Newfoundland, Canada is the world’s 16th-largest island and a great place to spend some well-deserved vacation time.
This year marks the 115th anniversary of the world’s first transatlantic wireless signal received by Guglielmo Marconi and he received it at Signal Hill in St. John, Newfoundland Canada. On a clear day you can see views of the Atlantic as well as Newfoundland and even find icebergs. Then head on over to the Admiralty House Communications Museum which was constructed in 1915 by the Marconi Telegraph Co. during the First World War as the top secret H.M. Wireless Station for the British Royal Navy. According to the website, it’s now the last standing of 11 around the world, was built to intercept secret German naval transmissions, track icebergs and ships in distress.
Cape Spear Lighthouse: Built in 1836, it was the second lighthouse built in Newfoundland and a must-see. Here you will learn about maritime history, explore the ruins of Fort Cape Spear, and watch for whales during the Cape Spear Lighthouse Whale Festival.
Don’t miss the amazingly beautiful Basilica-Cathedral was built on May 1839 and is the second largest in Canada behind Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal.
The park has many recreation facilities, including tennis courts, a swimming pool and playground. There are a number of statues in the park, including two sculptures by Basil Gotta, one a Caribou and the other The Fighting Newfoundlander. The Caribou is a replica of the monument at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park and was presented to the park by Major William Howe Green, a cousin of Sir Edgar Bowring. The Fighting Newfoundlander, a tribute to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment with Corporal Thomas Pittman as the subject, was also a gift from Sir Edgar Bowring. The statue was unveiled by Sir William Horwood in September 1922.
Looking for something a little more active? Head over to the 200-acre Bowring Park, where you can play tennis, swim or enjoy the playground. Pippy Park, a great urban parks is great for golfing, camping and has hiking and walking trails.
Railfans will love the Railway Coastal Museum, which has 42 themed exhibits, a 1940s passenger train diorama, 21 costumed 1940s figures, 28 models, murals and paintings.
Things can get a little buggy at The Newfoundland Insectarium, and that’s a good thing. Here you can see thousands of live and mounted insects, arachnids, and arthropods from around the world. It sits on 20 acres of land and nearly 8,000 square feet in a converted barn.
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