Must See Places in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador is one of Canada’s Atlantic Provinces. If you want to visit some unconventional tourist spots like L'Anse aux Meadows (oldest european settlement in North America), Terra Nova National Park in Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador is the place for you.
The easternmost province of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador is one of Canada’s Atlantic Provinces, that is, provinces situated on the Atlantic Coast in Canada. Newfoundland is an insular region, that is, it is made up of islands, whereas Labrador is a continental region that is inaccessible for the most part. St John’s, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, is an important metropolitan area in Canada and a quaint little town.
Derived from the Ice Age, Newfoundland and Labrador’s coastline is made up of coastal cliffs and fjords. There are also dense forests and many pristine lakes inland. There are many fishing villages which the tourists flock to for their picturesque landscapes and birding sites. There are also many historic sites, such as those from the period of Viking settlement, or European exploration and colonialism, and even prehistoric times. If you want to visit some unconventional tourist spots in Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador is the place for you. Here is a list of all of the tourist attractions in Newfoundland and Labrador that you must make it a point to see.
L'Anse aux Meadows
Situated on the tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, this National Historic Site of Canada consists of a moorland where six historical houses exist that are thought to have been constructed by the Vikings probably in the year 1000. They were discovered back in the 1960s and turned into a National Historic Site because it is the oldest known European and Viking settlement in North America, probably what historians called Vinland.
At the site you would find reconstructed buildings of a long house, a workshop, a stable, and costumed interpreters everywhere to demonstrate activities of that period as well as to answer visitors' questions. While you’re here you should also visit Norstead, another Viking living history museum on the Great Northern Peninsula. You can get to L’Anse aux Meadows from Gros Morne by taking a route with signposts leading to the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland called the Viking Trail.
Signal Hill
Overlooking Newfoundland and Labrador’s city St John’s, Signal Hill is a National Historic Site of Canada. It is historically significant because it was the site of a battle in 1762, as part of the Seven Year’s War in which European powers fought in North America. Additional structures were added to the site at the end of the 19th century, such as Cabot Tower, which was built to commemorate two important events – the 400th anniversary of an Italian navigator and explorer, John Cabot’s discovery of Newfoundland, and the celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Cabot Tower was also the spot in 1901 where Guglielmo Marconi, the man who developed the radio telegraph system, received the first transatlantic wireless message. Cabot Tower is also the highest point of Signal Hill and its Gothic Revival architecture is marvellous. Other than that there is the Signal Hill Tattoo displaying soldiers in costume depicting regiments from 18th, 19th, and even 20th centuries. You can also visit the visitor’s centre to receive more information through interactive films, etc.
Twillingate
Spotting icebergs from Point Lighthouse
Part of Twillingate Islands in the Iceberg Alley, which is a small stretch of the Atlantic Ocean, this is a traditional historical fishing village in Newfoundland, located on Kittiwake Coast, the northern coast of Newfoundland. This town is the oldest port on Twillingate Islands and it is also known as the Iceberg Capital of the world.
The Long Point Lighthouse located here is an excellent spot for watching icebergs as well as whales. The same can be done through iceberg cruises and whale watching tours as well. You can also go kayaking here, explore hiking and walking trails, go geocaching, and beach combing, etc. There are also museums, seafood restaurants, craft shops, etc. to explore. While you’re here you should also go to Fogo Island nearby whose distinct Irish culture distinguishes it from the rest of Newfoundland and where artist retreats and luxury resorts can also be found for tourists.
Terra Nova National Park
One of the first national parks to be constructed in Newfoundland and Labrador, Terra Nova encompasses boreal forests, fjords, and a calm and serene coastline. You can camp here by the seaside, take an overnight canoeing trip, go kayaking in the gentle waters, go on a challenging hiking trail, etc. All of these activities, however, are season dependent. The icebergs can be seen drifting by in spring, tourists start going kayaking, canoeing, as well as camping in the summer, and in winter even cross country skiing is available. It is one of the most tranquil and unique places you could possibly visit in all of Canada.
Gros Morne National Park
Gros Morne Fjord in Newfoundland and Labrador
Gros Morne, found on Newfoundland’s West Coast, is the second largest national park in Canada. It gets its name from the peak of Gros Morne, which is Canada’s second highest mountain peak, and whose name is French for “great sombre” or “large mountain standing alone”. It is a significant national park in Canada and worldwide because it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is because it provides a rare example of a natural phenomenon called a continental drift in which it is believed that the earth’s continents drifted from their place across the ocean bed over geologic time, and which can be seen by the exposed areas of deep ocean crust and the rocks of the earth’s mantle.
Apart from this fascinating geological phenomenon whose example the Park provides, Gros Morne is also known for its many mountains, fjords, forests, beaches, and waterfalls. You can engage in such activities here as exploring the beaches, hosting, kayaking, hiking, etc.
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You may also be interested in reading about another of Canada's Atlantic province
Must See Places in New Brunswick.
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