Roadtrip from NY to Newfoundland. Any suggestions or tips?
 

Hello all,

I am planning a road trip from NY to Newfoundland. I am debating on how long I should stay in each area due to buying ferry tickets and campground reservations. I do not have a major time constraint. I also want to factor in bad weather that will prevent me from doing outdoor activities. I will be going for roughly 3-4 weeks during end of July- early August. I am traveling alone

Can you please suggest how long you think is sufficient in each park? Any favorite campgrounds, places to eat, hikes, photography spots or golf courses?

Here is my rough itinerary and thoughts so far.Fundy National Park Of Canada - 4 nights most likely at Headquarter Campground

• Kayak to Mathews Head
• Hike Matthews's head
• Moosehorn Hike
• Fundy National Golf Course
• Swim

From Fundy to Cape Brenton

• Stop at Hopewell Rocks
• Stop by 5 Islands

Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada - Drive counter clockwise, 1 night at Ingonish, 1 night at Broadcove, 2 nights at Cap-Rouge or Cheticamp. 4 Nights

• Drive the whole Cabot trail, stop along the viewpoint rest stops
• ​​​​​​​Skyline Trail
• Franey Trail hike
• Cape Brenton Highland Golf Course
• Cabot Cape Brenton Golf Course

Gros Morne National Park Of Canada/Newfoundland, 1 night at Trout Pond, 2 nights at Berry Hill or Green Point, 1 Night at Shallow Bay, 2 nights in Pistolet Bay, 1 night near Deer lake or Corner Brook on the way back to the ferry

Near Trout Pond

• ​​​​​​​Tableland Trail Hike to the top past the regulars path
• Green Gardens Trail

Near Berry Hill/Green point

• I'd like to do one big hike. I am debating doing the Gros Morne Mountain Hiking Trail or going through BonBon to do the Western Brook Pond Trail. Any suggestions on which?
• Western Brook Boat Tour(If i do not do the Western Brook Pond trail)
• Gros Morne Golf Course
• I'd like to factor in bad weather here to not miss out on Gros Morne Hike

Driving North

• The Arches Provicial Park
• L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
• Burnt Cape
• Saint Lunaire-Griquet, Dark Tickle for a boat tour?

Thanks!

Wow, you've done plenty of studying on your own.


As a function of that, I have less and less to critique about your itinerary.

I don't know Newfoundland at all, so I can't help there.

Nor am I truly a hiker... though strangely I've been on a handful of hikes in Nova Scotia.


I'm half inclined to suggest that you at least look into spending a night near/at the lighthouse at Cape D'or, NS...

then take that long, calm path along the bay shore toward Five Islands.


But gosh, I think you've done enough solid research and planning that somehow it challenges readers to even have anything that would add to your ideas.

Thanks. Makes me feel better about the itinerary I've made.

Do you think it's worth going to the bay and 5 islands? I don't know if there's much to really see and might want to save the driving for visiting PEI on the drive home.

Anything else in between Fundy and Cape Brenton Island worth seeing?

I generally lean away from saving a (good travel idea) to do on the way home.

Far too many such (good ideas) are set aside and then never completed.


As to Five Islands.

It boils down to this:

Moncton to Truro is 1 hr. 42 minutes by fastest driving route.

To add Parrsboro (/Five Islands) to the trip adds 45 minutes of driving time.


I would much rather drive along the Fundy shore than drive along the highway.


IF you're willing to boost the driving time from Moncton to Truro to 3.5 hours, then you could take the path along Chignecto Bay, toward Advocate Harbour, and then through Parrsboro and on to Five Islands and Truro.

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs are down that way... and you can pay for the grand tour if you want to take the time.

Advocate Harbour is one of those Fundy places where low tide finds the water waaaaaaaaaaaaaay out there, and boats tied to docks while sitting in the mud, waiting for the tide to come back.

It's a fun scene that plays tricks on the mind.

And Parrsboro, if timed with the tides, can be quite eye-opening.


Though if it were me... any time I had to allocate to PEI, I would instead use it for greater exploration of the Bay of Fundy. (Cape Split, Burntcoat Head, Hopewell Cape, tidal bores, etc.)

Dan,

Did you see my trip report on Newfoundland, if not here it is.

https://www.fodors.com/community/can...dland-1706310/

Also definitely do PEI very different then what you will see on the NF trip. Red sand beaches, warm water, you can actually go swimming…lol, seafood was amazing if you like lobster, muscles, oysters, etc. No cod in PEI…lol. We spent 2 weeks in PEI after our 3 week trip to NF. I posted a lot of stuff on PEI here. We have been to PEI many times so for us it was relax and enjoy our favorite places. If you have any questions let me know.

https://www.fodors.com/community/can...d-pei-1664364/

Great trip you have planned.

Safe travels.

Tom

Thanks for the tips here. For this day, I will be leaving HQ campgrounds and head towards NS. I was planning on staying at Amherst Shore Provincial Park or Boylston Provincial Park. It would be a long day of driving with this detour. Do you have any recommendation on where to stay at a campground towards Cape Brenton Island?

Thanks for sharing your trip reports and the insights into the food scene. Glad to see you are from the Tri-State area as well making the trip up there. Hard to beat NYC and surrounding areas food.

I will unfortunately have to scrape PEI as I have to head down towards Maine. I will get the chance to see the Presidential Range in NH on the way back. You gave a lot of good tips for PEI and I will save this for the future.