Map of Central Newfoundland and Gander

Central Newfoundland

For many mainlanders, Channel-Port aux Basques is the gateway to Newfoundland. The ferry from Nova Scotia brings visitors year-round to Canada's youngest province, the departure point for a unique journey through history, unsurpassed scenic beauty, and wildlife. North of Channel-Port aux Basques lies the Codroy Valley International Wetlands, a must-see for bird-watchers. The St. George's Bay area is populated with descendants of Scottish settlers, while Stephenville and the nearby Port au Port Peninsula are a near-island of French culture.

The inland forests were once dominated by the now-extinct Beothuk, an aboriginal people who lived on the lakes and traveled the rivers, chasing the great schools of salmon that draw fishermen today. Off the main highway, along winding roads leading to the bays of the northeast shore, small clapboard houses hug the rocks of countless bays and inlets, a place where time seems to have stood still.

Channel-Port aux Basques [El] An early station for Basque fishermen, this town grew into an important transportation hub in the 19th century with the arrival of the railway and ferry services. Just 15 minutes from the ferry terminus, J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park offers observation decks to see the endangered piping plover. For the more scientifically minded, the Mushrow Astrolabe, a rare navigational instrument dated 1628, can be found in the Gulf Museum.

Corner Brook [C2] A pulp-and-paper stronghold set between the Long Range Mountains and the sea, Corner Brook was part of the area surveyed by Capt. James Cook in the 1760s. A memorial historic site commemorates his work. Marble Mountain is a haven for skiers, and the unusual Sticks and Stones House is a folk-art museum devoted to one man's lifelong obsession with decorating his house with discarded objects.

Gander [C6] Because its airport is halfway between major metropolitan areas of Europe and North America, Gander has been dubbed the Crossroads of the World. Due to its low-incidence of fog, Gander was chosen by the British military as a transatlantic airbase in the mid-1930s, and the airport opened in 1938. Today, its air traffic control center plays a key role in transatlantic transportation. Alcock and Brown, Amelia Earhart, Sidney Cotton, Charles Lindberg, and many other aviation pioneers passed through on their way to fame.

Grand Falls-Windsor [C5] The Exploits River is one of the most important salmon rivers in Newfoundland. An underwater window at the Salmonid Interpretation Centre gives an eye-level view of migrating salmon. The culture of the extinct Beothuk people can be explored in a replica village and at a museum dedicated to Demasduit, one of the last surviving Beothuk, who the British renamed Mary March.

Gros Morne National Park [A3-B3] This UNESCO World Heritage Site provides proof of the theory of continental drift (its mountains were formed by tectonic upheaval) and is famous for its fjords, especially Western Brook Pond, an inland fjord with a small opening to the sea that's almost totally surrounded by stunning 600-m-high cliffs. Over 65 km of hiking trails encompass everything from sandy beaches and sea coves to volcanic rock and highland tundra.

Port au Port Peninsula [C1-D1] Known as the French Shore, this francophone peninsula is known for its clam digging and traditional music-there is a major French folk festival in Cape St. George in late summer.

CHANNEL-PORT AUX BASQUES

Gulf Museum Railway Heritage Centre

CORNER BROOK

Captain James Cook

Monument Aquatic Centre for Research and Education Railway Society of Newfoundland Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Museum Sticks and Stones House

GANDER

North Atlantic Aviation Museum Atlantic Ferry Pilot Memorial

GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR

Beothuk Village Mary March Regional Museum Salmonid Interpretation Centre Loggers' Museum and Camp

PORT AU PORT PENINSULA

Piccadilly Head Provincial Park Pine Tree American

Radar Site Stephenville Theatre Festival Our Lady of Mercy Church (1914), Port au Port West