8 Best Day Trips from St. John’s Newfoundland & Tours to Get You There
Newfoundland is one of the most incredible places I’ve travelled to! With its cinematic coastline, colourful fishing villages and fascinating history, I highly recommend you travel beyond St. John’s.
During my trip, I used St. John’s as my base to explore a number of the unique places to visit nearby. So, I’ve rounded up my top picks for the best day trips from St. John’s, Newfoundland to help you plan your trip and be able to experience a taste of what the province has to offer.
I’m sharing everything an epic puffin and whale watching day trip to adorable fishing villages as well as historic sites. Plus, you bet I’m dishing out a few hidden gems you didn’t know you needed to visit until now!
The best part is that most of these places can be visited whether you rent a car or tag along on a tour. So, let’s dig into some of the best day trips that showcase the beauty and history of the Avalon Peninsula.
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Bay Bulls
Want one of the most magical experiences in Newfoundland? Think next level Disney princess moment and that’s what you’ll find with a day trip to Bay Bulls!
A day trip to Bay Bulls is one of the most popular things to do in St. John’s. Why? Because it’s here that you can hop aboard a puffin and whale watching tour!
Boat tours take you out into Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, that’s home to over 250,000 nesting Atlantic puffins, the largest colony in North America. But it’s not just puffins that call these islands home. There are over 35 million seabirds from 350 different species.
As the boat circles one of the islands I was in awe as thousands of birds perched on the cliffs, dove into the water, and flew overhead.
There are two companies running 90-minute boat tours, Gatherall’s and O’Brien’s, both are great and offer shuttle service from St. John’s. I’ve done both and was thrilled to see humpback whales (including a baby!) as well as the thousands of adorable puffins.
What else can you do in Bay Bulls? Don’t miss the gift shops at both of the boat tour companies, they have some fun items that make great souvenirs. There’s also a mermaid statue in front of O’Brien’s that’s fun for a photo op.
Where to eat? I loved my lunch at Stone Ducky! Overlooking the bay, you can enjoy some fish and chips with a stellar view.
Distance from St. John’s: 30 km (30 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Gatherall’s Puffin & Whale Watching Tour
Cape Spear
When it comes to places to visit near St. John’s that combine history and epic views, Cape Spear is the perfect day trip!
If you want to catch the first sunrise in Canada, head to Cape Spear. It’s the most easternly point in North America. And depending on the time of year you visit, keep an eye out for whales and icebergs!
You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site. And that’s the only con to visiting with a tour as you don’t get to spend much time exploring the lighthouse.
Along with wandering along the boardwalk leading out to the point to take in the views, it’s home to the oldest lighthouse in Newfoundland. You can climb the steps up to the lighthouse, explore on your own or take a guided tour.
If you have rented a car, it’s an easy 20-minute drive from St. John’s. I didn’t, I visited Cape Spear on a historic tour, that combined Petty Harbour and a few sites in St. John’s.
Distance from St. John’s: 17 km (20 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Historic Cape Spear Tour
Petty Harbour
The most picturesque fishing village near St. John’s I visited was Petty Harbour! Driving in I was in awe of the views of the water to my left and the colourful buildings in the harbour below.
I visited Petty Harbour on a tour that combined Cape Spear, which was great. I learned a lot about this charming village from my local guide (who I actually had for multiple tours!).
Petty Harbour is small but there’s plenty to do and see on a day trip. You can wander the village, check out the Harbour Lookout Point, and grab lunch at Chafe’s Landing Restaurant.
There’s also the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium, where you can learn about the local marine life. It has a number of exhibits as well as touch tanks. Plus, it’s home to Canada’s longest zipline course! At North Atlantic Ziplines you’ll zip through the sky and enjoy views of the ocean and the village down below.
Distance from St. John’s: 16 km (20 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Historic Cape Spear Tour
Ferryland
When I was doing research on places to visit near St. John’s for my trip, Ferryland did not come up. I stumbled upon it on a tour and I’m so glad I did!
Ferryland is a unique place about an hour south of St. John’s. It’s home to an active archaeological site, dating back over 400 years, known as the Colony of Avalon.
The Colony of Avalon is considered one of the best-preserved early English colonial sites in North America. And you can tour the grounds where over 2 million artifacts have been discovered!
In the visitor’s centre you’ll see an array of items found on the grounds, including everything from gold coins to jewellery. There are also heritage gardens, a 17th century kitchen, and of course the dig site. Plus, a cute gift shop.
One thing to note is that they are only open seasonally.
What else can you do in Ferryland? There’s a historic lighthouse at the end of the spit. It’s a 25-minute walk from the Colony of Avalon. Inside you’ll find a unique business, Lighthouse Picnics, that lets you preorder a picnic to enjoy along with the views.
Distance from St. John’s: 77 km (1 hour & 10 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Irish Loop Tour
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
If you want to visit an incredible place that has epic views, hiking trails and where you can walk on fossils, then I highly recommend a visit to Mistaken Point.
Located about 2 hours south of the capital, Mistaken Point is one of the best day trips from St. John’s Newfoundland by car! You can easily spend hours exploring the park.
The Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to over 10,000 fossils. It’s considered the Pompeii of marine life fossils.
And with a guided tour you can visit the rugged coastline where many of the fossils are. I was surprised during my visit when we arrived at the site of the fossils and had to take my shoes off to walk on them. So, consider yourself warned. But it’s such a cool experience!
The reserve is home to a couple of hiking trails as well as a stunning lighthouse, the Cape Race Lighthouse. Plus, if you’re into birding, you’ll love it as it’s an Important Bird Area. There are all sorts of sea birds and songbirds as well as species like the horned lark and willow ptarmigan.
While I recommend visiting by car, so that you can spend more time in the park. Bird the Rock also does a day trip birding tour that includes Mistaken Point.
Distance from St. John’s: 135 km (2 hours)
Tour recommendation: The Irish Loop with Bird the Rock
Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve
Whether you’re looking for unique experiences or the best birding in Newfoundland, you’ll find both on a day trip to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve!
Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve is a roughly 2.5-hour drive southwest of St. John’s. It’s home to one of the largest colonies of nesting gannets (a large white seabird) in Canada.
After browsing the visitor’s centre and museum within, you’ll take the 1.3 km trail along the coastal cliff. Where the trail leads you to is called Bird Rock and it was honestly one of the most memorable experiences of my life!
Rising up out of the water along the cliff is a towering sea stack that’s covered in thousands of large brilliant white birds called gannets. They are so close and flying all around, it’s an awesome sight!
It’s the most accessible seabird colony in North America, home to 30,000 breeding pairs. Plus, there’s other seabirds too as well as songbirds and I even spotted a few grey seals on the rocks at the base of the cliffs.
While I visited on a gorgeous blue skied day, the Cape typically has around 300 days of fog a year. So, while it’s something to be aware of, and cautious of when hiking along the cliff. But you’ll still see the birds since they’re so close once you reach Bird Rock.
Distance from St. John’s: 174 km (2 hours & 20 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve with Bird the Rock
Outer Cove & Middle Cove
If you’re looking for beaches near St. John’s to visit on a day trip, Outer and Middle Cove are great options.
Both have a beach that’s free to visit, and just over a 15-minute drive from St. John’s. Plus, one cool thing about Outer Cove Beach is that it’s where Terry Fox gathered water from the Atlantic Ocean to take on his Marathon of Hope across Canada to pour into the Pacific. For me, that was reason enough to visit!
There are also a couple of lookouts along Marine Drive, south of Middle Cove Beach, that are totally worth stopping at. This stretch of coastline blew me away. With towering cliffs plummeting into coves with rocky beaches, I was in awe.
If you are an avid hiker, consider tackling a section of the East Coast Trail along this stretch. This section is called the Silver Mine Head Path. It runs from Outer Cove to Torbay, is approximately 4 km and takes roughly 2 hours one way.
Distance from St. John’s: 18 km (16 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Northern Coast Tour
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
During my trip, I visited so many unique places in St. John’s. So, when I took the Northern Coast Tour that included a visit to Flat Rock, I was thrilled to find this hidden gem!
Flat Rock is a short 25-minute drive north of St. John’s and home to Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. This unique spot, that sits next to St. Michael’s Church is a beautiful spot to stop on a day trip or road trip along the coast.
Built in 1954, the Grotto is a historic site and built into and out of a rocky outcrop. Various religious statues and plaques dot the grounds. And you can walk up the rocky steps to the top.
It was such a serene place to explore, it would be a lovely spot for a picnic. There was no one there when we visited, it honestly felt magical to me as I wander the pathways and read the plaques. However, please be respectful when visiting as it is a religious site.
Plus, right across the street is an epic view of Flat Rock Cove.
Distance from St. John’s: 26 km (25 minutes)
Tour recommendation: Northern Coast Tour
Where to Stay in St. John’s
There are a number of amazing hotels in St. John’s. During my visit I stayed at a variety, including an Airbnb to boutique hotels.
Alt Hotel – My favourite hotel I stayed at in St. John’s is Alt Hotel. This stylish hotel is located downtown. It has an onsite café and restaurant. Rooms are modern, yet comfortable, have everything you need like a coffee maker and toiletries. Plus, some rooms feature epic views of the harbour.
Sheraton Hotel – Close to Signal Hill and downtown, the Sheraton Hotel is another great choice. I loved the spacious rooms and had one overlooking the harbour. Plus, there’s a complimentary breakfast.
JAG Hotel – If you’re looking for a luxury hotel that’s downtown, JAG Hotel is a good option. There are a restaurant and gym. Plus, you can get a harbour view and separate seating area for more space.
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So, don’t forget to explore beyond the capital when you visit Newfoundland. These day trips are a great way to learn more about the province and its people, while experiencing some remarkable places. And there’s something for everyone, whether you’re visiting St. John’s without a car or with one.
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