I was born here, I grew up here and I left here when I was 18 but this place will always be home to me.

I use the term home loosely in some ways as I no longer live in this city but in the most important way, the way in which one feels that they belong, comfortable, settled, the way in which it seems your spirit sighs with familiarity, that is the way in which I use the word home. The salt water air is tangy in my nostrils and it eases the tightness in my skin. My mouth begins to salivate as the memory of silky, perfectly fried fish and dictates my next move – dinner reservations for the next four days! Just to be clear, we love fish (Newfoundlanders hardly ever use the term cod, it is just assumed that you mean that specific species when you say fish). I was travelling with my husband, sister and brother-in-law and we had fish or some form of seafood for thirteen days straight. Somedays it was three times a day! For most Newfoundlanders, a trip back home is as much about what you eat and who you eat it with as it is about where you go and what you see. Of course we love the water, the landscape, the music, the walking and hiking, but to be truthful we all go home to eat and visit.

Arriving in St. John’s often has the added benefit of a significant time change. We were delighted – we popped into our hotel to check in and drop the bags into our room calling back to my sister to meet us in 15! And then we hit the blocked off streets of Duckworth and Water Street at a gallop. It was so wonderful to wander, remember and laugh at our stories and memories. I’m sure most of them were true, some exaggeration to be sure, but nevertheless they were our stories, our memories, our re-living and we were home. It was a long time before we turned around to make our way back to our beds. Pointing at different places, wandering the waterfront, recounting times and events with me having to stop from time to time to cross my legs, panting for everyone to stop with the recounting and shenanigans only to howl with laughter again the next minute. It was one of those nights where you found yourself asleep before your head hit the pillow, knowing that there would be plenty more to come.

This small city is full to overflowing with character and charm. As someone who grew up in St. John’s I never would have thought to book a walking tour of my hometown (my brother-in-law did it) but boy was it fun to wander the streets with Michael Boyle, hear his stories and witness him fall theatrically into the role of some of the cities original politicians, governors and other colourful characters quoting speeches, reciting poetry and the like. Definitely book a dinner theatre, check out live music (it’s everywhere) and plan on some late nights because it is one of those cities that is full of life at all hours if you choose to take advantage of it.

Being born and raised here gives me the advantage of having family in this wickedly beautiful place. What is it about the comfort of a Grandmother? My goal was to visit her everyday, not with any purpose other than to sense the numinous dimension of existence. It is a mysterious place, sitting beside my 98 year old Grandmother, hearing her play her old pump organ, transcendent really, knowing that you are experiencing something of the divine. She grounds me, puts me back in touch with parts of myself that easily get set aside in life’s bustle. But, then it’s time for dinner, so I make a call to my Aunt to see if there is any moose in the freezer. I can still smell and taste her partner’s moose burgers that he served me three years prior! It’s one of those food experiences one does not forget – the best I have ever tasted.

Of course there are walks at Cape Spear, Signal Hill, Logy Bay, Quidi Vidi, Conception Bay South and so much more. The Quidi Vidi Loop, Lady’s Lookout and North Head Trail are all in the city and walking distance from downtown. Within a short drive there are an abundance of trailheads and many of those are connected to the East Coast Trail so you can start ticking off segments of that if it is on your wishlist of trails to walk. Because we decided to travel in the fall of the year, we missed out on the kayaking, icebergs, whale watching tours and all of the fun that is usually on offer in summer.

I could go on and on about restaurants and breweries, museums and historic sites but there are very good guides, books and tourist information that include all of the options available. Best piece of advice I can give you is to read ahead, plan ahead and book ahead otherwise you’ll get left behind. Seriously though, trust me, you may not be able to do the things you want, get to the places you want or eat at the restaurants you want if you do not book ahead.

In the 1980s people (archeologists) started scraping off the surface of Ferryland to uncover a colony , The Colony of Avalon, because it seems that there were people there long before we decided to head there for a cup of tea on an afternoon. As it turns out this is big stuff. There was a settlement there in the 17th century and it changed hands from time to time as the English and French duked it out and now the lovely guides parade you down mainstreet of town pointing out a loo that was flushed with the tides, remains of homes, a forge, a cobblestone street and other things of interest. The museum has beautiful and well appointed displays of thousands of artefacts that were uncovered at the dig. On the way to the site from the museum there is a bench of your choice to catch a breather and a kitchy Purity garbage bin to dispose of your napkin after you have finished devouring your light and fluffy raisin bun from the kitchen of the cafe. There is a lighthouse that offers picnic lunches to be enjoyed on the cliffs, but be sure to book ahead as this is a very popular outing and there are no leftovers to be had. If it is a spur of the moment day trip, the cafe makes the best soup, biscuits, and full meals. Do not miss the desserts. The other option offered in Ferryland is the super popular dinner theatre. Check it all out. In all honesty, one of the surprising things that kept popping up on this trip is the fact that many of these super interesting, super fascinating places across the island were not really well known and not really researched, dug into and exposed to the general public for observation until the 1970s and 80s. What?!? What took so long? Anyway, I was super happy to be able to do a bit of tourism in my home province.

My husband, and I, my sister and brother-in-law had planned to spend the second half of our time in Southern Coastal Labrador and the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. We have visited many times before but usually not in tourist mode. I certainly had not read any tourist guide books about the place I spent so much time in – my mistake.

After touching down in Deer Lake and before the drive up the coast to catch the ferry to Labrador we had to pop into the Irving gas station for some sunday lunch. Nostalgia definitely, but not bad. Soup is always a hit, but really we were there for the hot turkey sandwich and it did not disappoint. Tummies more than full, we waddled to the car and up the highway for a teaser pass-through of Gros Morne because that was for the return trip but we did stop at the Arches near Parson’s Pond, one of my childhood homes. When I stop at places that trigger pleasant childhood memories it is never enough time. The memories that flood back are of people, smells, sounds, and funny enough, I often remember the clothes I was wearing. It is always an explosion of feelings too much to absorb no matter how much time is allotted. Anyway, on to the ferry at St. Barbe and across the Straits to see our friends.

This is my husband’s childhood home. (I didn’t ever get to Labrador until the year after we were married.) He left when he was six but his parents promised him he could return every summer. And he did until his was 17. He lived with his buddy’s family every summer playing on its shores, in its bush country and along its rivers and those friends remain close even now. The day after we arrived was a holiday so we packed up food, climbed onto the side-by-sides and took off into the country. What a time!

Ninety kilometres in before checking out the spot where Stanley George’s cabin once stood. Of course there was a boil-up stop at the 75km mark and what a memory that will forever be. As I have mentioned before, we come home for the food! Halibut steaks, halibut cheeks (the best), welks, smoked mackrel, fresh mussels, fresh bread, partridge berry jam and thick cream, baked beans…no end in sight.

When you step onto the land in Labrador there is a sense of stepping into a story of which you know nothing about. The Unesco World Heritage site of the Basque whalers in Red Bay, the H.H. Raleigh shipwreck at Point Amour, the 7500 year old burial site (the oldest known burial site in North America) of the Maritime Archaic peoples and that is only the tip of the iceberg on this southern part of coastal Labrador. Those are historical stories are of long, long ago but there are stories that are being lived out today that are vastly different but just as impactful because they are about a way of life that is uniquely found in that place. I can not state emphatically enough that you must eat at Whaler’s Restaurant in Red Bay. It was the best fish we had on this trip.

The Pioneer Trail from Forteau to L’anse-au-Clair, the Jersey Trail around the cove at L’anse-au-Clair, the Labrador Pioneer Path from Forteau to the Point Amour Lighthouse and the Labrador Coastal Drive in addition to the museums are only a few ways to interact with the stories that the land holds dear. It pays huge dividends to spend time walking the land, watching the water lap at its shores and listening to the wind. It is a vast and wild land that is difficult to leave.

Just across the Strait of Belle Isle lies L’anse-aux-Meadows, a truly fascinating place. A place where you are reminded that there was always someone here before you and if you ever think you can own the land, think again. There will be someone here after you and they will inhabit, but never really own. Another Unesco World Heritage site where the Norse set up an encampment after leaving Greenland. And when you are finished wandering the paths that crisscross across the marsh, eat at The Norseman – really, really good food. Then on your way down the coast there are the thrombolites in Flowers Cove (next stop where you can find these ancient biological formations is Australia).

Heading south on route 430 about 300km the next Unesco site you will encounter is Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park. Best to stop off and walk the short path to catch the boat that ferries you in for breathtaking closeups of the many waterfalls cascading down 2000 ft that are dotted around this land-locked fjord, due to eustatic rebound. Grab a ticket and hop on the tour boat and if you are lucky you will be entertained on board with the most delightful muscians and tourguides. But realistically you will have to make reservations – this place is stunningly beautiful and even the locals like to spend a day taking it all in.

Heading south through Gros Morne National Park you must take in Norris Point and stop for a dinner at The Black Spruce and overnight at Neddies Harbour Inn. You can ferry across the bay to Woody Point if you don’t fancy driving, but the towns around this bay are quaint and unsurpassed in scenery. It is a place where life slows down, perspective is restored and you realize you have been given a gift of serenity, salt water air, and spectacular scenery as you stroll. The restaurants will always, and I mean always, give you a fantastic feed of fish and the craft shops do not disappoint. And that is not all…

The soul of the earth has been exposed. The Tablelands of Gros Morne National Park is one of two places on the planet where the mantle of the earth has been exposed for all to see. It is a surreal, orange landscape that, after the continents collided and the middle layer of the earth was thrust up, and millions of years of erosion is now tabletop flat and jaw dropping gorgeous. There are hiking trails carefully created and maintained for the enjoyment of those who wish to get close to the ethereal landscape. You can hike without ever seeing another soul, or if you wish to be with companions, you can curate the vacation of a lifetime with family or friends.

We had one more dinner with friends before boarding our flight. It is strange to feel like you are leaving home to go home but that’s the spell of this land. It just feels like home. Over dinner we planned our next trip – the south coast of Newfoundland by boat.