look for : accomodations in the St. Mary's Bay Area, New Foundland
 

Thank you all who have been helping me with this January 2005 trip!

I need more expertise! Coming from Trinity , following the coast: Arnold's Cove towards Placentia to St. Mary's Bay, I am looking for an overnight stay (B&B, Inn ) before returning to St. John's... recommendations??? Or in January, should I count on the trip from Trinity as a 4 hour tour with occassional stops and not do an overnight in the St. Mary's area, just head back to St. John's?
Thanks! Jan

Hi jtp,

Just want to confirm - do you want to go to St. Mary's Bay or Cape St. Mary's?
Placentia ,is , quite naturally, on Placentia Bay and Cape St. Mary's is at the very mouth of Placentia Bay.
Cape St. Mary's is 99% sure to be inaccessable in January.
St. Mary's Bay is the next bay to the east of Placentia Bay.

Your '4 hour tour' from Trinity to St. John's might end up being 10 hours or you might be snowed in.....
I don't by any means want to be an alarmist but Nfld. highway driving in winter, as in any other similar climate involves preparation including having an emergency kit, blankets etc with you. Make sure your vehicle has snow tires - not all weather tires.

There is a long stretch of the trans-Canada Hwy as one is coming on to the Avalon Peninsula with nearly no trees , so the wind can howl across here causing white outs and some nasty drifting.

If you do mean St. Mary's Bay please advise and I might have a suggestion or two.

cheers

Jerry

Jerry!
Thank you for your response. I was drawn to the Cape St. Mary's area from Patrick O'Flaherty's Come Near at Your Peril (as recommended here!) My thought was, leaving Trinity (in a rented car...thank you for your recommendations and please offer more!) we would drive along the coast down towards St. Mary's Bay and stay one night(in this area) before moving on to St. John's (the last few days before heading back to the U.S.)
This is a totally different question, but the map I am using as my primary source shows an apirport near Harbour Grace and on Bonavista Peninsula two airports (one near Little Catalina and the other near 230 and 232) but I can't find additional informaiton about them despite many many google searches, do you know anything about these ports?


Thanks again for your help,
Jan

jtp

Please excuse me if this sounds rude - it is not intended to be in any way - but Cape St. Mary's is not on St. Mary's Bay nor is it accessible in January. It is not infrequent for the road out to the Cape to be closed until late April.

Cape St. Mary's is a wonderful place in late spring and summer - but not in the dead of winter.
If you do decide to travel down through Placentia the road between Placentia and St. Bride's is very scenic in any season- if the weather is good. A good place to stay in St. Bride's is the Bird Island Resort which would likely be about $65 Cdn per night.

The 2 airports you mention must be very small private air fields. Both of the communities mentioned are small. The only sizeable airports in that general area are at St. John's and Gander.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Jerry

I did not mean to imply that Cape St. Mary was in St. Mary's Bay, that was the route I wanted to take back towards St. John's. (On the map I am using, it looks like Routes: 100 - 92 - 91 - 90 and then 10 beyond Witless Bay will bring me back to St. John's. (Do you think these roads are or are not accessible in January?)
Today's New York Times - Travel Section (to my delight & surprise) was an article about Newfoundland, and they recommend the Atlantica Inn & Restaurant (St. Bride's) I also found a mention of the Bird Island Resort from a computer search, which would you recommend?

Thanks again!
Jan

(Thanks for clearing up the airport vs air filed question)

Say Jerry, I have been pricing air fares...what do you know about Jetsgo? They are not booking this far ahead from January, but their prices are far lower then Air Canada.

Hi,

Jetsgo is fine, although they have a fairly limited schedule. Sometimes the Air Canada 'Tango' fares can be as good or better.

Regarding the Atlantica Inn - there are 3 motels /lodges in St. Bride's and the Atlantica is by far the least desirable of the three. It is not even close to the Bird Island Resort in amenities and is probably $20 Cdn per night cheaper. They do have the only restaurant in town but are a 5 minute walk from the other lodgings.

Jerry