Welcome to The Rock—a land of towering icebergs, puffin-filled cliffs, winding coastal roads, and some of the friendliest folks you’ll ever meet. Here’s where to go, what to see—and free bookdocking galore!

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just dreaming about your next great adventure, this collection of travel stories is your ticket to experiencing Newfoundland and Labrador in all its rugged, untamed glory.

This isn’t your average guidebook. It’s a firsthand account of real travelers—fellow truck campers who took their rigs and adventurous spirits on an unforgettable journey across this stunning region. You’ll find the best places to camp (including some secret boondocking gems), epic hikes, charming small towns, and even tips on where to spot icebergs, whales, and puffins.

Along the way, you’ll read about ferry rides over the churning Atlantic, encounters with local legends, Viking settlements, and unexpected detours (sometimes thanks to Mother Nature). You’ll also get pro tips on navigating Newfoundland’s infamous roads, dodging black flies, and more.

So buckle up, grab a coffee (or better yet, a pint of Iceberg beer), and get ready for a deep dive into one of Canada’s most awe-inspiring destinations. This is Newfoundland and Labrador—wild, wonderful, and waiting to be explored. Let the adventure begin!

Click here for current ferry rates to Newfoundland and Labrador.

David Rolince
2020 Ford F-250
2021 Real Lite 1608

We drove from Massachusetts through Maine and Nova Scotia and took the seven-hour ferry from North Sydney to Port-aux-Basques. The ferry was $667 CAD for a round trip for a less than 25-foot camper with a pet-friendly passenger cabin. Be sure to make reservations at least six months in advance as they fill up fast. The ferry was comfortable, easy to access, and had a restaurant and snack bar on board. Overall, it was a good value for the money.

There is a two-hour ferry to Labrador from St. Barbe, Newfoundland, to Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, that costs $110 CAD round trip. We only stayed in Labrador for 2 days due to rainy weather and swarming mosquitoes and black flies, overnighting at Red Bay and Pinware.

We gravitate toward more sparsely populated natural settings. Every day was filled with unique scenery and experiences.

If we had to choose one must-see place, it would be the puffin colony at Maberly on the northeast coast. After a short drive down a narrow and bumpy dirt road, you walk out toward the cliffs and surrounding ledges, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of cute little critters, many of whom were only an arm’s length away. It’s a simply amazing sight you won’t see anywhere else.

Above: Off the coast in Twillingate

My second favorite place would be the Twillingate area on the north shore, where we were fortunate to see the largest collection of icebergs there in years. Hiking along the cliffs, we saw dozens of icebergs as well as humpback whales in the waters right in front of us. At one point, where the trail ran down to a stony beach, there was a house-sized iceberg floating in the cove that we were able to swim out to from the shoreline!

There are boondocking places galore all over the island, and the locals are very friendly and helpful. Our favorite spot was at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parking lot overlooking Sweet Bay, where we were treated to an amazing sunset and a bald eagle perched 100 feet away atop a towering pine tree. There was no charge to camp there, but we did leave a thank-you note and a generous donation inside the church door, which we mentioned to the post lady. At the end of the road, there were spots for four to five campers, but someone was there, and we wanted privacy and tranquility.

Above: Cape St George, Newfoundland

Other great boondocking places included:

• Point Verde on the Avalon Peninsula
• End of the road in Little Catalina at the trailhead to Bonavista
• End of the road at Alexander Cove, Traytown
• Anchor Cove on the northwest coast, just minutes from the Labrador ferry
• Boutte du Cap (Cape St. George)

Above: Alex Cove, Newfoundland

In addition to boondocking, we stayed at several provincial and national park campgrounds:

• J.T. Cheeseman – $31.70 CAD/night (near Port-aux-Basques ferry)
• Gros Morne National Park – Berry Hill, Trout River, Green Point – $27.25 CAD/night
• Malady Head (Terra Nova NP) – $20.15 CAD/night
• Dildo Run (Twillingate) – $17.52 CAD/night
• Blow Me Down (Lark Harbour) – $20.15 CAD/night
• Pinware River (Labrador) – $20.15 CAD/night

All had sparkling clean facilities, and many offered electric hookups. These places do fill up, so it’s wise to reserve in advance.

Private campgrounds we stayed at with electric hookups included:

• LeCie (north shore)
• Viking RV (L’Anse aux Meadows)
• BNL Enterprises (Red Bay, Labrador)

Elaine Spittler
2014 Ford F-350
2009 Arctic Fox 990

In June of 2024, I arrived in Newfoundland, aka The Rock, by taking the ferry from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Channel-Port aux Basques. This is a six- to eight-hour ferry ride depending on the weather. The cost for me, including a cabin with a bathroom (two twin beds), was $202 US dollars. I’m not 100% sure, but I think this was a round trip.

Above: Waiting to board ferry, two hours pre-departure

I got a cabin in both directions. It sounds too cheap, but I couldn’t find another credit card charge for the ferry. The ferry ride was very pleasant. The cabin was clean, and towels were provided. There was plenty of food available to purchase.

I rode over to Newfoundland on May 29, 2024, so the weather was quite cold! For those with pets, the procedure was to kennel pets in the ferry’s kennel room. You could not keep pets in your vehicle, nor could you get to your vehicle during the ferry ride.

Above: Iceberg in Lunaire Griquet, Newfoundland

I wanted to go to Newfoundland because I wanted to see icebergs, puffins, and whales (in that order of importance). This is the reason I chose to be on the island for the month of June. The chances of icebergs and puffins were very high. Whales were less likely but not impossible. I saw icebergs on June 7! For this reason, I would say the town of St Lunaire-Griquet and Viking RV Park were my favorite places on the island.

The owner’s brother took me and a couple of other people out on his small speedboat, and we got up close and personal with three huge icebergs! It was a very foggy day, and when we started out through the fog, I was having doubts about whether this had been a good decision. But when the first iceberg came into view, I was gobsmacked! It was so surreal!

The Viking RV Park welcomes Americans! My site was electric and water only, with a free dump located on the property. They fly our flag out front, and the owner cooks a great breakfast! Just to clarify, my boat ride was not a commercial boat tour, just a private guy with a small boat making some money showing people the icebergs. Everyone in Newfoundland was very friendly and welcoming!

A second town I enjoyed a lot was the town of Kings Point, not far off the Trans-Canada Highway, sitting on a finger bay off the north coast.

Above: Kings Point, Newfoundland

This small town had a wonderful city-run campground. It was clean, with 30-amp electric, water, and a fire ring. Each site was separated by a fence. No sewer at the site I was in, but a free dump was available on your way out. The campground had great free showers and free laundry. There was one washer and one dryer. Coded door locks were on both. I cannot remember if there was Wi-Fi. Check-in for the campground was uphill from the campground at the gas station. All this was for less than $20 US! I stayed here both going east and then coming back west.

The best price on the whole island. It was within walking distance of a couple of good restaurants and a nice arts/cultural store. By the way, the best local beer was Iceberg!

I camped in two national parks: Gros Morne National Park and Terra Nova National Park. Both were very beautiful and well-kept. There was electricity, water, and sewer at the sites. Beautiful hiking was available within the parks. Watch for moose!

Mike Ricci
2006 Chevrolet 2500
2011 Bigfoot 1500

Leaving from Maine, we entered New Brunswick, Canada, at Woodstock and took the Trans-Canada Highway north, eventually driving on secondary roads to reach Matane, Quebec, from where we took the Matane ferry over to Baie-Comeau, Quebec. We drove Route 389 north to Labrador City and then the Trans-Labrador Highway east, reaching Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, where we took the ferry over to St. Barbe, Newfoundland. Our last ferry ride, a seven-hour trip, departed from Port aux Basques to North Sydney, Nova Scotia.

We pulled an M416 military trailer, so our length was about 32′. I can’t remember the cost, but here is what I got from the internet:

• Matane to Baie-Comeau: $156 (Canadian dollars for each passage)
• Blanc-Sablon to St. Barbe: $70
• Port aux Basques to North Sydney, NS: $320

Ferries were run very well and were on time. Many Quebec staff spoke English. These are huge ferries that carry hundreds of cars and tractor-trailers. Even so, I recommend making reservations and getting there early for the line-up, as they do fill up. If you want a stateroom for the Newfoundland to Nova Scotia ferry, you need to reserve it several months in advance.

There are just so many places to see, but narrowing it down, I guess that we would have to say that this place is one of those “don’t miss it” places. In Gros Morne National Park, you’ll find a parking area along Route 430. Park here and walk about 1.8 miles on a wide, fairly flat trail to the shores of Western Brook Pond (pictured below).

I think that you can arrange for a ride if you can’t walk, as we saw golf carts going back and forth. From here, you can arrange for a boat ride, which will take you to the upper reaches of the pond. It is truly a spot that you don’t want to miss. The cost is $89 per person plus HST. Again, these are Canadian dollars, and the exchange rate is very favorable for Americans right now.

An honorable mention spot is L’Anse aux Meadows, the Viking site near the northern tip of Newfoundland.

There really isn’t much to see when you leave Labrador City and head east on the Trans-Labrador Highway, other than scenery. The Visitors’ Center in Labrador City is interesting but small. There’s not much to see in Churchill Falls (you can camp at the tailrace and see that) or in Goose Bay (the Labrador Military Museum was a disappointment), so we would say to visit the town of Northwest River. The road out there from Happy Valley-Goose Bay is a little bumpy, but it was worth the drive for the following reasons:

It is the home of the Labrador Interpretive Centre and the Labrador Heritage Museum.

So, if you have any interest in history, these places have lots of pictures, artifacts, and interesting items to see. You gain insight into the area before and after European settlers arrived.

Above: Tailrace, Churchill Falls, Labrador

There were so many places to camp out on this trip that we did not spend a single cent on a campsite for the entire five weeks that we were gone. The Trans-Labrador Highway has lots of places to get off the road and park for the night. At the Interpretive Centre in Northwest River, we got permission to stay in the parking lot.

Above: Camping in Blanc-Sablon

In Blanc-Sablon, we got permission to stay on someone’s lawn with ocean frontage! We spent one night on a dock in Newfoundland. The people from Newfoundland and Labrador are super friendly and willing to help you should you need it!

Marinus Brand
2011 Dodge Ram 3500
2023 Arctic Fox 865

In September 2024, we left our home in Alberta and drove cross-country to the Canadian Maritimes. We took the ferry from North Sydney, NS, to Port Aux Basques. If I remember correctly, it was around $200 CAD one way. We didn’t have a cabin because we travel with our dog. The drive cross-country was longer than we thought beforehand and took us about 10 days. But we only averaged 500 km a day. And yes, we also went through Quebec.

Above: JT Cheeseman Provincial Park

Newfoundland is a very special place with lots of nature. We really enjoyed the cliffs at Cape St. George, Gros Morne National Park, the Newfoundland Insectarium, and, of course, our favorite coffee spot, “Sugar and Dice,” in Corner Brook. But what really makes Newfoundland a fantastic destination is the friendly people.

Captain Cook’s Lookout Point and park are also a great boondocking spot.

Above: Cape Ray

If you want extra information, we are releasing a multi-episode series on our YouTube channel, “Martien and Roeby on the Go,” with lots of information about our trip that may help others plan their trip. We are not professionals trying to get extra exposure but are conserving our memories for ourselves, family, friends, and others who find our trips useful and fun to watch.

Cindy and Marcus Larson
2019 Ford F-250
2019 Capri Retreat

In September 2023, we took the Marine Atlantic Ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. It was a nice experience. The cost was reasonable—about $175, I think. But we drove back through Quebec and Labrador.

Our first hike in Newfoundland was Blow Me Down, overlooking the Bay of Islands. You can camp at the trailhead with a short hike to a chilly shower in a waterfall. We had the hike all to ourselves.

Then we visited Gros Morne National Park, which is gorgeous! The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our first hike was Gros Morne Mountain, a hard 11-mile hike. We camped on an old logging road outside the park. We also hiked Tablelands and Green Gardens, which are very different but beautiful hikes.

You could spend a couple of weeks hiking there. But beware of the teeny-tiny black flies that can come in through your camper screens and bite, taking chunks out of your skin!

Above: Point Amour Lighthouse

We crossed the Strait of Belle Isle by ferry into Labrador and camped the first night at the Point Amour Lighthouse, which is the second-tallest lighthouse in Canada. After visiting Red Bay Whaling National Historic Site, we drove to a spot in St. Lewis, Labrador, which is the farthest east you can drive in North America. A rough dirt road led to an old Pinetree Line radar station built in the 1950s, where we camped on a concrete slab. We hiked Deep Creek Trail the next day. Then we went to the small coastal town of Cartwright and found a great camping spot on the water, where we met the mayor on his four-wheeler.

After a quick stop in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, we headed across the Trans-Labrador Highway and camped at Churchill Falls Reservoir. The town of Churchill Falls houses one of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the world. The whole town is engineered perfectly for the employees of the plant. Our last stop in Labrador was Labrador City, a big mining town, boasting one of the largest iron ore deposits in the world.

Eddie Fort
2016 Ford F-350
2016 Hallmark Everest

We made a loop by taking I-81 North, then crossing into Canada near Quebec City, then traveling along the St. Lawrence Seaway, and turning north to visit the Manic-5 Dam (now known as the Daniel-Johnson Dam). It was an amazing tour. We met a couple from Germany in a rented truck camper and traveled together for about a week or so.

We then traveled east on the Trans-Labrador Highway. It was very remote, with only an occasional mining town. The mosquitoes were the worst we’d ever experienced—even worse than Alaska. We made it to Happy Valley-Goose Bay and restocked supplies. Eventually, we turned south and took the ferry into Newfoundland. We explored Newfoundland in a roughly clockwise direction and really enjoyed the island, eventually taking the ferry back to Maine.

I recommend visiting the Viking settlement. We had a tour led by a local guide who provided a tremendous amount of information. We spent almost a week in Gros Morne National Park hiking and taking the fjord cruise, which was amazing.

Above: An Arctic Fox at Cooks Harbour Lighthouse

We boondocked at Cook’s Harbour Lighthouse and watched whales breaching right off the coast for over an hour. It was amazing! In the morning, we were visited by an Arctic fox, who stayed with us for a while. And no, we didn’t feed him!

Bill and Marcia Cullivan
2019 Ford F350
2022 Northern Lite 9-6 LE

We took the ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland, for $256. We originally had booked the Argentia ferry until it was canceled due to the new ferry they bought from China having metal filings in the lube oil.

This turned out to be a big decision. We would either cancel our trip only days before we were ready to leave or reschedule and add an extra 600 miles of driving to get to the eastern side of the island. We chose to make a dash east and work our way west. We did what is called Expedition 51, traveling through Newfoundland, Labrador, and Quebec.

We recommend the Western Brook Pond boat tour (pictured above) through a beautiful fjord in Gros Morne National Park. There was a very entertaining crew who sang and played instruments on the trip back to the pier. You can either hike the three kilometers out to the pier from the parking lot or pay for a golf cart to take you there. We chose to walk in and ride back.

Our second favorite place was Cape St. Mary’s Bird Sanctuary. When we arrived in the evening, we could hear thousands of birds in the distance, but the fog was so thick we couldn’t even see the other end of the parking lot. The rangers in the interpretive center were great to talk to and very knowledgeable.

Above: Bonavista, Newfoundland

We used Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome to find spots to camp. The Cape Anguille Lighthouse, Gander Aviation Museum, and Twillingate provided free overnight parking, as well as Cape St. Mary’s parking lot.

The four provincial parks we stayed at were all great. They were Frenchman’s Cove, Notre Dame, Butterpot, and Pinware River in Labrador.

Prices were very reasonable—in the high $20s to low $30s, which also included a vehicle entry fee. Toss in a night at Walmart and one at an Irving station, and we were good to go. We didn’t book ahead for campgrounds. The only time we ran into trouble was near St. John’s on a weekend night when we were told the provincial parks in that area were full. At Pinware Provincial Park, the black flies were quite bad, but all of Newfoundland was great in terms of bugs.

Jamie Rea
2012 Ford F-350
2012 Lance 855S

We did this trip in 2020 and took the ferry from North Sydney, Cape Breton, to Channel-Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. We took the daytime crossing and had a nice sail. The ship was comfortable with good amenities.

There are so many beautiful places, but it’s hard to beat Gros Morne National Park, the jewel of Atlantic Canada’s National Parks. The scenery is beautiful, and for the reasonably fit, the hike to the summit of Gros Morne Mountain offers unforgettable views.

Not to be missed is a cruise on Western Brook Pond, a fresh water fjord with towering cliffs on either side.

We are hikers, so we have fond memories of the Skerwink Trail, a moderately difficult seaside trail near the historic village of Trinity on the Bonavista Peninsula. There are several sea stacks, and it’s common to see eagles.

Gros Morne gets top billing, but we also enjoyed Terra Nova National Park near St. John’s. In the city of St. John’s, Pippy Park has the largest serviced campground in the province. It has easy access to downtown and cultural attractions such as “The Rooms,” the largest art, history, and cultural center in the province.

Dennis Stalzer
2016 Ford F-250
2001 Fleetwood Elkhorn

My wife and I drove from Texas to visit a friend in Missouri, not knowing where we would be going after that. While we were there, we talked about where we wanted to go. We had been to Alaska and the Northwest Territories all the way to the Arctic Ocean the year before and decided that we had never been to Labrador and Newfoundland.

From Missouri, we drove toward Canada and crossed from New York to Quebec, then proceeded to Quebec City. In Quebec City, we parked in a public parking lot and found a few trees in the corner where we were able to park, as others had done before. We walked to Old Quebec City, where we spent a few hours walking around and then came back to our camper. We checked and found out we could park overnight for around $12.

The next day, we headed toward Labrador City, taking about four days to get there, with overnights at a Baie-Comeau campground, boondocking next to the Manic-5 hydro dam, and boondocking near Fermont, Quebec. We had one of our tie-downs break near Fermont and needed to find a repair shop, so we went to Labrador City, where we found Carol Lake Metal Works, which works on massive mining trucks, cranes, etc. They were happy to accommodate us and did a repair that took a couple of hours, and our total cost was around $160.

Above: Churchill Falls, Labrador

Our next stop was at Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where we camped a couple of nights, plugged in at City Hall, and walked around the area. From there, we headed across Labrador toward the ferry crossing to Newfoundland at Blanc-Sablon, Quebec. The ferry was about 1.5 hours to St. Barbe, Newfoundland. In 2019, when we went, the cost of the ferry was around $50 from Blanc-Sablon to St. Barbe.

From St. Barbe, we traveled to the original Viking landing and village at L’Anse aux Meadows, dating back to around 1000 CE, where we took a walking tour. From there, we drove to Gros Morne National Park, where we camped.

About this time, a hurricane was headed toward Newfoundland, so we quickly headed inland to Gander, where we camped at a commercial campground for a couple of nights while the hurricane passed.

From Gander, we traveled to the easternmost point of North America at Cape Spear and then to St. John’s, camping at another commercial campground, where we were able to walk all around St. John’s.

After St. John’s, we drove to Fortune and took a ferry to St. Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory, where we spent the day. The cost of this ferry was around $98 for two people.

Above: St Pierre, a French territory

From there, we went to Argentia, where we took the ferry to Nova Scotia. We decided to get a cabin since the journey was around 17 hours. It was great to have a big room with a big shower and access to a dining room for dinner and breakfast after spending over a month in the truck camper. The cost of the ferry was around $750.

Once in Nova Scotia, we traveled to our friend’s farm on Prince Edward Island, where we camped overnight. From there, we traveled through New Brunswick and then back home to Texas. Overall, we spent a couple of months on the road. The roads varied greatly—from excellent highways to a very rough stretch of bad concrete highway, which broke the tie-down, to a fair amount of gravel roads that, for the most part, were in quite good condition. I understand the stretch of road across Labrador has now been paved.

Some favorite places were L’Anse aux Meadows, Gros Morne National Park, and the Gander Airport, with some old aircraft and history about the 9/11 diversion of American flights. The North America Aircraft Museum in Gander was also very interesting. The day in St. Pierre was fascinating, being in a French village where we heard a lot of French spoken. The buildings had an interesting and different look compared to the other places we had just visited.

William M. Chiles
2015 RAM 3500
2013 Lance 1050S

In July 2018, we took the Marine Atlantic Ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. We purchased a round-trip ticket since it was somewhat less costly than a one-way ticket. I don’t remember the cost, but it was reasonable as far as I remember.

Above: Inside the ferry to Newfoundland

We boondocked around Newfoundland in a clockwise direction, ending up back in Port Aux Basques at the Marine Ferry departure location for the return trip to North Sydney. The trip was interesting and very enjoyable despite the horrible roads. L’Anse aux Meadows on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula is a must-visit since the Norse came there for a few years around the year 1000.

Above: L’Anse aux Meadows

St. John’s was really a great place. Don’t miss the provincial museum, “The Rooms”. It is really an interesting place, highlighting the province of Newfoundland. It’s very easy to find since it sits at a high point in the city.

The coastline of Newfoundland has too many nice vistas to name. Cape Spear, near St. John’s, is the easternmost point in North America, so it’s a neat place to visit as well.

Cape Spear, St. John’s, the “Jellybean Row” houses in St. John’s, and just talking to the local folks were some of the highlights.

We boondocked the whole time throughout the country except for one night on the way home, somewhere along the main highway across Newfoundland. I think it is Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway.

Rob and Jenney Gallerane
2016 Ford F-450
2013 Chalet TS116

We took the ferry from Sydney to Port-aux-Basques and back. About $600 round-trip. It was a nice ferry ride—daylight on the way to Newfoundland, with good food on board. The night time ride back was comfortable—bring a blanket and sleep in deck chairs.

Highlights of the trip included:

• Seeing puffins in Elliston. We stayed in a municipal campground within walking distance of the puffins.
• Heart’s Content lighthouse for boondocking and hiking the Trinity South D’Iberville Trail.
• Port au Choix Lion’s Club Campground – $35 CAD per night.
• Pilley’s Island Brewery – dry camping at Harvest Hosts.

Jeff Leeman
2012 RAM 1500
2020 Palomino SS-550

I visited in late June to the end of July 2023 for 41 days. We drove from Ontario to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, and took the ferry to Channel-Port aux Basques, which cost $405 CAD round-trip. After returning to Nova Scotia, we toured through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York before heading back to Ontario.

Above: Cannon Firing on Canada Day at Signal Hill National Historic Site overlooking St Johns Harbour

St. John’s was our main destination for Canada Day. There was so much to see and do—from whale watching at the harbor and Cape Spear (the easternmost point of Canada), to churches, Jellybean Row for architecture, and the party life of George Street. Don’t forget to get “Screeched In” at Christian’s Pub on George Street. The host has an amazing memory for names and puts on a great show! Also, visit the Duke of Duckworth, which was featured in TV’s Republic of Doyle. We stayed at Pippy Park Campground.

It’s not really a place, but traveling along the coastline was our favorite experience. The rugged terrain, waterfalls, lighthouses, and wildlife were unbeatable. There’s so much to see!

Above: Cape Race Lighthouse, a historical landmark

Mistaken Point Tour is a 3.5- to 4-hour walk to see fossils and an amazing coastline view. Afterward, take the road to the end to see the Cape Race lighthouse. There is a cute miniature boat pond along the drive.

We mainly stayed at provincial and national parks while touring Newfoundland’s perimeter.

We spent a day on New World Island. Be sure to stop at the Prime Berth Fishing Museum and make sure you watch the videos. There were amazing icebergs in this area.

Be sure to stop at the Elliston Puffin Viewing Site. Also, visit L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site and explore the Viking village.

During our travels, we met a couple from New Jersey and ended up traveling together off and on for a couple of weeks. We’ve stayed in contact and have had a second road trip with them to the Northern Michigan Peninsula. Maybe there will be more in the future!

We spent four weeks on the island and wished we could’ve stayed longer to see more!

Bruce Gallant
2017 Ford F-350
2019 Eagle Cap 811

In June 2023, we made the trip to New Brunswick for the wedding of one of my nephews and, having never been to Newfoundland, decided to extend the trip to check it off our list.

We spent the night before the daytime ferry crossing to Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland, at the Arm of Gold Campground in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. It is located just minutes from the ferry terminal.

Getting off the ferry around 6 p.m., we then spent one night in Cheeseman Provincial Park, again located just minutes from the ferry terminal. I forget what the ferry cost was at the time, but currently, it is $172 (for a vehicle 20-30 feet, one way), plus 15% tax and a 13% fuel surcharge.

Above: Little icebergs in Robert’s Arm

The next morning, we headed to Robert’s Arm for a five-night stay at Crescent Lake RV Park, where we offloaded the camper to have the truck for touring. Although our site had full hookups, the campground owners told us that the water was not suitable for drinking. It was no problem—we had a full tank of fresh water.

Above: Camped at Crescent Lake RV Park

At that time of year, the weather was less than ideal, and most days were cool and foggy or rainy. We visited some small fishing villages and saw remnants of icebergs floating in the small bays. A day trip to Gros Morne National Park was, unfortunately, also foggy and rainy.

Then it was back to Cheeseman Provincial Park for two nights before catching the return ferry to North Sydney. Just as the ferry was casting off, the sun came out!!

After getting off the ferry, we returned to Arm of Gold Campground for another two nights before starting the long road back home to Alberta.

Above: Foggy day in Gros Morne National Park

Visiting some of the quaint fishing villages was perhaps the highlight. Because of the inclement weather, Gros Morne National Park was a disappointment.

Patrice Boucher
2020 Ram 3500
Northern Lite 9-6

Above: Ville De Fermont in Labrador

In mid-May 2023, I traveled to the end of Highway 138 (Kegaska) and then back to Baie-Comeau, before heading up the Labrador road to Blanc-Sablon. I took the ferry to Newfoundland, spent one month on the island, and then returned via the Port aux Basques ferry. I also did Quebec’s Highway 138 all the way from the U.S. border to Vieux Fort.

Above: Boutte du Cap, St George

Best remote: Boutte de Cap, St George, 48°27’53.5″N 59°15’57.9″W Free camping.

Surprise museum: The best car museum 47°53’01.6″N 54°12’53.8″W Vernons Antique Toy Museum.

Best hike: Discovery of a B36 ww2 plane crash with remain pieces 48°11’02.6″N 53°39’51.5″W

Best town: St John’s with Signal Hill, Quidi Vidi, Cape-Spear, etc.

Very nice site: Vikings “L’Anse aux Meadows ” 51°35’28.0″N 55°31’57.5″W
Park Gros Morne 49°46’51.9″N 57°50’28.2”W

Frederic Amorós Le-Roux (Nemesis)
2011 Toyota Hilux ExtraCabin, Engine 2.5D4D 144CV
2011 PSI-AZALAÏ (Made in France)

We finished the Appalachians, and from Fort Kent, we crossed the border into Canada. On May 17, 2024, in Trois Pistoles, Quebec, we boarded the ferry to Les Escoumins. Then we headed to Baie-Comeau, where we started the Labrador Highway until we reached Blanc-Sablon, where we boarded the ferry to St. Barbe in Newfoundland. After a few days of riding around the island, we took another ferry from Port Aux Basques to North Sydney in Nova Scotia.

The ferry prices for our camper:

• Trois Pistoles – Les Escoumins = 150 Canadian Dollars
• Blanc-Sablon – St. Barbe = 36.25 Canadian Dollars
• Port Aux Basques – North Sydney = 253 Canadian Dollars

The visit to Labrador and Terra Nova was fascinating. We also gained a better understanding of how hard life can be in these territories, especially for those working in the mines and deep-sea fishing. In Labrador, the Innu and Inuit Museum of Northwest River stands out, as well as the villages on the cliffs.

Despite it being May, there was a lot of mud, ice, and snow. In Terra Nova, any town you pass through, as well as the cliffs, is washed by the Labrador Current, and the entire coastal perimeter of the island is incredibly beautiful. We found waterfalls on the hiking excursions, as well as welcoming people.

Above: Red Bay, the first school, now a museum

Some great places we visited included Churchill Falls, Mary’s Harbour, Red Bay, St. John’s, Argentia, Cape St. George and its surroundings, and Rose Blanche shrouded in fog and rain.

Above: The Viking Trail, Arches Provincial Park, Newfoundland

Overnight Stays in Labrador

• Parking near Llac Fifielake N53º14’16.74’’ W065º59’34.51’’ Elv. 584m.
• Parallel to Churchill River N53º06’15.36’’ W061º55’42.05’’ Elv. 399m.
• Rest Area Government near Pishiu Nipi Lake N52º34’13.43’’ W059º14’10.27’’ Elv. 487m.
• Old Schoolhouse in Red Bay N51º44’00.69’’ W056º25’37.78’’ Elv. 25m.

Overnight Stays on Newfoundland Island

• Crow Head Walking Trail Park N50º38’23.77’’ W057º18’29.84’’ Elv. 3m.
• West Pond Lake N49º29’28.20’’ W056º09’38.30’’ Elv. 26m.
• Terra Nova National Park Bird Sanctuary N48º33’44.03’’ W53º57’47.98’’ Elv. 10m.
• Black Head Bay N47º31’30.96’’ W052º39’17.23’’ Elv. 23m.
• Goodyear’s Dam Falls N48º55’47.33’’ W055º42’11.43’’ Elv. 77m.
• Robinsons Trail N48º16’05.27’’ W058º45’01.69’’ Elv. 64m.
• Port Aux Basques N47º34’12.54’’ W059º09’09.26’’ Elv. 21m.

All overnight stays are free. In Labrador, you have to be careful because there are areas with mud, ice, and other difficult terrain.

Don Orcutt
2023 Lance 825

I took the ferry from Sydney to Port Aux Basques round-trip. There were no problems at all. Pet owners should be aware that pets must stay in the camper, and you cannot get to it for the seven-hour ride.

Be very aware of the winds! I checked the Windy App regularly, and it was very helpful. One of the first roads you will travel on takes you over Wreckhouse, named for the high crosswinds that can topple commercial trucks.

North of Twillingate, on the road to Crow Head Lighthouse, the abandoned campground (pictured above and below) just before the lighthouse was available for boondocking, with a number of great sites overlooking the ledges and ocean. There were hiking trails, etc. It’s a spectacular spot. The unmaintained road is rough, but certainly nothing a standard four-wheel-drive truck can’t handle easily.

Note: Twillingate has a public dump and water station beside its municipal arena.

I have to say, visiting Dildo was fun! It’s a small coastal town with tight roads but a picturesque oceanfront setting, a nice brewery, hilarious signage, a fun store, and a population that has a sense of humor about this town with a “curious” name.

Steve Lymer
2011 Ford F-350
2013 Arctic Fox 811

In July of 2013, we took the short-trip ferry (North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland) on a red-eye and paid for a berth. That was a mistake. We got to lay down for about two hours, and then they were waking us up again to get up. On that short hop, don’t bother with a berth.

We were supposed to return on the ferry from St. John’s (a much longer voyage), but we got notified it had run aground, so we had to drive back to Port aux Basques again to take the same ferry back. I think the drive back from St. John’s was about 10 hours.

We spent a full month on “The Rock”. We went way up north on the west coast, then across to the east coast and north again, then spent the last week in St. John’s in Pippy RV Park. It is very conveniently located right in town.

There were way too many fantastic hiking trails and attractions to mention. Our favorite, though, was Rocky Harbour, and the Anchors Aweigh show is not to be missed. Terrific band with a great comedy show. You can’t see them anywhere else as they don’t travel or tour.

Other highlights included Gros Morne National Park, a Western Brook Pond boat tour, and a whale watching tour in a zodiac (the perfect way to go if you get motion sickness).

Whale Watching Tour Tip – arrive early, make friends with the captain and arrange to sit on either side of him at the back, or you get stuck sitting on benches up front where you can’t turn around easily. An amazing trip for sure.

Go to Elliston, Newfoundland if you want to see puffins; lots of them.

We were all over the place. The only thing we found to be cheaper in Newfoundland than in Toronto were campgrounds. We lucked out again.

Luc and Suzelle Gagnier
2020 Chevrolet Silverado
2018 CampLite 6.8

On June 25, we crossed to Port aux Basques from North Sydney aboard the “Highlanders Cruise Ship” and back to North Sydney on July 27th; cost approximately $630, return, both times with a cabin with a window, well worth the price. We camped at Arm of Gold Campground the night before crossing to Newfoundland and crossing to Nova Scotia. It was a nice campground at $47.

On July 2, we crossed from Blanc Sablon, Newfoundland, to St. Barbe, Quebec, on MV Qajaq W and back to Blanc Sablon on July 4, on the same boat. Each crossing was under $44 for two seniors and an RV between 23 and 25 feet.

On Aug. 12, we crossed from Digby to St. John’s, New Brunswick, aboard MV Fundy Rose. The cost was $268 for two seniors and our truck camper that’s under 25 feet.

On July 1, we saw a small iceberg in St. Anthony Bight (pictured above) with Keith of “Iceberg Alley Tour” for $170 for both. We even tasted 10,000-year-old ice; delicious and so pure. Our tickets were bought at “Yvonne’s Cottages” (709-453-5342). We even fished and caught 5-pound cods.

On July 4, we saw a bigger iceberg and two smaller pieces of that big one at St. Mary’s Harbour in Labrador, aboard the “Caribou Run” for $150.

On July 11, we went to Elliston, and we saw lots of puffins. They were very close (between 5-10 feet away).

Above: Grand Codroy Campground, Doyles, Newfoundland

Do not waste your time and money on whale watching tours. At St. Vincent, on the beach, where and when the capelin are there, you can see lots of whales early morning and from 3:00-7:00 pm. They were no more than 100-200 feet away.

Craig Brueckman
2015 Ford F-350
2015 Montana 3582RL

After viewing several videos on boondocking in Newfoundland, full-timer friends decided to go and we decided to join in. I would have preferred to take our 2014 Lance 1191 truck camper, but my dear wife wanted more creature comforts, so we dragged the fifth wheel from Florida.

Our friends planned to drive via Quebec, but wildfires closed the Trans-Canada Highway, and they had to reroute to North Sydney, NS. We took the ferry from North Sydney to Port-aux-Basques, NL. Since our truck & fifth wheel are over 55ft, our cost was significantly more than anyone with a truck camper. The seven-hour boat ride was uneventful. We passed our time comfortably in open seating. Online booking via MarineAtlantic.ca was easy.

We planned to spend a month exploring the whole province, and it took that long to see everything we wanted. Boondocking is common, reported to be permitted anywhere not expressly prohibited, and that’s what we experienced. Beginning with recommendations from the vloggers, we used iOverlander and satellite maps to plan most of our boondocking choices.

Probably our favorite spot was Seabreeze Park, Twillingate. It is an abandoned RV park, with a lot for large RVs and other tucked-away spots for smaller units. It’s within a short hike to Long Point Lighthouse. Other trails are nearby. We used AllTrails for our hikes. The RV park has spectacular sunset views over the cove.

We also boondocked at Fisherman’s Memorial Park at Bonavista Lighthouse. This was a great spot to base day trips to see the puffins at Elliston, Dungeon Provincial Park, Spillar’s Cove, hike the Klondike and Skerwink Trails, and explore the nearby lighthouses.

A note of caution! Online and GPS maps are not always up-to-date. For example, we were headed to Trepassey to check out an abandoned RV park, and both Google and Garmin routed us down a loop road that no longer looped. In fact, the bridge had been out for some years. Foolishly, I tried to turn the fifth wheel around and got stuck! It took over two hours to get unstuck and then back the fifth wheel about a quarter-mile to the main road. I wished we had used our truck camper for this trip, but for the sake of marital harmony, I didn’t voice that thought.

Also, potable water was unavailable in a number of areas, but we were able to locate artesian sources along the roadways where we could fill our tank or at least some bottles.

Les and Irene Wilks
2021 Ford F-350
2022 Bigfoot 25C10.4

Left British Columbia, Canada – June 5, 2022
Returned home – October 16, 2022
Entered Labrador – June 26, 2022
Left Newfoundland – July 23, 2022

I strongly suggest calling for the Newfoundland and Labrador Traveler’s Guide, 480 pages long. 1-800-563-6353 They will send you this free book by mail.

We drove from British Columbia to Quebec. We went through Montreal (traffic chaos, drive up to Mount Royal, great view) through Quebec City (wonderful old-world charm, just like Europe) and onward to Baie-Comeau. Drive north up Highway 389, some gravel and very twisty, a new highway was being blasted through the rock, hopefully finished by now. View an impressive “small hydro dam” and then on to an impressive large hydro dam, drive past a large industrial site of an iron ore mine, and on to Labrador City. Propane was hard to find, but we ended up at a propane dealer. Fuel up there.

Head east on Highway 500 (Trans-Labrador Highway), all smooth new pavement all the way. Stop 20 miles west of Churchill Falls to view the falls on the south side of the highway. The falls were minimal due to all the water being collected at the power dam and climate change. At Churchill Falls town, there is one gas station. No tours of the buried power station were being offered; there used to be, so inquire. You can drive north of the highway on a gravel road to view a very long dam.

On route to Happy Valley-Goose Bay for fuel and a dump at a modern dump station. We slept near the dump station. At the station, there is a site for commercial water trucks to fill up. As no trucks were there, we hosed our rig down.

We drove east on Highway 510, approximately 250 miles to Highway 513 to St. Lewis (Fox Harbour); a small village on the ocean. If my memory serves, drive through town beside the harbor and head to the right, where there is a nice view at the road’s end. Then drive back past a small dusty store and find a steep gravel road on the right (four-wheel-drive low got my almost 14,000-pound rig up no problem; a local stopped to see if I made it!).

We drove up a rough road to an abandoned World War II radio antenna/lookout site. Several concrete foundations provided level parking (check for debris/old rebar first) for several rigs and offered a fantastic view of icebergs and the ocean. We spent the night there and only saw two kids on ATVs, who told us that in winter many polar bears wander about the town, and in spring, thousands of seals give birth on the ice floes. It’s a must-see overnight site for truck campers! This site is the easternmost place in North America that you can drive to.

We went back down Highway 510 to Red Bay for fuel and a nice fish and chips lunch.

We proceeded down Highway 510 to L’Anse-Amour road to the Point Amour Lighthouse (pictured below), the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada, open 9:30 AM to 5 PM. Next to the lighthouse is a large open piece of land. We boondocked overnight with a view of the lighthouse and its rotating light for company.

We stayed at the Northern Lights Inn Campground, 10 miles from the ferry, for the night. It was a clean campground with laundry, a dump station, etc. We drove 10 miles to the St. Barbe—Blanc-Sablon ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle to Newfoundland. The ferry actually departs from a corner of Quebec! We were early and walked from the line-up to view whales in the ocean.

Departing the ferry, we went north on Highway 430 to L’Anse aux Meadows, a must-see ancient Viking village site. The Vikings lived there for a few years long before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue! There is a Parks Canada replica Viking small village with folks in period gear acting out and demonstrating village life. A nice hike around the area is available, and a privately run “hokey” pretend Viking village site is nearby.

Driving to L’Anse aux Meadows, Highway 430 is very bad/rough as are many Newfoundland secondary roads. I had to keep my eyes on the road, which was hard to do with so many interesting views. On the way, we saw some potential ocean-side boondocking sites. Near L’Anse aux Meadows, we found a south-side road to a grassy area to boondock on. There were lots of soft grassy areas, so be careful!

Then, we went down Highway 432 to Gros Morne National Park, a World Heritage Site. There, we did lots of hiking, saw a nice lighthouse on Rocky Point at Lobster Cove Head, and visited a lighthouse exhibit.

We hiked to Tablelands (pictured above) to view the Earth’s crust (usually buried many miles deep) that was pushed up in a subduction quake long ago.  It was a good trail with a nice creek at the end. We went on a very hot, sunny day, and the large biting deer flies were voracious! Nothing grows on the Earth’s crust as there is no nutrition there.

We went on the Western Brook Pond tour, a six-kilometer return easy hike to the inlet where we boarded a good-sized boat for a trip up the inlet viewing the spectacular sheer rock walls and waterfalls. On the return trip, the boat crew put on a Newfoundland singing session accompanied by guitar. Reservations were required.

We continued down Highway 430 to Deer Lake and headed north and east on Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway.

After that, we went east on Highway 340 to Twillingate to the end of the peninsula; an island accessed by a causeway. My notes say we saw many RVs free camping on the ocean side of the road. Twillingate has a dinner theater on the ocean that puts on a Newfoundland show in the evening. For 50 bucks each, you get a big lobster dinner and a show (open bar), and the parking lot has free parking next to the ocean for cars and RVs, so you can drink and not drive!  We suggest that you get there early to get a good RV parking spot off to the side, and go for a walkabout and get a good table in front of the stage.

The show is a hoot, has lots of laughs, and has Newfoundland humor. You have to reserve to go to the show. I think the tourist bureau at the end of town would help you with that. The profits go to help needy Newfoundlanders at Christmas. There is a draw, and one lucky couple is flown there at Christmas to help give out the goodies! Drive to Long Point in Twillingate to tour the lighthouse and display. There is a fantastic view from the top of the lighthouse. We saw some whales, and you can see more whales from the Long Point viewpoint.

We drove Highway 1 and up Highway 232 on the Bonavista Peninsula to the town of Trinity to go on a boat tour looking for whales. My nephew’s wife’s uncle runs the tour. Up the highway to the town of Bonavista, we had dinner at a seaside restaurant. Unfortunately, I do not know the name, but dinner was great, and there was singing entertainment and a visit by mummers, which is a Newfoundland tradition of people dressing up weirdly and dancing about!

Near Bonavista is the town of Elliston (Root Cellar Capital of the World), famous for viewing puffins, which are funny little birds that fish in the sea and nest on the shore. We walked out on a long promontory, and there were hundreds of puffins everywhere. We got to almost touch them as they sit, nest, and fly about.

Then, we returned to Highway 1. My notes say that we drove to Clarenville to dump tanks and resupply, visited Pools Island, Budger’s Quay, and took a side trip to Cape Freels. We found RV campers there, so we camped there.

Next, we continued on Highway 1 to St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, and took a trip up Signal Hill. The view was spectacular, and the parking lot will accommodate truck campers. Coming down off Signal Hill, not far on the right, is a parking lot, and we observed truck campers, vans, and modest Class C motorhomes parked at the far corner of the lot, backed in next to a grassy knoll. We parked there several nights, and nobody bothered us.

We took a side trip to Petty Harbour to see the large penstocks and visit Cape Spear Lighthouse. Then, we went south on Highway 10 (The Irish Route) to La Manche Provincial Park and went for a 2- to 3-mile hike to walk on the backcountry suspension bridge. We continued around on the Irish Route to visit St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve and Interpretive Centre. We found eight species of birds nesting on Bird Rock (pictured below) and adjacent cliffs like avian high-rise apartment towers, accessed by walking along the top of high cliffs above the ocean. Bring binoculars to view the many birds flying about and nesting on the sheer cliff sides.

It was a long drive on Highway 1 north and east of Deer Lake and then southeast to Highway 460 to Cape St. George. We found a big waterfall near the ocean at Stevens Cove near a large above-ground mining area. Large piles of products were stockpiled and loaded onto ships. We stopped in to visit the waterfall and hiked around the area.

Then we drove to Cape St. George. Lots of open areas were near the top of very steep high cliffs down to the ocean. People were parking and free camping just about anywhere, and there were three actual camp spots with tables and fire pits.

We were woken up in the middle of the night by two RCMP officers looking for a lost young woman from some other camp who, unfortunately, possibly fell off the cliff. We do not know what happened to her. There was lots of giant hogweed around, a very poisonous plant. We have noticed this plant on our travels coast to coast. Some ladies were selling oven-baked bread that was baked on the spot in wood-fired brick ovens.

We drove north to aptly named Long Point; a long drive with few areas for camping on the way, ending up at a fishing village on a deep large gravel beach. Don’t drive on the beach, or a tow will be required.

We drove to Stephenville to resupply. The listed dump station was no more, and a friendly RCMP officer directed us to the new site—adventures in dumping!

We drove south to St. George’s town and camped next to an abandoned bridge next to the new road bridge next to a bay.  It is two hours from the ferry near Mattis Point.

We continued down Highway 1 and drove past the ferry on the twisty, hilly Highway 470 to Rose Blanche Lighthouse, accessed by a trail over the rocks to the ancient lighthouse built in 1871, not the usual tall tower but a stone building with interesting ancient artifacts displayed there. Nearby, a short boardwalk hike took us to Barachois Falls, visible from the road to the lighthouse.

Then we returned to the ferry and waited for the Port aux Basques ferry to Nova Scotia.  There are lots of little roads in Newfoundland, going to fishing ports all over the place and off to lighthouses at the end of points just waiting to be explored (just like Nova Scotia). The people are friendly, and the scenery is spectacular.  A trip to Newfoundland and Labrador is well worth it. The gas in Labrador is expensive!

Planning your summer trips? Check out other fun Canada destinations; Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, the Canadian Rockies, Yukon, and more!