Great Itineraries

If You Have 3 Days

Pick either the west or east coast of Newfoundland. On the west coast, after arriving by ferry at Port aux Basques, drive through the Codroy Valley, heading north to Gros Morne National Park and overnight in nearby Rocky Harbour or Woody Point. The next day, visit L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, where the Vikings built a village a thousand years ago. Spend the night in St. Anthony or nearby.

On the east coast, the ferry docks at Argentia. Explore the Avalon Peninsula, beginning in St. John's, where you should spend your first night. The next day visit Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, and the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, where you can see whales, seabirds, and icebergs. Drive through Placentia and spend Day 3 at Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, known for its gannets and dramatic coastal scenery.

If You Have 6 Days

On Newfoundland's west coast, add southern Labrador to your trip. A ferry takes you from St. Barbe to Blanc Sablon on the Québec-Labrador border. Drive 96 km (60 mi) to Red Bay to explore the remains of a 17th-century Basque whaling station; then head to L'Anse Amour to see Canada's second tallest lighthouse. Overnight at L'Anse au Clair. Return through Gros Morne National Park and explore Corner Brook, where you should spend the night. The next day, travel west of Stephenville to Port au Port Peninsula, home of Newfoundland's French-speaking population.

On the east coast add Trinity to your must-see list, and spend the night there or in Clarenville. The north shore of Conception Bay is home to many picturesque villages, including Cupids and Harbour Grace. Several half-day, full-day, and two-day excursions are possible from St. John's: in each direction a different personality of the region unfolds.

If You Have 9 Days

In addition to the places already mentioned on the west coast, take a drive into central Newfoundland and visit the lovely villages of Notre Dame Bay. Overnight in Twillingate. Catch a ferry to Fogo or the Change Islands.

On the east coast add the Burin Peninsula and a trip to France—yes, France—to your itinerary. You can reach the French territory of St-Pierre and Miquelon by passenger ferry from Fortune. Explore romantic Grand Bank, named for the famous fishing area just offshore, and climb Cook's Lookout in Burin, where Captain James Cook kept watch for smugglers from St-Pierre.