8 Best Sights in Central Newfoundland and Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Explore the lives of the Beothuk, a First Nations people who succumbed in the early 19th century to a combination of disease and battle with European settlers. A 1½-km (1-mile) trail leads to the archaeological site that was inhabited from about 1650 to 1720, when the Beothuk departed this stretch of coast as settlers moved in. Walk softly to feel The Spirit of the Beothuk, represented by a commanding bronze statue by Gerald Squires that stands almost hidden in the woods. Just in back of the center is a Spirit Garden, opened in consultation with First Nations in Newfoundland, which is the site of an annual "Voices on the Wind" ceremony in September.

Among the few Newfoundland lighthouses you can climb (55 steps), this 1876 structure on a 300-foot cliff inspires gasps with its panoramic view, which includes whales and icebergs at the right times of year. For those who choose not to go inside, the lighthouse serves as a departure point for picturesque walking trails. The nearby Long Point Centre has a fascinating collection of local artifacts.

Newfoundland ponies are a part of the Island's cultural history and heritage. Netta LeDrew, founder of the sanctuary, can tell visitors of the work this breed did hauling capelin in from the stages and plowing the fields. But the ponies under her care know no such rigors; these sturdy little beauties are a part of a rescue and breeding program. You can come and meet them and appreciate their picturesque lives with their devoted caretaker, a brand new barn, and plenty of space to graze and roam.

Just down the highway from the visitor information center, this museum provides an expansive view of Gander's and Newfoundland's roles in aviation. In addition to viewing the aircraft collection (including a World War II–era Lockheed Hudson and a Voodoo fighter jet) and some photographs, you can climb into the cockpit of a real DC-3. 

This museum pays tribute to the life and work of fishermen in Twillingate, whose livelihood was determined by annual lottery, which assigned the top fishing area or prime berth. Visitors are awed by actual reconstructions of two whale skeletons, as well as an underwater camera and an iceberg gallery. There's also a blacksmith shop, an aquarium, an observation tower, and a crafts studio. The facility's owner, David Boyd, aka Captain Dave ( captdave.ca), conducts boat trips to fish for lobster and cod or to watch whales and icebergs.

The memorial marks the spot where, on December 12, 1985, an Arrow Air DC-8 carrying the 101st Airborne Division home for Christmas crashed, killing 256 American soldiers and civilian flight crew. The site lies just off the highway on a rough gravel road, but it's a must-see. The setting, a clearing in the woods overlooking the grandeur of Gander Lake, is peaceful and moving, and the memorial sculpture, of a boy and girl holding the hands of a peacekeeper, is poignantly rendered.