Beautiful Scenic Sites
As rugged as the rocks of its shores and as friendly as the pubs of St. John's, the Avalon Peninsula is where Newfoundland and North America begin. It's a place where you can photograph herds of caribou or seabird colonies, icebergs, or whales.
All over the region you'll hear legends and lore from the folk that you meet. Along the Southern Shore and around Cape Race the cliffs rise up from the sea to incredible heights. Inland, thousands of caribou roam the open ground. All parts of the peninsula are within a few hours drive of the province's capital city, St. John's. Here you will find arts and entertainment, great food, and a wide range of accommodations, as well as some terrific buys on Newfoundland crafts and artwork. You will also find warm, fun-loving people with high regard for friendliness and hospitality.
ST. JOHN'S
While in St. John's take in the spectacular view of the city from the top of Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, where Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal on December 12, 1901. Take a quiet stroll through the beautiful village of Quidi Vidi, view historic churches, and tour the Newfoundland Museum on Duckworth Street which has an excellent collection of artifacts from the native peoples of the province. St. John's has many fine parks with the largest being C.A. Pippy Park which encompasses the Botanical Garden at Oxen Pond. In Pippy Park you will also find North America's only public Fluvarium where nine large underground windows will show you the underwater life of a river.
CAPE SPEAR DRIVE
One of the must-see places on any visit to St. John's is Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. Built in 1835, the Cape Spear Lighthouse is the oldest existing lighthouse in Newfoundland. Return to St. John's by taking a brief excursion along Route 11 through Maddox Cove to Petty Harbour, a small outport that is just 18 kms from the capital city.
Web Site:www.capespeardrive.com
MARINE DRIVE
Take Route 30 (Logy Bay Road) and turn onto Marine Drive, a scenic route that winds in and out of the small communities along this part of the coastline. Along the way you can visit Logy Bay, Flat Rock (which has a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes), then continue on Route 20 to Pouch Cove, pronounced "Pooch Cove", one of the oldest settlements in Newfoundland. At the end of Route 20 you will find a road leading to the rugged headland of Cape St. Francis.
Back in St. John's take the next leg of the tour and take Higgins Line to Portugal Cove where a 20-minute ferry ride takes you to Bell Island . Continue along the coast to Conception Bay South, which has many communities including Topsail, Manuels (which has a beautiful walking trail), then on to Long Pond which is home to the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club. Take in Foxtrap then on to Kelligrews which is the site of the celebrate folk song "Kelligrews Soiree". From Kelligrews, take a walk along the T'Railway, which runs through the town and along the coast to Upper Gullies and Seal Cove.
THE BACCALIEU TRAIL
Take Route 60 to Route 70, then turn off to Brigus which is best known as the birthplace of Captain Bob Bartlett. His home, Hawthorne Cottage is now a National Historic Site. Continue on to Cupids, the first English settlement in Canada. Cupids is fast becoming a major archaeological site. Rejoin Route 60 and continue on to South River and Clarke's Beach. Continue on to Bay Roberts, now a major service and shopping centre. From here go to Harbour Grace, the headquarters of Peter Easton, a famous pirate of the early 17th century. In 1932, Amelia Earhart left Harbour Grace to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. From Harbour Grace continue on to Carbonear. Carbonear is home of the Princess Sheila Folk-Sea Festival.
Continuing northward you will come to the community of Northern Bay Sands, an ideal seaside vacation spot. Offshore is Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve with 11 species of seabirds nesting there. Be sure to drop in to Heart's Content where the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was landed in 1866. Along Route 80 you will pass through Dildo, Blaketown and then on to Whitbourne on Route 81. Next is Markland where you will find the Rodrigues Markland Cottage Winery where wine is made from local berries.
Web Site:www.aroundthebay.ca/org/btta
IRISH LOOP DRIVE
Starting in St. John's head south on Route 10 into the heart of Irish Newfoundland. You will come to the community of Bay Bulls where you can hop a tour boat to see the marine delights on the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to tens of thousands of Atlantic puffins as well as other type of birds. You will also have the opportunity to see more than a dozen types of whales in season. Don't forget the Avalon Wilderness Reserve where you may see caribou trying to cross the road. Further along you will come to Ferryland which is literally a step into the past at the archaeological dig. Visit Cape Race, Trepassey and St. Vincent's, then on to O'Donnells and St. Joseph's. Another favourite stop would be Salmonier Nature Park www.gov.nl.ca/snp a 1,214 hectare wilderness reserve.
Web Site: www.theirishloop.com
THE CAPE SHORE
This drive takes you to Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve seabird sanctuary, one of the more incredible wildlife spectacles in the world, then on to Colinet. Follow Route 100 to St. Bride's. Past Point Verde you will come to Placentia, a community steeped in history. On the commanding site of Castle Hill National Historic Park, the French erected a fortification called Le Gaillardin in 1692. From Placentia it is a short trip to Argentia, the terminus for the ferry which operates between Argentia and North Sydney, Nova Scotia during the summer months. Take Route 100 through Dunville.
Web Site:www.thecapeshore.com
As rugged as the rocks of its shores and as friendly as the pubs of St. John's, the Avalon Peninsula is where Newfoundland and North America begin. It's a place where you can photograph herds of caribou or seabird colonies, icebergs, or whales.
All over the region you'll hear legends and lore from the folk that you meet. Along the Southern Shore and around Cape Race the cliffs rise up from the sea to incredible heights. Inland, thousands of caribou roam the open ground. All parts of the peninsula are within a few hours drive of the province's capital city, St. John's. Here you will find arts and entertainment, great food, and a wide range of accommodations, as well as some terrific buys on Newfoundland crafts and artwork. You will also find warm, fun-loving people with high regard for friendliness and hospitality.
ST. JOHN'S
While in St. John's take in the spectacular view of the city from the top of Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, where Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal on December 12, 1901. Take a quiet stroll through the beautiful village of Quidi Vidi, view historic churches, and tour the Newfoundland Museum on Duckworth Street which has an excellent collection of artifacts from the native peoples of the province. St. John's has many fine parks with the largest being C.A. Pippy Park which encompasses the Botanical Garden at Oxen Pond. In Pippy Park you will also find North America's only public Fluvarium where nine large underground windows will show you the underwater life of a river.
CAPE SPEAR DRIVE
One of the must-see places on any visit to St. John's is Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. Built in 1835, the Cape Spear Lighthouse is the oldest existing lighthouse in Newfoundland. Return to St. John's by taking a brief excursion along Route 11 through Maddox Cove to Petty Harbour, a small outport that is just 18 kms from the capital city.
Web Site:www.capespeardrive.com
MARINE DRIVE
Take Route 30 (Logy Bay Road) and turn onto Marine Drive, a scenic route that winds in and out of the small communities along this part of the coastline. Along the way you can visit Logy Bay, Flat Rock (which has a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes), then continue on Route 20 to Pouch Cove, pronounced "Pooch Cove", one of the oldest settlements in Newfoundland. At the end of Route 20 you will find a road leading to the rugged headland of Cape St. Francis.
Back in St. John's take the next leg of the tour and take Higgins Line to Portugal Cove where a 20-minute ferry ride takes you to Bell Island . Continue along the coast to Conception Bay South, which has many communities including Topsail, Manuels (which has a beautiful walking trail), then on to Long Pond which is home to the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club. Take in Foxtrap then on to Kelligrews which is the site of the celebrate folk song "Kelligrews Soiree". From Kelligrews, take a walk along the T'Railway, which runs through the town and along the coast to Upper Gullies and Seal Cove.
THE BACCALIEU TRAIL
Take Route 60 to Route 70, then turn off to Brigus which is best known as the birthplace of Captain Bob Bartlett. His home, Hawthorne Cottage is now a National Historic Site. Continue on to Cupids, the first English settlement in Canada. Cupids is fast becoming a major archaeological site. Rejoin Route 60 and continue on to South River and Clarke's Beach. Continue on to Bay Roberts, now a major service and shopping centre. From here go to Harbour Grace, the headquarters of Peter Easton, a famous pirate of the early 17th century. In 1932, Amelia Earhart left Harbour Grace to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. From Harbour Grace continue on to Carbonear. Carbonear is home of the Princess Sheila Folk-Sea Festival.
Continuing northward you will come to the community of Northern Bay Sands, an ideal seaside vacation spot. Offshore is Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve with 11 species of seabirds nesting there. Be sure to drop in to Heart's Content where the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was landed in 1866. Along Route 80 you will pass through Dildo, Blaketown and then on to Whitbourne on Route 81. Next is Markland where you will find the Rodrigues Markland Cottage Winery where wine is made from local berries.
Web Site:www.aroundthebay.ca/org/btta
IRISH LOOP DRIVE
Starting in St. John's head south on Route 10 into the heart of Irish Newfoundland. You will come to the community of Bay Bulls where you can hop a tour boat to see the marine delights on the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to tens of thousands of Atlantic puffins as well as other type of birds. You will also have the opportunity to see more than a dozen types of whales in season. Don't forget the Avalon Wilderness Reserve where you may see caribou trying to cross the road. Further along you will come to Ferryland which is literally a step into the past at the archaeological dig. Visit Cape Race, Trepassey and St. Vincent's, then on to O'Donnells and St. Joseph's. Another favourite stop would be Salmonier Nature Park www.gov.nl.ca/snp a 1,214 hectare wilderness reserve.
Web Site: www.theirishloop.com
THE CAPE SHORE
This drive takes you to Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve seabird sanctuary, one of the more incredible wildlife spectacles in the world, then on to Colinet. Follow Route 100 to St. Bride's. Past Point Verde you will come to Placentia, a community steeped in history. On the commanding site of Castle Hill National Historic Park, the French erected a fortification called Le Gaillardin in 1692. From Placentia it is a short trip to Argentia, the terminus for the ferry which operates between Argentia and North Sydney, Nova Scotia during the summer months. Take Route 100 through Dunville.
Web Site:www.thecapeshore.com