Day Trips from St. John's
The best excursions and trips you can do in a day
Full-Day Trips
Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.
Cape Spear National Historic Site
$25-40 (bus fare + admission)Plant your boots on North America's easternmost edge where the Atlantic slams into cliffs that feel like the planet's last page. The 1836 lighthouse still sweeps its beam across water where icebergs drift like pale battleships.
Bay Bulls & Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
$85-120 (boat tour)Four islands crammed with more than half a million seabirds, plus humpback whales rolling through the nutrient-rich chop. The boat ride alone earns the fare, ducking into sea caves and skirting waterfalls.
Ferryland and the Colony of Avalon
$40-60 (transport + site admission)Part archaeological dig, part gourmet picnic. Wander 1621 settlement ruins, then unroll a blanket above the harbour with lunch from the famous lighthouse café.
Placentia and Castle Hill
$60-80 (gas + admission)Seventeenth-century French colonial stone rises above Placentia Bay, its cannons still aimed at long-gone frigates. The town keeps its fishing soul intact with weather-beaten stages and locals salting cod the old way.
Salmonier Nature Park
$35-50 (transport + donation)Newfoundland in bite-size form, injured moose, caribou, and Arctic foxes roaming roomy pens. The boardwalk feels like stepping into a Group of Seven canvas.
Bell Island Mine Tour
$45-65 (ferry + tour)Drop into iron ore mines that fed steel for both World Wars. The underground train rattles through black tunnels where miners hacked out a living, the darkness thick enough to touch.
Half-Day Options
Shorter excursions when time is limited.
Quidi Vidi Village
$25-40A pocket-sized escape: a 19th-century fishing village swallowed by St. John's sprawl, now anchored by the province's biggest craft brewery and picture-ready stages.
Signal Hill National Historic Site
$15-25The spot where Marconi snagged the first transatlantic wireless signal. The climb from the Battery dishes out harbour views that make the site's importance crystal clear.
Bowring Park
$10-20Edwardian gardens wrapped around a duck pond, Peter Pan statue, and locals exercising Labradors. Grab coffee from the café and watch seniors duel on the bowling green.
Pippy Park Trails
$20-30Boreal forest ten minutes from downtown. Sugar maples torch red each fall, and a moose may be browsing beside the golf course.
Day Trip Tips
Make the most of your excursions.
- ✓ Pack for four seasons, morning sun in St. John's often folds into afternoon fog and drizzle, along the coast
- ✓ Reserve whale watching trips straight with Bay Bulls operators instead of downtown hotels for sharper rates
- ✓ Rent wheels for anything past Signal Hill, public transport exists but runs on island time
- ✓ Carry cash for roadside stands selling partridgeberry jam and toutons, most skip cards
- ✓ Check the Marine Forecast, not just the regular weather, boat tours cancel when chop rises above moderate
- ✓ Start early, most sites unlock by 9 AM and you'll dodge both crowds and the afternoon breeze
- ✓ Cell service fades on stretches of the Irish Loop, download offline maps before you head south
- ✓ The DRL shuttle heads to Placentia twice daily if you're without wheels. But reserve seats in summer
Book These Day Trips
Top-rated excursions you can book now.
Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise
Best location. Best crew. Best tour boat. Cruise to the memorable Witless Bay Ecological Reserve for your chance to watch puffins, whales, and icebergs. Wildlife attractions vary with the time of yea
Historic St. John's Newfoundland and Cape Spear Tour
Discover Newfoundland, with Newfoundlanders! Please note that Newfoundland and New Brunswick are different places- there are two towns with similar names- St. John New Brunswick and St. John's Newfo
St. John's Downtown Walking Tour
Our Signature Tour is jam packed with fascinating stories, beautiful Newfoundland scenery, and standout architecture. For the most complete tour in town, join us on our Signature Downtown St. John's
Award Winning 4 Hr Tour w Come From Away star* (lunch included)
Having shared the story of Come From Away with almost a million people, and partnered in life with born and raised Newfoundlander, Deneen, my passion for this place is what drives my desire to share i
St. John's 3 Hour Newfoundland Food Tour
There's no better way to learn about the history and culture of a community than to eat its food. On our Newfoundland Food Tour, you will walk and eat your way through downtown St. John's. Newfoundlan
2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls
Delivering exceptional service and memorable experiences to our guests for 40 years. With four decades of experience under our belt, we have perfected the art of providing the best boat tour experienc
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