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Avalon road trips

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The Avalon Peninsula looks like a piece from a jigsaw puzzle, with deep bays separating
long fingers of land. Almost completely surrounded by water, it’s where the first
European settlers put down roots. It’s full of history and home to the provincial capital,
St. John’s, North America’s oldest city, which has a well-deserved reputation for food,
music, and good times. The region is full of great places to see whales and seabirds,
go sea kayaking or hiking, or enjoy sightseeing in centuries-old outports.

Osprey Trail Cape Shore
Start: Chance Cove Start: Whitebourne Junction
Length: About 70 km Length: About 303 km

As its name suggests, this is a good Take Route 100 to Placentia. Castle Hill
place to see these famous fish hawks. National Historic Site marks the remains
From Route 1, take Route 201 along the of an old French fort. Plaisance, its original
southern coast of Trinity Bay. This is a name, was the French capital of
popular summer cottage area, and there’s a Newfoundland in the 17th and 18th
park with a sandy beach at Bellevue Beach. centuries when the French and English
Nearby is the spectacular Chance Cove battled for dominance in North America.
Coastal Hiking Trail, which winds through There’s a fantastic view of the town of
forest, touching down at the far end of Placentia, the waters, and wooded hills.
Chance Cove Beach. From there, the trail Tour the O’Reilly House Museum, a
continues uphill and onward, offering Balustrade Queen Anne Victorian
spectacular views of the coastline as well as magistrate’s home, restored to its original
providing access to hidden sandy beaches, grandeur. You’ll see period artifacts and
scenic lookout points, and sea caves. tidbits of fascinating history – including a
Take a side trip to Arnold’s Cove and silver tea set gifted from King George III.
visit the Drake Heritage House. When Just past St. Bride’s, follow the signs to
nearby Haystack was resettled in the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, the
1960s, the owner Frank Drake refused to most accessible and spectacular seabird
leave. He lived there an additional 12 years colony in North America. Just 50 feet
before the home was floated by barge to from the clifftop viewing point nest
its present location. Its interior is like a thousands of northern gannets –
time capsule of the era and now serves as beautiful birds with a wingspan of over six
the community museum. Several hiking feet – crowded atop Bird Rock, a
trails in the area also provide scenic 200-foot-high sea stack. Razorbills,
lookouts and coastal views. murres, and other seabirds also nest at
the reserve. If you have a question, ask
one of the interpretive guides, who also
lead nature hikes, or drop into the

302 | For more info call 1-800-563-6353