Eastport Peninsula
From World travel guide
The Eastport Peninsula has long been a popular vacation destination in Newfoundland. It offers many affordable accommodations and is a great launching point for exploring Terra Nova National Park. The peninsula's excellent beaches, fishing villages and active arts community are also attractions for many visitors.
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Understand
The Eastport Peninsula is a small extension of land into the central part of Bonavista Bay in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The peninsula is adjacent to Terra Nova National Park and contains seven small outport villages: Eastport, Happy Adventure, Sandy Cove, Salvage, St. Chad's, Burnside and Sandringham. The communities, for the most part, opperate as a single town. Fishing, farming and tourism are the backbone of the local economy.
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Communities
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Burnside
Initially composed of two settlements -- Squid Tickle and Hollett's Cove. Features a prominent church, easily visible from the whole community. It is the headquarters of an archological dig and the ferry departure site for St. Brendan's.
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Eastport
Eastport, the hub of the peninsula, is widely known for its white sandy beaches and arable soils. Its beaches and pleasant maritime vistas make it a popular destination for holiday makers and retirees.
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Happy Adventure
A pretty seaside village built around three inlets on Newman Sound -- Upper Cove, Little Sandy Cove and Lower Cove. Local legend attributes the name to a pirate's favorable adventure, evading detection, in one of the sheletered coves.
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Sandringham
Newest community on the peninsula and site of abundant farmland.
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Sandy Cove
Sandy Cove was formerly known as Silver Buckle according to local legend Silver Buckle referred to a buried pirate treasure in the area. In modern times Sandy Cove is best known for its most prominent feature -- a long sandy beach. in fact, Sandy Cove features the longest sandy beach on the peninsula and is famed for being a well-kept and pretty community. It has been granted the 'Tidy Towns' award numerous times.
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Salvage
Salvage is situated on barren rocky headland near good fishing grounds and the migration routes of harp seals. The village is built around a rugged but protected harbour that has drawn tourists, site-seeres and artists for generations. According to visiting Archdeacon Coster in the 1820s, "rugged as the spot is, it has always appeared to me the most interesting little settlement in the Bay of Bonavista, if not in Newfoundland".
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St. Chad's
Small fishing village. Once known as Damnable Bay (pronounced Damn The Bell). Like Silver Buckle and Happy Adventure, this whimsical nomenclature is attributed to pirate lore.
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Get There
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By Boat
Marine Atlantic ferry service runs from North Sydney to Port aux Basques (on the west coast of the island) throughout the year, and to Argentia (about 90km from St. John's) during the summer.
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By Car
- Driving from the ferry at Port aux Basques, take the TransCanada Highway east 650 km to HWY-310 and the Eastport Peninsula. HWY-310 exits the highway at the western entrance to Terra Nova National Park.
- Driving from the ferry at Argentia, take HWY-100, HWY-101, HWY-202, and the TransCanada Highway and HWY-310 the 230km to the Eastport Peninsula. HWY-310 exits the highway at the western exit of Terra Nova National Park.
- Driving from St. John's, take the TransCanada Highway west 280 km to Route 310 and the Eastport Peninsula.
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By Plane
- Gander International Airport, Gander
- St John's International Airport, St. John's
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By Bus
DRL Coachlines operates a daily bus departing from St. John's and Port Aux Basques that stops at the Eastport Junction on the TransCanada Highway. you will have to arrange travel from the bus stop at the junction to the community itself (approx 15km).
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See
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Art & Culture
- The Veteran's Gallery at The Beaches Heritage Centre, Eastport
- Pinsent's Studio and Gallery, Church Street, Eastport
- Concerts and Plays (throughout the summer) at the The Beaches Heritage Centre Theatre, Eastport.
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Architecture
- St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Salvage -- A 125+ year-old wooden church.
- Holy Cross Church, Eastport -- 115 year-old wooden church.
- Traditional Newfoundland saltbox houses.
- Red ochre coloured fishing stages built on stilts above the ocean.
St. Stephen's Anglian Church
Holy Cross Church
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Sandy Beaches
- Eastport Beach
- Capelin Gulch
- North Side Beach
- Sandy Cove Beach
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History
- Salvage Fisherman's Museum, Salvage -- learn about the life of a Newfoundland fisherman.
- Burnside Archeological Dig, Burnside -- learn about the Maritime Archaic, Paleo-Eskimo and Beothuck Indians and see the ancient tools they left behind in the Eastport area.
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Terra Nova National Park
The communities of the Eastport Peninsula border on Terra Nova National Park making the Eastport area an ideal base from which to explore the park. In Terra Nova you'll find:
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Canoe rentals, Sandy Pond
- Twin Rivers Golf Course
- Terra Nova Adventures Sea Kayaking
- Ocean Watch Boat Tour
- Daily interpretive programs
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Do
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Amusement Parks
- Family Funland, Eastport -- Storybook village with boat rides, mini-golf, jet-ski and petting farm.
- Splash n Putt, Eastport Junction -- Waterslide, pools, mini-golf, bumper cars, bumper boats and go-carts.
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Hiking
- Sandy Cove Head Trail for spectacular views of Terra Nova National Park, Newman Sound and Bonavista Bay.
- Old Trails Network between Sandy Cove and Salvage.
- Long Chute Trail, near Burnside.
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Swimming
- Crooked Tree Park, Sandy Cove -- fresh water swimming available in this municipal park.
Crooked Tree Park
Crooked Tree Park
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Festvals & Events
- SummerFest, Eastport -- A beach celebration with concerts, games of chance and fireworks. Usually held the first weekend in August.
- Winterset in Summer Literary Festival -- World-renown writers to the peninsula for round-table dicussions, book launches and a chance to interact with fans. Held mid-August.
- Targa Newfoundland -- car race, Eastport Peninsula leg in September.
- Fall Exhibition -- A harvest festival with scarecrow contests, scavenger hunts and ribbons awarded for best farm animals, vegetables, and baking. Held Mid-October.
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Buy
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Local Specialties
- Seafood in Happy Adventure and Salvage, in season
- Fresh local vegetables, in season
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Art
- Age of Aquarius, 5 Burden's Rd, Eastport
- Pinsent's Studio and Gallery, Church St, Eastport
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Crafts & Souvenirs
- Bosun's Whistle, Happy Adventure
- Choices Crafts, Sandy Cove
- Gift Shop, Beaches Heritage Centre, Eastport
- Rosie's Crafts, Eastport
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Propane Re-filling and Camping Supplies
- Eastport Co-op
- Convenience Store, Newman Sound, Terra Nova National Park
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Antiques
- Age of Aquarius, Eastport
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Real Estate
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Eat
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Groceries
- Eastport Co-op
- Red and White Store, Eastport
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Restaurants
- The Bosun's Whistle Tearoom, Happy Adventure
- Eastport Chicken Bar, Eastport
- Gertie's Galley, Eastport
- The Killick, Salvage
- Little Denier, Eastport
- Mary Brown's Fried Chicken, Eastport Junction
- Tellum + Things Cafe, Eastport
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Drink
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Bars
- Seabreeze Bar, Salvage
- Royal Canadian Legion Bar, Eastport
- Salvage Bay Motel Bar, Eastport
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Liquor Stores
- Eastport Drugs Liquor Agency, Eastport
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Sleep
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Campgrounds
- Malady Head Campground, Terra Nova National Park
- Shriner's Sunshine RV Park, Eastport
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Inns & Bed & Breakfasts
- Almost Home, Eastport
- First Choice Inn, Sandringham
- Inn by the Sea, Eastport
- White Sails Inn, Eastport
- Doctor's Inn Bed and Breakfast, Eastport
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Cottages
- Stay 'n' Play Cabins, Eastport
- Sandy Sea Resort, Eastport
- White Sails Cabins, Eastport
- Sandy Cove Beach Housekeeping Cabins, Sandy Cove
- Seaview Cottages, Eastport
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Motels
- Salvage Bay Motel, Eastport
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