Take in the considerable highlights in and around St. John’s, a city founded in the late 16th century at the very eastern edge of North America.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a brief drive through St. John’s to Signal Hill, where signal flags were once flown to announce the names of approaching ships. It was also here in 1901 that Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal. While strolling the hill’s boardwalks, you will learn about the military history of this strategic site.

Then, it’s on to downtown St. John’s, North America’s oldest and most easterly city. As you drive through the narrow crisscrossing streets, you will pass the Government House, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was constructed of red sandstone quarried from Signal Hill in 1831. Other landmarks include rows of colorful wooden Victorian homes and several churches on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, including the beautiful Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Nearby Cape Spear is also a National Historic Site, as you will discover during an enlightening visit. The cape is noted for being the easternmost point in North America and the site of the province’s oldest surviving lighthouse. There is also an historical gun battery that was manned during World War II to protect Newfoundland from German U-boats.

After visiting Cape Spear, you will return to the pier, passing through the scenic fishing village of Petty Harbour.

OVERVIEW

Admire the panoramic views from atop a hill overlooking St. John’s as a prelude to a closer look at the provincial capital. Signal Hill takes its name from the signal flags that were once flown there to announce the names of approaching ships and from the fact that Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal there in 1901. At the summit, you will find Cabot Tower, which was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of explorer John Cabot’s landing in the area and taking possession for the English. More historical highlights await you in St. John’s, North America’s oldest and most easterly city. While driving through the narrow crisscrossing streets, you will see rows of colorful Victorian homes and several churches listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. You will pause for photos of the Government House, which was built in the mid-19th century with red sandstone quarried from Signal Hill.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take in the sweeping views from atop Signal Hill and discover the origin of its name.
• Drive past Saint John’s architectural treasures, many of which are National Historic Sites.
• Stop to snap photos of the Government House, a grand residence made of red sandstone.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

See firsthand why Newfoundland is called the “Galapagos of Geology” by visiting its most geologically significant sites, including a museum that reveals how the landscape was created.

After departing from the pier, you will drive to nearby Fort Amherst, a hilly promontory that presents a commanding view of the entrance to St. John’s harbor. Although the British built a fort here in the late 18th century, no ruins remain. Even so, the area has been deemed a National Historic site because of its long-stranding strategic importance. It’s significant geologically because from the hilltop you can easily make out an ancient fault line.

Another panoramic vista awaits you at nearby Signal Hill, where signal flags were once flown to announce the names of approaching ships. It was also here in 1901 that Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal. While strolling the hill’s boardwalks, you will learn the military history of this strategic site and discover more about the formation of the rocky coastline.

Then, for the ultimate immersion into Newfoundland’s unique geology, you will browse the exhibits in the Johnson Geo Centre. You may see fossils from the floor of the sea, some of the Earth’s oldest rocks, and a geological timetable that may explain how the Earth was formed. There is also an enlightening display that replicates an oil platform to show how this fossil fuel is extracted from the ground. Following your visit, you will return to the pier.

Cruise the pristine waters off Newfoundland looking for Atlantic puffins, which may number up to a half-million, and then stand on the easternmost point in North America.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a leisurely drive south to the engaging fishing community of Bay Bulls. From here, you will board a boat for a picturesque cruise along the dramatic coastline, where you are sure to see wildlife and perhaps even an iceberg.

Atlantic puffins thrive in these waters. A staggeringly high 95% of all of North America’s puffins breed around the Newfoundland and Labrador coasts, and they are magnificent to watch. Often called “sea parrots,” puffins spend most of their lives on the water, either diving up to 200 feet deep for food or resting on the waves when not swimming.

They are also skilled flyers, reaching speeds up to 55 miles per mile, which is surprising in light of their rather stout appearance. Puffins are easy to spot because their beaks turn bright orange this time of the year, most likely to attract mates.

These waters are also home to the world’s largest population of humpback whales, which often breach the surface in a magnificent display of their power and majesty. Also, keep an eye out for frolicking dolphins and seabirds such as gannets and storm petrels.

After disembarking, you will drive to Cape Spear, North America’s easternmost point, to explore its World War II gun battery before returning to the pier in St. John’s.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy sweeping views of St. John’s and beyond from atop Signal Hill and then hike down a circuitous trail that will present other perspectives of the sea and North America’s oldest, most easterly city. It won’t take long to reach the summit of Signal Hill, which was named in part for the signal flags that were once flown there to announce the names of approaching ships. At the summit, you will find Cabot Tower, which commemorates the 400th anniversary of explorer John Cabot landing in the area and taking possession for the English. While descending the challenging North Head Trail, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the rugged coastline and boulder-strewn terrain shaped by ancient receding glaciers. The guide will describe the unusual flora along the trail, which ends in the fishing village known as The Battery. Its narrow atmospheric streets will lead you back to Saint John’s.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow a rather strenuous coastal trail down Signal Hill to The Battery fishing village.
• Enjoy panoramic views of the sea and beyond from atop Signal Hill and along the trail.
• Learn about the terrain’s unusual flora and geology from the naturalist guide.
• Gain a historical perspective of the area and spend free time in Saint John’s, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.