The Road to the Beaches

This next region is full of sheltered coves, sandy beaches and sparkling waters. This tour will take you to some of the best spots for water sports in the province. Here you will find rivers to canoe, ponds to fish, inlets to sail and clean, clear pools to swim.

Travel east on Route 1 from Gambo to the growing community of Glovertown which has become the central town in the Alexander Bay area. It offers a wide variety of services, beautiful scenery and warm hospitality.

From here, along Route 310, you can visit Saunders Cove, Traytown and Culls Harbour before doubling back and continuing to the Eastport Peninsula where, in season, fresh vegetables are available from local gardens and greenhouses. Here you'll also find some small amusement parks.

Sandringham is the most westerly point of the peninsula and prime trout fishing can be found in its many ponds and streams. Just a stone's throw along the road is Eastport, a farming community and service centre that is the hub of the peninsula and where you may take your choice of several roads leading to neighbouring communities. Eastport is famous from its beautiful sandy beach equipped with change houses, picnic tables and fireplaces. While in Eastport be sure to walk along the north end of Eastport Beach to see its sand dunes, sea grasses, shore birds and the lazy lagoon. Visit the Historic Holy Cross Church, built in 1890, this wooden church was built in the shape of a cross. Eastport also hosts a writer’s festival in August.

One very worthwhile side trip from Eastport is a four-kilometre drive north to St. Chads and Burnside where the Burnside Archaeology Centre displays artifacts from the 5,000 year human habitation of the area . The centre operates a boat tour to some of the most important archaeology sites along the coast. And from here you can take the ferry to St. Brendans, a trip that is filled with terrific photo opportunities. St. Brendan's island was settled by the Irish and the Old Country accent is as strong here as anywhere in Newfoundland.

Return to the main section of the peninsula and continue on Route 310 from Eastport to Salvage, the oldest settlement in the region. Salvage is a typical Newfoundland fishing community, clung to the cliffs and shore in such a way that it has become a scene of beauty from the past. Here an old house (built around 1860) has been converted into a Community Museum displaying a collection of artifacts that reflect the long history of the place. Don't forget your camera because Salvage is a photographer's dream. This is a good place to sample some foods popular with Newfoundlanders.

Double back on Route 310 and turn south from Eastport to Sandy Cove where the beach is one of Newfoundland's finest. A short distance west of Sandy Cove you will come to Happy Adventure and its two adjacent coves known as Upper and Lower Coves. Besides enjoying the shallow beaches where children can wade in safety, you will indeed have a ‘happy adventure’ with a feast of lobster. Live lobsters can be purchased fresh during the lobstering season in early summer.