Week 10: Wrapping Up Our Newfoundland AdventureRestaurants, Charming towns, Abandoned Homes, Sheds, Boats & More

Kim Martinez
Aug 2
3 min read

Week 10 wrapped up our stay in Newfoundland, and we had to leave knowing we'd have some "culture shock" going back to the "semi-mainland" of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

This week, I wanted to capture all the bits and pieces of things we experienced that didn't get their own dedicated stories but made up a significant portion of the culture and ambiance of our Newfoundland trip.

My Favorite Meal: Two Whales Restaurant

One of our charming town stops was Bonavista and Port Rexton, and it was there that I had what became my favorite meal of the entire trip.

Two Whales Restaurant – an organic, vegetarian restaurant in a cheery, cozy house across from the ocean. It's co-owned by five women who all contribute to running the restaurant with help from their families. One woman's mom bakes all the desserts, and another woman's dad loves tending the garden behind the restaurant, where they also keep chickens for fresh eggs. I had a spicy black bean quesadilla with a garden salad – absolutely delicious!

Chickens for fresh eggs Garden Garden fencing

Manny's Favorite: Dildo Brewing Company

Manny's favorite meal was at the Dildo Brewing Company in Dildo, NL. Yes, that's right – the town name is Dildo! We discovered this gem along with several other little towns on one of our drives. Manny had Cod Au Gratin and ranked it the best meal of our entire Newfoundland leg!

The Dildo Brewing Company was a fun and lively restaurant. After driving many miles all afternoon without seeing any restaurants, this one was calling to us. We had a great meal, then continued on and saw a sign for Pitcher's Pond Golf Course.

Pitcher's Pond Golf Course

Beautiful Views!

We hadn't seen more than a few thousand people within a 10-20 mile radius, so I thought it might be an indoor video golf course or something... but we decided to check it out. Manny turned the truck around, and we headed up the steep road. At the top of the hill, there was a 9-hole golf course set on the mountain with incredible views!

We loved the look, and since we always carry our clubs in the truck (mostly because we can't fit them in the RV, but it's nice to always be ready), we checked into the pro shop – well, maybe more "pro shack" – hoping to squeeze in a twilight round. No way! They were packed with nothing available! They had a league going with people already waiting behind that. Where did they all come from? We definitely put this on the list for our next trip!

Pitchers Pond Golf Course - Totally Unexpected 9 hole course in Mounains!

The Endless Beauty of Newfoundland

More than 6,000 miles of mostly rugged coastlines make up the almost endless "fingers" of Newfoundland. There are hundreds of harbors and coves, and most seem to have a little town and harbor of some type. We didn't get to them all, but we saw a fair share and found many deserved some blog space.

So I'm going to let the pictures do the talking for them.

The Abandoned Houses of Newfoundland

One of the most unusual things in Newfoundland are the hundreds of abandoned houses. They're everywhere – older homes, often built before the 1940s, left from resettlement times, economic hardship, or simply because families moved away from Newfoundland and no one wanted the houses.

Here are some of the most interesting: