With the “Elbows Up” movement in full swing and Canadian tourism becoming increasingly popular, it’s an excellent time to discover, or rediscover, our captivating country.

So you’re looking at eastern Newfoundland & Labrador for a summer visit and asking yourself “what’s there to do in eastern Newfoundland & Labrador in summer?” So, so, so much! It’s superb for family road trips, a guys and or gals trip, a couples getaway or a solo adventure.

If one of your summer travel destinations is eastern Newfoundland & Labrador, we’ve got a stellar list for you to either follow or include in your exploration of this beautiful part of Canada.

Ferryland

A little over an hour south of St. John’s brings you to Ferryland on the Avalon Peninsula. One you park, take a few minutes to admire the views and sounds of Back Cove.
From there, it’s about a 10 minute walk to the Ferryland Lighthouse, where you’ll find the good people at Lighthouse Picnics. Select from a few delicious food options, vegetarian choices included, a drink and dessert, and find a spot on the hill where you can enjoy the food and of course, the magical views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Afterward, wander the area and soak in the atmosphere and relaxing vibe.

Petty Harbour

Only 15 minutes from St. John’s brings you to a whole new world at Petty Harbour.
This postcard village is filled with vibrant colours and take your time as you stroll through this active fishing village. Ocean Quest Adventures also launches out of Petty Harbour, so if that’s on your itinerary, get there extra early to explore the area.
There’s also a cool mini aquarium and in fact, it’s Newfoundlands first catch and release aquarium, complete with interactive exhibits.

If you’re only stopping in for a short while, be sure to get a scoop of two of ice cream or a sundae or, well, lots of other cool, sweet treats from Tinkers Ice Cream Shop.
Originally named Petit Havre (meaning small harbour) by the French, it evolved into Petty Harbour by the English settlers.

Cape Spear

Welcome to the most easterly point of land, excluding Greenland, of course, in North America! If you get up early enough, you can catch the first sunrise in North America - pretty cool bragging rights!
Speaking of bragging rights, Cape Spear is home to to a historic lighthouse and the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s a Parks Canada National Historic Site and there’s hiking and walking trails aplenty. You’ll certainly get your daily steps in here!
There are also old bunkers and gun barrels from World War 2 on site.

Mistaken Point

On the southeastern edge of the province sits a UNESCO World Heritage Site, who describe this unique attraction as “these cliffs date to the Ediacaran Period (580-560 million years ago), representing the oldest known assemblages of large fossils anywhere. These fossils illustrate a watershed in the history of life on earth: the appearance of large, biologically complex organisms, after almost three billion years of micro-dominated evolution.”
It’s a three-kilometre moderate hike one way and once you’re there, all footwear comes off before you set foot on the rocks and fossils.
Set aside four to five hours for this adventure and your reward is a trip back in time.

St. John’s

The capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador is charming, inviting, colourful, has a thriving food scene, plenty of attractions, is rich in history and is one of the oldest cities in North America.

Head to George Street for two blocks of bars, restaurants and live music.
Fill your camera roll at Jellybean Row with its charming colours. Note that it’s not one specific row of houses; they’re spattered throughout the city.
Visit Signal Hill via hike and check out the Cabot Tower and then head to the cute and quaint fishing village of Quidi Vidi for a meal and more wonderful views.
There are restaurants aplenty and something for nearly every taste here.

Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve

Two hours and 15 minutes south of St. John brings you to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, home to the most accessible seabird colony in North America.
Over 30,000 Northern Gannets can be found on Bird Rock, along with gulls, razorbills, common murres, black-legged kittiwakes, northern gannets, and double-crested and great cormorants. It’s a short walk from the Interpretation Centre and you’ll hear the symphony of birds increase with every forward step. If you’re into birding, this is the place for you.

Vernon’s Antique Car Museum

The two hour drive northwest from St. John’s is absolutely worth it if you’re into classic cars. Even if you’re not, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate this marvellous museum. Filled with cars and automobile history from 1908 to 1970, with nearly 60 fully restored and authenticated classic cars for you to marvel.
Vernon just might be there and I lucked out during my visit as he gave me a demonstration of one of the first convertible top cars.
The museum has won several awards and Vernon’s expansive collection has had several pieces displayed at world-class automotive events.