Newfoundland Discovery

Day 1 - Welcome to St. John’s

Arrive in St. John’s and pick up your rental vehicle. You may have a late arrival so the rest of the day is at leisure.

Hotel: Leaside Manor

Day 2 - St. John’s

A morning of sightseeing in St. John’s. Discover ‘The Rooms’, drive up Signal Hill for spectacular views and take a trip out to Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. Visit one of the provinces most photographed places, Quidi Vidi Village just 3 km from downtown St. John’s. You may want to stop at Quidi Vidi Brewery for a drink.

Hotel: Leaside Manor

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - St John's (Avalon Peninsula) (42 miles return)

Drive to Bay Bulls to take a boat excursion to see Whales and the Atlantic Puffin – if you are lucky you may even spot an iceberg. Along the way explore the little villages that dot the coastline. After your whale watching excursion you may want to continue to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological reserve. The reserve is settled by thousands of sea birds nestled along the rocky shores edge.

Hotel: Leaside Manor

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Trinity (215 miles)

Today embark on your journey to Bonavista Peninsula. When arriving in Bonavista visit the Ryan Premises National Historic Site, a 19th century replica fish processing factory. In this small village, you will also find the red and white striped Bonavista Lighthouse, and the Matthew Legacy, a replica of John Cabot’s ship which voyaged across the Atlantic to discover land in 1497.

Hotel: Artisan Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Trinity

Explore the enchanting village of Trinity with it’s restored white and pastel coloured clapboard houses. Set along a dramatic coastline you will discover a sense of Newfoundland’s history and nature. Join the Trinity Pageant, a walking theatre that meanders through the village enticing viewers to live the history of the area.

Hotel: Artisan Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Trinity (Bonavista Peninsula)

Now that you have a sense of the area, venture to Port Rexton today and hike the Skerwink Trail. This very walkable trail will take you along the rugged coastline for a spectacular view of the surrounding villages set against the ocean. In the afternoon, make your way to Bonaventure to visit the film set of ‘Random Passage’ a mini-series outlining the story of the trials and tribulations of a settling people.

Hotel: Artisan Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Twillingate (192 miles)

Enroute to Twillingate, pass through Terra Nova National Park. If you feel the need to commune with nature, a stop will introduce you to coniferous forests, ponds, and a plethora of walking trails. Continue towards Twillingate. In Boyd’s Cove make another stop at the Beothuk Interpretive Centre and visit an ancient Beothuk village discovered by archaeologists in the 1980s. Arrive in Twillingate then grab your camera and head out on the ocean with the afternoon Iceberg Watch boat tour, where you will have an opportunity to see icebergs, whales, sunsets and many other spectacular views that the beautiful island of Twillingate has to offer.

Hotel: Harbour Lights Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Norris Point (266 miles)

Bound for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gros Morne National Park, words do not give the vistas justice. The park is populated by little villages, bare-topped mountains, with its forests populated by moose and caribou.

Hotel: Neddies Harbour Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Norris Point (Gros Morne National Park)

The morning is free to explore the area with your rental car. Enjoy a boat tour of the freshwater fjord of Western Brook Pond. The landlocked fjord is a rare sight. Carved by glaciers, and home to plenty of waterfalls and wildlife, it’s worth the trip alone. The rest of the day is free to explore the sites of the Gros Morne National Park.

Hotel: Neddies Harbour Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - Gros Morne National Park

Enjoy a day exploring all of Gros Morne National Park on your own viewing glacial valleys, intriguing rock formations, magnificent sea arches and numerous types of wildlife. Don’t miss the internationally known Tablelands, a rare outcrop of the Earth’s mantle pushed skyward half a billion years ago.

Hotel: Neddies Harbour Inn

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - St. Anthony (221 miles)

Heading toward St. Anthony, make a stop in Port Au Choix and Port Au Choix National Historic Site where three ancient cemeteries of the Maritime Archaic People were discovered. The Visitor Centre gives a great background to this culture with exhibits and artefacts. Continue to St. Anthony, the ‘Iceberg Capital of the World’. Along the rugged ocean coastline, you can witness the majestic wonder of whales and icebergs (note that the peak iceberg season is typically May/June and early July)

Hotel: Grenfell Heritage Hotel & Suites

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - St. Anthony (L’Anse aux Meadows)

Visit the L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site comprising the remains of the earliest European settlement in the Americas. The colony of Vinland was excavated in the 1960s and the artefacts are on display supported by a film. Walk to the original village and discover the full scale replicas of Norse buildings. Return to St. Anthony for the night.

Hotel: Grenfell Heritage Hotel & Suites

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 - Steady Brook (284 miles)

Make your way back down the peninsula to Steady Brook. This picturesque community is surrounded by beautiful mountains with the Humber River flowing through its heart. This stunning area offers numerous activities and dining options and is a good base for exploring the Bay of Islands & Humber Valley.

Hotel: Marble Inn Resort

Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - Farewell from Steady Brook

Upon check-out of your hotel drive to Deer Lake Airport where your Newfoundland discovery self drive ends.

Meals: Breakfast