Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s easternmost province, was its own dominion—an autonomous British colony—until 1949, and in many ways the region still feels very much separate from its parent country. Over a thousand years ago, the Vikings littered the shoreline with their trademark stone cairns; today, small “outport” towns dot the glacially hewn coast—an undulation of fjords and peninsulas that reaches toward Europe like fervent fingers. This four-day circuit from St. John’s, the capital, up through the Bonavista peninsula offers roadtrippers a glimpse at the eastern seaboard’s last great tract of wilderness. Follow the circuit to meet the area’s locals, and fisherfolk and farmers who are deeply connected to the land and sea.
The trip: Four days, 505 miles
What to drive
Pick up and drop off your rental vehicle at St. John’s International Airport. Any car will do as the roads are sealed and well-maintained throughout the province.
When to go
Newfoundland is best experienced during the warmer months of the year, between May and October. Watch the icebergs sail down the coastline during May and June; whales breach in the fjords throughout July and August.
Day 1
The anything-but-basic pastry box at Mallard Cottage in The Gut—St. John’s aptly named seaside burb—is the best thing to happen to modern brunching since it became socially acceptable to drink champagne before noon. After an oversized portion of eggs or french toast, fill a takeaway carton full of baked goods from the buffet table. Consider it fuel to keep you focused while navigating the so-called Irish Loop, a 185-mile long circuit of small Catholic communities lining the Avalon Peninsula.
Work off your breakfast exploring the hidden rivulets on one of The Outfitters’ half-day kayaking outings departing from Bay Bulls, or hiking to the end of the world to reach the lighthouse in nearby Ferryland. A heaping portion of fresh fish and chips at Chafe’s Landing in Petty Harbour is a must, no matter how many brownies and danishes you had earlier.
Day 2
Leaving the capital region, the diamond moose-crossing signs begin to multiply—a bright yellow reminder that you’ve entered a vast realm of balsam fir, which blankets the province all the way to its rocky shoreline. Without another vehicle in sight it’s tempting to drive faster, but keep your foot at the ready near the break should a scruffy mega-beast emerge from the brush.
The tree line winnows on the far side of Avalon, about 90 miles from St. John’s, where you’ll meet Lori McCarthy. For years, McCarthy has been the secret weapon of many restaurants in St. John’s, providing its upmarket eateries with sustainably foraged produce found throughout Newfoundland’s meadows and coves. She’s since turned her daily gathering into the tourist-facing enterprise Cod Sounds; guests lend a helping hand—scouring for everything from chanterelles to sea urchin. Follow her pickup truck into the unfortunately named village of Dildo—thought to be a portmanteau of the French d’ile (island) and d’eau (water), which seems fitting as you wade through the boulder-strewn tide pools filling foraging baskets with cockles. Rent a wooden dory from Dildo Cove Outdoor Adventures and row further down the coast to light a bonfire and boil your bivalves for a beachside snack.
Back on the highway, it’s another two hours to the village of Trinity, famed as the backdrop of The Shipping News, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Annie Proulx. A collection of prim, shanty-style cottages along the water are a part of the Artisan Inn, which also tends to Twine Loft, once a captain’s fishing shed, now a cozy, wood-planked dining room lit by candles.
Day 3
To circle the Bonavista peninsula is to trace the continent’s easternmost edge, where puffin colonies gather, and granite towers tumble into the abyss. The Cape Bonavista Lighthouse guards the perilous seaward entrance into the eponymous township—now a haven for country-mice hipsters. The goal is to reach the Bonavista Social Club by 4:30 p.m. for a very long—and very early—dinner on the restaurant’s porch overlooking the water. The owners, Katie and Shane Hayes, pull from their on-site garden to serve peppery salads and wood-fired pizzas on hand-carved dishware as scores of humpbacks gracefully puff their way across the inlet.
After the sunset, complete the loop back towards Trinity and pause for a pint of “T-Rex”—a craft porter named for a local school administrator (not the dinosaur)—at Port Rexton Brewing Company, run by wives Alicia MacDonald and Sonja Mills.
Day 4
Before tackling the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to St. John’s, hit the legendary Skerwink Trail often heralded as Canada’s best short hike. If you walk without stopping, the route—which follows a cliff’s ledge as it winds through sea stacks and sloping thickets of tuckemore—takes around an hour. Give yourself about three hours, though, to ogle the hidden beaches below and another dozen whales spitting plumes of seawater in the bay.
Back in The Gut, enjoy a pre-dinner lager at Quidi Vidi Brewing Company, made using glacial water from an iceberg, then toast a successful road trip with a glass of somm-selected Nova Scotia wine at Raymond’s, a critical darling often considered one of Canada’s finest tables. You may recognize the sprig of bright green garnish accompanying a main course of whitefish drizzled in a pork reduction—you probably gathered it a few days earlier during the foraging foray with Cod Sounds.
