Ultimate Newfoundland Travel Guide: Puffins, Road Trips and Hidden Gems

Planning a trip to Newfoundland? From colourful row houses to puffins and dramatic cliffs, this rugged Canadian province far exceeded my expectations. (I had high expectations and they were still exceeded.) Whether you’re craving a solo escape, a slow-paced getaway, or an epic girls’ trip, this ultimate Newfoundland travel guide has everything you need. It includes must-see stops, puffin and whale viewing tips, hidden waterfalls, and an unforgettable 1-week itinerary.

Newfoundland Travel Guide Quick Facts

• Location: Easternmost province in Canada
• Newfoundland vs. Labrador: Newfoundland is the island and Labrador is the mainland. Newfoundland is more populated and attracts more tourists
• Best time to visit: May to September
• Wildlife: Puffins, whales, moose, seals
• Top outdoor activity: Hiking the East Coast Trail or visiting Gros Morne National Park
• Known for: Misty views, colourful row houses, and warm locals

Best Time of Year to Visit Newfoundland

June to August is the absolute best time. The island is very seasonal and reliant on tourism, so there are a lot of places that are closed outside of the summer. For example, some cafes open Victoria Day weekend and close Labour Day. Parks Canada campsites are closed and fenced off between October and April. Many trails north of St. John’s are also closed for the season. The weather is also nicest in the summer! You can still expect rain and wind, but the temperatures are warmer overall.

❗ While Google Maps, and even Google Pages, say places are open outside of May to September, they are not! If you choose to visit outside of peak tourist season, just be aware of this.

How Long Should I Visit Newfoundland For?

I wish we could all travel with unlimited vacation days! Unfortunately, most of us have limited days off work. Ideally, you’d need about two weeks to see everything on the map above. However, you could choose to do 1 week and visit either the east or west side of the province. You can do both the east coast and Gros Morne in one week if you’re okay bouncing around quite a bit!

• Spend 1 week on the East Coast
  • St. John’s and Gander
  • East Coast Trail
  • Irish Loop
  • Puffin Colony in Bonavista
  • Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (French island in Canada)
• 1 week on the West Coast
  • Gros Morne National Park
  • First European settlement of the new world at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
  • Marble Mountain ski resort

Newfoundland Travel Guide: Rent a Car or Book Bus Tours?

I absolutely recommend renting a car and this Newfoundland travel guide is based on having one. A car gives the freedom to explore the province at your own pace. Bouncing around from town to town, and exploring the rugged coastline and geological features is a must here!

If you opt to have a home base, definitely stay in St. John’s and take day trips. You can venture out on your own in a rental car, or book a few day tours.

Is There an Ideal Route to Drive in Newfoundland?

There are a few! Depending on how much driving you’re up for, and if you want to add in a few hikes along the way, here are some Newfoundland travel guide key stops in the province.

1. The Irish Loop: Takes about a day or two to travel the whole route.
   • Stop in Bay Bulls or Witless Bay for puffin and whale watching
   • Irish Loop Coffee House
   • Travel south for epic views (fewer notable stops, but beautiful coastal views)
   • Cataracts Provincial Park for a hidden gem waterfall
2. Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve from the Irish Loop
3. Bonavista Peninsula and Dungeon Provincial Park
4. St. John’s to Gander with stops in Conception Bay South, Dildo and Clarenville
5. Twillingate and Fogo Island are both northeast of Gander
6. Gander to Gros Morne National Park

💡 Download offline maps on Google Maps before you head out! There are a lot of places with little to no service along the way.

Book Early for Peak Summer Tourist Season in Newfoundland

I really cannot stress this enough: if you’re visiting between June to August, you’ll need to book a car early. When I visited in April 2025, our car rental was less than $400 for a week. When looking at booking in June, it’s over $1,000! There are plenty of car rental companies, but pretty limited amount of cars so if you’re relying on driving yourself, book ASAP.

For hotels or Airbnbs, you’ll likely want to book early as well! In April 2025, we were able to book places the day before, or even the day of, but many places are booked up for the summer already!

• Cozy boutique hotels with harbour views
• Airbnbs with ocean-facing patios – you may get lucky and spot whales from the patio!
• Bed and Breakfasts in cute ocean towns

Where to see Puffins and Whales in Newfoundland

The prime time to observe both whales and puffins in Newfoundland is from mid-June to mid-August, when their seasonal patterns overlap.

Puffin Viewing Season

Puffins arrive in late April for nesting season. However, it’s too cold on the water for tours to operate! You may get lucky and spot them from the shore at Bonavista Puffin Cape. Atlantic puffins breed on land from late May through early September, with the best viewing opportunities between mid-June and mid-August.

DYK: Puffins are pelagic, which means they live on the water outside of breeding season!

• Witless Bay Ecological Reserve: Home to North America’s largest Atlantic puffin colony, with over 260,000 pairs nesting during the breeding season
• Elliston Point (Bonavista Peninsula): Offers one of the closest land-based puffin viewing experiences, where visitors can observe puffins nesting on a nearby rocky outcrop
• Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve: Known for its dramatic cliffs and diverse seabird populations

💡 For optimal puffin activity, plan visits during early morning or late afternoon hours.

Whale Watching Season

Whale watching in Newfoundland typically spans from mid-April to mid-September, with the peak period between mid-June and mid-August. During this time, the waters around Newfoundland and Labrador host the world’s largest gathering of feeding humpback whales, alongside other species such as minke, fin, sperm, and orca whales.

Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism has an excellent map for whale hotspots. See it here!

• St. John’s & Witless Bay: Easily accessible from the capital, offering tours that often combine whale watching with puffin and iceberg viewing.
• Trinity Bay: Known for its scenic beauty and reputable tour operators.
• Twillingate: Famous for both whale and iceberg sightings.

Hidden Gems in Newfoundland

If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path places to visit and stay, this Newfoundland travel guide has what you need:

• Tickle Cove Sea Arch (10 minute walk to an amazing geosite)
• Wild horses along Dungeon Road
• Big Dam “infinity pool” (a standout in St. John’s)
• Whale Watcher House porch view
• Captain’s Table gluten-free menu
• Honey Loft in Conception Bay South
• Topsail Bluff Viewpoint
• Cataracts Provincial Park (a waterfall feet from the road)

Best Instagram Spots and Scenic Photo Locations in Newfoundland

• Jelly Bean Row: Bright homes in downtown St. John’s. It’s not just one row – it’s an entire area in downtown!
• Bonavista Lighthouse: Amazing location for sunrise.
• Cape Spear Lighthouse: Dramatic and moody scenes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
• Signal Hill and Battery Village: Stunning 360° landscape views
• Big Dam: An outdoor infinity pool overlooking St. John’s

What to Pack for Newfoundland (Rain, Wind & Layers)

Expect rain and wind, and you might get lucky with a warmer sunny day! Make sure to pack a lot of layers, waterproof shoes (or hiking boots if you plan to venture on the trails), and a waterproof jacket.

Read more: Hiking Essentials | Complete List from a Beginner

Suggested Newfoundland Travel Guide 1-week road trip itinerary

Fly into St. John’s and rent a car. Depending on your time of arrival, you may opt to stay in St. John’s for the night, or head out right away! I’ve included some suggestions for where to stay, for places I loved while visiting, but your trip is likely to be based on availability of accommodations.

The route for everything included in this 1-week itinerary is approximately 1500 km (20 hours of driving total), so you may want to skip a few things if you are pressed for time or don’t want to drive as much. It’s about 2-5 hours of driving a day, depending on where you stay!

If you opt to add Gros Morne to this itinerary, it’s an additional 7 hours of driving (3.5 hours from Gander, there and back), or about a 1h15min flight from St. John’s to Deer Lake.

Blackhead Path to Cape Spear (East Coast Trail)

The East Coast Trail is approximately 336 km long, starting from Conception Bay South travelling along the coast to Cappahayden. Some people backpack the entire trail. However, you can easily do sections of it as day hikes!

• The Cape Spear Path is an out-and-back trail
• 15.4 km total (7+ km one way)
• If you have 2 cars you can opt to park at Cape Spear, drive to Blackhead Path and walk back to Cape Spear
• Stunning scenery and landscapes, well worn trail so it’s easy to follow
• Approximately 300 m elevation gain total
• End at Cape Spear and visit the Lighthouse, Cafe and the Easternmost Point in North America

My friend and I thought we were going to do the entire out-and-back trail. However, we got soaked during a particularly rainy day and asked someone to drive us from Cape Spear back to our car!

Irish Loop

The Irish Loop is a scenic 312 km drive around the Avalon Peninsula. It starts on the way from St. John’s southerly. Must stops include:

• The Irish Loop Coffee House: it’s an Irish Loop classic!
• The Captain’s Table has an entirely gluten free menu (no cross contamination for celiac’s). The chef was diagnosed celiac in the early 2000s and they host a weekly gathering of the local celiac association so you know it’s safe!
• Cape Spear is the easternmost point in North America. If you opted not to do the Cape Spear Path (see above), make sure to stop by on your way around the Irish Loop
• La Manche Suspension Bridge is along the East Coast Trail
• Witless Bay/Bay Bulls boat tours. Boat tours are the best way to see whales and puffins in Newfoundland.
• St. Vincents beach is a great spot for whale watching from land!

Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is a fantastic spot to try to spot whales. There are three companies that have permits to operate boat tours:

• Gatherall’s Puffin and Whale Watch
• Molly Bawn Whale and Puffin Tours
• O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours

Stay Here: Whale Watcher House in Saint Michael’s
(you can whale watch from the private porch!)

Cataracts Provincial Park

Just west of the west side of the Irish Loop is Cataracts Provincial Park. You’ll cross an unremarkable bridge, but under it is something extraordinary! A deep river gorge with 2 cascading waterfalls and a stunning arch bridge provides a scenic setting for photographs. Stairs and walkways enable the visitor to descend the gorge and cross the river.

🕒 Spend less than 20 minutes exploring the paths/stairs. Worth the stop!

Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve

Birdwatchers are in heaven here! The Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve is home to 70,000+ birds (northern gannet, black-legged kittiwake, common murre, and thick-billed murre, razorbill, black guillemot, double-crested and great cormorant, and Northern fulmar). You can see all the birds from land!

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

Did you know there are islands, in Canada, that are actually a part of France? Say hello to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon! The primary language on the islands is French, and they use the Euro! If you forget your passport, don’t worry! If you are visiting for less than 90 days, you can use your Canadian drivers license to visit the islands. You can fly from St. John’s, or hop on a ferry from Fortune, NL.

❗ Check the ferry schedule in advance! I did not visit in April 2025 because the ferry schedule meant we would have to stay for 2 nights, and we had other plans!

Gander

Gander was instrumental in accepting planes during the 9/11 attack. Come From Away is based on the event, where the people of Gander accepted people from around the world with open arms. Visit the North Atlantic Aviation Museum to read about the history of the airport, and Gander’s legacy during 9/11.

Twillingate and Fogo Island

The best time to see icebergs in Newfoundland is late May to mid-July and the best place to see them is Twillingate. Twillingate is about 1.5 h NE of Gander. Book a guided tour for the best chance to see them (but you can spot them from the coast, they’re massive).

Fogo Island is accessible by ferry from Port Albert. It is home to stunning hiking trails, historic buildings, crystal clear ponds to swim in, and another great place to catch a whale watching or iceberg boat tour.

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove is a scenic traditional outport community, and a short walk from a trailhead brings you to a natural Sea Arch and red cliffs. It’s only about a 10 minute walk over rocks with a few stairs. Absolutely worth the short detour if you’re heading up to Bonavista.

Bonavista Peninsula

I have to say, this was a highlight of my visit! No Newfoundland travel guide should be completed without it. While I did not get to see puffins on this trip, it is definitely a part of Newfoundland I would visit time and time again!

• Home to some of the oldest settlements on Newfoundland (Bonavista and Trinity)
• Bonavista Lighthouse is a prime puffin viewing spot. They come to the mainland from the rock they nest on!
• You may be able to spot humpback whales and icebergs from the mainland!
• Coastal hikes along the rugged landscape
• UNESCO Global Geopark
• Dungeon Provincial Park sea arches
• The town of Bonavista is SO lovely!

Stay here: Cozy Vacation Home in Bonavista

Conception Bay South

Less than 30 minutes from St. John’s is the lovely town of Conception Bay South. It’s definitely a newer town with your standard subdivision construction! Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not as cute at Bonavista, in my opinion.

The Topsail Bluff Viewpoint is the number one thing to do here. A short walk from a parking area gives you views over Conception Bay. If you bring your binoculars, you can spot whales in May/June!

Stay here: Honey Loft in Conception Bay South

St. John’s

St. John’s, Newfoundland’s capital, is where rugged coastline meets colourful charm. This vibrant, walkable city is the perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty and it’s a great place to start and/or end your trip. Whether you’re into ocean hikes, historic sites, or great food and drink, St. John’s won’t disappoint.

Things to Do in St. John’s

• Explore Jelly Bean Row: These iconic brightly coloured row houses are scattered throughout downtown! Take a morning stroll and snap photos as the sun hits the paint just right.
• Hike Signal Hill to Quidi Vidi: Start at the top of Signal Hill, where you’ll find panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and St. John’s Harbour. Hike down to the historic fishing village of Quidi Vidi for craft beer, mussels, and coastal vibes.
• Visit Quidi Vidi Brewery: Home to the famous Iceberg beer (made with real iceberg water!), this spot has an unbeatable setting right on the water. Their food is also excellent: the mussels are a must-try!
• Stroll the Harbourfront and Water Street: Browse local shops, bookstores, and boutiques, then stop into a pub or café along Water Street, the oldest street in North America. Posie’s Row is full of local Newfoundland artisans and a great spot for souvenirs.
• Check out The Rooms: This cultural center and museum offers a modern take on Newfoundland’s art and history. Bonus: the view over the harbour from the café is stunning.
• Get Screeched In at Christian’s Pub: Want to become an honorary Newfoundlander? This quirky local tradition involves a shot of rum, a few funny phrases, and sometimes kissing a cod. It’s touristy — and a lot of fun!

Where to Eat in St. John’s: Best Restaurants and Local Favourites

Newfoundland’s food scene surprised me! You’ll find fresh seafood, hearty pub fare, and local twists on comfort food. The province also had fantastic gluten free/gluten friendly options. My must-try spots include:

• Gypsy Tea Room: Shareable plates, and everything was fantastic
• Quidi Vidi Brewery: Iconic Iceberg beer and the mussels are scrumptious
• Bagel Cafe Lobster Claw caeser
• St. John’s Fish Exchange: the freshest seafood in the city
• The Duke of Duckworth: voted the best fish and chips, with classic pub vibes
• Newman’s Wine Vault: The only publicly accessible historic wine cellar
• Exile Restaurant: Try the moose sausage and ask for a side of their pickle mustard

Where to Stay in St. John’s

• JAG Boutique Hotel is a newly renovated modern, stylish, and music-themed hotel in the heart of downtown St. John’s.
• Alt Hotel is centrally located with sleek design and great views.
• Cozy Airbnbs in downtown are fantastic. Search for places in walking distance to Water Street, or you can even book in Jelly Bean Row!

Stay Here: Cozy Downtown House (with 2 king beds!)

Best Hikes Near St. John’s, Newfoundland

If you love trails with ocean air and rugged terrain, Newfoundland delivers. Here are a few standouts:

1. Signal Hill
   • This is a must. Start at the iconic Signal Hill and hike down to the fishing village of Quidi Vidi. Think epic views, waves crashing on cliffs, and cold beer waiting at the end.
2. Sugarloaf Path (Part of East Coast Trail)
   • Challenging but rewarding, this one’s for the more adventurous. You’ll climb, sweat, and stop a dozen times for photos.
3. Blackhead Path to Cape Spear
   • North America’s easternmost point! Go early for sunrise and watch the fog roll over the Atlantic.
4. Battery Village Lookout and Big Dam
   • Across The Narrows from Signal Hill is the Battery Village Lookout and Fort Amherst. It’s a an easy, short walk to look across the harbour and Narrows. The Big Dam hike is more difficult and steeper, but you can swim in the infinity-pool lookout!

Did you enjoy this Newfoundland travel guide? I tried to make it as comprehensive as possible!