Newfoundland Bucket List

Newfoundland Travel Guide

Newfoundland
Bucket List

Icebergs, Vikings, puffins, a cliff-top picnic, and a Screech-in ceremony. Here is the full list.

Newfoundland delivers a category of travel experience that is genuinely unlike the rest of Canada wildly dramatic landscapes, extraordinary wildlife, Viking history, and a culture of almost overwhelming warmth. Here are the 15 experiences that define it.

The Newfoundland Bucket List

ExperienceWhereBest TimeCost
1. Western Brook Pond boat tourGros Morne NPJune to October~$60-70 book ahead
2. See an iceberg by boatTwillingate, BonavistaMay to June~$40-60 tour
3. The triple play icebergs, whales, puffinsTwillingate or Bonavista areaJuneVarious tours
4. Ferryland Lighthouse PicnicFerryland, Irish LoopJune to September~$30-45 basket
5. L’Anse aux Meadows Viking siteNorthern PeninsulaJune to OctoberParks Canada entry
6. Skerwink TrailPort Rexton, Bonavista PeninsulaJune to OctoberFree
7. Cape St. Mary’s gannet colonySouthwestern AvalonMay to SeptemberFree
8. Elliston puffin viewingElliston, Bonavista PeninsulaLate May to early SeptFree
9. Screech-in ceremonyGeorge Street, St. John’sYear-round (evenings)Bar price
10. Traditional Newfoundland folk music sessionGeorge Street, Twillingate, BonavistaSummer eveningsFree to ~$20
11. Hike to Gros Morne Mountain summitGros Morne NPLate June to OctoberParks Canada entry
12. Kayak Newman Sound, Terra Nova NPTerra Nova NPJune to SeptemberKayak rental
13. Drive the Viking Trail (Route 430)Deer Lake to L’Anse aux MeadowsMay to OctoberFree car required
14. Bay Bulls whale and puffin boat tourBay Bulls, 30 min from St. John’sJune to September~$65-80
15. Watch sunrise from Cape SpearCape Spear, 25 min from St. John’sAny clear morningFree grounds
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Start with What Requires Booking

Of the 15 experiences above, four require advance booking and will fail without it: Western Brook Pond boat tour (book weeks ahead), Bay Bulls whale tour (book 1-2 weeks ahead), Ferryland Lighthouse Picnic basket (call before driving south), and Rocky Harbour accommodation for Gros Morne (book 2-3 months ahead in summer).

Frequently Asked Questions

Western Brook Pond boat tour, iceberg boat tour from Twillingate, Ferryland Lighthouse Picnic, L’Anse aux Meadows, Skerwink Trail, Cape St. Mary’s gannets, Elliston puffins, Screech-in ceremony, traditional folk music, and watching sunrise from Cape Spear.
Icebergs, humpback whales, and Atlantic puffins. Also Gros Morne National Park (UNESCO), L’Anse aux Meadows Viking settlement (UNESCO), traditional folk music, and the warmth of Newfoundland culture.
7-10 days minimum for the highlights (St. John’s, Bonavista, Twillingate, Gros Morne). 14 days for a full cross-island trip including L’Anse aux Meadows.

Building Your Newfoundland Bucket List?

Book the rental car first. Then the Western Brook Pond tour. Then accommodation.

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