Summary
Short description
A road trip taking in the magnificent landscapes and national parks of Newfoundland & Labrador
Highlights
- Sample a beer made from iceberg water from the Quidi Vidi brewery in St. John's
- Take a whale and puffin spotting cruise from the Avalon Peninsula
- Spot an Iceberg at St. Anthony
- Explore Gros Morne & Terra Nova National Parks
- Visit Canada's most eastern point at the Cape Spear lighthouse
In Brief
- 3 Nights St. John's
- 3 Nights Trinity
- 1 Night Twillingate
- 3 Nights Norris Point
- 2 Nights Saint Anthony
- 1 Night Norris Point
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
History & culture | Natural world | Self-drive | Wildlife
The province of Newfoundland & Labrador in Atlantic Canada is home to some of the country's most fascinating cultures and traditions, and you’ll have the chance to experience them on this tailor-made road trip. From St. John's – North America's oldest city – you’ll head for Trinity, following a scenic coastal drive along Conception Bay. After a whale watching tour, visit Terra Nova National Park at the foot of the ancient Appalachian Mountains. Finish with a stay in Gros Morne National Park with its glacial valleys. intriguing rock formations and abundant wildlife
Day by day itinerary
Days
1-2
UK > St. John's
Relax with included airport lounge access before your flight to St. John's, collect your rental car and head for your overnight accommodation, Leaside Manor a heritage manor house, overlooking the downtown and waterfront of the heart of St. John's.
Next morning explore the city with a spot of sightseeing in St. John’s. Discover the drive up Signal Hill for spectacular views and take a trip out to Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. Visit one of the provinces most photographed places, Quidi Vidi Village just outside St. John’s. You may want to stop at Quidi Vidi Brewery for a pint brewed with iceberg water.
Stay: Leaside Manor, St. John's (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
3
Avalon Peninsula, whale & puffin watching
Spend the day exploring the stunning coastline and the little villages of the Avalon Peninsula. Start your day driving to Bay Bulls for a boat excursion to see whales and the Atlantic Puffin - if you are lucky you may even spot an iceberg (May/June only). From Bay Bulls follow the Irish Loop to Ferryland, the home of the original Colony of Avalon founded by George Calvert, later Lord Baltimore, in 1621. The site of the Ferryland settlement is now being excavated, and archaeologists have uncovered over a million artefacts from the stone constructed buildings including gold rings, Portuguese ceramics, and other unusual objects.
Stay: Leaside Manor, St. John's (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
4
St. John's > Trinity
Today embark on your journey to the Bonavista Peninsula, known for its scenic and rugged coastlines. The peninsula also contains some of the oldest settlements in Newfoundland, particularly the towns of Bonavista and Trinity. Before settling in to your accommodation for the night, drive south of Trinity to New Bonaventure and visit the Random Passage Site. Constructed in 2000 for the filming of the international TV mini-series “Random Passage”, the site today provides the opportunity to step back in time and experience what life might have been like in a fishing outpost in the early 1800s.
Stay: Artisan Inn, Trinity (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
5
Trinity
Explore the enchanting village of Trinity with its restored white and pastel coloured clapboard houses. Set along a dramatic coastline you will discover a sense of Newfoundland’s history and nature. Join the Trinity Pageant, a walking theatre that meanders through the village enticing viewers to live the history of the area. If you’re feeling active, hike the short but steep 20-minute trail up Gun Hill behind the village for spectacular views of the village and surrounding areas.
Stay: Artisan Inn, Trinity (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
6
Bonavista Peninsula
Now that you have a sense of the area, venture to Port Rexton today and hike the Skerwink Trail. This very walkable trail will take you along the rugged coastline for a spectacular view of the surrounding villages set against the ocean. In the afternoon, head north to the town of Bonavista, where you can visit the Ryan Premises National Historic Site, a 19th century replica fish processing factory. In this small village you will also find the red and white striped Bonavista Lighthouse, and the Matthew Legacy, a replica of John Cabot’s ship which voyaged across the Atlantic to discover land in 1497.
Stay: Artisan Inn, Trinity (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
7
Trinity > Twillingate
Enroute to Twillingate, pass through Terra Nova National Park. If you feel the need to commune with nature, a stop will introduce you to coniferous forests, ponds, and a plethora of walking trails. Continue towards Twillingate. In Boyd’s Cove make another stop at the Beothuk Interpretive Centre and visit an ancient Beothuk village discovered by archaeologists in the 1980s. Arrive in Twillingate then grab your camera and head out on the ocean with the afternoon Iceberg Watch boat tour, where you will have an opportunity to see icebergs, whales, sunsets and many other spectacular views that the beautiful island of Twillingate has to offer.
Stay: Harbour Lights Inn, Twillingate (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
8
Twillingate > Norris Point
Bound for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gros Morne National Park, words do not give the vistas justice. The park is populated by little villages, bare topped mountains, and forests inhabited by moose and caribou.
Stay: Neddies Harbour Inn, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland (Superior)
Day
9
Western Brook Pond Cruise
The morning is free to explore the area with your rental car. Enjoy a boat tour of the freshwater fjord of Western Brook Pond. The landlocked fjord is a rare sight. Carved by glaciers, and home to plenty of waterfalls and wildlife, it’s worth the trip alone. The rest of the day is free to explore the sites of the Gros Morne National Park.
Stay: Neddies Harbour Inn, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland (Superior)
Day
10
Gros Morne National Park
Enjoy a day exploring all of Gros Morne National Park on your own viewing glacial valleys, intriguing rock formations, magnificent sea arches and numerous types of wildlife. Don’t miss the internationally known Tablelands, a rare outcrop of the Earth’s mantle pushed skyward half a billion years ago.
Stay: Neddies Harbour Inn, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland (Superior)
Day
11
Norris Point > St. Anthony
Heading toward St. Anthony, make a stop in Port Au Choix and Port Au Choix National Historic Site where three ancient cemeteries of the Maritime Archaic People were discovered. The Visitor Centre gives great background to this culture with exhibits and artefacts. Continue to St. Anthony, the ‘Iceberg Capital of the World’. Along the rugged ocean coastline you can witness the majestic wonder of whales and icebergs (note that the peak iceberg season is typically May/June and early July).
Stay: Grenfell Heritage Hotel, St. Anthony (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
12
St. Anthony > L'Anse aux Meadows
Visit the L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site comprising the remains of the earliest European settlement in the Americas. The colony of Vinland was excavated in the 1960s and the artefacts are on display supported by a film. Walk to the original village and discover the full scale replicas of Norse buildings. Return to St. Anthony for the night.
Stay: Grenfell Heritage Hotel, St. Anthony (Superior)
Day
13
St. Anthony > Norris Point
Return to Norris Point and settle in for one more night. The day is at leisure to explore the region or take in the enchanting beauty of the region.
Stay: Neddies Point Inn, Norris Point (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
14-15
Norris Point > Deer Lake > St. John's > UK
After breakfast, make the drive to Deer Lake Airport, return your car rental and board your flight to St. John's, connecting to your overnight flight back to the UK arriving on Day 14.
Meals: B
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
15-day tailor-made self-drive
from £3,040 pp incl. flights
Superior
May / Jun
from £3,040 pp. incl. flights
Jul / Aug / Sep
from £3,205 pp. incl. flights
Validity: May to September
Includes
- Complimentary UK airport departure lounge access
- Return flights between UK and St. John's, Newfoundland
- One way flight from Deer Lake to St. John's
- 13 nights accommodation - meal inclusions where stated
- 14 days car hire in an Intermediate vehicle with GPS (one way drop fee between St. John's and Deer Lake will apply - local payment)
- Whale watching excursion at Avalon Peninsula
- Iceberg spotting cruise at St. Anthony
- Western Brook Pond Cruise
- Complimentary Historic Site admission to below historic sites
- Cape Spear Lighthouse
- Castle Hill
- Gros Morne National Park
- L’Anse aux Meadows
- Terra Nova National Park
- Port au Choix
- Ryan Premises
- Signal Hill
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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