Embark on an unforgettable journey along Newfoundland’s Irish Loop. Discover hidden gems, from puffin colonies to colourful fishing villages. Experience local cuisine, rich culture, and stunning coastal views on this 312-km road trip through Canada’s easternmost province.
In Newfoundland, locals refer to an epic experience as a “Large Day.” And my chums and I just spent three of them exploring Newfoundland’s Irish Loop.
Ever since I paid my first visit to “The Rock,” as locals like to call the island of Newfoundland, on my honeymoon, the island has held a special place in my heart.
My passion for Newfoundland is all about the people, place and culture. You won’t find a more fun-loving, hospitable bunch of people anywhere else on the planet.
Newfoundland is ruggedly gorgeous, and the culture in these parts has a rich Irish brogue because much of the local ancestry hails from Counties Wexford and Waterford in Ireland. In a Newfoundland fun fact, during the first two decades of the 19th century, when between 30,000 and 35,000 Irish immigrants arrived on the island. To experience the magic of the Emerald Isle itself, we went on a magical road trip along what has been dubbed Newfoundland’s “Irish Loop.”
What Is The Irish Loop in Newfoundland?
The Irish Loop is one of Newfoundland’s greatest road trips. Circling the southeastern section of the Avalon Peninsula, the Irish Loop crisscrosses the province, circumnavigating the coastline and introducing road-trippers to picturesque seaside communities, the province’s famed and beautiful rugged terrain, and the occasional moose as well.
All-in-all, the drive covers 400-years of Irish heritage in Newfoundland spread out across 312 kilometres of roadway (although you can see more with a side-trip to Cape St. Mary’s).
Along the route are some of the greatest things to do in Newfoundland, including craft breweries, puffin and whale watching, scenic landscapes, and immersion in the local Newfoundland culture.
A Road Trip Along The Irish Loop
If you’re interested in driving Newfoundland’s Irish Loop for yourself, here is how my road trip through the Avalon Peninsula rolled out.
Iceberg Beer & Unique Crafts
Drive just a few minutes east from downtown St. John’s, and you’ll come across Quidi Vidi, a pintsized fishing hamlet that looks like an island outport.
Offering great views of the Gut (the local slang for Quidi Vidi Harbour) Quidi Vidi Brewery Co., located in a former fish processing plant, is a local favourite for tucking into some fish and chips along with a frosty Iceberg Lager. These delicious local beers are made with water taken from icebergs that float off the coast from Labrador.
Across the Gut, located in a bright yellow artisan studio building, I explored the workshops of various local craftspeople.
The highlight of my visit to the artisan studio was a hands-on session at Modjul with leather artist Steven Brown. He helped me cut out and emboss a luggage tag with my name on it. Brown’s meticulously designed bags, wallets, belts and other accessories are made using traditional Japanese techniques.
I also picked up some one-of-a-kind pieces and enjoyed great chats with textile artist Beth Howley and Nathan Keil, who owns Come From Away Carvings.
Jacobean Craft Chocolate sources cacao beans from around the world and roasts them in-house. Their Cherry Whisky Blossom, a maraschino cherry marinated in Signal Hill Whiskey, is an award winner.
Next, we took a hike up Signal Hill National Historic Site overlooking Quidi Vidi Harbour, where, in 1901, Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic radio signal that ultimately led to the invention of the telephone.
The views from Signal Hill are awesome, and if you’re lucky, Ed Jackman will be there to greet you with his large and loveable Newfoundlander dog, Sable. This breed, with its webbed feet, was greatly valued by fishermen for its life-saving abilities.
Puffins and Whales
After an artisan adventure, it was time to test our sea legs.
We boarded the Atlantic Puffin in Bay Bulls, courtesy of O’Brien’s Tours. Frank, our guide, entertained us with sea shanties as we sailed towards the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to five million seabirds, including more adorable and colourful puffins than you could ever hope to spot.
“Keep your mouths shut while you’re lookin’ up,” quipped Frank, who described the official bird of Newfoundland and Labrador as “potatoes with wings.” True, they’re not very aerodynamic, but with orange beaks, feet, and waddling gait, they sure are so cute that it’s hard not to fall in love with them.
Each summer, up to 10,000 Humpback Whales make their way to the coast of Newfoundland to feed. “Out here, we call for a tropical mist,” said Frank as he announced a mother and baby humpback whale sighting at twelve o’clock.
Pub Crawl
After about two and a half hours on the water, my shipmates and I bade farewell to the puffins and humpbacks and decided to celebrate with a night on the town in St. John’s.
I now understand why the renowned Welsh travel writer Jan Morris wrote in the late 1980s that Newfoundland’s capital was her favourite Canadian city. No doubt, she was impressed with the genuine hospitality.
It’s hard to find a more colourful downtown—literally. Locally known as Jelly-Bean Row, the shops, Bed & Breakfasts, restaurants and homes on Water, Duckworth and Gower Streets in St. John’s are painted a riot of Crayola hues.
Some claim the fishermen painted their homes and shops with leftover paint from their boats; others that the bright colours were chosen because they stood out in a fog. I’m not sure if they were referring to the weather or the fog in their head after a hard night on the town.
St. John’s has more bars per capita than any other place in North America. And the scene around Water St., where many of them are located, is one of the most festive in the country.
We started our pub crawl at the Yellow Belly Brewery and Public House, where George Street intercepts Water Street.
Known as Yellow Belly Corner, this heritage stone landmark has a colourful history. The Great Fire of 1892 stopped its terror here. Gregarious owner Brenda O’Reilly explained that between 1750 and 1830, many Irish from County Wexford, who were fleeing the potato famine, arrived in St. John’s and brought with them the sport of hurling.
The Wexford team wore yellow sashes around their waists and became known as the Yellow Bellies. Today the brewery maintains these Irish traditions with ale names such as Wexford Wheat and Fighting Irish Red. Tucked into the basement, UnderBelly resides as Newfoundland’s only Speakeasy.
We rambled on to Shamrock City down Water Street, where you’ll find live Celtic music pretty much every afternoon and evening. Over on George Street, O’Reilly’s Pub, voted Canada’s Favourite Bar, was in rollicking good form as folks tapped their toes to the tunes of Kitchin Parti.
Gone Fishin’
Not so bright and early the next morning, we arrived at Petty Harbour, just 20 minutes south of St. John’s.
In its heyday, before Newfoundland’s cod fishery was shut down in 1992, Petty Harbour was a thriving fishing port. But the cod moratorium changed the way of life for Newfoundlanders. Fortunately, folks like Kimberly Orren and Leo Hearn have injected new vitality into Petty Harbour by starting Fishing for Success.
This not-for-profit enterprise offers hands-on educational programs centred around sustainable hook and line fishing along with educational ocean activities.
Outfitted with slickers and life jackets, our group cruised the harbour with Captain Leo, learning about cod jigging and various fishing tricks and trades. Back at the schoolhouse on the wharf, Kimberley taught us how to weave thump mats, traditionally used to protect the decks of sailing craft from moving rigging blocks.
Fishing for Success offers lots of other hands-on activities, including caulking a dory or filing some cod. Our efforts were rewarded with hearty bowls of traditional fish stew and bake apple muffins. The bake apple is actually a bog berry and is the queen of fruit in Newfoundland. While we were fishing, we learned that Petty Harbour is the home of Alan Doyle, of the folk/rock band Great Big Sea.
Rest & Relaxation on the Cliff
Cliff’s Edge Retreat in South Bauline is a family-run haven and a sight for sore eyes after a busy day. Craig March, his wife Paula and sons Devin and Ryan are passionate about sharing their bit of paradise with guests.
Ideally located in Tors Cove, the Retreat overlooks the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, so chances are good that you’ll spot puffins and humpbacks while you’re soaking in a hot tub on your deck. Each luxury accommodation has a front row seat to the natural wonders. The Marchs have plans to build a Nordic-style spa which will round out a blissful day of hiking on the nearby trails.
It seems most of the Irish Loop locals are blessed with musical talent so we had our own spontaneous kitchen party in the Retreat lounge with the Craig men regaling us with some traditional toe-tapping’ songs and a few tall tales.
Walk on the Wild Side
Yet another Newfoundlander passionate about preserving local heritage and traditions is Lori McCarthy. She shares her knowledge and experience in her business Food Culture Place.
“I was a teenager in 1992 when the fishery closed,” she says. “My folks said there was nothing left for me here and told me to get an education and go elsewhere. I did leave and worked as a chef, but I had to come back; I need to live by the sea.”
We arrived at her home in Mobile, where she took us on a foraging foray through the woods. Lori pointed out her newly planted willow garden, explaining that willow baskets are an endangered craft. We picked sweet gale leaves and tips from fir trees, then gathered around a table she’d set out in the forest.
Here she showed us how to make a rhubarb drink with foraged flourishes such as partridge berry syrup, a cranberry sweet gale rimmer and black currant leaves. We emerged from the woods and gathered around a wood fire surrounded by log seats.
Pegged to a board beside the fire, a slab of Artic Char smoked while Lori deftly sautéed diver scallops she had caught that morning. She garnished them with grated cured duck yolks that added a salty flavour and served them on scallop shell plates.
While we were raving about her food, Lori climbed the stairs to her yurt and returned with a loaf of Irish brown bread, a recipe of her Nan’s.
At an early age, Lori realized the importance of preserving the stories, traditions and recipes of the area. Soon, locals started sending her bits and pieces that she had collected into binders. She’s got stories of scoff nights when folks rolled up the linoleum floor so as not to damage it while they danced jigs, recipes for rabbit stew, tips on stocking up for winter, how to preserve moose meat…the collective memories and anecdotes from the local folks fills many binders.
Lori was adding fir tips and cream to a pot of mussels bubbling on the fire when two friends arrived, Jamie, a fisherman who has brought a some of his smoked mackerel and Steven toting a guitar. Part of Lori’s philosophy is to have her guests meet the locals and “share a mug and food you won’t find in a restaurant.”
Jamie showed Lori how to shoot her first moose. She also snares rabbits and goes ice fishing. Needless to say, she has little need to visit a grocery store.
After a spirited singsong, Lori suggested we hike over to the beach and “have a mug.” Actually, we were drinking her foraged Viking blend of tea from her mom’s mismatched china cups and eating her great nan’s tea biscuits, slathered with clotted cream, bake apple jam and dandelion petals. Back at the yurt, Lori gave us each a packet of the sweet gale seasoning salt and recipes for her Nan’s buns and a classic Newfoundland Jigg’s dinner beef stew.
“I always offer my guests something to take away as a memory,” she said.
I found myself in awe of this forager, angler and hunter whose life fully embraces her love of Food, Culture and Place (the name of her company). Indeed, I am going home with a great fondness and appreciation for the resilient, entrepreneurial and fun-loving people on this Newfoundland shore. It was three very large days indeed.
The Irish Loop Offers A New And Wonderful Way To Explore Newfoundland Culture
As my friends and I wound our way along Newfoundland’s Irish Loop, we discovered a world where rugged coastlines meet warm hospitality, where ancient traditions blend seamlessly with innovative entrepreneurship.
From the colourful streets of St. John’s to the serene beauty of Quidi Vidi Harbour, from hands-on fishing experiences to foraging adventures in the woods, the Irish Loop offers a tapestry of experiences that capture the heart and soul of Newfoundland.
From savouring locally brewed Iceberg Beer, watching puffins dive for their catch, or joining in a spontaneous kitchen party, we were embraced by the infectious spirit of the island and its people.
If you’d like to experience this unique Newfoundland road trip, pack your sense of adventure, bring your appetite for both food and culture and prepare for your own “Large Day” – or better yet, several of them – as you explore this unforgettable corner of Canada.
The Irish Loop isn’t just a road trip; it’s a journey into the very essence of Newfoundland, waiting to create memories that will last a lifetime.
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Anita Draycott is a Canadian travel journalist, photographer, and editor who has visited over 100 countries. She lives to eat and makes it her mandate to find the best restaurants, cafés, and culinary experiences wherever she goes. She has attended cooking classes all over the planet—from finding the right spices combos for Pad Thai in Bangkok to learning to make linguine from scratch in Italy. Hunting for truffles in Croatia, touring wineries in Bordeaux, and exploring the street food of Istanbul are all in a delicious day’s work for Anita.