Canada’s Best Adventure Towns: St. Anthony, Newfoundland & Labrador
Activities:
- wildlife viewing
- hiking
- sea kayaking
- icebergs
Why Go? If “world’s highest moose concentration” doesn’t get you, then its enticing location will. St. Anthony sits at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, near where The Rock almost touches Labrador. Here, the rugged coastline flirts with icebergs, polar bears occasionally come ashore and the Vikings once landed. Oh, and moose may outnumber people.
Play: The hiking here is all about the ocean. Trails lead along the coastline—and high above it—in a quest for the best vantage-point to take in the icebergs and whales cruising past during spring and early summer. A good bet for whales is the Goose Cove hike—even the drive-to is beautiful. At the coastal lookout, head left and keep climbing for far better views. St. Lunaire-Griquet’s trail climbs the mountain behind the picture-perfect town. It’s a good place to spot moose, as well as icebergs. An even better way to experience those oversized ice cubes drifting down from Greenland is from the water. Launch a kayak in St. Anthony (or any of the nearby towns) and cruise the coast in any direction following the coves and cliff-lined shore for a chance to paddle past one of the big ‘bergs.
Stay: Right in the heart of St. Anthony, the all-suites rooms at the Grenfell Heritage Hotel are convenient and comfy. Campers, head to nearby Pistlet Bay Provincial Park’s forested campground, a nice spot within a protected forest.
Eat: In L’Anse Aux Meadows, where the remains of a Viking settlement are located, watch the sun set during a supper of local seafood at The Norseman. Skipper Hots Lounge knows how to party, with live music and lots of dancing.
Resources
valhalla-lodge.com/restaurant.html
