Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - June or Sept for trip to Nova Scotia/Newfoundland

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June or Sept for trip to Nova Scotia/Newfoundland

We are planning a trip to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland-we thought we would go in the first three weeks of June since we like the idea of more daylight but some things we have read indicate the weather may be better in the first 3 weeks of Sept-any ideas on which time would be better (and why) would be appreciated. Thanks!

The first 3 weeks of June are likely to be cold. The first 2 weeks of Sept are generally sunny but can also be cold! You are really pushing it when you head into the 3rd week in Sept.!!! Is there any way that you cld. travel durine the last 2 weeks of July & the first 2 weeks of August? IMHO those are the optimum times for visiting NS & Nfld.

Thanks for the input-we usually try to avoid summer travel because it is more crowded-we can go anytime-maybe mid August to early Sept? We are coming from Fla so cold is a treat for us-we just hope to avoid a lot of rain.

You just never can tell about the weather! While you may THINK "cold is a treat", my aunt from Florida complained bitterly in August about how "freezing" it was in Maine when she visited. If it were me, I'd check the accomodation rates, but probably pick June when the flowers are in bloom all over.

It depends on what you think is cold. I love Auguest and September here (NB). June is great, but i find a little more rainy. Hard to tell though. I remember a summer that it rained the entire month of July and all the tourists and locals were complaining.

June will be cold in Nfld. I have seen years that the icebergs were still present in the Harbour. I would recommend September. Pleasant daytime temperatures and evenings you would require a coat. Plus the bugs (blackflies) are really at their worst in June.

I was in Nova Scotia in mid-June a few years ago, and the weather was perfect. The sun was warm, the flowers were in bloom, and it felt like summertime there to me.

Tanya, thanks for reminding me - the blackflies! We had some experience with them on the Gaspe peninsula in June-so if Sept is more "blackfly" free that may be the deciding factor

The weather may be a bit better in early September than June. But its all pretty much a crap shoot here in Newfoundland. I can tell you that June would be a much better time to come to see Icebergs and Whales. And contrary to what Tanya tells you the icebergs do not come "into" St. John's Harbour. Typically if you stick to the coasts (where its usually windy) the black flies are not a problem, even in June. It only becomes a problem when you venture mostly inland into the forrested areas. And usually they arent much a of a problem then unless you are out in the early morning or dusk hours. So I wouldn't let that deter you from coming in June. The fall can also be somewhat rainy and cold sometimes. The climate does differ slightly from that in Nova Scotia as it is much more unpredictable due to the situation of the island, since it is pretty much at the confluence of the Labrador and Gulf Stream currents. It is typically cooler here in the summer. The temperatures of those two times are comparable witha mean of about 50 F, but September is typically rainier. I would check out some stats for St. John's at http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/climatology/monthly/CAXX0420 But be aware that weather for St. John's and other parts of the island can be quite different. As Susan said the prime weather times are July and August. But those times are also the busiest for tourists, so there are advantages to visiting in those off-peak times, since you don't have to deal with as many people. Either way enjoy your trip!

Pam, I forgot to ask if you were coming from NS to NF on the ferry or via air. just one thing to remember is that the ferry route that operates to Argentia (closer to St. John's) only runs from June 20-Sept 13, 2003 on Mon, Wed, Fri. It only operates on Mondays from Sept 14-29. You may be flying and this may not be of concern. This above ferry is about 14 hours with a 2 hour drive to St. John's. The other ferry (6 hour crossing) runs all year to Port-aux-Basques and leaves you with a 10-12 hour drive to St. John's. Just a thought.

Pam, "crowded" in NS is still pretty quiet compared to other tourist destinations. I haven't been to Newfoundland but I imagine it's even quieter because it's harder to get to. I would pick August.

Newfoundland in September is more predictable weather-wise than same in June. YOu can still see whales here in Sept-we did last year, both on the ferry crossing over from Sydney and later at Cape Spear, though the best is over by then (August is not crowded and a much better bet than either June or September)

Thanks for all the responses-we will be driving and had checked the ferry schedules-we did look at the weather site and June and Sept look about the same-so from what everyone is saying it looks like maybe August is the best time - we are going to check that as far as rates etc. Jonas, do you know how the roads are from Gros Morne to L'Anse aux Meadows , on the Avalon peninsula and also going to Grand Bank (we want to take the ferry to St Pierre) If you know about St Pierre-is it better to go for the day and spend the night in Grand Bank or try to spend the night in St Pierre? Thanks so much!!

The road from Gros Morne to L'anse aux Meadows is fine. Its a paved two lane highway and its a very nice drive. All of the major roads in Newfoundland (including on the Burin and Avalon Penninsulas as you mentioned) are paved and fine. The Trans Canada Highway being the best and most used highway as no doubt you can tell from the map. The one caveat about driving here is that most people do not drive at night because of the hazards of hitting a Moose. Newfoundland has a very large and healthy Moose population (especailly in Gros Morne, where the population density of Moose is about 8 per square kilometer). It is a problem and people are killed every year in these collisions. So please make sure to be careful when you drive at high speeds both day and night. It can also be foggy at times when you are near the coast. Grand Bank or Fortune (where the ferry leaves from) is not all that interesting. I would recommend staying the night in St. Pierre if you have time. I would also recommend that you stay at a B&B while there, its cheaper and a better atmosphere than the two Hotels (Neptune & Robert). Also, don't go on a weekend if you can avoid it, as most shops and mostly everything else is closed on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. Since it seems that you are travelling all over the province I would make a few recommendations. If you are going to Gros Morne don't miss the Western Brook Pond Boat Tour, the views are unbelievable!!! Be sure to book ahead of time. If you are interested in seeing Caribou and dont see any un Gros Morne think about driving the Irish Loop (Hwy 10) which loops around the southern end of the Avalon Peninsula. There is a large Caribou population which is usually sighted aloing the side of the road around the Avalon Wilderness Reserve. If you are going the Northern Peninsula, think about doing some whale watching in St. Anthony, it is an unbeleiveable experience. Otherwise there are many Whale Boat operators in Bay Bulls (just south of St. John's) that give you the opportunity to see whales, and many seabirds (including Puffins). Also recommended is Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve and the Trinity/Bonavista areas. Enjoy your trip and definitely do Gros Morne, the highlight of the Island in my opinion.

Hi I just wanted to make a point about icebergs. someone wrote a reply which said that the icebergs were 'still' near St. John's in June. It's actually the other way around. The icebergs come down fromteh artic in June and July (when thing warm up)while there is sometimes ice in the winter, icebergs are seen in the summer. While NFLD weather will be more predictable in September you will not see icebergs and the whales will be fewer.

Actually Icebergs are calved from the glacier (usually in Greenland) about a year before they arrive on the shores of Newfoundland & Labrador. During the winter after their calving they get stuck in the pack ice in the Arctic. Following the melting of the pack ice the bergs are released into the Labrador current. NFLDer is right. They usually arrive sometime in early to mid May and are usually only visible from the Avalon until July. However occassionally yhey can be sighted from the Northern Peninsula, the North coast and the Northeast coast of the Island later than that.

Thanks for all the great suggestions- going to Gros Morne was the reason we began planning this trip-and the more we have read about Newfoundland the more excited we are about visiting there. We usually try to avoid driving at night and will definitely heed the warning about moose-know that is a real danger since we have had some close calls with deer which are tiny in comparison. Also, thanks for the St Pierre info. We are going to research some places to stay and I'm sure I'll be back on here asking more questions-thanks again!! Think it will be a fantastic trip