1 Day vs. 1 Week: Experience These Top Corner Brook Attractions
With rocky outcroppings, sweeping vistas, and gorgeous sunsets, little did Captain James Cook know, his first survey of this land in 1767, would one day become a highly developed city on the east coast of Canada. In fact, Corner Brook is the largest city in Western Newfoundland.
No longer just a fishermen’s dream, there are plenty of things to do in Corner Brook, expanding beyond its unwavering visual appeal to become a true adventurer’s paradise. Start at the top of Crow’s Hill, zipline at Marble Mountain, and explore the depths of caves below. No matter how you decide to spend your time, the sheer beauty of Corner Brook’s landscape will linger in your memory forever.
Whether passing through on a cruise at the city port, staying for a day or an entire week, Corner Brook offers visitors of all ages the natural beauty of its landscape, and the rare combination of big-city amenities with a small-town feel.
A One-Day Visit
If you’re visiting for a single day or a quick weekend get-away, there a couple of Corner Brook attractions to cross off of your list before you leave. Combine history with adventure by visiting the Captain James Cook Historic Site and Marble Mountain during a day trip to Corner Brook.
Interested in extending your day trip? Take a drive out to Lark Harbour to catch the sunset. A peaceful end to a perfect day trip.
Immerse yourself in history (with a view) at Captain James Hook Historic Site
There’s no better way to start your trip to Corner Brook than by viewing the landscape just as British explorer, Captain James Cook first did in 1767. Located in the park at the top of Crow’s Hill, the Captain James Cook Historic site offers picturesque views of the city, the Blomidon Mountains and the Humber Arm of the Bay of Islands.
Using both hands to hold a navigational quadrant, you can’t miss the bronzed statue of Captain James Cook, so be sure to grab a photo with him for your inevitable Corner Brook photo album. While you’re there, check out copies of his maps that outline his journey, and you might just find yourself charting a similar path.
Venture into Marble Mountain with an Exhilarating Zipline Tour
More the thrill seeker type? Take a short drive from Captain James Cook Historic site to Marble Mountain, because there’s an activity with your name on it.
Marble Mountain zipline tours offers experiences that begin at the top of Steady Brook Falls, where you’ll have the opportunity to zip through nine available lines that are up to 2000 feet long and 285 feet high. Each line offers a unique aerial view of the Humber Valley. Did we mention that speeds can reach an exhilarating 30 kilometers an hour?
Making it one of the best winter activities in Corner Brook, zipline tours at Marble Mountain remain open year-round. This means winter-time visitors can still take advantage of this exhilarating experience at one of the nine available lines during a two-hour experience. Skiing and snowboarding are also popular activities here during colder, snowier months.
Wind down and catch a sunset at Bottle Cove
After a day of exploring history and taking part in exhilarating activity, make the roughly one-hour drive from Marble Mountain to Bottle Cove. In warmer months, visitors can hike trails, while catching a beautiful sunset is always on the agenda here. The neighboring towns of Lark Harbour and York Harbour also offer relaxing vibes, as well as some of the most scenic hiking trails in the Bay of Islands.
Visiting for a Week
Corner Brook has much to offer its visitors. Although some experiences require more than one day to explore comprehensively. Both Gros Morne National Park and the Corner Brook caves are vast and intricate landscapes, with much to see. An entire day’s worth of exploration is recommended for each, while others may opt to return multiple times during a visit.
Experience Gros Morne National Park by Boat or Snowmobile
“Rome wasn’t built in a day” as the old saying goes, and, Gros Morne National Park is a scenic gem that was 485 million years in the making. Covering a grand 1,805 square kilometers and considered a UNESCO world heritage site, the choice is yours to hike its glacier-carved landscape, climb to its peaks and waterfalls, or do it all. But, if you do decide to do it all, you’ll likely need more than one day.
With so much to see, it’s easy to miss some of what this sprawling area has to offer when conducting a self-guided tour. When thinking about things to do in Gros Morne National Park, it may be best to consider a professionally-guided tour to ensure that you don’t miss a detail. Hiking tours are available for the adventurous type, while others can choose to sit back and relax while indulging in a regional food tour or a romantic evening boat ride.
Visiting in the winter? Explore the remote mountain valleys and breath-taking winter scenery at Gros Morne National Park by snowmobile or snowshoe. Finish the day by a cozy (and warm) campfire.
Explore a cave in Corner Brook
Do you have a knack for discovering new things? Corner Brook also has something for the explorer in you. The Corner Brook Stream Trail Network is located a short walk from the downtown core. Here you can travel the sprawling limestone caves, carved from thousands of years of running water.
Nervous about your first-time exploring? Not to worry, guided tours are available for those 8 years of age and older. Tours offer options with routes that are large enough for walking and others with smaller passages for a more adrenaline-filled experience.
Though caves can be explored in the winter months, they become much more difficult to access and navigate due to an abundance of snow coverage and ice build up. With this in mind, be sure to hire an experienced guide if you choose to explore a Corner Brook cave in the winter.
Wait, there’s more. Want to see what else Corner Brook and Newfoundland have to offer? Learn more about other attractions to add to your Newfoundland trip itinerary.
Special thanks to the staff at the Comfort Inn in Corner Brook, NL for their suggestions.