A Local’s Guide to Planning your Newfoundland Vacation

Posted by Katie
Planning your Newfoundland Vacation

Newfoundland is a big, wild place ready to be explored. With this guide, I will share with you my tips for traveling around Newfoundland like how to be being flexible with your logistics, how to stay well fed, and areas that deserve your attention.

Newfoundland is my favourite place in the whole world, not that I have been everywhere, but enough to know that what is here, is special. Newfoundland is that talked about place in Canada, where many are from but few have been. It’s a place with vast, untouched wilderness as well as a feeling all it’s own. While living and guiding here over the last 10 years I have explored many regions and look forward to seeing many more.

Ready to start planning? Let’s go!

A Bit About Newfoundland

First, I want to give you a brief geographical orientation to the island to help you get your bearings. There are three main regions, West, Central and East with the capital, St.John’s known as ‘town’, in the far east. Gros Morne National Park is on the far west while Terra Nova National Park is in the central region.

Understanding its size is an integral part of your trip planning. The island of Newfoundland is 108,860 km² – similar to its north Atlantic neighbor, Iceland, which is just 103,000 km². When people visit Iceland, they plan 10-14 days to drive the entire island at an enjoyable pace. 10-14 days in Newfoundland, however, is the bare minimum for any visit, much less a road trip due to the lack of a ‘ring road’! You will just be scratching the surface, driving too much, and cursing the roads. More on this later.

You will need a vehicle for your explorations so plan to rent a car, drive onto the island, or join a tour with transportation included. This post is designed for the self-drive, fully independent traveller (F.I.T.) in mind but I will recommend a few guided tour options at the bottom. Exploring the island by road and trail is common, but you should really consider a boat tour in Newfoundland to enhance your experience.

The communities of Newfoundland, like most island nations, are scattered along the coastline, meaning you have to drive out and back in from the main highway – the TCH. But almost everywhere has ocean views, so it’s very worthwhile to get off the TCH and take the scenic routes.

Weather on the island is part of the adventure. It’s ever-changing and the main topic for small talk at the gas station or cafe. Here, the old saying “if you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes” applies but so does ‘wait 2 days’ when it’s a low-pressure system! We will discuss this topic more below. First, let’s talk logistics.

Flexible Logistic Planning

Traveling ALWAYS requires flexibility. There are just too many factors out of your control, so chill out, slow down and just enjoy being in this big, wild place. Put it in your mind before you hit the island, that your plan can change. Because it will. Coming into any adventure with an understanding of flexibility reduces stress and helps manage your expectations of the experience. Newfoundlanders are laid back and move slowly for a reason – the environment dictates so much out here, you have to adapt your plan to what is going on around you.

Weather considerations

The weather impacts your trip everyday and being flexible allows you to maximize your experience in the area. The main weather types to watch for are wind and precipitation.

Be sure to check weather.gc.cain the area you wish to drive to or explore and watch for wind warnings or special weather statements. Places like The Wreckhouse, are notoriously windy (gusts over 100km/hrare semi-normal), blowing transport trucks and RV campers right off the road.

Summits of mountains, like Gros Morne, are very exposed meaning high winds and fog make hiking challenging and add additional hazards. Follow all posted guidance on whether or not to hike today. Build in an extra day or two for your stay in an area if you have a big hike planned, so you can change days due to weather.

Heed the weather warnings, drive and play accordingly.

Road Conditions

Driving around the island will likely take more time than you expect. This is due to many factors such as your lack of familiarity, the road quality, and also the weather.

What you really need to know is the roads are pretty rough, twisty and have small shoulders. Newfoundland roads are better than a lot of places in the world but due to the extensive amount of freeze/thaw, they are cracked, potholed and bumpy. If you’re hauling a trailer, be sure to slow down at the bridges, since the joins are pushed up and very rough. With such large distances between communities, it is very expensive to repair the roads so you just have to embrace it as part of the experience.

If you adjust your driving accordingly by keeping these things in mind, you will always get to where you’re going safely.

Key takeaways;

  • Add at least a day or two to your stay in an area to allow for weather disruptions (boat tours cancelled, fog making driving hard etc.)
  • Check the weather each morning and use the marine weather for wind speeds
  • Stay put during high wind events (>80km/hr), heavy precipitation events (>50mm) or during heavy fog
  • Drive the speed limit or less as the roads are rough, shoulders are narrow, and there’s wildlife everywhere!

Creative Food Solutions

While the food in Newfoundland is changing for the better, in rural areas (read: most of the island), the food is boring and of lower quality than you may be used to. This is due to the remoteness of communities and challenges of food distribution (weather, road conditions, cost of transport etc.). So to help manage your expectations, expect lots of deep-fried and frozen items. It just is what it is. In this section, I’ll give you my tips for eating well when you’re off the beaten path.

Bring Food With You

When I guided in Gros Morne Park and up the Northern Peninsula, and when I travel there myself, I always bring a cooler and grocery bag of items I know I can’t get or do not want to pay the premium for in rural places. If you have dietary restrictions, you MUST bring enough for your trip out to the rural areas. Plan a half day to shop in St. Johns or Corner Brook before you head out.

Here’s a quick list as an example;

  • coffee (unless you like instant or mother parkers burnt and old at the gas station)
  • milk and cream alternatives (coconut, soya, almond etc.)
  • hummus + fresh veggies
  • nuts, snack bars, crackers etc.
  • anything gluten free, lactose free or similar
  • items for 2-4 meals in case there’s nowhere to eat or you get tired of the ‘local’ food

You can buy some food along the way, most communities have a general store that will have canned and frozen items as well as veggies that keep well (carrots, potatoes etc.) so you won’t starve!

Cook Your Own Meals

In rural Newfoundland, you might need to make some of your own meals. If you are on a tight budget cooking your own meals is always cheaper than eating out. If you have dietary restrictions, it’s best you prepare your own food to keep feeling well. And sometimes, there simply isn’t a place to eat where you spend the night. So for these reasons, you should plan a few meals to do on your own.

Stay at places that have kitchenettes or plan to bring your own portable kitchen. Being more self sufficient will allow you greater freedom to explore more rural areas, get off the beaten path and explore some incredibly beautiful special places. Places like Sop’s Arm to camp at the Main River or Francois on the south coast or Englee up north for awesome seaside hiking.

Restaurant Tips

I am gluten sensitive and Will has a dairy allergy plus I have guided clients here who have been vegan and so forth, so we’ve got these tips for you to remember when ordering at restaurants.

  • fish is always floured – even when its pan fried – so be very specific with your server about no flour
  • vegan is a bit misunderstood (mostly just means vegetarian/no meat out here) so be very specific if you need to (no butter, no honey etc.)
  • ask for other potato options if you wish to avoid french fries, everything comes with fries
  • all salad dressings are pre-packaged or Kraft type dressings (ranch, thousand island etc.), just so you know. Balsamic, lemon juice or other vinegar style dressings are not common outside the main centers but always ask – I have been surprised before!
  • salads are always romane or iceberg lettuce – you will almost never get spinach, arugula or other greens like kale but you can ask (asking let’s people know there is demand)
  • read my post about Where to Eat in Western Newfoundland to ensure that when you do eat out, you have a great meal
  • there is also a post about coffee here

Best Time to Visit

Most people like warm so summers are popular. Summer coincides with when most things in Newfoundland are also open. And Newfoundland summers are lovely, so it is a nice time to come – but it’s also peak season – my main reason to come another time. July and August make up ‘peak season’ so my recommendation is to come before or after that.

June is Spring in Newfoundland

If you want flowers in bloom, animals returning from down south (whales & puffins!), and to see icebergs floating by, then June is for you. The sun is warm but the wind still has a chill, especially from the north and patches of snow hug the mountain sides. You can have trails to yourself, see more wildlife, and catch the locals excited for the season. The bugs aren’t usually out yet and the days are long, it’s ideal for hiking and being outside. Here’s some info about the Northern Peninsula in June.

September is Still Summer

If you want warm, September is the month to come. The summer sun has finally heated the ocean so both the water and breeze are as warm as it gets. The bugs are gone, the mushrooms are out and the air has a hint of fall. Now, many places start to close at Labour day, so be sure to call ahead and double check attractions hours of operation for later in the month. Some places will open on demand this time of the year, so do not hesitate to ask and pre-arrange a date and time. For me, this is the best time to hike – trails are dry, temps are warm and it’s just absolutely lovely!

Itineraries by Region & # of Days

You have < 10 days

Plan your trip in one region. Choose one of Western, Central (north and south) or Eastern and BE there, go slow and get to know the area. By choosing one region so you can have flexibility with activities such as hikes or boat tours.

Here are some itineraries I would recommend;

You have 10-15 days

You may now choose two regions to explore, ideally two that are side by side. remember to account for arrival and departure days.

You have 15+ days

You have the most freedom to roam the island! Start on one side and slowly make your way to the other. Consider using the Placentia ferry one-way and the Port-aux-Basques ferry one-way.

  • 18 Days Colourful Places & Colourful People – Expanded – Ensure you add at least 2 days for seeing L’Anse Aux Meadows, cruising with Northland Discovery Boat tour, hiking at Fishing Point in St.Anthony and marvelling at the Conche Tapestry to this itinerary – since you’re driving all the way up there! Add 2 days for arrival and departure.

Guided Tour Options

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