Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada's edge-of-the-world province — a wild and spectacular land where ancient icebergs drift along rugged coastlines, where Vikings set foot on North American soil over 1,000 years ago, and where hundreds of thousands of puffins nest on Atlantic-battered cliffs. The last province to join Confederation in 1949, Newfoundland and Labrador is home to the continent's easternmost point, fjords rivalling Norway's, and an island culture that is warm, unique, and unlike anywhere else in Canada. Here are the 20 must-do experiences.
To explore further, see our provinces and territories guide and our Discover Newfoundland and Labrador article. The unique landscapes of this region are also covered in our Canadian geography guide. Canada's wildlife and wilderness is equally remarkable here. You can also explore Top 20 — nouvelle ecosse.html and Top 20 — ile prince edouard.html.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gros Morne is a geological marvel where you can walk on exposed Earth mantle at the Tablelands — one of the rare visible proofs of plate tectonics on the planet. The park features spectacular fjords, notably Western Brook Pond, a landlocked fjord 165 metres deep surrounded by 600-metre cliffs. The summit of Gros Morne (806 m) offers breathtaking views over Bonne Bay and the Long Range Mountains.
Every spring, icebergs aged 10,000 to 15,000 years, calved from Greenland's glaciers, drift along Newfoundland's coast in one of the world's most impressive natural spectacles. Some tower as tall as 15-storey buildings. Twillingate, nicknamed the "Iceberg Capital of the World," is the best vantage point. You can see them from shore, by boat, or even by kayak — a truly unique Canadian experience.
Canada's wildest and most remote national park. No roads, no marked trails, no developed campsites — just spectacular mountains reaching 1,652 m (the highest east of the Rockies), deep fjords and abundant wildlife including polar bears, caribou and wolves. The park is co-managed with the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and offers Indigenous cultural programs. Accessible only by plane or boat from Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Did you know?
Newfoundland and Labrador has its own time zone, offset by 30 minutes from Atlantic Time — the Newfoundland Time Zone (UTC-3:30). It's the only half-hour time zone in Canada. When it's noon in Ottawa, it's 1:30 PM in St. John's!
A coastal trail network spanning 336 km connecting 26 communities along the wild Avalon Peninsula coastline. The trail passes towering cliffs, fjords, seabird colonies, a natural wave-driven geyser called "the Spout," historic lighthouses and archaeological sites. You can spot whales, icebergs and the world's southernmost caribou herd. Completely free to hike, with six designated campgrounds along the route.
The only confirmed Viking site in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Around the year 1000, Norse explorers led by Leif Erikson established a camp here, proving that Vikings reached America 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The remains of eight turf buildings have been excavated, along with Norse artifacts. Costumed interpreters recreate daily Viking life at this globally unique historic site.
Overlooking St. John's harbour and the narrow entrance known as "the Narrows," Signal Hill is where Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless telegraph signal in 1901. Cabot Tower, at the summit, offers panoramic views of the city, the Atlantic Ocean and, in spring, drifting icebergs. The site was also a strategic military point for centuries. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment reenactment in summer is not to be missed.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving the remains of a 16th-century Basque whaling station. Between 1530 and 1600, up to 600 Basque mariners came each season to hunt whales in the Strait of Belle Isle. Archaeological excavations revealed the remains of 20 rendering stations and the wrecks of several galleons, including the San Juan, one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in the Americas. A fascinating chapter of Canada's pre-colonial history.
The easternmost point of North America — the first place on the continent to see the sunrise. Cape Spear is home to Newfoundland's oldest surviving lighthouse (1836), now a museum, and a World War II gun battery. Standing face-to-face with the Atlantic, knowing the next land is Ireland 3,300 km away, gives a dizzying perspective. Whale watching from the cliffs is common in summer.
Did you know?
L'Anse aux Meadows proves that the Vikings (Norse) were the first Europeans to reach North America, approximately 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The site is referenced in the Icelandic Sagas as "Vinland." Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, is believed to have led the expedition around 1000 AD.
North America's largest Atlantic puffin colony, with over 500,000 individuals nesting on the islands of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. In summer, the reserve's four islands host more than four million seabirds. Boat excursions depart from Bay Bulls and also offer sightings of humpback whales, minke whales and icebergs. An absolutely extraordinary nature spectacle just minutes from St. John's.
Newfoundland is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. From May to September, capelin-rich waters attract humpbacks, minke whales, fin whales and occasionally blue whales and orcas. Zodiac excursions offer spectacular close encounters. Operators in Bay Bulls, Trinity, Twillingate and St. Anthony run daily trips with a sighting rate above 95% in peak season.
Paddling a kayak alongside icebergs thousands of years old is an experience available virtually nowhere else on Earth. Guided excursions allow you to safely approach these blue-white ice giants while observing whales, seals and seabirds. The contrast between the deep blue of the North Atlantic and the brilliant white of the icebergs is breathtaking. Twillingate is the go-to launch point for this unique adventure.
Crossing the Strait of Belle Isle by ferry is an adventure in itself — 35 km of sailing between the island of Newfoundland and the Labrador coast, with chances of spotting icebergs and whales along the way. Labrador offers a world apart: the Trans-Labrador Highway (Route 500/510), once a legendary gravel road, crosses landscapes of incomparable wild beauty. Battle Harbour, a restored 19th-century fishing village on an island, is a hidden treasure.
The famous candy-coloured Victorian row houses of St. John's — known as "Jellybean Row" — are Newfoundland's iconic image. After the Great Fire of 1892, rebuilt homes were painted in bright colours to brighten the frequent fog. St. John's is one of North America's oldest cities (founded around 1497). Downtown is packed with galleries, artisan shops and restaurants serving local fare — cod, toutons, jiggs dinner.
To become an "Honorary Newfoundlander," you must go through the Screech-In! This iconic ritual involves reciting a Newfoundland tongue-twister, downing a shot of Screech (a local 40% rum), then kissing a cod. You then receive an official certificate. George Street, with its two blocks of pubs and bars, holds the reputation of having the most bars per square foot in North America. A hilarious and heartwarming tradition.
A picturesque village of colourful houses and beautifully preserved historic buildings, perched on the shores of Trinity Bay. Trinity is a living open-air museum with 18th and 19th-century buildings, coastal trails and a summer theatre (Rising Tide Theatre). The village also offers excellent whale watching excursions and hiking trails leading to spectacular cliff viewpoints. One of Atlantic Canada's most photographed villages.
Newfoundland's largest offshore island, Fogo Island is a world apart where homes, stages (fishing sheds on stilts) and wharves have barely changed in decades. The Fogo Island Inn, a spectacular contemporary design hotel perched on stilts facing the Atlantic, has become one of the most photographed hotels in the world. The island is a paradise for hiking, iceberg watching and photography. A haven for artists and nature lovers alike.
Did you know?
St. John's is considered one of the oldest European-founded cities in North America. It's believed that John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) landed there on June 24, 1497 — the feast of St. John the Baptist — which gave the city its name. It was also in Newfoundland that Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901, from Signal Hill.
The place where John Cabot is believed to have landed in 1497, putting North America on the European map. The Cabot statue overlooks the sea and the candy-striped lighthouse offers spectacular views of icebergs and whales. Dungeon Provincial Park features a unique geological formation — two collapsed sea arches forming a spectacular chasm invaded by the ocean. The Ryan Premises National Historic Site tells the story of 500 years of cod fishing.
A restored 19th-century fishing village on a small island off southern Labrador, once the nerve centre of the Labrador fishery. Battle Harbour offers an authentic journey back in time — you can sleep in restored historic buildings, walk coastal trails and discover the harsh but fascinating life of Labrador fishermen. Accessible only by boat from Mary's Harbour, it's one of Atlantic Canada's best-kept secrets.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the oldest known assemblages of large multicellular fossils on Earth — dating back 565 million years. These Ediacaran organisms represent the very earliest forms of complex life, long before dinosaurs. The site is accessible only by guided tour to protect the fragile fossils. A fascinating experience for anyone interested in the history of life on our planet.
Newfoundland cuisine is a cultural experience in its own right. Jiggs Dinner — a traditional stew of salt beef, cabbage, turnips, carrots and peas — is served on Sundays across the province. Toutons (fried dough) with maple syrup or molasses, fish and brewis (salt cod with softened hardtack) and bakeapple berries (cloudberries) are flavours found nowhere else. Iceberg beer, brewed with 10,000-year-old iceberg water, is a must-try curiosity.
For the citizenship test: Newfoundland and Labrador is the last province to have joined Canadian Confederation, on March 31, 1949, becoming the 10th province. St. John's is the capital. The province is the site of the first Viking settlement in North America (L'Anse aux Meadows, around 1000 AD). John Cabot reached Newfoundland in 1497. Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal at Signal Hill in 1901. The province has significant offshore oil deposits (Hibernia, Terra Nova). Check our provinces and territories guide to review the essential facts.