Welcome to Newfoundland and Labrador

With a landscape and culture all its own, Canada’s easternmost province is full of surprises. Thankfully, visitors waking up in St. John’s to the first sunrise in North America will have plenty of time to discover everything Newfoundland and Labrador have to offer.

Icebergs, Caribou and Music

Those seeking stunning landscapes and the solitude of untouched wilderness will find plenty of space to roam alongside moose, caribou and black bear in Gros Morne National Park on the west coast of Newfoundland. Wilderness spectacle of a different sort appears along the province’s rugged Atlantic coast — a stretch known as Iceberg Alley — where frozen behemoths dazzle sightseers. Guided tours provide unique access to these and the dozens of other truly wild places across Newfoundland and Labrador, but many visitors opt for a more delicious introduction to nature here — eating their way through the dozens of pick-your-own berry farms that dot the landscape.

However, it’s not all wide-open spaces on the rugged eastern edge of the Americas. The provincial capital of St. John’s has quickly become one of Canada’s most culturally vibrant cities. With a higher per capita rate of writers, musicians and artists than most major metropolises, St. John’s offers an enviable balance of small town charm and big city culture.

The popular Folk Festival, which takes over the city every August, shows off the blend of Irish, Scottish, English and French styles that have combined to create the province’s singular coastal sound. In addition, festivals featuring Shakespeare, local food, Celtic dance and storytelling occur year-round. Whenever you decide to visit, the spirit of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most prized asset — its people — is sure to win you over.

Coastal Destinations

Travelers touring Newfoundland and Labrador’s 18,000 miles of coastline get a glimpse of the region’s deep relationship to the sea. This is evident in the quaint fishing villages along the coast and in the salmon and mussels dishes that make appearances on nearly every restaurant menu. For a look into how deep that history really goes, visitors flock to National Historic Sites like Port au Choix and L’Anse Aux Meadows on Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula. The former protects the area used in a First Nation settlement, and the latter preserves  1,000-year-old Viking outpost. Both sites exhibit artifacts along with artist renderings of community life.