You will be traveling to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the most easterly location in North America.  Since the island portion of the Province juts so far out into the North Atlantic, it has the distinction of having its own time zone.  The time zone on the island of Newfoundland is 1.5 hours ahead of Eastern Time and 4.5 hours ahead of Pacific Time.  That’s right – it is one of the few places in the world with a half hour difference in its time zone.

If you plan to drive while in the area, you should note that cars drive on the right-hand side of the road as in the rest of Canada and in the United States.  (As a British colony, before 1949, Newfoundlanders drove on the left-side of the road).  Rental cars are heavily booked during the summer months so if you are planning to rent, do so early.  While driving, you will notice that speed limits are posted in km/hr, not mph so Canadians are not speed demons driving around the city at 50kph (that’s about 30mph) or on the highways at 100 kph (that’s about 60mph).  You should also be aware that it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving in this Province.  As you might expect, seat belt use is mandatory.  One more thing – U-turns are illegal.  A final note, if you are driving the highways, please watch for moose – they are quite common sightings and make significant speed bumps..

Currency is in familiar dollars and cents.  While there is some fluctuation, at present, one Canadian dollar is about $0.83 US (or one US dollar equals about $1.20 Canadian). 

Newfoundland and Labrador is a maritime province, so spring typically arrives somewhat late.  The daily high temperature in St. John’s in late June can be expected to range between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius (50-70 degrees Fahrenheit), so you might want to bring a fleece, warm sweater, or jacket.  Rain and fog are frequent guests so you should also be prepared for that eventuality.

In the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, all public buildings, restaurants, and bars are smoke-free.

Recycling is encouraged throughout the Province.  You will find blue recycling containers in most public buildings.