When & Where To See Icebergs In Newfoundland
Newfoundland is one of the best places to see icebergs in the world.
Standing on the edges of grass-covered cliffs, we couldn’t believe our eyes as we stared out at the icy giants bobbing in the harbor, with whales spouting rainbow all around. It was one of many highlights of our 5-week trip RVing around Newfoundland!
Get ready for an experience that will take your breath away, with these tips for when and where to see icebergs in Newfoundland in all their glory!
About Newfoundland’s Iceberg Alley
Iceberg Alley stretches along the northeastern coast of Newfoundland, from the Labrador Sea all the way down to St. John’s on the eastern coast.
And it is THE place to go to experience the magic of icebergs in Newfoundland.
90% of the icebergs seen in Newfoundland broke off from glaciers in Western Greenland, masses of ice 10,000 years old.
Icebergs can be bright blue, aquamarine blue, and everything in between. Large, small, twisted, sharp, smooth – pretty much if you can think of it, icebergs can come in the shape of it. You never know what you might see during your Newfoundland iceberg quest!
As you journey across Newfoundland, don’t forget to indulge in some unique iceberg treats! We had iceberg rum, iceberg water, iceberg ice cubes, and even iceberg beer!
As Iceberg Alley covers such a large area, below we dive into the best spots to see icebergs, along with exactly when you will have the best chance to see them each year!
Where To See Icebergs In Newfoundland
This map pinpoints main areas all along Iceberg Alley, which stretches from Labrador and across Newfoundland, that can be great places to see icebergs each year:
Our visit to Newfoundland was in July and August, but luckily we were able to catch the end of a spectacular iceberg season.
The best places we saw icebergs were way up north on the Great Northern Peninsula in Quirpon and St. Anthony, and the charming town of Twillingate.
The northern parts of Newfoundland will have the longest iceberg season, but earlier in the iceberg season you can also see icebergs as far east as St. John’s and Witless Bay!
Stay up to date on iceberg sightings and locations! You can sign up for Newfoundland iceberg alerts on Iceberg Finder
Different Ways To See Icebergs
From the shore
While Newfoundland is no stranger to fog, on clear sunny days it can be easy to spot many icebergs just off the coast, right from the mainland.
This could be along local beaches and coastlines, harbors in the towns included on the map above, or along coastal trails.
If you do venture up to the Great Northern Peninsula (which we highly recommend if you are hoping to see icebergs in Newfoundland, especially later in the season), you can also explore the different sections of the Iceberg Alley Trail.
Zodiak & Boat Tours
If you are looking to step the adventure up a notch, consider hopping on a boat, Zodiak, or even a kayak tour around the icebergs.
These guided tours will take you up close to these floating chunks of ice to give you a great perspective of just how big they really are.
A few popular iceberg tours on Newfoundland include:
Twillingate
Trinity
Great Northern Peninsula
- Iceberg Alley Boat Tours (St. Anthony)
- Northland Discovery Boat Tours (St. Anthony)
- Linkum Zodiak Tours (Quirpon)
When To See Icebergs In Newfoundland
Iceberg season in Newfoundland generally starts up towards the end of March and tails off by July in most places around the island.
The northernmost section of Newfoundland has the longest iceberg season, with icebergs even lingering up by Quirpon, St. Anthony, and other towns of the Great Northern Peninsula into August.
If you are planning to explore Labrador on the mainland, this will have the longest iceberg season, with potential for icebergs throughout August.
Your best bet to see icebergs in Newfoundland will typically be between May and June, but you can get lucky later in the season and into July (depending on the year) if you would rather visit when the weather is nicer.
Note that if you plan an earlier trip to Newfoundland (such as in April), there will likely be icebergs, but sea ice could prevent tours from getting out to see icebergs if you are hoping to see them from the water in addition to off-shore.
Plan Your Perfect Trip To Newfoundland
Book Accommodations
Use Booking.com to compare prices on local hotels, bed and breakfasts, inns, and more.
If you are looking for private rentals, consider one of the many VRBO properties in Newfoundland.
Newfoundland also has amazing camping options all over the island! Check out our Newfoundland RV Trip Itinerary to see all of the great campsites we stayed in & more on the best time to visit Newfoundland to plan your travel dates!
Rent A Car
Newfoundland is made up of rural and remote communities separated by long stretches of road through untouched wilderness. The best way to explore is to have a vehicle to get around in!
Be sure to reserve your rental car for Newfoundland early through a service like rentalcars.com, which will compare available cars at different locations and from different companies in the area.
Rent An RV
Want to RV around Newfoundland, but don’t have an RV of your own?
Consider renting one from a private owner through RV Share or use a larger company like Cruise America/Cruise Canada.
More Resources For Planning Your Trip To Newfoundland:
(& Bringing Your RV With You)!
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