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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

Adventurous Slomad Travel

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Road Tripping the Port-au-Port Peninsula in Newfoundland

Last Updated: November 23, 2022 · Canada, Newfoundland & Labrador

Travelers who visit the Port-au-Port Peninsula say that the drive is one of Newfoundland’s most scenic road trips. And after our road trip down to Cape St. George and on around the 161 km drive, it’s easy to see why.

Port au Port is also dubbed the French Ancestor’s Route (Route 463) in honor of the rich French-Acadian history.

If you’re looking at a map, the Port-au-Port Peninsula very much looks like an arrowhead hanging off the side of Newfoundland!

Thanks to its unique shape, the drive gives way to breathtaking craggy coastline views.

It’s also here, at the tip of Cape St. George, where you can marvel at some of Newfoundland’s best seal, bird, and whale watching.

Here are my best tips for driving the Port-au-Port Peninsula, including where to stop along the way to take in the best views, bird colonies, and even waterfalls!

Also Read — 15 Unique Newfoundland Experiences to Add to Your Bucket List

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Table of Contents show
Starting Your Port-au-Port Road Trip
1st Stop: Hidden Falls at Sheaves Cove
2nd Stop: Boutte du Cap @ Cape St. George
3rd Stop: Bird Colonies + Whale Watching (Boutte du Cap)
4th Stop: Mainland
5th Stop: Lourdes + Black Duck Brook
Wrapping Up Your Port-au-Port Peninsula Road Trip

Starting Your Port-au-Port Road Trip 

Most likely you’ll start your road trip around the peninsula by first crossing Stephenville. While the town is friendly, there’s not much in the way of activities.

If you’re looking to stay overnight in the area, I highly recommend the Zenzville RV Campground where we stayed.

Van Life Journal Week 6: Newfoundland! Bucketlist Bri
A small but strong group of strikers @ Stephenville, Newfoundland #climatestrike | Bucketlist Bri

Continue west to head to the Port-au-Port entrance via highway 460.

From here all the way down to Cape St. George, is mostly coastline views.

There are a few places to stop and take pictures. The drive down this road is especially nice during the golden hour. You’ll pass by clusters of neighborhoods with bright red house numbers, all while peering virtually over the edge of huge cliffs.

Keep driving through Campbell’s Creek and Abrahams Cove until you reach Sheaves Cove.

1st Stop: Hidden Falls at Sheaves Cove

A trip down to Cape St. George isn’t complete without taking a break mid-way to marvel at the Hidden Falls.

Van Life Journal Week 6: Newfoundland! Bucketlist Bri
Hidden Falls nearby Cape St. George | Bucketlist Bri

Truly hidden, these falls are only witnessed if you pull off the road to a little parking lot by the sea.

Beware: Big rigs are not recommended as there is a gravel hill you must climb to get back up.

Park in the lower lot and turn to your left. Hidden Falls is directly in view from the parking, but you can go right up to them by following the pathway.

While unmarked, the trail is easy to spot and follow and is cleared for hikers.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Hidden Falls in mid-September | Bucketlist Bri

The waterfall might be low, depending on the season. Usually, it is a roaring waterfall. It’s especially a pretty sight in mid-late September when the leaves on the trees begin to change color.

When you’re ready, hop back in the car and head to your next stop: Boutte du Cap!

2nd Stop: Boutte du Cap @ Cape St. George

You will come to a fork in the road, make sure to veer left to head to the tip of Cape St. George.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
At the end of Boutte du Cap | Bucketlist Bri

If you’re traveling by camper van, you can squat overnight in the unofficial municipal campground with carved-out sites in the trees on the cliffs. There are even small firepits for each.

You’ll reach the roundabout. Once here, make sure to pay attention to the ancient French oven over on the left. The “Four à Pain” is a traditional-style outdoor French bread oven that is STILL in use.

Maintained by the community, you can eat freshly-baked French bread between the months of July and August from noon – 2 pm. Unfortunately, the bread oven was already closed during our time there (mid-September).

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Four à pain at Boutte du Cap | Bucketlist Bri

Yet, the unparalleled views easily made up for the lack of a baguette. 🙂

A small monument in the center of the roundabout honors the Acadians who once thrived in this region once known as the French Shore. The monument also explains the “Grand Dérangement” or Great Upheaval of the Acadians when the British expulsed them to other territories in fear of uprisal against the empire.

3rd Stop: Bird Colonies + Whale Watching (Boutte du Cap)

Drive to the end of the road to take in gorgeous views of the coastline. It’s here where you can pull out a camp chair and sit to watch the whales feed off the mackerel along the shoreline.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
At the top of the Kittiwake Trail + Lookout | Bucketlist Bri

You can also witness the largest North Atlantic bird – the Gannet – as it nose-dives into the sea to fish.

Park and walk up the steep road to your right toward the small and large Kittiwake Trails.

The views from atop the cliffs are simply breathtaking with several species of bird colonies flying about.

It’s no wonder that Newfoundland and Labrador are considered North America’s seabird capital! They have over 35 million seabirds and 350+ bird species alone.

If you visit during the summer months, you have extremely high chances of spotting whales coming to play and feed along the shoreline. Cape St. George is the perfect spot for whale-watching as there are unhampered views of the sea for miles and miles.

You can also hike the small Bread Crumb Trail here or “Le Chemin des Miettes” which will take you from one edge of the cliff to the other, through dented pine and berry bushes.

4th Stop: Mainland

A little community called Mainland is another great stop to take in the views of the sea.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.comRoad Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
A large gannet takes a nose-dive into the ocean | Bucketlist Bri

We got to see a very large gathering of gannets diving into the sea. So much so that we were hoping whales would join in on the feeding frenzy. But in the end, we only spotted gannets.

You can also see the island jetting out from the sea very well from this viewpoint.

There is no internet service in the area, so make sure to plan out your day or even your questions for Google well in advance.

There are a tea room and an old schoolhouse you can visit a museum and see artifacts recounting the history of the people and the land in the area.

Continue along the French Ancestor’s Route from here around the coast toward Lourdes.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
A gannet up-close | Bucketlist Bri

5th Stop: Lourdes + Black Duck Brook

Lourdes is a large community on the peninsula, but we found it very residential. Apart from the views of the gorgeous coastline, you can choose to stay here for an hour or get off Route 463 and drive north to Black Duck Brook.

Drive up the slim peninsula and you’ll come across the Winter Houses and the museum of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. There are also bird-watching opportunities for Arctic Terns should you be a bird enthusiast!

Wrapping Up Your Port-au-Port Peninsula Road Trip

Finish off your road trip around the Peninsula by following Route 463 back to Abraham’s Cove. We found the route to be less scenic as it’s more inland rather than on the coast, compared to Highway 460 down to Cape St. George.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Make sure to stop along your western Newfoundland road trip to take in the sunset views | Bucketlist Bri

Alternatively, you could turn around at Lourdes and revisit the coastline counterclockwise. In either case, you won’t be disappointed with a detour down to Boutte du Cap!

This road trip is a must-do adventure if ever you’re on the west coast of Newfoundland.

Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
Road Tripping the Port au Port Peninsula and Boutte du Cap St. George in Western Newfoundland and Labrador #newfoundland #roadtrip #adventure #travel // www.bucketlistbri.com
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By: Bri · In: Canada, Newfoundland & Labrador · Tagged: Road Trips

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Comments

  1. Laurie says

    May 4, 2023 at 10:06 am

    Thanks for the beautiful review of the Port au Port peninsula, just a couple more ideas for stops along the way are:
    -Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, located in Lourdes.
    -The folded rocks located in Piccadilly
    -Danny’s Trail located in Port au Port
    -Our Lady of Mercy church, museum and tea room
    -Ice caves located in Campbell’s Creek (winter travel)

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 18, 2023 at 1:37 pm

      Love this, thank you Laurie!!!

      Reply
  2. Missy says

    May 5, 2022 at 11:17 pm

    How long drive is this adventure if not staying in that area. And what area us best place to stay overnite

    Reply
    • Bri says

      May 10, 2022 at 8:51 am

      I guess it depends on where you are coming from? And I would suggest the campground at Boutte du Cap 🙂

      Reply
  3. Janice M says

    August 22, 2021 at 3:33 pm

    Thank you for a great review. We will now add this drive into the trip we are taking to western NFLD this September. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bri says

      August 23, 2021 at 11:39 am

      Wonderful! So happy you found it useful and thank you for reading. Hope you have a fun and safe trip!

      Reply

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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