An Epic RV Trip to Newfoundland, Canada (Part One)

The island of Newfoundland didn’t officially become a part of Canada until 1949, and between its independent history and its geographic isolation, it feels like a whole different world perhaps more than anywhere else in North America. Visitors can see whales and icebergs without even leaving shore, explore both charming fishing villages and the relatively bustling capital of St. John's, hike the rugged yet accessible northernmost stretch of the Appalachians, and enjoy remarkably close encounters with Atlantic puffins.But planning an epic RV trip to Newfoundland trip can also be a bit overwhelming. My family recently spent five weeks in Newfoundland, so I’m here to share tips on handling the logistical challenges and putting together an itinerary that hits all the highlights of this amazing island.

This is a guest post by podcast correspondent Gretchen Holcombe from Boxy Colonial on the Road. To listen to Gretchen and Jeremy talk about her trip to Newfoundland please click on the media player above or subscribe to the RV Atlas wherever you get your shows.

Planning an RV Trip to Newfoundland 

Newfoundland is still something of an undiscovered destination for a lot of people, particularly in the US. I lost count of how many times I told someone we were going to Newfoundland only to be met with a sheepish admission that they had no idea where Newfoundland even was. Planning a Newfoundland trip can feel much more like starting from scratch than planning a trip to a more well-trodden destination does. So I’ve put together a few tips and Newfoundland details that are good to know in advance to make planning and traveling a little easier.

The tourism folks in Newfoundland put out some of the most helpful marketing material I’ve ever encountered. They’ll send you a very nicely done and extremely thorough printed guide, or you can stick with the handy interactive map on their website. Once you’re on the island, there are several visitor information centers scattered around where you can get in-person touring tips from the super friendly staff.

A lot of first time visitors underestimate Newfoundland’s size and expect to be able to cover the whole island in a short vacation. But it’s actually about the size of Pennsylvania, with so much to see that you could easily spend months exploring and still miss things. If you try to squeeze too much into too short of a trip you risk only seeing things from a moving vehicle. If you only have a week or two to spend in Newfoundland, consider sticking with one area and leaving the rest for another trip.

When Should You Take an RV Trip to Newfoundland?

Finding the best time to travel to Newfoundland is trickier than it might appear. The obvious answer is “summer,” but your trip will be quite different depending on which part of summer you choose. June is iceberg season, but the weather is still quite iffy and some of the places that cater to tourists won’t be open for the season yet. Whale viewing is best in July and August. We hear the weather in September is lovely, but by then migratory animals like whales and puffins are likely to have moved on. So unless you can stick around all summer, you’ll need to think about what you most want to see and pick your dates accordingly.

Summer weather is highly variable. We heard locals refer to June as “June-uary” because it can be so cold and windy, but uncomfortably warm temperatures in late summer aren’t uncommon, either. Rain is a frequent occurrence as well. Lots of layers is your best packing strategy.

Campgrounds and Roads in Newfoundland

Campgrounds in Newfoundland are cheap, particularly if you’re coming from the US and have the e...