When planning a vacation, it’s easy to be tempted by all the exotic locations available rather than turning to our own ‘backyard’. One of my all-time favourite destination has to be Newfoundland in Eastern Canada. Depending on your departure point you can either take a ferry over (with your car) or there are domestic and international flights into St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland. Once arrived, I strongly recommend taking two to three days to explore the charming city of St. John’s and take advantage of the fresh seafood that arrives daily. Activities include climbing Signal Hill, exploring the Science Center, standing at the start of the Trans-Canada Highway, and sampling the best fish n chips. There is plenty to keep busy, but the real highlight of Newfoundland is undoubtedly the miles and miles of unspoiled outdoors. Rent a car for a week and head out to discover what the rest of the island has to offer.
View of St. John’s from Signal Hill (above) and Jellybean row (below)
There is one principle highway that follows the perimeter of the island, therefore you can’t simply ‘cut-across’ the island so it can be time consuming to drive. However, the advantage is that it makes for a scenic drive and allows you to discover the many villages that dot the coastline. Located an 8-hr drive from St. John’s is Gros Morne National Park and it is a must if you are an outdoor enthusiast or photographer. This gigantic park takes over an hour to drive north to south and east to west and has many highlights. I highly encourage you to visit the Tablelands, a unique geological formation that has a Mars-like terrain. Go sea kayaking and head out on the water to see icebergs (in season) or whales. The Long Range or North Traverse are backcountry, multi-day hikes for those fit and ready to immerse themselves in the wilderness. To relax drive to Norris Point for a lazy time on the beautiful sandy beach. Overall, I recommend at least one week for the trip to Newfoundland to really get to enjoy the different offerings the province has.
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