How would you like to meet a real-life Viking? Do insects excite you? Does the great outdoors provide some of the greatest times of your life? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, your next family vacation should include a visit to the Viking Trail.

The Viking Trail is a region on the island of Newfoundland, a Canadian province on the eastern coast of North America. Newfoundland resembles a clenched fist with the index finger pointing north. The Great Northern Peninsula is that index finger and it is a major part of the Viking Trail, along with Southern Labrador.

If you decide to visit the Viking Trail, there are two choices. You can drive to the area and board a ferry at North Sydney, in the province of Nova Scotia, which will take you across the Cabot Strait to Port aux Basques. From there, you drive north for about three hours to Deer Lake. There is also an airport at Deer Lake, so you can fly directly there and rent a vehicle.

Your exploration of the Viking Trail starts at Deer Lake. One of the first places you will want to visit is the Newfoundland Insectarium, in Deer Lake, which has a large exhibit of live and mounted insects from all over the world. See tarantulas and black widows and sample a chocolate-coated cricket! Or, take a walk around the property and visit the butterfly house.

One half-hour’s drive north of Deer Lake is the entry point to Gros Morne National Park, where there are many exciting things to see and do in beautiful, natural settings. At the Tablelands, you can walk on three billion-year-old rocks that were thrust up from the earth’s inner mantle. The Long Range Mountains dominate the scenery in the national park and there are many hiking experiences that range from challenging to leisurely. Those wishing to get close to the water can take a sea kayaking expedition in Bonne Bay, which is French for beautiful bay. Boat tours will allow you to see wildlife such as moose, caribou, foxes, eagles and whales up close and personal. Gros Morne also has several sandy beaches which make for a fun day of beachcombing.

North of Gros Morne National Park is an important historical site, located at Port au Choix, which is the fishing capital of the west coast. The area has been populated for thousands of years, first by aboriginals groups, which lived off the bountiful harvest of the land and sea. You can visit the modern Port au Choix National Historic Site visitor centre and learn more about archaeology through the interactive "ask the archaeologist" kiosk. Afterwards, take a hike through the dense forest and along the rugged shorelines the aboriginal peoples walked thousands of years ago.

A trip to Labrador is a must for any family. The Labrador Straits is part of the Canadian mainland and is reached by a ferry that leaves from St. Barbe. The Apollo is a comfortable vessel with plenty of room for passengers to relax during the 90-minute trip. There is a cafeteria on the vessel and along the way visitors are urged to go on deck and look for the whales and icebergs that populate the Strait of Belle Isle.

The Labrador Straits features Red Bay National Historic Site, where you can learn about the Basque whalers who operated the first industrial operation in North America in the 1550's. Or, the kids can challenge the adults to a climb of Point Amour Lighthouse, the second tallest in Canada, and one which provides a breathtaking view of the sea lanes of the Strait of Belle Isle.

When you take the ferry back to St. Barbe on the Northern Peninsula, a drive of just over an hour will bring you to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, where the Vikings lived 1,000 years ago. You can visit the site where they actually lived and see the replica sod huts, along with costumed interpreters. The national historic site also has a visitor centre which has many interesting exhibits about the Vikings and their time in the area.

Just two km away is Norstead, a replica port of trade which provides broad interpretation of the Viking era. The site is populated by about 30 Vikings who are dressed in costume. Norstead includes a boat shed with its very own Viking ship, the Snorri, which in 1998 was used to sail and row from Greenland to L’Anse aux Meadows. It also has a large chieftain’s hall, where trading, cooking and socializing take place, a small church, a workshop where Vikings work with iron and repair tools, and a central fire pit used for storytelling. There is also an axe throwing barrier!

From Norstead, a visit to St. Anthony is in order. This is the largest town in the region and was the headquarters for Sir Wilfred Grenfell, a British doctor who provided medial care to the poor residents of the region in the early years of the century. A modern visitor centre and craft shop provide an interesting view of his life. You can also tour his home, Grenfell House, and hike to Tea House Hill, which overlooks the large harbour.

St. Anthony is also one of the best places to see icebergs in the province, especially in June. Drive to Fishing Point and count the many bergs that drift through "Iceberg Alley." These icebergs are thousands of years old and were formed after dropping off glaciers in Greenland. Take a boat ride out of St. Anthony and learn more about the seabirds, and whales, and the local sea caves.

On your way south from St. Anthony, take Route 432 at the St. Anthony Airport and visit communities on the eastern side of the Northern Peninsula. These beautiful communities feature abundant wildlife, streams teeming with salmon, and beautiful scenery. Wet a line and try your hand at catching a salmon!

As you travel south, there are other family fun activities to enjoy. When you complete your trek through the eastern side of the Northern Peninsula, you will arrive at Plum Point. A short drive takes you to Bird Cove, site of an ongoing archaeological dig. A brief hike brings you to actual sites where you can watch archaeologists uncover the past.

Just over one hours’ drive south is a geological wonder called the Arches. These huge limestone rocks have been carved by thousands of years of wave action into arches. The family can walk under them and feel the pounding surf, or climb on them and an enjoy the view.

For those families with an interest in boat tours and amazing scenery, a trip to Western Brook Pond is a must. This is an inland freshwater fiord with sheer cliff walls and waterfalls. The tour brings you face to face with wildlife and is an experience your family won’t soon forget.

By now, you’re on your way home, having enjoyed a family vacation that allowed for fun and learning. We hope to see you again!

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Newfoundland Viking Village

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