Road trip to Newfoundland this summer

[Blackie312001]

Hey ... We're planing a trip from southern Ontario to Newfoundland !! Any thoughts ? Tips ? Which ferry to take? Stops along the way ? We will be both camping and hoteling it ...

Places you've stayed ? Roads to avoid ? To take?

Thanx

[cognaccruiser]

Hi. Actually a little more info would be helpful in providing thoughts such as what time of the summer, how long are you there and what your interests are. I'm assuming that you plan to go by Spyder.
Although we have traveled across Canada on our Spyder, when we went to NFLD, we flew to Deer Lake and rented a car. Our focus was on the west and north parts of the island. We are not too interested in cities and did not go to St John's.
So, depending on what your interests are, you could go by ferry to one end and return from the other.
Have you looked into camp grounds and motels? Our experience was that motels are very scarce in NFLD. We stayed in B&B's exclusively but you have to book them early as many become all booked up way ahead of time, like NOW.
If you are interested in nature and historical things, Gros Morne is fabulous, especially if you are prepared to do a little day hiking. Going up the west coast to L'Anse aux Meadows is great. All the small towns along the north shore are really interesting also and the Twilingate area is also very worth while. If you can, go to Fogo Island which is near Twilingate. It is a short inexpensive ferry ride but an amazing area to see. It is pure NFLD. Also, the Puffin Colonies on the Bonavista Penn. are worth the time. The aviation museum in the Gander area is very interesting too. Bonnie Bay has a great fisheries exhibit and tour. The ice berg tours are worth while. Each year is different and when we were there 3 years ago, ice bergs where all over the place. We went in June.
The roads can be a little rough in areas so watch out for road work and pot holes. Also watch out for moose. They are very plentiful and it isn't a matter of whether you will see them but more of how many you will encounter. We also saw a fair number of Caribou.
These are just a few observations we made but some things to consider.

Gary

[Blackie312001]

[QUOTE=cognaccruiser;1325120]Hi. Actually a little more info would be helpful in providing thoughts such as what time of the summer, how long are you there and what your interests are. I'm assuming that you plan to go by Spyder.
Although we have traveled across Canada on our Spyder, when we went to NFLD, we flew to Deer Lake and rented a car. Our focus was on the west and north parts of the island. We are not too interested in cities and did not go to St John's.
So, depending on what your interests are, you could go by ferry to one end and return from the other.
Have you looked into camp grounds and motels? Our experience was that motels are very scarce in NFLD. We stayed in B&B's exclusively but you have to book them early as many become all booked up way ahead of time, like NOW.
If you are interested in nature and historical things, Gros Morne is fabulous, especially if you are prepared to do a little day hiking. Going up the west coast to L'Anse aux Meadows is great. All the small towns along the north shore are really interesting also and the Twilingate area is also very worth while. If you can, go to Fogo Island which is near Twilingate. It is a short inexpensive ferry ride but an amazing area to see. It is pure NFLD. Also, the Puffin Colonies on the Bonavista Penn. are worth the time. The aviation museum in the Gander area is very interesting too. Bonnie Bay has a great fisheries exhibit and tour. The ice berg tours are worth while. Each year is different and when we were there 3 years ago, ice bergs where all over the place. We went in June.
The roads can be a little rough in areas so watch out for road work and pot holes. Also watch out for moose. They are very plentiful and it isn't a matter of whether you will see them but more of how many you will encounter. We also saw a fair number of Caribou.
These are just a few observations we made but some things to consider.

Gary

Thanks so much for the great info Gary .. yup traveling by spyder (15 RTS) with freedom trailer . Probably be taking the ferry at each end . We have about 14-17 days .3-4 days to get there , checking out camping areas ..B&B’s too . If u can remember the names of any of those that be awesome . Spending a couple days in St Johns too.
Thanx again

[TEWKS]

Great info above, just remember it can and probably will rain on you. Also, more important the temps even in July can be very cool. Heated gear could be your best friend up there. Actually, the peeps of NF will probably be your best friends. That's how I remember it!

Pat

[cognaccruiser]

Thanks so much for the great info Gary .. yup traveling by spyder (15 RTS) with freedom trailer . Probably be taking the ferry at each end . We have about 14-17 days .3-4 days to get there , checking out camping areas ..B&B’s too . If u can remember the names of any of those that be awesome . Spending a couple days in St Johns too.
Thanx again[/QUOTE]

Hi.
My wife is good about keeping trip notes so I do have a few B&B names for you.
In the Rockey Harbour/Gros Mourne area: Candlelight B&B (they are also motorcycle enthusiasts), Sheppherds B&B, Sylvia's B&B, Cedar House B&B.
The one we stayed at in Cape Onion near L'Anse aux Meadows closed after 25 years. Sadly too because it was fantastic and the area is amazing.
In the Baie Vert area we stayed in a small town called La Scie at Fairhaven B&B. Lady was a great cook and we had dinner there too.
In the Twillingate area we stayed in Morton's Harbour in a cabin right on the ocean but can't find the name. Stayed 3 days, one of which was a raging storm. We went from there to Fogo Island one of the days and we would actually stay on Fogo Island if/when we go back.
In the Trinity/Cape Bonavista area we stayed in a small town called Elliston at the Birds Island Inn B&B. This is where we went to see the Puffin colonies. This is also the "Root Cellar capital" which are interesting to see. The early residents built root cellars to store their food in to keep it cool and fresh. There is a nice little local restaurant called Nanny's Root Cellar Kitchen. It was an old church. Excellent food.
In the Grand Falls area we stayed at the Carriage House B&B going and coming back. More like a small hotel.

Every one of them had great breakfasts. The people were all fantastic and we met many other travelers that were really friendly. There are many small restaurants throughout that served very good food. One or 2 restaurants were a little disappointing but eating is a very personal experience so what we may have been disappointed in or even enjoyed might be different from another's experience.
Hope this helps. Just going over the notes makes me want to go back. Loved NFLD.

Gary

[Blackie312001]

Great info above, just remember it can and probably will rain on you. Also, more important the temps even in July can be very cool. Heated gear could be your best friend up there. Actually, the peeps of NF will probably be your best friends. That's how I remember it!

Pat

Yup rain gear and tent heater will be a must!! Yes I have heard the people up there are awesome .. I’m sure I’ll have a few beers with them

cheers

[foxtail1]

I did Newfoundland and Labrador last summer (end of June through mid-July), but I was in my Honda Element. It was wonderful. (Labrador was quite an adventure and I saw some very brave souls on 2 wheels, but none on 3.) I would reiterate some of what has been said already. I hiked in sleet one day, and wore a t-shirt the next. Be ready for any weather from freezing to very warm, and for it to change in a heartbeat. And, although the main roads are pretty good, the secondary roads have potholes that are pretty intense. The same was true of roads in St. Johns.

We stayed mostly in St. John's at at friend's house till we headed toward the Labrador ferry. We didn't have a problem finding places to stay except around Gros Morne, using AirBnb and other online resources. We too stayed in Elliston and saw the puffin nesting area, but if you get a chance, take a whale watching trip out of Bay Bulls. We went with Gatherall's Puffin and Whale Watch, and it was amazing. The boat passes a seabird island with hundreds of thousands of seabirds, mostly puffins, and we saw a lot of humpback whales. Another naturalist site is Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, where you can hike along the cliff to a gannet nesting colony (that was the freezing, sleety day, but worth it).


I took the overnight ferry from Sydney, NS, to Argentia, and, of course, we left toward Labrador. But if I were doing it on my Spyder (something I'm trying to talk my husband into doing), I'd take one ferry over (either the long Argentia one or the shorter one to Port aux Basques) and do a loop around the island. There was something of interest in every small town, and lighthouses everywhere. Oh, we also saw a lot of icebergs, even though it was late in the year for them.


BTW, I did enjoy St. John's! We used it as a base for day trips, and it's a very nice small city. There are good hiking trails above the battery, and the harbor itself was fascinating. Everyone we met was very friendly, both in town and on our travels.

[Blackie312001]

Thanks so much for the great info Gary .. yup traveling by spyder (15 RTS) with freedom trailer . Probably be taking the ferry at each end . We have about 14-17 days .3-4 days to get there , checking out camping areas ..B&B’s too . If u can remember the names of any of those that be awesome . Spending a couple days in St Johns too.
Thanx again

Hi.
My wife is good about keeping trip notes so I do have a few B&B names for you.
In the Rockey Harbour/Gros Mourne area: Candlelight B&B (they are also motorcycle enthusiasts), Sheppherds B&B, Sylvia's B&B, Cedar House B&B.
The one we stayed at in Cape Onion near L'Anse aux Meadows closed after 25 years. Sadly too because it was fantastic and the area is amazing.
In the Baie Vert area we stayed in a small town called La Scie at Fairhaven B&B. Lady was a great cook and we had dinner there too.
In the Twillingate area we stayed in Morton's Harbour in a cabin right on the ocean but can't find the name. Stayed 3 days, one of which was a raging storm. We went from there to Fogo Island one of the days and we would actually stay on Fogo Island if/when we go back.
In the Trinity/Cape Bonavista area we stayed in a small town called Elliston at the Birds Island Inn B&B. This is where we went to see the Puffin colonies. This is also the "Root Cellar capital" which are interesting to see. The early residents built root cellars to store their food in to keep it cool and fresh. There is a nice little local restaurant called Nanny's Root Cellar Kitchen. It was an old church. Excellent food.
In the Grand Falls area we stayed at the Carriage House B&B going and coming back. More like a small hotel.

Every one of them had great breakfasts. The people were all fantastic and we met many other travelers that were really friendly. There are many small restaurants throughout that served very good food. One or 2 restaurants were a little disappointing but eating is a very personal experience so what we may have been disappointed in or even enjoyed might be different from another's experience.
Hope this helps. Just going over the notes makes me want to go back. Loved NFLD.

Gary[/QUOTE]

Great info Gary ... thx so much .. we will def be booking shortly ..

[Blackie312001]

I did Newfoundland and Labrador last summer (end of June through mid-July), but I was in my Honda Element. It was wonderful. (Labrador was quite an adventure and I saw some very brave souls on 2 wheels, but none on 3.) I would reiterate some of what has been said already. I hiked in sleet one day, and wore a t-shirt the next. Be ready for any weather from freezing to very warm, and for it to change in a heartbeat. And, although the main roads are pretty good, the secondary roads have potholes that are pretty intense. The same was true of roads in St. Johns.

We stayed mostly in St. John's at at friend's house till we headed toward the Labrador ferry. We didn't have a problem finding places to stay except around Gros Morne, using AirBnb and other online resources. We too stayed in Elliston and saw the puffin nesting area, but if you get a chance, take a whale watching trip out of Bay Bulls. We went with Gatherall's Puffin and Whale Watch, and it was amazing. The boat passes a seabird island with hundreds of thousands of seabirds, mostly puffins, and we saw a lot of humpback whales. Another naturalist site is Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, where you can hike along the cliff to a gannet nesting colony (that was the freezing, sleety day, but worth it).


I took the overnight ferry from Sydney, NS, to Argentia, and, of course, we left toward Labrador. But if I were doing it on my Spyder (something I'm trying to talk my husband into doing), I'd take one ferry over (either the long Argentia one or the shorter one to Port aux Basques) and do a loop around the island. There was something of interest in every small town, and lighthouses everywhere. Oh, we also saw a lot of icebergs, even though it was late in the year for them.


BTW, I did enjoy St. John's! We used it as a base for day trips, and it's a very nice small city. There are good hiking trails above the battery, and the harbor itself was fascinating. Everyone we met was very friendly, both in town and on our travels.

Thank u ... looks like we better be prepared for every kind of weather!! We will be spending a couple days in St hogs too . Great people on this site ... lots of info that will help so much

[ARtraveler]

Can't add much here other than sounds like a great trip being planned.

[R FUN]

Yes, definately do the trip. Cognaccruiser { Gary} and Foxtail1 pretty well have you covered and I also would recommend taking the ferry over to Labrador.
There is not a lot there if you stay on the pavement but we enjoyed it and would do it again. Enjoy your trip.
Roger

[foxtail1]

Yes, definately do the trip. Cognaccruiser { Gary} and Foxtail1 pretty well have you covered and I also would recommend taking the ferry over to Labrador.
There is not a lot there if you stay on the pavement but we enjoyed it and would do it again. Enjoy your trip.
Roger

I would advise caution about the ferry to Labrador. Weather can shut it down, even in mid-summer. When we took it, on July 9th, it had just been shut down for 3 days. We only had to wait for the afternoon ferry to cross to Quebec (the morning was fully booked), but on the Quebec side, there were cars, trucks, and motorcycles lined up waiting to get back to Newfoundland. And they had been waiting for days!

Roger, I don't know when you made the trip, but the first "paved" miles in Labrador were some of the worst I saw on the entire Labrador loop, and that's saying something, considering the hundreds of unpaved miles on the loop. The road did get better after the first 20 miles or so, and a trip up to Pinware or Red Bay would be a nice jaunt.

BTW, we did not go into Blanc-Sablon itself, but heard good things about it. We had booked a hotel in Mary's Harbour, so we just headed up the coast.

One more irrelevancy: in my perfect world, there would be a way to get from Blanc-Sablon to Kegaska, the easternmost town you can reach by road on the north shore of the St. Lawrence. The road south from Baie-Comeau (my Labrador loop ended with the road between Labrador City and Baie-Comeau) is probably one reason I have a Spyder today. I saw so many of them on that road, and I was so jealous that I was closed up in my car. I bought my F3-S about 2 weeks after my return from the trip.

[R FUN]

Yes, FOXTAIL1 we went about 8 years ago and only went to Red Bay as we were advised the roads were not good from there on. We then went back down to the roads end at Blanc Sabon. At that time we had no problem with the ferrys.
Roger

[pauly1]

We were in Nova Scotia in early June last year. The ferry schedule was not in full swing yet as iceberg alley apparently was full (at least that's what I gathered viewing the tracking). The ferry schedules were easy to check, but that doesn't factor in the weather effects. I estimated 5 days minimum to do round trip from Sydney to Labrador without going to St. John.

Wayne

[rbob]

I will be on a charity ride this summer going from Victoria, BC to Gander Nfld. We leave Victoria 30 July and get into Gander ~26Aug. Any body is welcome. Lodgings at military bases and most food provided at various Legions along the way. Check out MPNMR on Facebook.Had s great time when I did it in 2014