Do you like picnics as much as we do? There’s something really special about eating outside on a nice summer day. If you’re looking for a world class picnic experience without the hassle of actually making and packing food, visiting Lighthouse Picnics at the Ferryland Lighthouse is a great way to spend an afternoon with that special someone, and an ideal excursion for families and kids. Just bring your love for great food in a beautiful setting, and let Ferryland Picnics take care of the rest. At a cost of just $26 for adults and $13 for kids, this day trip offers some serious bang for your buck.
The community of Ferryland (population 500) is a short coastal drive south from Whale House Guest House and is the most historically significant community in all of Newfoundland. Dating back to 1621, the community is 400 years old, which, by North American standards, is about as old as it gets (notwithstanding indigenous people who have lived throughout Canada for over 20,000 years).
The Ferryland lighthouse was originally built in 1870, and for the first hundred years was reliant on full time lighthouse keepers to save mariners from shipwrecking on the islands and jagged rocks surrounding the community. Although the lighthouse has been automated now for the last 50 years, the original lighthouse remains exactly the same as it always was.
Perched on a grassy hill overlooking the protected coastline of Ferryland, a relaxing 20 min stroll takes you to the lighthouse along an easy gravel walking trail beginning at the Colony of Avalon Archaeological Site, the best preserved early English colonial site in North America.
The architecture in Ferryland is different than anywhere else in Newfoundland with stone and timber frame homes instead of the salt box style houses found in most other places. As you walk towards the lighthouse, it’s easy to see exactly why Ferryland is such a historically significant place.
Once at the Lighthouse, you’re given a picnic blanket and all you have to do is find the perfect spot in the grassy meadow to enjoy your picnic overlooking whales playing in the ocean below. Borrow a book to read from the lighthouse library (including many hard to find books on Newfoundland birds, whales, and edible plants) or spend time taking in nature and wildlife from what many call the most easterly restaurant in North America.
Choose from several picnic options – everything from vegetarian, crab sandwiches, brie cheese, organic salads, fresh squeezed juice, lemonade, and even a children’s menu. Then simply relax and wait for your picnic basket to come to you. This is a fully catered five star picnic experience, and most likely, the best darn picnic you’ve ever had.
Whale House Guest House offers luxury boutique private suites with outdoor hot tubs overlooking humpback whale feeding grounds. Located next to the east coast trail in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, just 30 min from downtown St. John’s.
