Submitted by Kelsey on
Right in the heart of Newfoundland, the central region contains some of the best outdoor experiences to be found in the province. It’s where you can visit Iceberg Alley – the stretch of coastline along which towers of ancient ice majestically float down from Greenland – and where whales gather in large numbers to feed, play and people-watch.
The central region also boasts 55 marked trails and, as you explore, you’ll see clapboard houses sitting atop rocky coasts, and wharves and boats testifying to the continuing importance of the centuries-old fishing industry. Most of the people living here descended from West Country fishermen who settled the shores more than two centuries ago. The region also has a rich aboriginal history that dates back as far as 5,000 years and includes the Beothuks as well as the Dorset people who carved soapstone pots at Newfoundland’s first quarry.
Central is a perfect place to take a boat trip, or to do both sea and river kayaking. It’s also worth visiting Terra Nova National Park while you’re here – 400 square kilometres of boreal forest and coastline, ideal for whale watching, hiking, golfing and camping.
No words can truly capture the experience of coming face-to-face with a giant of the ocean. Here, we’re visited annually by 26 species of whales and 6 different types of icebergs. There’s a certain sense of awe that accompanies these encounters, and you begin to appreciate why no trip to Newfoundland is complete without visiting this region known as Adventure Central – just minutes from Gander, and a short drive from St. John’s and Deer Lake.
