Newfoundland & Labrador Coast to Coast to Coast

Day 1 - Overnight in Halifax hotel

Overnight in Halifax hotel for a rest before departing on your motorhome holiday.

Day 2 - -4 Dartmouth to North Sydney to St John's (550 km / 344 miles)

Your Canada Motorhome tour adventure begins! Pick up your RV from our Dartmouth, Nova Scotia location and head to North Sydney to begin your Newfoundland and Labrador adventure. If you’re travelling between mid-June and mid-September, plan to take the ferry from North Sydney to Argentia on the Avalon Peninsula. This ferry will put you in easy reach of St John’s, only 131km away.

The ferry does a night crossing three times a week so plan your itinerary to coincide with one of these crossings. If you’re travelling outside the Summer months, you will need to take the ferry from North Sydney to Port aux Basques – nearly 1000km from St John’s. Ferry crossing time from North Sydney to Port aux Basques ranges from 4.5 – 8 hours while the ferry from North Sydney to Argentia takes approx. 15 hours. Getting there is just part of the adventure! Advance reservations are required. Call Marine Atlantic’s reservation line at 1-800-341-7981 or visit their website www.marine-atlantic.ca.

In either case, plan to spend your first night either close to Halifax then drive to North Sydney to catch the ferry on Day 2 or drive to North Sydney after picking up your RV on Day 1 and spend most of Day 2 exploring the area around this section of Cape Breton Island before boarding your ferry The North Sydney-Argentia ferry will have you arriving in St John’s on the afternoon of Day 3. Overnight in St John’s.

Day 5 - St John's

Tour St. John's, one of the oldest cities in North America and the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador. Some highlights include Signal Hill National Historic Site of Canada, Quidi Vidi Village, Commissariat House Provincial Historic Site, The Rooms, and the Johnson Geo Centre.

If you want to leave your RV behind and sightsee with a guide, McCarthy’s Party offer a number of guided tours, among them a 3 hour St John’s / Cape Spear tour which shows you the highlights of St John’s as well as taking you out to Cape Spear.

If you enjoy hiking and the outdoors, explore the East Coast Trail, a breathtaking coastal hike on the easternmost edge of Canada. Recommended trails stretch from Pouch Cove in the north, to Cappahayden in the south, along 320 km of coast. Take a refreshing walk on one of the many two- to three-hour paths along this spectacular trail.

Day 6 - St John's to St Vincent's (Or St Bride's) (181-325 km / 114-204 miles)

Depart St. John's for Cape Spear National Historic Site of Canada, the most easterly point in North America. Have your picture taken at the edge of a continent. Visit nearby Petty Harbour, a traditional Irish Newfoundland fishing community.

Overnight in St Vincent’s-St Stephen’s-Peter’s River. Located at the eastern entrance of St Mary’s, the incorporated communities of St Vincent’s-St Stephen’s-Peter’s River were visited by French and Portuguese migratory fishermen as early as the 1500s. Here you may be able to view whales from the beach. Campgrounds and RV Parks are not as plentiful in Newfoundland as in other provinces. If you overnight in an area which does not have a designated RV Park, please be considerate to the locals and request permission to stay where applicable.

Day 7 - St Vincents to Trinity (172 km / 107 miles)

If you spent last night in St Vincent’s you may want to start out a little earlier as it will take you approx. 1.5-2 hours to reach Cape Mary’s Ecological Reserve this morning. For those who travelled the distance last night, it’s only a few kilometers to get to your next stop.

Next, visit Trinity. Most of the old town is a national heritage community, and there are several provincial historic sites including the Trinity Arts Centre and Trinity Museum and Archives, as well as the Trinity Interpretation Centre. The main attraction here is not the architecture, however, it's the theatre festival Season’s in the Bight, run by Rising Tide Theatre. Rising Tide also performs the popular Trinity Pageant, a comedic walking tour of the town, which runs several times a week. In addition to its history, Trinity is also a great place for whale watching and several boat tour cruise the coastal waters in search of humpbacks and other species.

Day 8 - Trinity to Terra Nova National Park (207 km / 130 miles)

Journey back into history to the voyage of John Cabot. One of the must-sees here is the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site which has been restored to its original 1843 condition.

Terra Nova National Park is a great place to stop for a stroll near Newman Sound, or visit the Interpretation Centre to take a boat tour or to learn about the marine habitat of the area. The park's 400 square kilometres protects a typical Newfoundland habitat of sheltered bays, rugged shores along the ocean and rolling, forested hills with numerous ponds and bogs. Keep an eye out for ospreys, eagles, lynx and moose.

Terra Nova National Park is also a designated Dark Sky Preserve

Day 9 - Terra Nova National Park to Twillingate - 166km/140mi

At Twillingate you can visit the Twillingate Museum, craft shops, and the Long Point Lighthouse. Twillingate is at the centre of Iceberg Alley. Make sure you take a whale and iceberg watching tour with Twillingate Adventure Tours or Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours. A discounted rate is available to CanaDream guests when booked through CanaDream.

The nearby Long Point Lighthouse, built in 1876, is one of the best places in Newfoundland to see icebergs. Built on a bluff, it overlooks the outer reaches of Notre Dame Bay. You may also catch a glimpse of the huge whales that spend their summers feeding along the coast.

Overnight in/near Twillingate. There’s a private campground closeby or you could try the campground at Dildo Run Provincial Park, 20km south of Twillingate.

Day 10 - Twillingate to Gros Morne national Park - 420km/263mi

Our next destination is Grand Falls-Windsor. Highlights are the Mary March Regional Museum, Logger's Exhibit and the Salmonid Interpretation Centre, a fabulous place to watch Atlantic salmon as they migrate to their spawning grounds.

From Grand Falls-Windsor, continue along the Trans Canada Highway to Gros Morne National Park for your overnight stop. There are a few private campgrounds in the area along with national park campgrounds in various parts of the park.

Day 11 - & 12 Gros Morne National Park

Next, your journey takes you north along the Viking Trail and Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the spectacular ocean scenery and mountains. Hike the hills and trails. Choose from quiet paths to shifting elevations that overlook spectacular inland fjords, or hike over rocks that were once on ocean bed.

Next, stop off at the Gros Morne National Park Visitor Centre in Rocky Harbour. Here, you can view several videos on the history of the park. Staff are available to answer any questions. Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, only 10 minutes from the interpretation centre, is a great spot for a picnic lunch, and don't forget to see the museum inside the lighthouse.

Day 13 - Gros Morne National Park to Pinware Provincial Park (317 km / 199 miles)

As you travel north on your East Canada Motorhome tour, you will notice the landscape changing as you pass through the communities along the Viking Trail. In Port au Choix visit the Port au Choix National Historic Site of Canada with its ongoing archaeological dig and view the artifacts of the Maritime Archaic and Dorset peoples who occupied the area thousands of years ago.

Sail Iceberg Alley aboard the Apollo. Stroll the ship's deck and enjoy the refreshing sea air. You will likely have an opportunity to marvel at the sight of majestic icebergs and breaching whales. Crossing time is approximately one hour and 45 minutes.  Aim to catch the afternoon sailing where available to give you enough time for the crossing and to reach your overnight destination once you arrive in Labrador.

Overnight at Pinware Provincial Park – reservations essential.

Day 14 - Pinware Provincial Park to Red Bay to Blanc Sablon (120 km / 75 miles)

Arrive at Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada, World Whaling Capital, AD 1550-1600. At the Visitor Centre, experienced guides will interpret the Basque whaling activity in the area during the 16th century, highlighted by over 15 years of archaeological research.

If you’re up to the challenge at Point Amour Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site, climb the 122 steps to the top of the castle-like structure, which is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. On a clear day, the island of Newfoundland may be seen across the Strait of Belle Isle.

Overnight in Blanc Sablon (catch first ferry to St Barbe on Day 14).

Day 15 - Blanc Sablon to St Barbe (ferry) to St Anthony (221 km / 139 miles)

Today we head back to Newfoundland on board the Apollo then drive to L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site of Canada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the Visitor Centre, chat with the interpretative staff, see the short video which explains how the site was discovered and, as a highlight, tour the reconstructed sod huts as animators recreate daily life from a 1,000 years ago.

Explore the replica Viking village of Norstead and sail aboard a replica of an 11th-century Viking boat.

As you drive to St. Anthony, stop by one of the local craft stores to pick up specialty jams and jellies. In St. Anthony visit the Grenfell Properties, including Grenfell House and Grenfell Interpretation Centre, which also houses Grenfell Handicrafts.

Overnight at Pistolet Bay Provincial Park.

Day 16 - & 17 Pistolet Bay Provincial Park to Corner Brook (316 km / 198 miles)

Today travel to Corner Brook.On your way back, why not stop into the community of St. Pauls and take a boat tour to see seals or any scenery missed during your stay in Gros Morne National Park.

For Adventurers: Kayak or canoe the Humber River, which winds its way into Corner Brook or sea kayak the Bay of Islands, explore towering cliffs and sea caves etched in 500 million year old pillow lava.

There are a number of private campgrounds in the Corner Brook area and you should have no problems finding a place to stay tonight.

Day 18 - Corner Brook to Port Aux Basques (221 km / 139 miles)

If shorebirds are your interest, travel down Route 1 towards Port aux Basques and stop in the Codroy Valley where the Grand Codroy Wetlands Ramsar Site is recognized by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Just a 10-minute drive from Port aux Basques takes you to J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park, where the shoreline offers a stretch of sheltered beach with soft, powdery sand. The park is a good place to see the piping plover, an endangered bird species with only 500 or so in Atlantic Canada and fewer than 5,000 in total worldwide.

Overnight at Port aux-Basques. There’s a couple of private campgrounds to choose from or you can stay at the J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park campground, 10km east of the ferry.

Day 19 - Port Aux Basques to North Sydney (Ferry)

Sailing times for the Port aux Basques to North Sydney ferry vary depending on the day you are planning to travel. On most days during the peak summer months there are three sailings and we recommend you aim for the mid-morning sailing if it is offered. Crossing time is 5-7 hours which will put you in North Sydney for an overnight stay.

Enjoy a spectacular view of the southwest coast of Newfoundland and the houses of Port aux Basques on the treeless landscape as you leave the port. Whales are a possibility. Keep your camera handy!

Day 20 - North Sydney to Halifax (407 km / 255 miles)

Your most direct route from North Sydney to Halifax takes you through Baddeck, New Glasgow and Truro before heading east into Halifax. If you have a day or more to spare before dropping off your RV, we recommend you spend some time around the Bay of Fundy area, perhaps doing a full or half day tidal rafting trip on the Shubenacadie River with Shubenacadie River Runners.

The Bay of Fundy has some of the highest tides in the world and a rafting trip here is truly an exhilarating adventure. There are a number of private campgrounds in the area. If you prefer to just head back to Halifax, look for a campground in the Halifax area as you’ll need to have your RV back at CanaDream between 8.00am and 10.00am in the morning.

Day 21 - Drop off RV in Dartmouth

Sadly, your Canada Motorhome tour of Newfoundland & Labrador has ended and our friendly staff at CanaDream will be happy to transfer you to the airport or to your hotel after you drop off your RV at our location in Dartmouth.

If you're planning on spending a few days in the Halifax area before heading home, our knowledgeable staff will be happy to give you ideas about things to do and to let you know about any discounts available in the area through our CanaDream Club program.