In A Nutshell: Newfoundland
insights • info • reviews
Best Trip Ever!
Newfoundland was one of our favourite trips ever. The friendliness of the locals is legendary for a reason. It feels like coming home even if you’re not from there. Here’s a nutshell of travel tips to help you make the most of your visit.
Our Favourite Destinations
- Gros Morne National Park
- Bonavista Peninsula
- St John’s
Off the beaten path:
- Grates Cove Studios
- Gander Airport International Arrivals Hall
Outdoor Highlights
Newfoundland is a hiking paradise. Gros Morne National Park and the East Coast Trail are highlights, but there are dozens of gorgeous hikes. Much of the coastline of Newfoundland is accessible for one-day or multi-day hikes.
Wildlife – whales and puffins! – can be seen from the shore or from tour boats. Icebergs too in spring and early summer.
- Icebergs are typically only around in the spring and early summer (May to early July) – and they don’t necessarily come every year. May/June will be c-c-c-cool so pack and dress accordingly.
- Whales are doing their thing in July and August.
- Puffins only come onshore from July until early September.
To have the best chance of ‘seeing it all’, July is your best month. But of course, that’s the busiest time too. We went in September, and the weather was (crazily) beautiful the whole time.
Indoor Highlights
Getting to know the history of the island gives you a much better understanding of why Newfoundlanders have such a strong bond with where they’re from.
- The Rooms in St John’s is a great place to start, with fascinating exhibits, collections and programs housed in a great venue (and with a great cafe too!). For example, it was here that we learned that the amount of Irish immigration to Newfoundland in the 18th century was second only to the exodus to the US. And fascinatingly, the vast majority all came from a single town in Ireland (Waterford). So it’s not surprising that there is such a strong sense of community here.
- There are lots of smaller museums dotted across towns and villages on the island, and they’re definitely worth a look. We dropped in to the Newfoundland Wooden Boat Museum and learned way more about how to build a boat than we expected to, and the Sealers Interpretation Centre gave us a new appreciation for the importance of the sealing industry in Newfoundland.
- Technically this one’s related to outdoor activities, but nevertheless the Gros Morne UNESCO Discovery Centre is amazing. It will improve your experience of the park ten-fold. We spent three hours across a couple of days, completely absorbed by the videos and info about the geology and history of the park.
- Finally, getting screech’d in to become an honourary Newfoundlander might sound corny but it’s not. It was a remarkably moving experience, and we’re so glad we did it at Christian’s Bar in St John’s.
Food and Drink
Seafood (and cod in particular) are fresh and everywhere. Newfoundland has some great restaurants, bars and craft breweries and we’ve described some of our favourites in this post. However, outside the larger cities most places are closed early in the week (Monday – Wednesday) and options can be limited to deep fried food of every variety. While poutine and fish and chips can be fun for a few days, you might want to consider self-catering sometimes.
Tip: If you’re cooking for yourself, be aware that many small towns only have a corner store selling basic items. Plan ahead to hit an actual grocery store on your way in. If you’re staying in Gros Morne, go food shopping in Deer Lake before you arrive.
Tip: For fresh fish to cook yourself, take a walk down to the wharf in any small town and ask if you can buy some fish or seafood.
Getting There
However you’re getting there (flying or ferry), make sure you book well in advance! Rental cars are very limited on the island. We’d suggest booking 12 months (yep) in advance.
When to Go
Many tourist facilities like restaurants and tours only operate between late May and mid-September. The peak season is July and August, but even then there really aren’t too many people around, especially once you’re away from the main sights.
The ‘goldilocks’ time with the best chance of seeing icebergs, whales and puffins but also having warmish weather, is early July.
Before You Go
Remember to pack warm clothes and a rain jacket – even in the middle of summer it can get wet and cold.
Go and see the musical Come From Away.
Visit these websites to understand the importance of Newfoundland in understanding our world:
They just may change your itinerary!