Gander

Best known for its illustrious aviation history, Gander is a small town and a useful tourist center for fuel and food. In Grand Falls-Windsor, 100 km (57 miles) west of Gander, the Mary March Regional Museum, named after the last survivor of the now extinct Beothuk people, traces 5,000 years of human habitation in the Exploits Valley. Throughout Newfoundland, the Beothuks were decimated by disease and genocide between 1750 and 1829. Behind the museum, visitors can take a guided tour through the historic village.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay

The largest town in the wilderness of Central Labrador, Happy Valley-Goose Bay was a strategically important stopover for transatlantic flights during World War II. German, Italian, and British pilots now train at the NATO base here.

Today, the town is home to the Labrador Heritage Museum, where exhibitions depict its fascinating history. It pays particular attention to the life of trappers, with displays that include animal furs, trapper’s tools, and a traditional tilt (wilderness shelter).

Labrador City

In the midst of ancient tundra, Labrador City is a mining town that shows the modern, industrial face of Canada. The town is home to the largest open-pit iron mine in the world and the community has largely grown up around it since the late 1950s. The historic building that once held the town’s first bank is now the Height of Land Heritage Centre, a museum of photographs, artifacts, and displays dedicated to preserving the history of the development of Labrador.

The vast open wilderness surrounding Labrador City, with its myriad pristine lakes and rivers, is renowned as a sportsman’s paradise that attracts hunters and anglers from around the world. Every March, this region sponsors the Labrador 150 Dogsled Race, which has become one of the world’s top dogs ledding competitions. The western Labrador wilderness is also home to the 700,000 caribou of the George River herd.

The herd moves freely through the area for most of the year, grazing the tundra in small bands. Professional outfitters take groups of visitors out to track the herd through the region. Many tourists make the trip to admire the animals.

The Labrador Coastal Ferry

The Labrador Coastal Ferry is the primary mode of transportation for many communities along the Coast. Departing from St. Anthony in northern Newfoundland, the ferry round-trip takes 12 days, visiting up to 48 communities, delivering goods, passengers, and supplies in each port. Half the passenger space is for tourists, half for locals. Along the way, the ferry calls at the historic port of Battle Harbour and travels into fjords. Icebergs are a common sight.