Things To See & Do at Newfoundland
Naturally, a vacation in Newfoundland and Labrador means all types of outdoor activities. The island is a natural paradise and the province lends itself to exploration. Tourists love to experience the lifestyle in the tiny communities. As well, visitors to the island want to get a taste of city life – Newfoundland style.
Whether it is shopping on the oldest street in North America and dropping by George Street, visiting historic sites (such as Signal Hill) and archaeological digs, or just walking the scenic trails, Newfoundland has terrific ‘things to do’ at any time of year. See the sights – whales, icebergs, moose, rare birds, pitcher plants (provincial flower) - and much more.
Camp in the beautiful Newfoundland outdoors. Have your pick of Newfoundland berries. Explore the island in different seasons. Enjoy water sports (canoeing, kayaking, boat tours, diving, swimming) in summer and the fall colors and fall fairs in autumn. Locals and tourists love skiing, skidooing, and snowmobiling in winter. The first green of spring is always welcome including the native plant – the strong and sturdy dandelion. Explore Newfoundland and Labrador!
Attend the island’s many awesome events, activities, and festivals. Browse the island’s specialty shops, art galleries, and artisans’ studios. Visit historic buildings and interesting museums across the island including The Rooms in St. John’s. The Rooms has the Provincial Archives, Art Gallery, and Museum under one roof – Newfoundland history and culture in one place.
Hiking and Walking
Newfoundland and Labrador has varied scenic trails for hiking including some of the most rugged paths in Canada. Tourists can find hiking trails that present a challenge. Gros Morne National Park has an extensive trails system.
Within this UNESCO World Heritage Site, millions of years of tectonic plate movement have created a magical landscape of various rock formations and diverse vegetation. Visitors can wander over the earth’s mantle, view fjords similar to Norway’s, and encounter unique flora and fauna.
Gros Morne National Park has several trails (65 km) of varied levels of difficulty and times needed for completion. Old Mail Road, a 2 km hike (one-way), should take an hour for completion. Trout River Pond is a 14 km hike (return) and the walk will take 4-5 hours. The Long Range Traverse, a 35 km hike, will take more than four days. For the ultimate in adventure hiking, explore the unspoiled lands of Labrador.
As well, visitors to Newfoundland can take a leisurely stroll on various trails suitable for a family hike. In St. John’s, the Grand Concourse, an award-winning system of walking trails, winds through the city. This trail reveals the city’s numerous ponds, lakes, architecture, and other points of interest.
Fishing
Although Newfoundland’s commercial fishery has undergone changes in recent years, sports fishing is alive and well in the province. Newfoundland and Labrador is home to over 60% of the Atlantic salmon rivers in North America. Some island rivers have annual runs of 30,000 fish. Salmon fishing in the Exploits and Gander rivers runs from June to September. At the Rocky River Falls, visitors can see a salmon ladder.
Newfoundland has world-record landlocked salmon and Arctic char and brook trout up to eight pounds. Visitors can catch lake trout, northern pike, and whitefish in Newfoundland rivers and lakes. At certain times in the year, tour boats are allowed a limited catch of fish and tourists can experience ‘jigging’ a cod.
Ecological Reserves
Newfoundland and Labrador has 17 ecological reserves.
- Cape St. Mary’s
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Cape St. Mary’s, a Newfoundland ecological reserve, is on the southwestern tip the Avalon Peninsula. ‘The Cape’ is one of the best places in the world to see nesting sea birds. During the breeding season, Cape St. Mary’s is home to 24,000 Northern gannet, 20,000 black-legged kittiwake, 20,000 common murre, and 2,000 thick-billed murre.
As well, more than 100 pairs of razorbill, 60 pairs of black guillemot, double-crested and great cormorant, and Northern fulmar nest at this site. All the birds can be seen from land – as close as ten meters to shore. With advanced booking, guided tours are available from May to late September or early October. For information, telephone: (709) 277-1666.
- Mistaken Point
Mistaken Point, an ecological reserve in southeastern Newfoundland, has global significance. Mistaken Point has fossils - the oldest complex life forms found anywhere on earth. Known to scientists as the Ediacara biota, these creatures lived between 542 and 575 million years ago.
In 1984, Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve was established as a Provisional Reserve. The site received permanent designation in 1987. An extension to the west was added in 2003, and again in 2007, to include newly-discovered fossils.
In 2009, Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve was expanded to give permanent protection to the new fossil sites. For more information about guided tours (late May-early October) within Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, call a Reserve Interpreter at Portugal South (709-438-1100).
