If you’re looking for a destination that is like a combination of Ireland and Norway but is right here in North America, look no further. Newfoundland is a truly spectacular place to visit and completely blew me away. From small fishing villages, to rugged coastlines, to live folk music in St. Johns: you can get it all here. Newfoundland is unique and there are few special things to consider on your visit. Here are tips for your trip to Newfoundland!
Newfoundland Time Zone
On your trip to Newfoundland, be sure to set your clocks ahead! And it’s not the classic time zone on the hour, Newfoundland has their own unique time zone. They’re 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Standard Time! In fact, it’s the only place in North America that is on a 30-minute time zone! It made for doing a little extra math in my head when calculating what time it was back home, but it only being an hour and a half ahead of Eastern Time Zone made for minimal jet lag when landing!
Rental Car & Long Drives
On your trip to Newfoundland, you’re not going to get far without a rental car! The island is huge and if you want to take in as much as this beautiful place has to offer, you’re going to need wheels. If you’re flying into St. John’s, rental car pickup at the airport couldn’t be easier. We were in our car less than 20 minutes after landing! When exploring the island, be prepared for some very long drives. We road tripped from St. John’s to Gander and, with stops, it took us about 5 hours. And we were only about halfway across the island! Be prepared for a whole lot of nothing on some of these drives and fill up the gas tank when you can. Oh, and keep a sharp eye out for moose!
Layers, layers, layers!
Newfoundland weather is unpredictable and changes fast. While the weather forecast can give you a good idea of what to expect, it would often change quickly in real time! When I visited in early September 2026, I would go from being in a tee shirt, to needing to bundle up in a sweatshirt, to needing a beanie, to putting on sunglasses… all in the same afternoon. And on the days where it was expected to rain all day, we would check the doppler and then fifteen minutes it would be completely different. You really need to plan for it all in Newfoundland! Plan to have many layers on hand and be prepared for it all.
Wildlife Viewing Seasons
If viewing wildlife is a top priority on your trip to Newfoundland (and it should be), you’ll want to plan the time of your visit strategically! Generally, summer is going to be the best time to see it all. More specifically, April and May are the best months to see icebergs up close in Iceberg Alley. May through early September is the best time to see whales. Humpbacks, orcas, and minke whales are all common here! Also in the summer through mid-September is puffin season! Newfoundland is home to the largest puffin colony in North America and one of the best places to see them is on Gull Island in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Book a wildlife boat tour with O’Brien’s to see it all!
Consider a Shoulder Season Trip
Newfoundland isn’t a cheap destination, as everything on the island has to get shipped in. Food, gas, lodging are all going to run a little more than on the mainland. If you can, try to save some money by visiting in the shoulder season. I visited in early September 2026 which is right at the end of tourist season. We found cheaper prices, less people, and had a much more enjoyable trip than if we visited in the summer with all the crowds! Plus, we were still able to enjoy viewing some puffins and other wildlife before they left for the season. Win, win!
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