Bonavista Attractions
At Annie's we want you to take the opportunity to see our beautiful town! Below are a number of popular attractions that you will want to take in during your visit. With so much history and so many areas to visit you may want to extend your stay to accomplish everything! If you have any questions on the attractions below please contact us anytime.
Ye Matthew Legacy
John Cabot's famous voyage of dicovery to Newfoundland was made in a 65-foot caravel called the Matthew, almost certainly named for Cabot's wife, Mattea. The Matthew has its own dock in Bonavista and is available for tours during tourist season. The Legacy building serves as its home during the winter. This massive attraction gives Bonavista a unique opportunity to display its heritage, and provides tourists with the means to experience Cabot's life and times first-hand.
To learn more about this please visit the Ye Matthew Legacy
The Garrick Theatre
The Garrick is a multi-use cultural facility located in the heart of Bonavista, Newfoundland. Owned and operated by the Bonavista Historic Townscape Foundation, the Garrick boasts comfortable theatre seating for 200, full digital cinema, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and exceptional acoustics ... and that’s just the beginning. Cross the lobby and you’ll find the Annex - a beautifully furnished bar, eatery and intimate performance space. Head upstairs, and you’ll discover their conference/event space with room for 100 people.
The Garrick offers a diverse, year-round program of mainstream films, live music, theatre, public lectures, and special events. But The Garrick is more than a cultural and entertainment venue. It’s also a place to go and gather, and to meet friends, old and new. A place where Bonavista can experience a bit of the wider world and where the wider world can experience a bit of Bonavista.
For more information please visit The Garrick Theatre
Dungeon Provincial Park
Two sea caves formed many years ago, can be explored while visiting Dungeon Provincial Park in Bonavista, Newfoundland in Canada. Circular openings in the rocks or sea caves, give way to two channels allowing the sea to rush inwards into an area called The Dungeon in Dungeon Provincial Park in Bonavista, Newfoundland in Canada. The sea caves are approximately 300 feet across and 15 metres deep where people swim or small boats or dinghies pass through. Other visitors to the area look for fool's gold which has implanted itself into the walls of the sea caves.
To see "The Dungeon" in action please click here
Cape Bonavista Lighthouse
Built in 1843, the light at Cape Bonavista is one of the few in the world where you can still climb up the stone tower to see the same seal oil fueled light used in the 19th century. A great spot for seeing whales, icebergs, and puffins!
The completed light house was a square two-story wooden structure built around a masonry tower, which rose through the centre of the building to support the light. The light came from Inchcape (Bell) Rock in Scotland. It had been in use at Inchcape Rock since 1811.
In 1895, the light was replaced with another, which came from the Isle of May in Scotland. This replacement was decommissioned in 1962 when the light at the Cape was automated and placed on an exterior steel tower.
Ryan Premises
The Ryan Premises were the headquaters of James Ryan Ltd. The waterfront property of James Ryan Ltd. was acquired in 1869 and the Firm was extensively involved in the inshore fishery, general merchandising and other economic pursuits typical of large-scale outport merchants throughout Newfoundland. Along with his brothers, James Ryan created an economic empire in Bonavista based on the Labrador and Newfoundland inshore fisheries.
In 1997, Parks Canada re-opened the Ryan Premises doors - this time to commemorate the East Coast Fishery. The site's association with many aspects of the East Coast fishing industry, the quality of the surviving physical resources and the location within the community of Bonavista which is a fishing community noted for the richness of fisheries related resources, make this site a special and unique place.
To learn more on the Ryan Premises please click here
Mockbeggar Plantation
From 1939 to 1966, the property was occupied by F. Gordon Bradley, a lawyer and politician who, after playing a significant role in the move to bring Newfoundland into Confederation with Canada, became Newfoundland's first representative in the Canadian Cabinet, and later served as a member of the Senate.
In 1980, the Bradley family donated the property to the Province. It has since been restored to the early 20th century period and should not be missed.
Puffin and Whale Watching
Newfoundland provides a world class opportunity to watch whales. This is a must for all our guests. You'll be in awe as these enormous animals come out of the water to breach and put on a show. There are a number of different Whale and Puffin tour companies around Bonavista. If this is something you would like to do, please contact us so we can help you make arrangements. If you've never seen Newfoundland Puffins in action check out the video below to see it first-hand. Here are some great tour companies that you can check out while you visit Annie's!
Bonavista Puffin and Whale Tours :
Phone: 709-468- 4838
Seas the Day Boat Tours
Phone: 709-468-8810
Bonavista Adventure Tours
Phone: 709-470-8687
Amazingly Close Puffin Site At Elliston, NL
The puffin site in Elliston, Newfoundland, is the closest place to view puffins on land anywhere in the world. But not only will you get face to face with a puffin, but you also will bare witness to one of the most breathtaking and unique landscapes on planet earth!