Tours and programs

Whether you live nearby, you're just dropping in, or you're staying in the campground, there are lots of activities for you to enjoy in Terra Nova National Park.

These tours and programs are included in the daily admission fee, unless otherwise indicated.

• Guided walks

  Guided walks

  Experience the environment of Terra Nova first-hand with our interpreters. Taste plants, watch wildlife, or discover the secrets of this coastal, boreal forest.

  Our guided walks are over gentle terrain and are suitable for all ages.

  What to bring:

  • Appropriate footwear
  • Bottle of water
  
  
  • Snack or picnic
  • Binoculars
  
  
  • Camera
  • Sense of adventure

  August schedule
  Program times may be subject to change - please contact us for a detailed calendar of programs and activities. hop” and see evidence of their hard work.

  Day and Time	Program Title	Location	Description
  Mondays 7 pm	Beaver Walk	Southwest Arm Trail	Terra Nova’s largest rodent has been working hard all winter to build a new dam! Join us as we visit the busy beavers at Southwest Arm. Walk through this living “works
  Tuesdays 3 pm	Taste of Nature	Headquarter's Wharf	Experience nature in the context of traditional plant use. Our interpreters will tell stories and share secrets of how the many people who lived here before us have used this land.
  Thursdays 9 pm	Night Watch	Newman Sound Day-use Area	Watch Terra Nova come alive after dark. This walk will focus on some of our favorite nocturnal animals - bats! Learn about their unique features and adaptations, and discover the challenges bat populations are facing today.
  Saturdays at low tide (Please check at the Visitor Centre for exact times)	Explore the Shore	Visitor Centre	You never know what you might find in the intertidal zone! Join us on a journey of discovery as we uncover some of the hardy creatures and plants that call this zone home. Rubber boots are recommended but not mandatory.
  Sundays 3 pm	Women's Work	Visitor Centre Heritage Trail	From food preservation and sewing to gardening and managing the family home, a woman’s work was never done. Step back in time, hear their stories, and enjoy tea and biscuits along the way. For groups of 6 to 12 people. Advance booking required each Saturday by 4:00 p.m. To register, call (709) 533-2942 or visit the Visitor Centre. Additional fees required.

• Kids stuff

  Become a junior naturalist

  Calling all kids!

  Come along to any of our Junior Naturalist programs this summer and collect a stamp for each program you attend. Get an official Junior Naturalist certificate and a prize for filling out your stamp card!

  • Programs are designed for children ages 5-13 years of age.
  • Programs take place at both the Activity Centre and the Visitor Centre.

  
  August schedule
  Program times may be subject to change - please contact us for a detailed calendar of programs and activities.

  Day and Time	Program Title	Location
  Mondays 11am	Green Thumbs Up	Activity Centre
  Tuesdays 11am	Beaks & Feet	Activity Centre
  Wednesdays 11am	Salmon Survival	Activity Centre
  Thursdays 11am	Bear Essentials	Activity Centre
  Fridays 11am	Crab Attack	Visitor Centre
  Saturdays 11am	Moving On	Activity Centre
  Sundays 11am	Wild Appetites	Activity Centre

Evening programs

Evenings in Terra Nova are all about theatrical programs, music, games, and other surprises.

Join us underneath the stars at the outdoor theatre for educational and entertaining evening programs, or gather at the Campfire Circle and sing-a-long to some good ole' campfire favourites.


August schedule
Program times may be subject to change - please contact us for a detailed calendar of programs and activities.

Day and Time	Program Title	Location	Description
Fridays 8 pm	Forest Idol	Outdoor Theatre	Vote for your favorite Forest Idol as they showcase their adaptations and talents to our judges! Each week, the audience will pick Terra Nova’s one and only Forest Idol.
Saturdays 7 pm	Sing-a-long in the Sound	Campfire Circle (Newman Sound Day-use Area)	Find your seat at the campfire circle in Newman Sound Campground and warm up your voice. Join us for some Newfoundland songs, stories and sayings. Bring a mug for free hot chocolate!
Sundays 8 pm	When Hairy Met Patchy	Outdoor Theatre	Two Newfoundland marten search for love in the boreal forest. Along the way, they meet a colorful cast of characters who share advice on love and life in the wild.

• Special programs

  August schedule
  Program times may be subject to change - please contact us for a detailed calendar of programs and activities.

  Day and Time	Program Title	Location	Description
  Mondays 1:30 pm	Garden Time	Activity Centre	Become a budding gardener! Drop by the garden at the Activity Centre to help water the plants and keep our garden growing. See the different plant shapes, colors and textures. Look closely and you might see a “busy” pollinator hard at work. Remember BEE safe!
  Wednesdays 9:30 am	Plant a Tree	Blue Hill Moose Exclosure	Plant a tree and put down roots in Terra Nova National Park. Join Parks Canada interpreters and ecologists in planting trees to help increase the biodiversity of the forest. **Participants should come prepared for weather conditions, with footwear suitable for the forest floor. Fill up and bring your water bottle.
  Thursdays 1:30 pm	Knit, Stitch & Share	Activity Centre	A relaxed, drop-in program for crafters of all ages and skill levels to knit, sew, crochet, and connect. Bring a project you’re working on or start something new—share ideas, learn new skills, and enjoy creating together.
  Fridays 3 pm	Wild Rhythm	Activity Centre	Get ready to drum, strum, clap, and sing! Kids explore music through fun, hands-on activities while learning basic music skills, trying a variety of instruments and creating their own musical masterpieces.
  Fridays 3 pm	Msit No 'Kmaq	Visitor Centre	'Kwe! Come join our indigenous interpreters near the beautiful shoreline of Newman Sound as we share with you some of our culture and experiences and reconnect with each other and ourselves. ** Sign up is required for this program. Please call 709-533-3187 to reserve a space.

• Special events

  Terra Nova National Park commemorates a number of special days throughout the summer season.

  June 8
  World Oceans Day

  Celebrate Oceans Day at Terra Nova National Park! Stop by the Visitor Centre to explore the touch tank and get up close with some fascinating ocean creatures.

  • Time: 10 am - 4 pm
  • Location: Visitor Centre

   

  June 21
  National Indigenous Peoples Day

  Come join our Indigenous interpreters as we share with you some of our culture and experience.

  • Time: 11 am - 2 pm
  • Location: Visitor Centre

   

  July 1
  Memorial Day / Canada Day

  Celebrate Canada Day with an afternoon concert.

  • Time: 2 pm
  • Location: Outdoor Theatre
  • Free entry

  July 18
  Parks Day

  Take a hike along one of the many scenic trails, explore the shoreline or come for a picnic with friends. Stop by the Visitor Centre to enter to pick up your hiking trail passport and enter to win a parks day prize pack. 

  August 12 - 16
  Dark Sky Festival

  Join us and special guests, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, as we celebrate the magic of the night at the Terra Nova National Park Dark Sky Festival—a celebration of astronomy, nature, and our connection to the stars. As the first designated Dark Sky Preserve in Newfoundland and Labrador, the park offers breathtaking views of the night sky. From family-­friendly activities to guided celestial viewing sessions, this festival invites visitors of all ages to discover the wonders of the cosmos. Equipment for viewing is provided but people are welcome to bring their own.

  Wednesday, August 12

  • Dark Sky Presentation by David Saunders

  7 PM, Activity Centre

   

  Thursday, August 13

  • Meet & Greet

  7 PM, Activity Centre

  Snacks & refreshments provided

   

  • Trivia Night

  8 PM, Activity Centre

  Mix and mingle with pop culture space trivia. Bring a team or build one at the door.

   

  • Meteor Shower Watch (weather permitting)

  10 PM, Newman Sound Day Use Area

   

  Friday, August 14

  • Dark Sky Defenders (kids program)

  11 AM, Activity Centre

   

  • Kids Activities

  2 PM - 4 PM, Activity Centre

  Airbrush tattooing and cosmic fun

   

  • Special Guest Presentation: Bethany Downer, Chief Science Communications Officer for Hubble/Webb Telescopes

  8:30 PM, Outdoor Theatre

   

  • Night Sky Viewing

  10 PM, Newman Sound Day-Use Area

  Viewing with the RASC St. John's Centre and Dr. Hilding Neilson, featuring Unistellar EV Scopes

   

  Saturday, August 15

  • Wild Nightlife (kids program)

  11 AM, Activity Centre

   

  • Solar Viewing

  1 PM - 3 PM, Visitor Centre

   

  • Solar System Hike with Chris Stevenson

  2 PM, Heritage Trail

   

  • Special Guest Presentation: Dr. Hilding Nelson, Assisstant Professor, Dept. of Physics & Physical Oceanography (MUN)

  3 PM, Activity Centre

   

  • Nightscape Astrophotography Workshop with Dave Newbury

  6:30 PM - 8 PM, Activity Centre

  Register by calling (709) 533-2801, limited to 25 participants

   

  • Guided Night Sky Viewing

  9 PM - 11 PM, Sandy Pond

  Join the RASC (St. John's Centre) and other astronomers to view the night sky

   

  Sunday, August 16

  • Cosmic Crafts

  2 PM - 4 PM, Activity Centre

   

  • Documentary Showing: Dark Skies by Tyler Funk

  8:30 PM - 9:30 PM, Outdoor Theatre

   

• School programs

  School programs

  National Parks are amazing classrooms, offering a variety of learning opportunities for students to connect with nature. Fun and educational hands-on programs and field trips are available from late-May to mid-October.

  Mix and match your classroom experience by choosing two of the following activities or contact us at the Visitor Centre to build a classroom experience that's just right for you!

  For cost per student, please see our fees page under the Heritage Presentation Special Programs heading.

  

  Touch tank tour - super sea squad

  It’s a hard life in the Intertidal Zone but lurking along this ever changing expanse are some amazing animals – the Super Sea Squad! These marine marvels have formed some super-hero level adaptations to survive, and thrive!

  Join your interpreter at the Touch Tank as we get up close with these outstanding ocean critters and uncover their super adaptive abilities.

  

  Trail tales

  From the mossy ground to the crown of the trees, this forest has a story to tell.

  Join your interpreter as we walk the trail to explore the secrets of the unique boreal forest of Terra Nova National Park.

  

  More bees please

  Bees are incredible insects - and cute too! But it’s not all flowers and honey. Bees are also extremely hard workers and they go through a pretty fascinating lifecycle.

  Join your interpreter as we explore the amazing world of bees.

  

  Whale tales

  Did you know that the Blue Whale is the biggest animal to EVER live on Earth?! Whales are fascinating and mostly mysterious marine mammals.

  Join your interpreter for a fun learning journey as we uncover the truly unique world of these amazing animals.

  ---

  To book:

  Phone number: +1 (709) 533-2942
  Email address: terranova@pc.gc.ca

  These programs are only available during visitor centre hours of operation.

• Explore on your own

  Explore on your own

  Discover Terra Nova at your own pace with these self-guided activities.

  Lichen hikin'

  

  Witch's Hair? British Soldiers? Trumpets? Explore the Heritage Trail in search of tiny mysterious organisms. Wee wonders await!

  Stop by the visitor centre to pick up your "Lookin for Lichens" kit before heading out on the trail to explore on your own.

  Only available during visitor centre hours of operation.

  
  
  
  

  Club Parka

  

  Visiting with young children? Explore with club Parka!

  With the Club Parka booklet kids can explore, learn and have fun! The booklets are available on site. With the Photo Missions App, kids are invited to help Parka and Chirp find and photograph specific items found at our place! Download the app for free before visiting. Once one or both activities are completed, they will receive a reward!

  Learn more about Parka and download other activities!

  Xplorers program

  Hey Kids! Do you like exploring, having adventures and lots of fun? If so, you can be a Parks Canada Xplorer! Pick up your Terra Nova Xplorers booklet at the Visitor Centre, Activity Centre, or at a campground kiosk and get started on your first challenge. Complete the required number of tasks to receive a collectable souvenir.

  The Parks Canada Xplorers program is currently offered in more than 70 national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas across the country.

  

  Share your adventures with us on social media!
  Take a photo and share it with #TerraNovaNP

  Facebook: @TerraNovaNP

  Twitter: @ParksCanadaNL