Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/809166
Newfoundland & Labrador's fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site last year (whc.unesco. org/en/list/1497). Launched in 2016, the Sagas and Shadows interpretive program at L'Anse aux Meadows is a fun evening of fi reside storytelling that evokes the Viking era ( www.parkscanada.gc.ca/meadows). Flyers rejoice: the province's largest airport has gained both a Category III landing system and a new hotel—the Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. John's Airport ( www. stjohnsairport.com). Air Labrador now operates direct fl ights year-round between Goose Bay and St. John's, thereby providing an easy link between The Rock and The Big Land ( www.westjet.com, www.airlabrador.com). Curious epicures can savour traditional fl avours by sussing out native ingredients and then preparing a feast over an open fi re on the new Foraging Tour ( www. codsounds.ca). CITY LIGHTS St. John's—which has earned a spot on National Geographic's list of "Top 10 Oceanfront Cities"—is a compelling mix of old and new. Designated heritage venues and classic Crayola-coloured houses blend with contemporary offi ce buildings in this upbeat seaport. Boutiques, galleries and restaurants, many of which give tradition a modern twist, are plentiful here. So are bars: jumping George Street reputedly has more per square metre than any street in North America! The province's largest urban centre also boasts its broadest selection of accommodations, including business class and boutique hotels, historic inns and quaint B&Bs. The newest additions—the Holiday Inn Express & Suites at the airport and The Luxus downtown—amp up the levels of practi- cality and pampering, respectively. ( www. stjohns.ca). Corner Brook, the province's second city, makes a convenient base for sports and nature-loving day trippers. Sitting in the shadow of the Blow Me Down Mountains, it puts visitors within easy reach of both Marble Mountain and Humber Valley. An average annual 5-m (16-ft.) snowfall draws an international contingent of downhill and cross-country skiers to the former each winter, while the latter is a favourite locale for anglers and golfers. Sailing or kayaking on the boater-friendly Bay of Islands is a memorable summertime alternative ( www. cornerbrook.com ). THE GREAT OUTDOORS This province boasts a 17,542-km (10,900- mi.) coast and land that encompasses everything from daunting mountains and dense boreal forests to starkly beautiful barrens. So, naturally, it has much in store. For starters, it is home to four national parks, including Mealy Mountains—the country's newest and Atlantic Canada's largest—which will welcome its fi rst guests in a few years. The remaining three—Gros Morne in western Newfoundland, Terra Nova in eastern Newfoundland and the Torngat Mountains on Labrador's northern- most tip—are all stand-outs in their own right. Collectively, they off er activities ranging from snowshoeing and snowmo- biling to hiking, biking and botanical treks, along with kids' programs and campfi re events for all ages. These parks, however, don't hold a monopoly on outdoor fun. Take the Humber River area: known primarily as a skiing and snowboarding destination, it promises warm-weather QUICK FACT READY TO GET REEL? 60% OF NORTH AMERICA'S ATLANTIC SALMON RIVERS ARE IN NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR. SPECIAL EVENTS MAY • TRAILS, TALES AND TUNES FESTIVAL, NORRIS POINT MAY – OCTOBER • SEASONS IN THE BIGHT THEATRE FESTIVAL, TRINITY JUNE • THE ICEBERG FESTIVAL, ST. ANTHONY JUNE – SEPTEMBER • GROS MORNE THEATRE FESTIVAL, COW HEAD JULY • EXPLOITS VALLEY SALMON FESTIVAL, GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR • FISH, FUN & FOLK FESTIVAL, TWILLINGATE • MIAWPUKEK POW WOW, CONNE RIVER • NORTH WEST RIVER BEACH FESTIVAL AUGUST • BRIGUS BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL • FESTIVAL OF FLIGHT, GANDER • GREAT LABRADOR CANOE RACE, HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY • MUDDY HOLE SCUFF 'N SCOFF, MUSGRAVE HARBOUR • NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR FOLK FESTIVAL, ST. JOHN'S • ROYAL ST. JOHN'S REGATTA • THE GATHERING: FOOD + MUSIC FEST, BURLINGTON OCTOBER • FOGO ISLAND PARTRIDGEBERRY HARVEST FESTIVAL DECEMBER • NORTH AMERICA'S FIRST NEW YEAR, ST. JOHN'S www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/ ThingsToDo/FestivalsEvents ICEBERG OFF QUIRPON ISLAND • NL TOURISM NL 134