St. John's
Get Screeched In
The capital of Newfoundland, St. John’s is a colourful, historic metropolis with friendly locals and a variety of attractions. Visit Signal Hill National Historic Site, the high hill where inventor Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless telegraph message from England. Signal Hill is also famous for its gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean and the city and St. John’s Harbour below, a must-visit spot for first-time travellers. You can also visit Jellybean Row to see St. Johns’s famously colourful, terrace houses and kitsch local stores. One of the most unique things to do in Newfoundland, visitors can “screech in” and become honourary islanders. Simply visit any pub on George Street, and take part in the ancient ceremony, which usually involves downing a shot of Newfoundland screech (rum) and bestowing a kiss on a codfish.
Corner Brook
Good Things Are Just Around the Corner
The northernmost city of Atlantic Canada, Corner Brook is an adventurer’s paradise thanks to its proximity to Gros Morne National Park. Famous for its monumental fjords and sheer, barren cliffsides, Gros Morne National Park offers a stunning showcase of the powers of erosion and continental drift that carved its steep mountains and luscious waterfalls over thousands of years. Corner Brook is also famous for its connection to British explorer James Cook, who surveyed the coasts of Newfoundland in the 1760s. Music lovers will also adore the annual Gros Morne Summer Music Festival.
Clarenville
Clear and Present
Nestled along the eastern shores of the island, Clarenville, Newfoundland is a charming small town in the heart of the verdant Shoal Harbour River Valley. With stunning rocky capes overlooking ocean, there are many picturesque picnic spots along the coastal slopes. However, the best view of the area can be found along the Bare Mountain Trail, a hiking path that winds around the gentle inclines of the area’s iconic Bare Mountain. Clarenville is also a popular winter destination because of the area’s plethora of snowmobiling trails and is the only spot in Newfoundland east of Cornerbrook featuring downhill skiing.
Gander
Come From Away
Located along the shores of the lake that shares its name, Gander is a quaint small town set in the fulsome wilderness of northeastern Newfoundland. Despite its humble stature, Gander is most renowned for its role housing 7,000 stranded airline passengers during the chaos of the September 11th terror attacks as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon, events commemorated in the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. In addition to seeing the famous Gander International Airport, the town is home to many interesting Newfoundland attractions including the North Atlantic Aviation Museum and the Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery. Adventurers will enjoy activities like whale watching tours off the coast, canoeing and kayaking along Gander Lake and aerial sightseeing tours.