Cape Bonavista, 80 mi/130 km north of St. John's, is reputed to be where, in 1497, John Cabot's ship made landfall in what became known as Newfoundland and Labrador (although no one knows the exact spot for sure). You can see a replica of the ship, the Matthew, in the town's harbor.
The lighthouse on Cape Bonavista, first used in 1843, is now a provincial historic site. Costumed staff play the roles of the lighthouse attendants who kept the flame in the tower burning for decades. Across from the lighthouse is a large outcropping where thousands of Atlantic puffins, the provincial bird, congregate in summer. Don't miss the interpretation center on-site.
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