A salt-laced breeze sweeps across open grasslands. The gray/blue North Atlantic sky lies low, pressing the landscape. The fragrance of seaweed drifts from the rocky shore. Wildflowers dance. You stand on the edge of an ancient, untamed, and remote land.
More than 1,000 years ago, Norse explorers crossed this expanse and reached Newfoundland’s northern tip. They left behind evidence of the only confirmed Viking settlement in North America. Today, L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Newfoundland’s Viking Trail. Here, visitors can step on the very ground where Viking sailors landed, centuries before Columbus reached the Americas.
For travellers in Western Newfoundland and Labrador, this remote archaeological site is a remarkable stop. Whether you seek adventure, ancient heritage, or a unique story, L’Anse aux Meadows offers more than a typical road trip.
Returning to Newfoundland on the Viking Trail
After visiting the historic Basque whaling station at Red Bay in southern Labrador, continue your journey by taking the ferry from Blanc-Sablon to St. Barbe, Newfoundland, a vital crossing to return to the island and proceed northward.
The Labrador Marine Ferry glides across the Strait of Belle Isle, carrying travellers from Labrador’s rugged coastline back to Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula.
Lunch Stop: Café Nymphe, Dark Tickle Company, St. Lunaire-Grique
From St. Barbe, the road winds north along dramatic coasts and small fishing communities along the legendary Viking Trail (Highway 430), one of Atlantic Canada’s most scenic drives. The drive from St. Barbe ferry terminal to St. Lunaire-Griquet is about 1 hour and 40 minutes (142 km), making St. Lunaire-Griquet an ideal lunch stop before continuing to L’Anse aux Meadows, which lies further north on the same road.
One of the most memorable stops along this stretch of highway is The Dark Tickle Company in St. Lunaire-Griquet. Inside the café, Café Nymphe offers a cozy, historically themed bistro. The atmosphere feels in keeping with the heritage of Newfoundland’s northern coast. The restaurant also houses The Granchain Exhibit. This exhibit explores the fascinating story of the French migratory fishery along Newfoundland’s “Petit Nord.”
Interpretive panels, artifacts and multimedia displays help bring the history of this rugged coastline to life while you relax and enjoy a meal.
Everything served here is homemade. This includes freshly baked breads and daily specials inspired by local ingredients. It’s a wonderful place to pause, refuel, and learn about the region’s maritime history.
Friendly staff at our Viking Trail lunch stop Café Nymphe, Dark Tickle Company. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Delicious fresh homemade food at our lunch stop at Café Nymphe, Dark Tickle Company. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
A Personal Connection to Viking History
Reaching L’Anse aux Meadows was not simply another travel milestone for me—it was a goal I long hoped to fulfill.
As a child, I became fascinated by the story of Vinland, the mysterious land described by Norse explorers in the Greenland and Erik the Red Sagas. In Grade 6, I was completely absorbed by the idea that Vikings reached North America centuries before Christopher Columbus. I did a social studies project that included maps of their journey to the edge of the earth, their clothing, and their settlement. I felt connected to these fearless explorers and to the spirit of my ancestors.
Standing on the northern tip of Newfoundland now, I vividly imagined Viking ships arriving in the harbour, my childhood curiosity becoming tangible.
Over the years, I have visited several Viking sites in Norway. Lofotr Viking Museum at Borg in the Lofoten Islands, Avaldsnes, near Stavanger and Borre National Park and Midgard Viking Centre near Horten. Those landscapes are dramatic and imposing, surrounded by fjords and tall mountains. Yet L’Anse aux Meadows stands apart from those places in how it feels to me.
Looking at the windswept grasslands meeting the North Atlantic, I find the sense of history just as powerful as ever.
Travel writer Wendy Nordvik-Carr plays a Viking at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site – the oldest known European settlement in North America. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
A Discovery That Changed History
For centuries, historians debated whether Viking explorers had reached North America long before Christopher Columbus.
The answer began to emerge in 1960, when Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad arrived in northern Newfoundland searching for evidence of Norse settlements described in the Viking Sagas.
Local resident George Decker directed Ingstad to the grassy mounds near the shoreline at L’Anse aux Meadows. What appeared at first to be simple ridges in the landscape soon revealed something extraordinary.
Over the next eight years, Ingstad’s wife, archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad, led an international team of researchers who carefully excavated the site. Their work uncovered the remains of Norse sod buildings, evidence of ironworking, and artifacts identical to those found in Viking settlements in Greenland and Iceland.
The discovery proved that Norse explorers reached North America around the year 1000, five centuries before Columbus.
Sod-covered structures at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Our guide Kevin stands on the shoreline at L’Anse aux Meadows. He looks like he could have been descended from one of the Norse Viking settlers. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site: Where Vikings Once Walked
Today, visitors walk through reconstructed Norse buildings. These stand directly over the original archaeological foundations.
The sod-covered structures recreate what the settlement may have looked like when Viking explorers first arrived over a millennium ago.
Inside the buildings, interpreters in traditional Viking clothing demonstrate how Norse settlers lived, cooked and created tools in this remote outpost.
The settlement likely served as a temporary base camp. Here, Viking explorers repaired ships, explored the surrounding region, and gathered resources before returning to Greenland.
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is the oldest known European settlement in North America. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site interpreters in traditional Viking clothing. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
The Artifact That Confirmed the Vikings Were Here
Among the discoveries made during excavation was a small but significant artifact, a Viking cloak pin. The object closely matched similar items found in Norse settlements in Greenland and Iceland.
Although modest in appearance, the pin became powerful evidence confirming that Viking explorers had indeed reached this remote corner of Newfoundland. Today, the discovery is regarded as one of the most important archaeological finds in North American history.
Looking out over the coastline near L’Anse aux Meadows, the landscape appears much as it would have a thousand years ago. Low grassy hills stretch toward the sea. The sheltered harbour offers protection from the North Atlantic winds. It is easy to picture Viking ships anchored offshore. Explorers prepared for journeys into unknown lands. What voyages might have launched from this inlet? The thought sparks the imagination, inviting us to speculate on the vast possibilities that began at this wind-swept shore.
For travellers following the Viking Trail today, standing here affords a special opportunity to connect with one of history’s greatest exploration stories.
The Viking cloak pin found at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site in Newfoundland. Photo: Wendy Nordvi-Carr©
The sheltered harbour at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is the oldest known European settlement in North America. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Norstead Viking Village
Travellers who linger another day on the Viking Trail should visit Norstead Viking Village, located just minutes from L’Anse aux Meadows. This living history site brings the Viking world to life with hands-on demonstrations. Reconstructed Norse buildings are based on local archaeological finds.
Unlike the archaeological focus at L’Anse aux Meadows, Norstead offers an immersive look at daily Viking life. Visitors can watch blacksmiths forging iron, see traditional boatbuilding, and step inside timber halls inspired by Norse design.
Costumed interpreters share stories of Viking exploration, trade routes, and life in the North Atlantic world. The harbour also features a reconstructed Viking knarr, a sturdy cargo ship believed to have carried Norse explorers across the ocean.
Together, L’Anse aux Meadows and Norstead offer one of the most fascinating Viking experiences anywhere outside Scandinavia.
Zodiac Adventure in Iceberg Alley
After exploring the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows, our adventure continues along Newfoundland’s coastline. A short drive brings us back to St. Lunaire-Griquet, where Dark Tickle Expeditions launches Zodiac tours into the waters of Iceberg Alley.
Bundled into cold-weather flotation suits, we climbed aboard the offshore Zodiac and headed into the North Atlantic. We searched for drifting icebergs and marine wildlife. It didn’t take long before towering icebergs appeared. These were ancient glaciers that had travelled thousands of kilometres south from Greenland.
As we cruised along the rugged coastline, several humpback whales surfaced nearby, their powerful tails rising above the water before disappearing again beneath the waves.
Seeing both whales and icebergs in the same outing made this one of the most unforgettable moments of our journey along the Viking Trail.
The iceberg-filled waters along this stretch of Newfoundland’s coast are part of the famous Iceberg Alley, where thousands of glaciers drift south each spring.
I share the full experience of chasing these ancient icebergs and spotting whales on the water with Dark Tickle Expeditions in the next story of this series.
Whale charts Dark Tickle, Newfoundland and Labrador. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Dinner at The Daily Catch
After a full day exploring the northern coast and visiting L’Anse aux Meadows, settle in for dinner at The Daily Catch, a welcoming waterfront restaurant overlooking the ocean.
This local favourite is known for serving freshly caught seafood prepared with regional ingredients. Its location offers spectacular views of the North Atlantic. On a clear evening, you may even spot icebergs drifting past the shoreline.
The menu highlights traditional Newfoundland flavours, but the standout dish is their award-winning fish and chips, perfectly crisp and served with generous portions of locally sourced seafood.
It’s the perfect way to end a day of discovery along Newfoundland’s legendary Viking Trail.
Live entertainment at The Daily Catch, Newfoundland and Labrador. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Where to eat on the Viking Trail in Newfoundland and Labrador, The Daily Catch. This is their pan fried halibut. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Iceberg Martini at the Daily Catch Restaurant in St. Lunaire-Griquet, Newfoundland and Labrador Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Where to Stay Near L’Anse aux Meadows
After exploring L’Anse aux Meadows and the surrounding northern coastline, several charming accommodations offer comfortable waterfront stays nearby. Raleigh Rooms or Burnt Cape Cabins are both situated along the coast near Raleigh, Newfoundland, offering beautiful ocean views and easy access to the Viking Trail. These peaceful accommodations provide a relaxing base for exploring the northern tip of the Great Northern Peninsula.
Staying overnight here allows travellers to slow down and enjoy the quiet beauty of Newfoundland’s northern coast after a full day of exploration.
Continue the Western Newfoundland & Labrador Road Trip
Visiting L’Anse aux Meadows is one of the defining moments of a road trip through Western Newfoundland and Labrador.
The journey continues.
Further south along the Viking Trail lie more extraordinary landscapes, including the fjords and ancient mountains of Gros Morne National Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From the dramatic cliffs of Western Brook Pond to coastal lighthouses and quiet fishing villages, this region reveals stories shaped by geology, exploration, and centuries of maritime life.
In this series:
• The complete Western Newfoundland and Labrador road trip itinerary
• Driving the Trans-Labrador Highway to Red Bay
• Visiting L’Anse aux Meadows Viking settlement
• Exploring Iceberg Alley and northern Newfoundland
• Discovering Gros Morne National Park and Western Brook Pond
Each article follows the journey step-by-step along one of Canada’s most remarkable road trips.
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Wendy Nordvik-Carr was a guest of Newfoundland and Labrador, which did not review this story.
About the Author:
Wendy Nordvik-Carr is a highly regarded travel writer who produces quality, well-researched articles with stunning photography and video.
She seeks out authentic experiences showcasing the people, culture and history that make each destination unique. Her focus is on solo, couple and multigenerational travel through cruising, air and road trip adventures.
Wendy is the editor & writer for LifesIncredibleJourney.com, an award-winning travel site that encourages exploration of destinations near & far.
She is a TMAC Director, Chair, National Governance Committee and Chair of TMAC's BC & Yukon Chapter, as well as a member of SATW, IFWTWA and NATJA.
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