North America's oldest city — jellybean row houses, Signal Hill, the easternmost point on the continent, and half a million puffins offshore.
Newfoundland is the edge of North America — a windswept island where the continent runs out into the North Atlantic. St. John's, its capital, is the oldest city in North America (older than Quebec City) and one of its most colourful. A long weekend here is unlike anywhere else in Canada. Here's the itinerary.
Day 1 — St. John's Start on Signal Hill, where Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless message in 1901, for the harbour view. Walk down into the 'jellybean row' houses of the downtown — steep streets of brightly painted homes built by fishermen so they could find theirs in the fog. Visit The Rooms (the province's museum and art gallery), then spend the evening on George Street, the highest concentration of bars per capita on the continent.
Day 2 — Cape Spear and the coast Drive 20 minutes to Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America — stand on the lighthouse cliff and there's nothing but ocean between you and Ireland. Continue along the Irish Loop through fishing villages, sea stacks, and puffin colonies. In summer, watch for whales and icebergs from the coast.
Day 3 — Witless Bay or the wild south shore Take the boat to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve — half a million puffins, the largest Atlantic puffin colony in North America. Or, if you have a longer day, the drive to the Avalon's wild south shore takes in the Mistaken Point UNESCO fossil site.
Where to stay St. John's downtown for nightlife and walkability; the coastal B&Bs of the Avalon for quiet and views. The weather is famously changeable — pack for all four seasons in a day.
Good to know Newfoundland has its own time zone — 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic. Ferries and flights book up in summer; reserve ahead. And lean into the local culture: cod cheeks, screech, and the friendliest, most talkative people in Canada.
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