Newfoundland

[Jim Reimer]

My wife and I are planning our second trip to Canada's East Coast. Last time was 2015. This time we want to target Newfoundland. It was not on our agenda, but a Mennonite Disaster Relief project came up in Westport NL. I was interested in helping with this house build, (as a Plbg & Htg contractor) , for part of a week, and this is a way to get us to take in Newfoundland. I think we will still take in the Cabot Trail but most of the other mainland sites will have to be forfeited in order to devote sufficient time to NL. Bob and Mary and others of you have a lot of experience with doing justice to NL. Considering our destination, what have you got to offer in terms of suggestions?
Jim & Molly from Manitoba

[WDavidG]

Norm and Ginny Millard (honda03842) have been to Newfoundland many times and led a FGRV caravan there in 2016. Norm produced an excellent and detailed guide covering all matters about traveling and camping in Newfoundland for all of us on the caravan. He is eager to encourage others to enjoy Newfoundland and I'm sure will be happy to share the guide with you. Norm and Ginny sold their Scamp a year or so ago and I've not seen him on this forum since then but you might be able to PM him. PM me if you have trouble reaching him.



Good luck on your trip. I'm sure it will be wonderful and a gratifying contribution to the project.

[thrifty bill]

That Newfoundland guide would be a great addition to the document center. Its kind of like Alaska, it has that special attraction to many travelers.

[Paul O.]

We made one trip to NL on our own and I was hoping to join Norm on that 2016 caravan, but it did not work out. Our home was VT then and we took the North Sydney to Port aux Basques ferry out (6 hours overnight) and then the short ferry St. Barbe to Blanc-Sablon back to Canada. I say that because the island is quite different from the mainland in many ways.

Newfoundland is beautiful, its landscape and geology are very interesting, its history is fascinating and the people are charming. Same goes for Labrador.

The long trek across Labrador and Quebec back to VT was well worth the detour. The Trans-Labrador highway was only finished in 2010, but it should be all paved by now. Big part of it was gravel in 2014. It roughly follows the new power lines that were being built when we were there.

Here is a link that gives you an idea:https://alavigne.net/Outdoors/TripRe.../?p=main_3&n=6
When I was planning our trip I read that whole report. It was extremely helpful. The photographs are exquisite.

[Jim Reimer]

Thanks so much for your replies. How do I PM Norm and Ginny. I recall reading many of thier posts in the past. I'm not very good with all this forum technology. I started school in the era of dip pens... next thing to a quill and just before the fountain pen. ;-)

[WDavidG]

Originally Posted by Manitoba Jim

Thanks so much for your replies. How do I PM Norm and Ginny. I recall reading many of thier posts in the past. I'm not very good with all this forum technology. I started school in the era of dip pens... next thing to a quill and just before the fountain pen. ;-)

Jim,
I just sent you a personal message.

[honda03842]

Hi Jim (and David)

I PMed you with my email address.

For the first time in a while we did not go to Newfoundland this year. Our grandson was married in Seattle April 6th so we left FL in February and made the trek to Seattle.

Weddings can become an epidemic and did for us. We have 3 weddings between now and October in the west so we decided to turn it into an 8 month loop of the USA. One of the weddings includes a extended stay at a campground...campground weddings are great it will be our second.

We've been to NL 10 times so far and hope to repeat next year.

WE still have our 1991 Scamp 16, but this past October on a whim we purchased a 1993 Born Free 21. The bed is no wider but the bathroom is huge.

Jim I sent you my email address. Do not hesitate to drop me a line, or actually to share my email address with people who need it.

As to the Scamp, Ginny told me that if I sold it she would cry. So now we're a two RV family.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Hi Jim (and David)

I PMed you with my email address.

For the first time in a while we did not go to Newfoundland this year. Our grandson was married in Seattle April 6th so we left FL in February and made the trek to Seattle.

Weddings can become an epidemic and did for us. We have 3 weddings between now and October in the west so we decided to turn it into an 8 month loop of the USA. One of the weddings includes a extended stay at a campground...campground weddings are great it will be our second.

We've been to NL 10 times so far and hope to repeat next year.

WE still have our 1991 Scamp 16, but this past October on a whim we purchased a 1993 Born Free 21. The bed is no wider but the bathroom is huge.

Jim I sent you my email address. Do not hesitate to drop me a line, or actually to share my email address with people who need it.

As to the Scamp, Ginny told me that if I sold it she would cry. So now we're a two RV family.

Hi: honda03842... Ha... We have a wedding in San Diego in July... but we're going to NFLD instead. Plan to be there from July 7th to the end. Any info would help. My wife told me that if I get a dog... she'd leave!!! Hmm.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[honda03842]

We have the no pet rule. No pets, more petting. Hold you wife's hand not a leash.

[honda03842]

What are your interests when you travel?

[honda03842]

We usually stay until early July avoiding the high tourist season. Their equivalent of the fourth of July is July 1st. We usually spend that evening in Codroy a little town on the water that puts on a good fireworks display ND provides free burgers. We stay at Grand Codroy RV a former provincial park not far from the ferry. You want to begin by ordering travel info from the NL tourist Breaux.

[honda03842]

This is the start to every trip to NL. If you go through their website, really the best I've seen, you'll go.

https://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com...avellers-guide

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by honda03842

This is the start to every trip to NL. If you go through their website, really the best I've seen, you'll go.

https://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com...avellers-guide

Hi Norm. Have they oversaturated the colors of the photos in that guide, or does the scenery really look that way to you?

[Jim Reimer]

Norm
It looks like we will focus on the west side of Newfoundland. We will ferry in from Sydney and return via Labrador taking the trans Labradors highway. I have contacted Their Tourism office for information.
Jim R.

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Hi Norm. Have they oversaturated the colors of the photos in that guide, or does the scenery really look that way to you?

Allow me to pipe in - there is no need to tweak the colours in NL. They are real! And those orange mountains, that is one of the few places in the world where the Earth's mantle is exposed.

[Jim Reimer]

Norm
You have indicated that you sent a PM. I have also been instructed by the administrator to PM you directly.... How do I find PMs and how do I srnd one.
Dinosaurus Jimus

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Manitoba Jim

Norm
You have indicated that you sent a PM. I have also been instructed by the administrator to PM you directly.... How do I find PMs and how do I srnd one.
Dinosaurus Jimus

If you are using the full site, click on the person's name, top, left.

[Carl V]

Originally Posted by Manitoba Jim

Norm
It looks like we will focus on the west side of Newfoundland. We will ferry in from Sydney and return via Labrador taking the trans Labradors highway. I have contacted Their Tourism office for information.
Jim R.

Expect A LOT of construction on 389 from Fermont QC to Manic V this summer. A significant part of this road is not paved (same for the Trans-Lab Highway as far as I know).

If you're planning on crossing to the south side of the St-Lawrence on the Baie-Comeau to Matane ferry, be advised the ferry service had a lot of problems over the last months and the service is currently suspended (might be back in service this summer, but nothing guaranteed). The other option is to drive all the way to Quebec City on the north side on 138.

Carl
(Baie-Comeau native, Quebec City resident)

[Jim Reimer]

Originally Posted by Carl V

Expect A LOT of construction on 389 from Fermont QC to Manic V this summer. A significant part of this road is not paved (same for the Trans-Lab Highway as far as I know).

If you're planning on crossing to the south side of the St-Lawrence on the Baie-Comeau to Matane ferry, be advised the ferry service had a lot of problems over the last months and the service is currently suspended (might be back in service this summer, but nothing guaranteed). The other option is to drive all the way to Quebec City on the north side on 138.

Carl
(Baie-Comeau native, Quebec City resident)

Carl
We plan to visit Old Quebec City on the way. Last time, 2015, we could find no place to park our rig, Buick Enclave & 16 ft Scamp, so we left very disappointed. This time we plan to park at a mall and take public transit. Do you have any suggestions?
Jim R.

[Carl V]

Originally Posted by Manitoba Jim

Carl
We plan to visit Old Quebec City on the way. Last time, 2015, we could find no place to park our rig, Buick Enclave & 16 ft Scamp, so we left very disappointed. This time we plan to park at a mall and take public transit. Do you have any suggestions?
Jim R.

Quebec City is very busy during the summer, especially during the Festival D'Été (Summer festival, which is a music festival).
https://www.feq.ca/en/
Some shows attract around 100,000 people on the Plains of Abraham...
There a some campgrounds pretty close from the city that are good for visitors. I have not been to all of these campgrounds myself, we try to go further away when we go camping ;-). You can Google each of them for more details and see where they are on the map. Some of them are mostly seasonnal campers, not our style, but sure beats Walmart!

Quebec City KOA: on the south shore near the twin bridges. I think they actually have city tours that leave straight from the campground, and/or maybe shuttles to bring you in the Old City. In any case, it's an easy drive to get in the Old City area, unless early in the morning where traffic can be slow across the bridges (can actually be slow just about everywhere early in the morning and late afternoon). Shopping area just east of the highway exchange. Just east of that you will find Camping la Relâche, also an easy access to the north shore using the old and impressive Quebec Bridge (which you should cross at least once).


A bit farther away to the southwest are 2 more: Sous-Bois du Campeur and Camping Bernières.

Camping Juneau: literally minutes (if not seconds!) from where I live, on the north side of the St-Lawrence, in the western part of the city, again easy access to the Old City via highway 40 (Charest Blvd), shopping area just 10 minutes away.
Just west of it is another one, Camping Canadien-Américain.
There is also Quebec en Ville campground, just north of the airport.

North of the city is Camping de la Joie (heard good comments about this one).
Farther north, maybe 30 minutes away from downtown, is Camping Stoneham. I've been to this one a lot. Nice campground, that was once a government-own campground back in the 70s. Lots of nice sites by the river.

Another one is Village Vacances Valcartier. This campground is actually part of a huge water park.

If you like parks, there is a beautiful provincial park (called Quebec National Parks in QC) about 30 min north of the city: Parc de la Jacques-Cartier. It's very nice but farther north and there isn't much around (it's in the Jacque-Cartier river valley). Super scenery, hiking trails, etc.

Northeast is Camping Municipal Beauport, maybe 15 minutes from downtown.

You can find info on most QC campgrounds on this site:
https://www.campingquebec.com/en/

To visit the Old City:
https://www.quebec-cite.com/en/
You can Google all the places and attractions I mention:
The Old City is best visited by foot. Walk the Terrasse Dufferin at the foot of Chateau Frontenac, the Promenade des Gouverneurs up the Citadelle (which you can also visit) walk historic Grande Allée and Rue St-Jean, the oldest streets of Petit Champlain at the foot of the Cap Diamant, including Place Royale. Lots of restaurants, museums, and they will all speak in english if you're concerned about getting around in english in a very french city, so no worry.
The Old city is all about it's history: the French colony, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, etc. It is worth reading about it a bit before visiting, if you love history you will definitely fall in love with the Old Quebec.
You can go for a super cheap "cruise" on the St-Lawrence by taking the ferry from Levis to Quebec and back (like $8 per pedestrians) and get a super view of the Quebec skyline and the Chateau (actually, if you're camping somewhere on the south shore the ferry can be a good choice to get you across the river, right in the heart of the Old City, leaving the vehicle in Levis as crossing as pedestrians)

Public transit is a good option to visit the Old City. May take a bit longer to get to and from you campground but you don't have to try to find a parking spot and pay for it. I don't use public transit myself for work but look for the Parc-O-Bus parking lots, where you can park your vehicle and then take the bus. Info here on the RTC (Quebec transit) website:
https://www.rtcquebec.ca/Default.asp...language=en-CA

For rainy days, main shopping malls are Place Laurier and Galeries de la Capitale (IMAX theatre and interior theme park, kids will love it). Bora Park is popular too (interior water park).
Nice urban parks to go for a picnic or just relax are Parc du Bois de Coulonge and Plage Jacques-Cartier, and of course the Plains of Abraham.
East of the city are the Montmorency Falls, very popular attraction. While you're there, you can go for a drive on the bucolic and historic Ile d'Orleans, as you are seconds away from the bridge to the island.
As mentioned, you can Google all of that, and don't hesitate if you need further details on the city or the area. I live here and I'm glad to help.