Hostels in Newfoundland and Labrador

The province of Newfoundland and Labrador are just stunning and you will not find more friendly people in Canada than you will in Newfoundland... that's if you can understand the thick, somewhat Irish descended accent.

To travel around Newfoundland you are going to need a car. It's difficult to get to your hostel without one since there is no public transport infrastructure here at all and those that don't have cars tend to wager their chances with hitchhiking. This however will not give you the best experience that Newfoundland has to offer as it is so large and there is so much to do.

When you are arriving in at Port-aux-Basque from Nova Scotia, you will be met with some beautiful rock formations. As you drive along through Corner Brook, your trip may take two turns. You can either head up the peninsula towards the Gros Morne National Park and Lanse-aux-Meadows or you can head west and stay in a hostel in St. John's, the major city on the island.

Heading up the peninsula you will be able to do some amazing hiking through the Gros Morne National Park and even summit the mountain. Make sure you are equipped to deal with dramatically changing weather. The Lanse-aux-Meadows World Heritage Site is the sight of the first European settlers in North America. It looks at the history of the Vikings and their journey across the see and across the island by exploring the artifacts that they left behind. They also have a great storytelling session in a model of one of the houses from the time. You can take a ferry from the northern part of the peninsula over to Labrador to explore this even more remote region of Canada.

When heading west there are a few places not to miss. The views at Leading Tickles are beautiful. Also travel up to Twillingate where you can find a local band that play local style music in the pubs. The Terra Nova National Park has some nice hiking and the drive from here through to the small town of Eastport is a beautiful one. Head out to the Bonavista Peninsula and see the sight of John Cabot's landing on the North American continent, the second after the Vikings. On the way down to St. John's stop and check out the town of Dildo. Stop and giggle childishly at all of the Dildo signs, and even have your picture taken with the infamous Captain Dildo. Then continue down to St. John's.

It is tradition in Newfoundland to get 'screeched in' which you can do in many of the pubs in St. John's. It involves doing a shot of alcohol known as 'screech' that is local to the area and kissing a cod. A random tradition but one not to be missed.

As you drive around, each of the small towns that you will stop at along the way will have some kind of quaint charm. Take your time as you get around. Hostels in Newfoundland and Labrador are scattered at different random towns around the island and there is usually only one in each place except for in the major city St. John's. The hostels are quite homely in the Newfoundland welcoming style. Make sure you check out where the hostels are before planning your trip.

Handwritten by local expert for Newfoundland and Labrador hostels Globetrotter