Pat Probert & Bob Family Travel Discover Newfoundland's Wild Heart
When Bob Family Travel organized a 10-day curated journey through Newfoundland this July, I knew I had to be there with our clients. As a travel advisor, I've recommended Canada's east coast to countless clients, but there's a profound difference between describing a destination and standing on its shores, watching icebergs drift past. Newfoundland had been calling to me for years, and I finally answered.
What I discovered exceeded every expectation I'd carefully managed. This is one of Canada's most unique provinces, a place where rugged coastlines meet genuine small-town hospitality, where wildlife encounters happen daily, and where history lives in unexpected places.
Wildlife Encounters That Left Me Speechless
Our Saturday in St. John's brought one of those moments that stays with you forever. We boarded a boat tour to see whales and puffins, and what we witnessed was extraordinary. Hundreds of thousands of puffins gathered in one of the largest colonies in the world. These charming birds, with their distinctive colourful beaks, created a spectacle I couldn't have imagined. And then the whales arrived. We watched a humpback whale, weighing up to 50 tons, surface near our boat. The sheer scale of these creatures, their grace in the water, reminded me why I fell in love with travel in the first place.
Throughout our journey through Port Union, Trinity, Bonavista, and Elliston, the wildlife kept surprising us. We spotted moose along the roadways, watched icebergs floating in impossibly blue waters, and learned to appreciate how alive this landscape truly is.
The Towns That Tell Stories
Newfoundland's towns each carry their own character. I fell hard for the pretty village of Quidi Vidi, where we met a beautiful Newfoundland dog named Sable. Signal Hill offered sweeping views that helped me understand why people have been drawn to this coastline for centuries. And yes, we made it to the town of Dildo, which I had been eager to visit ever since Jimmy Kimmel made it famous a few years ago. The locals embrace the attention with good humour.
Our itinerary also included a sobering stop outside Gander, at the memorial for one of the worst military plane crashes in history. In December 1985, nearly 250 service members died just after takeoff. Standing there, I was reminded that travel isn't always about beautiful scenery. Sometimes it's about bearing witness to the places that shaped history.
We balanced the heavy moments with lighter ones. Lunch in Happy Adventure came after visiting Salvage's newest brewery. Sunday night dinner at St. John's Fish Exchange (highly recommended) capped off the trip perfectly. These are the details I'll share with clients now, the restaurants and experiences I've tested myself.
Who Will Love This Place
Newfoundland is ideal for nature lovers, hikers, and history buffs who want to explore dramatic coastlines without fighting crowds. If you're the kind of traveler who gets excited about spotting wildlife, who appreciates authentic small-town charm, and who doesn't mind packing layers for unpredictable weather, you'll find something special here.
My insider tip: Don't miss the Cow Bay area and Gros Morne Mountain. The scenery will stay with you long after you've returned home.
Having walked these roads, sailed these waters, and experienced this province firsthand, I can now guide our clients with confidence I couldn't have earned any other way. Newfoundland is amazing. And we cannot wait to help you experience it for yourself.