Where is Newfoundland? I’m glad you asked!
Newfoundland (pronounced locally as Newf’nland, with the stress on ‘land’) or Terre-Neuve in French, is a mystical and whimsical island in Eastern Canada’s Gulf of St Lawrence.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Newfoundland Time Zone
The island is pretty unique in that it has it’s own time zone, let’s call it the Newfoundland Time Zone. Locally, people call it Newfoundland Standard Time (NST). So if you’ve ever asked, ‘what time is it in Newfoundland?’, it is 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Time, (observed in the Maritime provinces, of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia). Or three and a half hours behind UTC.
Why is there a Newfoundland Time Zone?
Would you believe that Newfoundland was once an independent country? Between 1907 and 1949 it was a dominion under the British Crown, just like Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It was during that time that the Newfoundland Time Zone originated. Technically, it should be the timezone observed all throughout the entire Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) province, but most of Labrador likes Atlantic time better.
Crossing The Gulf of St Lawrence to See The Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada
There are only two ways to reach the island of Newfoundland; by plane or by ferry. There are no roads joining Newfoundland to mainland Canada.
From Nova Scotia, you can get the Newfoundland ferry to one of two towns; Port-aux-Basques in the west and Argentia in the east.
There is only one company, Marine Atlantic, operating the Newfoundland ferry routes and they’re not cheap.
The sailing to Argentia is 280 nautical miles and costs CA$234.19 for yourself and your car. It takes 16 hours. It also only sails three times a week from June to September.
Newfoundland Ferry to Port-aux-Basques
The Newfoundland ferry to Port-aux-Basques is less than half the price and travels half the distance of the ferry to Argentia.
Year-round daily sailings to Port-aux-Basques Newfoundland costs CA$114.19. This route is only 96 nautical miles and takes seven hours.
There are day time and overnight sailings.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Deer Lake
About a two and a half hour drive along the western coast of Newfoundland will bring you to Deer Lake.
Deer Lake is the both the name of a settlement and the name of the nearby lake.
Interestingly, it was named for Caribou, which early settlers mistook for deer.
You need to cross the one-way Nicholsville Bridge over the Humber River in Deer Lake.
Deer Lake is the gateway to the Viking Trail and Gros Morne National Park.
The Viking Trail, One of the Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada
The Viking trail in Newfoundland is a 526 kilometre road from Deer lake all the way up to Saint Lunaire-Griquet on the remote northwest coast of Newfoundland.
As the Viking Trail road ends at the northwest tip of Newfoundland, if you want to do the whole Viking Trail in Newfoundland, you will need to back track several hundred kilometres. The round trip back to Deer Lake would be around 1050 kilometres. Or you could just back track for two hours to St Barbe, where you can get a ferry to Quebec.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Gros Morne National Park
The Viking Trail in Newfoundland also runs through Gros Morne National Park. If you want a shorter trip, you can just do the Viking Trail through the park.
The Gros Morne National Park is listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Not only is it the second biggest national park in Atlantic Canada, it is also a natural and geological wonder. Some of the processes that created the topography of the park include erosion through glacial movements over millennia.
Burridge’s Gulch in the Gros Morne National Park
An example of one of these processes is Burridge’s Gulch.
If you look closely at the middle of the picture you can see what looks like a ‘U’ that has been carved out of the hill.
This is called a hanging valley.
It’s basically a small valley that has been created in the wall above the main valley.
Other examples of hanging valleys in the Gros Morne National Park can be found near St Paul’s Inlet and Western Brook Pond.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Southeast Brook Falls in the Gros Morne National Park
Not far from Burridge’s Gulch, you’ll find the Southeast Brook Falls.
These falls probably have the best view to exertion ratio of any falls I’ve encountered across the world.
That’s to say there is almost no exertion required for a bloody awesome view.
This hike is less than one kilometre return on a mostly flat and vibrant forest trail.
It is calm, colourful, peaceful and scenic.
Other Things to do and See in Gros Morne National Park
Besides hanging valleys and waterfalls, the Gros Morne National Park has many hiking trails leading to fjords, rivers, coastal walks, historic sites and tabletop formations that are rarely seen above ground.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Bishops Falls in Central Newfoundland
Just like many other places in Newfoundland, Bishops Falls is the name of a settlement as well as a natural feature near the settlement. The town was named after the falls on Exploits River.
But Bishops Falls are a little bit different to your average waterfalls.
They have been partially dammed to provide hydroelectric power for the area.
Some people might think that the dam takes away from the natural beauty of the falls, but the fact that they are being used to generate a clean, renewable source of power makes them more attractive to me.
Gander Newfoundland – Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada
Moving on to Eastern Newfoundland, you’ll find a small town that unwittingly became a major stop for transatlantic flights due to it’s position on the map.
Back in the 1950s and 60s, when aircraft didn’t have the range they do today, Gander, Newfoundland was a refueling stop for most flights from Europe to the USA.
The Gander International Airport was know as the Newfoundland Airport in those times. The huge part that Gander Newfoundland played in aviation history is on display at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland – Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest in Gander Newfoundland
Gander is also home to the Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest. This is a free, interpretive provincial reserve where you can learn about conservation initiatives and forest management in Newfoundland and Labrador.
It’s full of short and relatively easy walking/hiking trails, generally suitable for families. They are a great way to explore the area. If you’re short on time, just hop on one of the shorter trails, or if you have all day, you could probably do all the trails.
Don’t forget to check out Gander’s heritage trails and the Gander Heritage Memorial Park in the town centre.
Iceberg Alley – Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada
We’ll head a little bit north of Gander now to probably the most awesome of the top attractions in Newfoundland; icebergs!
In the middle of summer, no less!
I was more than a little excited to visit Iceberg Alley
I mean, how often do you get to see icebergs?
I chose Twillingate as my viewing spot in Iceberg Alley, but in truth you can see the icebergs from almost any point along the Newfoundland coast.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Icebergs, Cafes and Lighthouses in Twillingate
Twillingate isn’t just about the icebergs though.
It’s a quaint little town that has a ridiculously large amount of cafes for a place with a population of just over 2000.
They are not the cheapest, but I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world where you can look out the window and see icebergs while sipping your tea or coffee.
You’ll also find the very bright Long Point Lighthouse just a few minutes from the centre of Twillingate.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – St George Church and Mini Church in Boyd’s Cove
Most people, even those who are non-religious, can appreciate the beauty of a nice historic church.
Boyd’s Cove is a short drive south of Twillingate and the St George church there is pretty cool by itself.
What’s even more endearing is that the St George Church has a mini me!
Isn’t it just adorable?
Whimsical Place Names and Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada
As you head east in Newfoundland, the place names get a bit, um.. let’s say whimsical.
Would you believe that one of the main reasons I went to Newfoundland was to say that I had visited a town in the east with a phallic moniker. I’ve been to Hell, Norway and Fucking, Austria, so why not Dildo, Newfoundland?
To be fair, Dildo Newfoundland got it’s name back in the 18th century, when the word ‘dildo’ had a different meaning.
But the residents have decided they’re keeping it. In fact, the town motto is ‘Our name will never change!’. Good on them.
Dildo Newfoundland – More Than Just a Funny Name
If you spend any amount of time in Dildo Newfoundland, you’ll realise that the town is quite beautiful and charming.
You could see a whale in Dildo Bay.
Or meet local celebrity, Captain Dildo.
And not far down the road from Dildo, you may just Come by Chance.
I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on that one.
Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada – Skerwick Trail, Port Rexton
The Skerwink Trail in Port Rexton is a very highly rated North American hike and it’s not hard to see why!
It’s got lakes. It’s got coastal waters, beaches and cliffs. It’s got dirt roads and forest trails.
All of that in a loop of just over 5 kilometres.
I got there at 9:40pm and was afraid that I would only be able to do a short section of the trail before it got dark.
I managed to finish the loop in under an hour.
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16 Replies to “Top Attractions in Newfoundland Canada”
It seems that Newfoundland has so much to explore. Gros Morne National Park is definitely something I would love to explore. Those icebergs look fascinating!
Yes, there is so much to see. The icebergs are amazing.
Newfoundland looks beautiful! I especially love this place because I have a Newfoundland dog :)
Ohhh, I love Newfoundland dogs. I feel so sorry for the few of them I see here, because I live in the tropics and they are definitely not built for the tropics with their thick coats.
I’ve always wanted to go to Newfoundland! It looks so beautiful, especially Gros Morne NP. Also, I had no idea that Newfoundland has its own timezone!!
Yes, it’s such a beautiful place.
Love this curated list of the top attractions in Newfoundland, Canada. It’s a beautiful region! Must visit!
Yes, it’s certainly a beautiful island!
This is a great list! That’s interesting about the time zone! I definitely want to visit one day!
It’s a great place to visit.
What a beautiful region! And I had no idea that Newfoundland was once an independent country. I would love to visit one day, especially Iceberg Alley. It looks really cool! :)
Iceberg Alley was definitely the highlight!
What a great list of top attractions. Would love to visit this region. Whale watching would be atvthe top of my list!
Yes. I saw a few whales along the way!
Amazing photos it looks like there are quite a few things to do there
Yes! A lot to see and do!