We can all agree this has been a crazy year and none of us are ready to get on a plane for hours, even though airlines have added enhanced safety protocols. Now, more than ever, it's time to explore our own backyard. Canada has so much diversity from coast to coast and I've been lucky enough to visit nearly every province. We have our own unique wildlife, beautiful landscape, delicious culinary opportunities, wineries, breweries and most importantly, our people.Some of the friendliest people I have met were in Newfoundland and Labrador.&nbsp; Only a 3 hour flight from Toronto, Newfoundland is one of my favourite provinces. Firstly, is it Newfoundland? or Newfoundland and Labrador? Well, Newfoundland is the most easterly island in Canada and Labrador is on the mainland to the Northwest, separated by the&nbsp; Strait of Belle Isle. Since 92% of the population live in the Avalon Peninsula, around the St. John's area, we make it simple and just say Newfoundland. You'll find Newfoundlanders have a great sense of humour; starting with the peculiar names of their cities - Cupids, Heart's Content, Heart's Delight and Paradise just to name a few. They are full of stories and eager to share them with visitors; I had dinner at the Commissariat Provincial Historic Site in St. John's with some locals and I felt like I was sitting in their kitchen listening to all the funny stories and regional history. Home to incredible coastal landscape, icebergs, National Parks, wildlife, 5* dining and interesting history, you will fall in love with the province, but it's the people who will keep you going back. Have you seen "Come from Away"?&nbsp; If you haven't I highly recommend it.&nbsp; This show clearly demonstrates the warmth, compassion, empathy and humour of the Newfoundland people when they accepted 38 aircraft carrying 6,579 people during the 911 in Gander (just over a 3hr drive from St. John's).From the days of the Vikings, cod fishing was the main resource for Newfoundland's economy. From early on, young boys worked the boats and pulled the "cod tongues", considered a delicacy, to help support their families.&nbsp; I was anxious to visit Petty Harbour, birthplace of Alan Doyle, after reading his book "Where I Belong" where he told tales of his youth competing with other boys to get the most fish. It was almost like being in a time warp; the men continue to capture cod by hand and the beautiful landscape has made this town one of the most photographed in Newfoundland.I stayed in St. John's, mostly because all the main highlights of a first trip to Newfoundland are found within a 20min drive from downtown.&nbsp; Great accommodation options; hotels, B&amp;Bs, manor homes, something for everyone and every budget. My advice is to book early - June-September is tourist season - car rentals and accommodations are usually booked one year in advance so if you're choosing to travel last minute, you may be out of luck.&nbsp; &nbsp;Be sure to dress in layers when out and about - although the city may be warm, the coastal areas are always a little cooler and definitely breezy.&nbsp; Also, pack a good paid of walking shoes or hiking boots to ensure you're comfortable climbing up some of the cliffs for those spectacular views.Cape Spear Lighthouse is the most easterly point in Canada and a great spot for a photo.&nbsp; I tried to squint really hard to see Ireland in the distance :)&nbsp;&nbsp;Signal Hill became famous on Dec 12, 1901 when it received the first wireless signal by Marconi from Cornwall, England. There is a good interpretive centre with video presentations or you can just walk along the coastline with the guides and admire the views.&nbsp; At the bottom of the hill I was pleasantly surprised to visit the Johnson Geo Centre, where you have a chance to see Signal Hill from beneath, touching rock that is more than 4.5 billion years old! The Titanic Exhibit was my favourite; displaying Newfoundland's involvement with the famous ship.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you enjoy walking around galleries, then The Rooms is a must.&nbsp; This modern building houses archives and still image collections of Newfoundland and Labrador's history. A permanent exhibit, The First World&nbsp; War Commemoration, is particularly moving, with letters from soldiers to their parents and vice versa.&nbsp;Newfoundland is quickly becoming the culinary capital of Canada and I could certainly understand why.&nbsp; Obviously by location, seafood is on all menus; however, there's so much more.&nbsp; The Cinched Bistro, downtown St. John's, is a popular restaurant where you can taste local delicacies - Cod Tongues, Pig's Ears, oysters, as well as pasta and salads.&nbsp; Absolutely delicious meals.&nbsp; The Gypsy Tea Room, in the same area, is also highly recommended.&nbsp; Water St. is the main downtown street full of restaurants and bars so you'll have no limit.&nbsp; The Mallard Cottage in Quidi Vidi (pronounced Kiddy Viddy), is one of the most well known and popular restaurants in Newfoundland.&nbsp; Located in a beautiful fishing village, the building is one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America.&nbsp; It almost looks like a little tea room and the surroundings are photo ops waiting to happen. While in Quidi Vidi, you must visit the Brewery for a sample of their local craft beer and, although I'm not a beer drinker, I enjoyed Iceberg Beer - the only beer in a blue bottle, made with 25,000 year old iceberg water and only available in Newfoundland.You can't visit Newfoundland without walking along the two-block pedestrian only George St.&nbsp; Famous for having nothing but bars, pubs and restaurants, it is THE place to get "Screeched In".&nbsp; Christian's or Trapper John's are the most popular venues for you to kiss the cod, throw back a shot of Newfoundland Screech (rum) and repeat the words of the bartender to become an honorary Newfoundlander.&nbsp; You get a certificate to prove it!I have only briefly touched on the Avalon Peninsula but there is the rest of the island to consider as well.&nbsp; From Cornerbrook, Gros Morne National Park, and L'Anse aux Meadows in the west to Red Bay, Labrador in the north, there's always something to see wherever you venture. The best time to go depends on what you're looking for: 1. Whale watching: The largest population of humpback whales arrives in Newfoundland mid-May and stays til September, feeding on capelin along the coast. July and August are peak season where you can even see them at Witless Bay, just 20min from downtown St. John's.2. Puffins:&nbsp; Witless Bay is also home to the largest puffin colony in North America with more than 250,000 nesting pairs.&nbsp; May to August is peak time.3. Icebergs:&nbsp; Depending on what area you are in, the earlier the better to see icebergs; late May to early June is best.&nbsp; I was in the St. John's area towards the end of June and I still saw a few bergs around the Dildo area. If you're further north, in St. Anthony,&nbsp; an Iceberg Alley Trail boardwalk is a 30 minute walk to view icebergs in season.I get a little long-winded speaking of Newfoundland and I hope I've peaked your interest in visiting.&nbsp; If you have any questions, I would love to hear from you. It's time to explore Canada.Allana Hainesallanacreativetravel@gmail.com(416) 737-3538<img src="https://ttand.imgix.net/alan-doyle-book-1599001728123.JPG" style="width: 1247px;"><img src="https://ttand.imgix.net/quiddi-viddi-1599001770419.JPG" style="width: 1247px;"> <img src="https://ttand.imgix.net/iceberg-1599001941189.JPG" style="width: 1247px;">

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