Page 94 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to Canada

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PUFFINS, ELLISTON • SHUTTERSTOCK/PIXUBERAN
Special Events
MAY
• TRAILS TALES TUNES FESTIVAL,
NORRIS POINT
JUNE
• BIG LAND CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL,
LABRADOR CITY
• THE ICEBERG FESTIVAL, ST. ANTHONY
JUNE – SEPTEMBER
• GROS MORNE THEATRE FESTIVAL,
COW HEAD
• SEASONS IN THE BIGHT THEATRE FESTIVAL,
TRINITY
JULY
• FISH, FUN & FOLK FESTIVAL, TWILLINGATE
• MIAWPUKEK POWWOW, CONNE RIVER
• NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR FOLK
FESTIVAL, ST. JOHN’S
JULY – AUGUST
• FESTIVAL OF FLIGHT, GANDER
AUGUST
• BRIGUS BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL
• MUDDY HOLE SCUFF ’N SCOFF, MUSGRAVE
HARBOUR
• ROYAL ST. JOHN’S REGATTA
SEPTEMBER
• GROS MORNE FALL FEST AND CRAFT FAIR
OCTOBER
• FOGO ISLAND PARTRIDGEBERRY
HARVEST FESTIVAL
DECEMBER
• NORTH AMERICA’S FIRST NEW YEAR,
ST. JOHN’S
www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/
things-to-do/festivals-and-events
experience life in the past lane at Red Bay
National Historic Site (www.parks
canada.gc.ca/redbay).
CITY LIGHTS
St. John’s is a compelling mix of old and
new. Designated heritage venues and classic
Crayola-coloured houses blend with
contemporary office buildings in this upbeat
seaport. Boutiques, galleries and restau-
rants, many of which give tradition a
modern twist, are plentiful here. So are bars:
jumping George Street reputedly has more
per square metre than any street in North
America! The province’s largest urban centre
also boasts its broadest selection of
accommodations, including business class
and boutique hotels, historic inns and
quaint B&Bs (www.stjohns.ca).
Corner Brook, the province’s second city,
makes a convenient base for sports and
nature-loving day trippers. Sitting in the
shadow of the Blow Me Down Mountains, it
puts visitors within easy reach of both
Marble Mountain and Humber Valley. An
average annual 5-m (16-ft.) snowfall draws
an international contingent of downhill and
cross-country skiers to the former each
winter, while the latter is a favourite locale
for anglers and golfers. Sailing or kayaking
on the boater-friendly Bay of Islands is a
memorable summertime alternative
(www.cornerbrook.com).
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
This province boasts a 29,000-km
(18,020-mi.) coast and land that
encompasses everything from daunting
mountains and dense boreal forests to
starkly beautiful barrens. So, naturally, it has
much in store. For starters, it is home to four
national parks, including Akami-Uapishku
-
KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park
Reserve—Atlantic Canada’s newest and
largest—which is working towards
developing natural and cultural tourism
opportunities for visitors. In this early phase,
potential visitors should be aware that
programs and services are limited, with
minimal infrastructure and services. The
remaining three—Gros Morne in western
Newfoundland, Terra Nova in eastern
Newfoundland and the Torngat Mountains
on Labrador’s northernmost tip—are all
stand-outs in their own right. Collectively,
they offer activities ranging from
snowshoeing and mountain climbing to
hiking, biking and botanical treks, along with
kids’ programs and campfire events for all
ages. These parks, however, don’t hold a
monopoly on outdoor fun.
Take the Humber River area. Known
primarily as a skiing and snowboarding
destination, it promises warm-weather
pursuits like hiking, golfing and caving, too.
On-the-water options in the province
include world-class salmon fishing,
kayaking and whitewater rafting. Increas-
ingly, scuba divers and snorkellers are
donning dry suits for a peek at what lies
beneath as well. If you would rather see the
sights from a boat deck, whale and
birdwatching trips are widely available, but
that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
From April to July, berg chasing is so popular
that the tourism board maintains a website to
track the movement of these mountains of ice
(www.icebergfinder.com).
Quick Fact
THE PROVINCE IS ISOLATED ENOUGH TO
WARRANT ITS OWN TIME ZONE (NST, 1.5
HOURS AHEAD OF EST).
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
The past is proudly displayed at dozens of
historical attractions and more than 100
museums. Some are modest operations;
others, such as The Rooms—St. John’s
provincial museum, gallery and archives
complex—are state-of-the-art. Yet the true
beauty of Newfoundland & Labrador’s strong
culture is evident everywhere. History and
folklore, for instance, are passed on orally