Hiking, Swimming, Campfires, and Theatre in The Park Are Just a Few Great Tourist Attractions in Newfoundland!
Gros Morne National Park is one of our favourite tourist attractions in Newfoundland! Living on the province’s west coast, a trip to Gros Morne is an easy summer weekend adventure. Our active family often finds plenty of ways to occupy our time there. Now that summer’s almost here, my kids are asking when we’ll be visiting one of the great tourist attractions in Newfoundland – Gros Morne National Park!
Short jaunts work best for our young family. Having a swimming hole nearby is a plus on our list of places to visit in Gros Morne – such as the beach near the Shallow Bay campground near Cow Head. A bit of comfort for mom and dad doesn’t hurt either; staying in the campground’s otentiks provides that comfort. Without the need to set up a tent or sleep on the ground, it’s a great adventure for parents and children (if only once in a while as they are a bit pricey for campground living).
This campground is ideally located for us to enjoy an evening of theatre in Cow Head, another great tourist attraction in Newfoundland. By always booking our tickets in advance, we’re never disappointed.
In the evenings, we make campfires and enjoy roasting wieners and marshmallows, and making s’mores! The playground provides lots of physical activity to burn off that extra energy. As a family, swimming in the cool waters off Shallow Bay beach becomes a morning and evening ritual. For a treat, we often make our way to Rocky Harbour for an afternoon; one of our kids’ favourite places to visit Gros Morne is the park’s recreation complex in Rocky Harbour, another one of the popular tourist attractions in Newfoundland. Here we enjoy a 25-metre indoor pool with a shallow bay, a leisure harbour, a whirlpool, and lots of open swims. An afternoon of exploring the sand dunes north of Cow Head adds to our fun and excitement in Gros Morne.
Half-day excursions tend to be our favourite things to do in Gros Morne. Pick up a hiking brochure from the Interpretation Centre in Rocky Harbour to help you. Our children’s discovery of Gros Morne is an education and an adventure, learning that the vegetation, wildlife, trails, and scenery must be—and are being—protected. Our favourite easy hike, the Western Brook Pond trail, is a 2.7-kilometre gravel and boardwalk trail taking you to the Western Brook Pond boat tour. The chance to see a variety of wildlife, and especially moose, adds great excitement!
Another easy hiking trail is in the Berry Hill campground. We love hiking around the forested Berry Hill Pond and getting up close and personal (but not too close) to the beaver dams and seeing the beavers in action. A little more difficult and longer (two to three hours return), our family enjoy hiking the Baker’s Brook Falls trail, a major attraction in itself. The chances of seeing moose around here bring lots of squeals and excitement from the kids. Bring your bug spray, though – a lot of the trail goes through forested areas.
Enjoy Gros Morne!
