, which gave us plenty of time to explore this beautiful area.
Bonavista is the bay where the explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto, since he was Italian) supposedly landed in 1497. The town’s name came from Cabot, who was heard to exclaim “O Buon Vista” when he first spotted the land after crossing from Bristol, England aboard his ship, the Matthew. In Bonavista, be sure to check out the full-scale replica of the Matthew, the Ryan Premises National HIstoric Site, and the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse.
Trinity is a tiny fishing village filled with beautifully restored buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. The area’s roots run back to the late 1500s, when Portuguese and English fishing fleets first began using the natural harbor for the summer fishing season. Over the following centuries, the town evolved into an important center for trade and a headquarters for English merchants.
GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK
If you’re a geology buff, you’ll be enchanted by this beautiful national park. A UNESCO World Heritage site and a geological wonderland, Gros Morne is a rare example of the process of continental drift, where deep ocean crust and the mantle lie exposed. Gros Morne rock is among the world’s most ancient, at 1.1 billion years old! It’s no wonder that the landscapes are so dramatic and stunning: They’ve been shaped by hundreds of millions of years of glaciation and plate tectonics.
OTHER INTERESTING TOWNS
Dildo
Yes, you read that right! Dildo is a charming seaside village dating to the early 1700s. There are all sorts of theories on the name’s origins, including one that isn’t a far stretch from today’s meaning. The Dildo Brewery is a nice place for a lunch stop, and (go figure!) does a bustling business in branded merchandise. So much so that there’s also a Dildo Brewery retail shop in St. John’s.
Harbor Grace
This pretty town’s main claim to fame is Amelia Earhart, who set off from here in 1932 to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. In a stunning moment of aviation history, Earhart landed in a field in Northern Ireland almost 15 hours later. Harbor Grace maintains an impressive waterside monument to Earhart, complete with a bronze statue that was stolen early last year. It was still missing when we were there, but recently has been found and restored. Here’s an interesting story about the whole affair.
Brigus
Brigus is yet another gorgeous, historic seaside village worthy of a morning stop.
Corner Brook
We passed through Corner Brook twice – on the way up towards St. John’s, and then coming back down for a night stop before boarding the ferry back to Nova Scotia. Corner Brook is a large industrial center, but it’s very scenic and has a cozy, small-town feel. It’s one of the cities we visited on this trip where we could picture ourselves living (if it weren’t for those pesky cold winters!).
GOOD EATS
In St. John’s, we enjoyed Oliver’s for a relaxed, elegant lunch; Piatto for excellent wood-fired pizza; and Quidi Vidi Brewery for outstanding fish tacos and microbrews. In Bonavista, check out Skipper’s at the Harbor Quarters Inn for excellent seafood and live music.
The real culinary revelation of this visit was in a place we didn’t expect, Gros Morne National Park. There, we came across two world-class restaurants, both in the tiny town of Norris Point: Chanterelles at the Sugar Hill Inn, and the Black Spruce at Neddie’s Harbor Inn.
OUR LODGING
We stayed in seven different hotels, inns, and apartments on our journey through Newfoundland. These three really stood out.
St. John’s: Water Street Condos
We loved our snug and cozy studio apartment on the top floor of this century-old house. It’s conveniently located within walking distance of the St. John’s waterfront and many local attractions.
Bonavista: Ellis House B&B
We’ll always remember the hospitality shown us by Reigh, the proprietor of this beautiful and historic inn just a block from the Bonavista waterfront. Reigh’s breakfasts were spectacular!
Rocky Harbor: Candlelight Inn
This cozy inn, occupying a former Salvation Army mission, is situated in the heart of Gros Morne National Park and offers a perfect base for exploring this scenic area.
A FEW OTHER TIPS
Getting there. Since we were traveling by car, we took the overnight ferry operated by Marine Atlantic from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. We had a long drive ahead of us the next day, so we opted for a private cabin to get some sleep.
Get Screeched In. OK, this seems so corny and touristic – but over and over, Newfoundlanders asked us if we had been screeched in yet. And, hey, if it was good enough for Anthony Bourdin, why not?
What is screeching in, exactly? It’s billed as a rite of passage for newcomers, and it might involve kissing a fish and tossing back a shot of truly awful firewater known as Newfoundland Screech. Once you’re done, you’re proclaimed an honorary citizen of Newfoundland. The most popular spot for getting screeched in is Christian’s Pub in St. John’s, where a character named Skipper Lukey will regale you with tales of the Newfoundland of yore and then conduct the screeching-in ceremony. Corny? Totally. But it’s lots of fun.
Read this. The book “The Colony of Unrequited Dreams” by Wayne Johnston first ignited our imaginations about Newfoundland many years ago. It’s a fictionalized portrayal of Joey Smallwood, the real-life politician that ushered Newfoundland into the Canadian Confederation in 1949. The book weaves true elements of Joey’s life and times with compelling fictional characters and a storyline that spans decades. For us, it really captures the mystique of Newfoundland and the fierce pride of its people.
Call-out to fellow bloggers. We’re grateful to Monkey’s Tale, another travel blog that has given us loads of inspiration. We got many of our ideas from this trip, and others, from their great content. Gracias, amigos!
Next Up: Adventures in Nova Scotia
26 Comments
Gorgeous shots! Looks beautiful. Also “screeching in” and dildo! Hilarious.! Xx
Hi Les! Thanks for reading. Newfoundland is really special – hope you two can travel there someday!
Wonderful overview and photos, Susan and John. The colorful houses, charming towns and rugged landscape make for quite an adventure. And now you’ve screeched! 🤣👏🏻
Thanks so much, Jane! Yup, Newfies for life 🙂
What a great destination, Susan! I’d love to explore Newfoundland one day in a camper and really take our time, one summer. When we explored the Maritime Provinces in 2018, we didn’t have time (or the budget) to add the island to our itinerary. One day…
Why did you stay at seven different places over 18 days? That seems like a lot. Was it planned, as in a couple of nights in each place, because the towns were far away from each other or was there another reason?
Liesbet,
I dearly hope you, Mark, and Maya take the opportunity to visit Newfoundland someday. John and Susan wrote an excellent overview of the sights in the province. To answer your question about why they stayed where they did, my supposition is that the distances are much longer that you might think, so a lot of backtracking would be necessary if you saw as much as they did. Plus, the province is not known for its great roads to out it mildly, so driving between sights also takes longer than expected!Two other tips I’d make is to make reservations far in advance, as accommodations fill up fast, and understand that the travel season is quite short. We found when we were there in the third week of June, for instance, that a number of sights we’d hoped to see we’re still closed because university students weren’t yet out for the summer to staff the museums, etc. Something to keep in mind! John and Susan may have had a different experience of course!
Over to them now…
Thanks so much for replying to my comment here, Annie. I appreciate it. I’m hoping to visit with our own camper one of these decades, so maybe the season and availability of accommodation is not that important when traveling and visiting this way. I hate planning – and booking – ahead. 🙂
Thanks so much, Annie – you saved me a more detailed reply to Liesbet 🙂 But everything you said was true – and the advice about booking early is good. That’s especially true for the ferries, which book up far in advance. Appreciate your comment!
Hi Liesbet! Hope you guys can do Newfoundland someday. We saw lots of campers and RVs on the roads and on the ferries, so I think it’s really doable.
I see Annie below offered up the perfect answer to your question about our lodging. She stated it well: Newfoundland is a big, spread-out place, and we felt we had to base ourselves in several different places to really experience it properly. As usual, your mileage might vary! 🙂
I can’t wait to visit Newfoundland, it’s high on my list. But I don’t see it happening anytime soon, unfortunately, which means for now I’ll have to settle for virtual tours… so thanks for taking me along with you!
I can’t wait to visit Newfoundland, it’s high on my list. But I don’t see it happening anytime soon, unfortunately, which means for now I’ll have to settle for virtual tours… so thanks for taking me along with you!
(Sorry if this sent more than once)
Thanks so much, Diana! Hope you can visit Atlantic Canada in person someday. It’s a really special place. Have a great day!
John and Susan, Congrats on your great recap on one of my favorite trips ever! What time of the year were you there? I ask because we had issues with places not open because was too early in season (late June) for university students to act as tour guides. I’ve just coincidentally begun to continue writing about our trip to The Rock!
Thanks so much, Annie! We can see why you love Newfoundland so much. It’s interesting – we talked to many Canadians in other provinces who said they’d never been there. I guess it’s because it’s further away and harder to get to. We were there for all of September and most of October, and didn’t encounter the problem of too few students; I guess we were lucky. Looking forward to your post about this amazing place!
I’ve not heard much about Newfoundland until this post, and it looks like such a gorgeous part of Canada, let alone in the world! The towns and villages throughout are colorful and certainly call back to the province’s sea-faring history and industry today. Never heard about screeching, but what a cheeky custom! My partner and I are very curious in visiting Newfoundland and the nearby Maritime provinces some day, so your posts will come very handy when the time comes. Thanks for sharing your adventures 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! You two will love Newfoundland. Looking forward to reading about your visit!
I remember Maggie’s blog post about how interesting St. John’s was, and now you further confirmed that. I didn’t know that Newfoundland only joined Canada in 1949, and this only makes me even more curious about the province’s history. I love that tradition of screeching in! It looks corny, yes, but it also looks fun!
Hi Bama – yes, the history of Newfoundland is interesting in so many ways. Newfies have always been trailblazers, and that continues to this day.I have to go and find Maggie’s post about St. John’s now!
I’m so glad you loved Newfoundland as much as we did. The people, the towns, the sea views, the quirkiness, it has everything! And you were able to see quite a lot. I didn’t know about the Portuguese wine connection, only the Jamaica rum. Thanks for the shout out!! Maggie
Hi Maggie! Sorry I’m so late with my reply. Your blogs are so helpful to us. We really need to find a way to make our paths cross someday. 🙂
It looks absolutely amazing, you’ve really added Newfoundland to my radar – we’d love the museums, lovely colourful streets and that old pub is incredible!!
Hi Hannah! Sorry for my tardy reply. I hope you can visit Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada someday!
WoW! You’ve inspired me too! Many thanks, Mel
Hi Mel! Thanks back to ya 🙂 Hope all is well with you.
– Susan
Wonderful photos! I would love to visit Newfoundland one day… I have a friend who lives in St John’s.
Thanks for reading! Hope you can visit your friend someday. Maybe in the summer, though? 🙂 It’s looking pretty cold up there right now!