Itinerary Details
Newfoundland & Labrador
Day 1: ARRIVE IN CORNER BROOK, NEWFOUNDLAND Welcome to Corner Brook! The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore the town and relax at your hotel.
Day 2: CORNER BROOKNewfoundland Wonders This morning, meet your travel companions and Tour Director during a welcome breakfast. Then, enjoy an orientation tour of Corner Brook. Travel along Humber Arm to the Bay of Islands, with excellent photo opportunities on the way to Frenchman’s Cove. Enjoy a stop at Lark Harbour andoak in the great views of Guernsey, Tweed, and the Pearl Islands on the return to Corner Brook. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT The garden city of Corner Brook on the western shores of Newfoundland lies at the mouth of the Bay of Islands, a spectacular mix of mountain landscapes and seascapes. Renowned explorer Captain James Cook surveyed Corner Brook during his exploratory travels in the 1760s.
Day 3: CORNER BROOK–GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK–ST. BARBENational Treasures Skirt the shores of Deer Lake and head north to Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for exceptional beauty and unique geological features. At Lobster Cove Head, visit the lighthouse and the fascinating marine displays. Travel along the Viking Trail, with a stop at Arches Provincial Park to see the two large arches carved by the pounding sea. Continue to St. Barbe on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland for dinner and a 2-night stay. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Mother Nature knows you can’t rush a good thing, taking 485 million years to create the wonders of Gros Morne National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site covering over 1,110 square miles, the park is a paradise of raw beauty and geological wonders with stunning fjords carved by glaciers amid towering cliffs and roaring waterfalls.
Day 4: ST. BARBE. L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS-ST. ANTHONYNorsemen Sites & Nature Sights Continue north this morning to visit L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site and explore a rediscovered Viking settlement. Travel to St. Anthony, home to icebergs, seabirds, and whales in early summer, and wander the coastal trails and boardwalk for spectacular views along the rugged coastline. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & HERITAGE Visit L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site to explore the only known Viking settlement in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Local Guide shows you the reconstructed sod huts, explains how the Vikings lived, and Norse artifacts dating back to 1000 AD.
Day 5: ST. BARBE–RED BAY–L’ANSE-AU-CLAIR Sea Treasures Across the Strait Board your ferry to cross the Strait of Belle Isle. Then, to Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized as the first major industrial complex of the New World and home to a 16th-century Basque whaling station exhibit. Visit Point Amour Lighthouse on the south coast of Labrador, the second tallest lighthouse in Canada. Consider climbing to the top for panoramic views of the Strait of Belle Isle. Continue to L’Anse-au-Clair, the southernmost community in Labrador. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURES Explore remarkable Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and historic fishing village in Labrador with one of the most precious underwater archaeological sites in the Americas. Relics from ancient whaling ships lie below the surface, and even pieces of whale bone believed to be from the Basque era can be found on the shores of Red Bay.
Day 6: L’ANSE-AU-CLAIR – PORT AU CHOIX - GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK (ROCKY HARBOUR) This morning, take the ferry back to St. Barbe. View glacier-carved gorges en route to Port Au Choix National Historic Site for fascinating exhibits highlighting archaeological finds of Maritime Archaic and Dorset peoples who settled here before 2000 BC. Continue to Rocky Harbour for a 2-night stay in the coastal village located in Gros Morne National Park. Enjoy free time this afternoon to stroll the quaint waterfront downtown area and Town Square or hike scenic park trails before joining your travel companions for a regional seafood dinner. (B,D)
Day 7: GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK (ROCKY HARBOUR) Spend the morning exploring Gros Morne National Park including a [LF] scenic cruise on Western Brook Pond. Enjoy lunch on Bonne Bay, with views of Shagg Cliff and the Tableland Mountains. This afternoon, visit Woody Point Lighthouse and The Tablelands to witness a contrast of colors on the remnants of the Earth’s mantle. (B,L)
LOCAL FAVORITE
NATURAL WONDERS A scenic cruise in Western Brook Pond reveals a pristine world of two fjords and the deep waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Enjoy live commentary throughout your cruise to learn about Gros Morne Mountain, the geology of the Tablelands, the whales that frequent the deep waters of this fjord. Keep an eye across the water’s surface as well as the sky above to spy an array of bird life and bald eagles.
Day 8: GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK (ROCKY HARBOUR)–GANDER Historic Airships & Honored Friendships After breakfast, depart for Gander, once the international aviation crossroads of the world for a visit to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum to learn the history of North Atlantic aviation from the 1930s to its unexpected role in the days following the 9/11 tragedy. Join the [LF] Beyond Words Tour to learn of the role that Gander played days after the tragic event. (B)
LOCAL FAVORITE
HISTORIC FIGURES Take a moving Beyond Words Tour in the historic aviation city of Gander, where nearly all its streets are named for legendary fearless flyers such as the Wright brothers, Lindbergh, and Earhart. When all the North American airspace was closed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Gander and surrounding communities welcomed, housed, and fed nearly 6,700 unexpected guests for up to five days. Ten years later, Gander was presented with two pieces of steel recovered from New York's World Trade Center buildings in appreciation of their extraordinary compassion and generosity.
Day 9: GANDER–TWILLINGATE-TERRA NOVA NATIONAL PARK–CLARENVILLE Fish Stories & Whale Tails Drive along the Road to the Isles, where the local colorful language translates to local names, such as “Too Good Arm,” “Virgin Arm,” and “Crow Head.” Visit Prime Berth, Twillingate’s Fishery and Heritage Centre in Iceberg Alley and then continue to the rugged, coastal Terra Nova National Park. Enjoy dinner in Clarenville, situated in beautiful Trinity Bay. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & TRADITION Bait your hook or browse arts and crafts at Prime Berth Twillingate Fishery & Heritage Centre. This beloved interpretive fishing center and craft studio was created by David Boyd in tribute to his fisher forefathers and proud traditions. Like its name, Prime Berth is a favorite “best spot” in Iceberg Alley.
Day 10: CLARENVILLE–CAPE BONAVISTA–TRINITY–ST. JOHN’S Reliving History on the Harbor Travel to Cape Bonavista to admire the beautiful cliffs and coastlines. In Bonavista, explore the area John Cabot discovered as he made landfall here in 1497. A visit to Ryan Premises National Historic Site commemorates the prosperous fishing industry from the early 1500s to today. Later, continue to the scenic harbortown of historic Trinity, one of the oldest communities in North America. Enjoy a regional lunch at a local restaurant followed by a walking tour with a Local Guide and stories that bring this picturesque village alive. (B,L)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HARBOR LIFE Meander down narrow lanes lined with 19th-century merchant homes in one of the best-preserved historic communities in the province. Get a multi-sensory snapshot of Trinity’s 300-year history as a mercantile hub of a thriving salt fish trade for 150 years.
Day 11: ST. JOHN’S. EXCURSION TO WITLESS BAY & CAPE SPEAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE For the Birds in Witless Bay Today, travel to Witless Bay, where whales and puffins abound. Board your boat for a [LF] narrated cruise around the three islands in the renowned Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Then visit Cape Spear National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America. (B)
LOCAL FAVORITE
THE WILD PLACES Newfoundland has the largest concentration of humpback whales in the world and is also known as the “Seabird Capital of North America,” with the largest Atlantic puffin sanctuary in North America. Discover their stunning habitat on a Witless Bay cruise through the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve – home to over 2 million seabirds, including 500,000 Atlantic Puffins, nesting in one of Newfoundland’s best whale-watching sites.
Day 12: ST. JOHN’S Toasts on the Coast Tour one of the oldest settlements in North America with a Local Guide. Visit Signal Hill National Historic Site, Cabot Tower, and the Old Town area. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. You may wish to visit The Rooms, where you can immerse yourself in the local culture through history, heritage, and artistic expression or spend time browsing the many boutiques and galleries of St. John’s. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner that includes a traditional [LF] Screech-In ceremony. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your tour. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES & TRADITIONS Even if you’re a mainlander, you can become an honorary Newfoundlander with a shot of screech, a short recitation, and the kissing of a cod! Screech is the local rum that, while packing a punch at 40% alcohol, is an important part of the screech-in ceremony – especially when kissing a fish! Yes, b’y!
Day 13: ST. JOHN’S Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Extra nights are available for purchase to explore more of St. John’s. (B)
