Welcome to the Far East. Where Newfoundland and North America begins. And where the sun shines first, at Cape Spear National Historic Site.
It was here, in the easternmost city of St. John’s, that Alcock and Brown took off on the very first non-stop air crossing of the Atlantic in 1919. And it was here that Marconi ushered in the modern era of long-distance wireless communications, receiving the first transatlantic signal atop Signal Hill in 1901.
Back in 1866, the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was landed at Heart’s Content. The old Cable Station turned Provincial Historic Site is now open for tours.
Placentia is the old French capital of Newfoundland and a National Historic Site. The town, located near the Marine Atlantic Terminal, is also a great jumping-off point for the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, where birdwatching is spectacularly up close and personal.
History runs deep in the capital city of St. John’s, where people have been living since the 1620s. Today, the lively city that grew up around its perfect sheltered harbour continues to thrive. Offshore oil has spurred economic development and the revitalization of its historic downtown. Here, you’ll find all the nightlife and restaurants for which the port city is famous. The Grand Concourse, a series of walking trails that covers the city from hills to lakes to coast to valleys, is a great way to explore its many charms.
Outside St. John’s, life is a little quieter. Conception Bay is filled to the brim with older fishing towns, where Old World traditions still hold sway.
Brigus is a beautiful seaside settlement dating back to the early 1600s. Its most famous son, Captain Bob Bartlett, went north with Admiral Peary almost a century ago. Bartlett’s house is a National Historic Site.
The first English colony in Canada is now the site of an archaeological dig in the nearby community of Cupids.
Ferryland, located in the Irish heart of Newfoundland, is where Lord Baltimore’s early 17th-century colony is gradually being uncovered in the most advanced archaeological dig in the province. Be sure to lend an ear for faery stories and other legends.
Some of the best whale-watching territory in the province can be found along the Irish Loop. Because here, thousands of mammoth humpbacks cross paths with southbound icebergs in the midst of millions of seabirds breeding and raising their young. It’s a triple natural treat.
Add even more wildlife to your travels with a day trip to the Salmonier Nature Park. Here you can get a closer look at native animals like beaver and caribou. Perfect for the kids, and the kid at heart.