Off the beaten path Road Trips
Learn MoreNewfoundland and Labrador is much larger than most travellers realize. And there are interesting things to see and do all over this province, and a bunch of different ways to get there. Our Road Trips (and sometimes boat trips) will guide you through every nook and cranny of this place.
To help you plan your journey, we divide our province into five geographic regions, with plenty of themed road trips within each. Whether you’re looking for a fun day trip or hoping to stay on the road for a week or more, we’ve got route suggestions on what to see and do, with historical tidbits to add context.
Enjoy the routes exactly as they’re written, switch things up and drive in reverse order, or even create a custom route of your own using the road trips as inspiration. It doesn’t matter which way you go — you’ll find yourself far off the beaten path regardless. How lost, or found, you want to get will be up to you.
Explore Road Trips by Region
Western
Stretching from the ferry port of Channel-Port aux Basques to the Viking site at L’Anse aux Meadows, the west coast of the island of Newfoundland offers travellers a wide range of natural and cultural experiences. Don’t miss the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Gros Morne National Park and L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site), as well as glacier-carved fjords, hiking trails, ancient indigenous sites, national and provincial parks, beaches and sand dunes, theatre festivals, museums, and cultural events.
Central
With two seacoasts and forests in between, central Newfoundland offers an outdoor experience with unique history, Old English and Irish words and customs, aviation history, and music sure to get your toes tapping. Hike to see icebergs and whales, camp in Terra Nova National Park on the coast, and explore the 5,000-year human history of the area, including the Beothuk. Explore remote communities accessible only by ferry. Discover what inspires our artist and songwriters. It’s all here.
Eastern
Eastern Newfoundland is synonymous with the fishing industry. Learn about this way of life in the large museums of Bonavista, and in smaller ones throughout the region with a more local focus. But there’s much more here than fish. How about a round of golf near two salmon rivers, or walk along a coastal trail so magnificent it has won international acclaim? There’s a theatre festival in Trinity that’s been entertaining travellers for decades with local productions, local stories, and local stars. There are beaches and boat tours, history and heritage – and even a ferry boat ride to France.
Avalon
The Avalon Peninsula looks a piece from a jigsaw puzzle, with its deep bays separating long fingers of land. Almost completely surrounded by water, it’s where the first European settlers put down roots. It’s full of history and home to the provincial capital, St. John’s, North America’s oldest city, which has a well-deserved reputation for food, music, and good times. The region – which National Geographic calls a top coastal destination – is full of great places to see whales and seabirds, go sea kayaking or hiking, or enjoy sightseeing in centuries-old seaports.
Labrador
Labrador is the home of the Innu and Inuit, and was visited by Basque whalers, European fishermen, and possibly even the Vikings. You cannot visit this inspiring region without being forever changed. The trip across Labrador, The Big Land, is a trip through a rugged and wild environment. You can catch the ferry to Labrador from St. Barbe on the island's northern peninsula, where you’ll begin your journey along the Expedition 51° highway to the unforgettable and historic southern coast. It’s also possible to drive to Labrador from the mainland of Canada via the Québec-Labrador Highway. This Expedition 51° route will take you past the mining centres of Labrador City and Wabush, through the hub of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and continues on to the South East coast. Happy Valley-Goose Bay is also the jumping-off point for the ferry service to Northern Labrador.