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Gander International Airport (YQX) → Cape Spear

Gander Airport (YQX) to Cape Spear

The drive from every airport and ferry ↓

Distance
346.2 km
Drive time
In your maps app ↗
Roads
330121011
Open in Google Maps →
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Stops and map ↓Where to eat near Cape Spear ↓

Cape Spear lighthouse, white with a red roof, standing on the bare headland above the Atlantic at the easternmost point of North America.
Cape Spear lighthouse, white with a red roof, standing on the bare headland above the Atlantic at the easternmost point of North America.Photo: Nilfanion · source · CC BY-SA 3.0
Driving route from Gander International Airport (YQX) to Cape Spear: 346.2 km by road, via Routes 330 · 1 · 2 · 10 · 11.Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Tiles by OpenFreeMap. Route line computed with OSRM.

Faded lines are other drives from Gander International into this area: Signal Hill (Cabot Tower) (338 km), St. John's (335 km), Portugal Cove ferry terminal (338 km), Witless Bay (316 km), Brigus (280 km), Harbour Grace (298 km). Each splits off where its line leaves this one.

  1. Stop 1: Silent Witnesses MemorialDetour

    A memorial on Route 1 outside Gander, unveiled in 1990 for the lives lost in the Arrow Air crash of 12 December 1985. An American soldier stands atop a rock holding the hands of a civilian boy and girl, each child carrying an olive branch for the Screaming Eagles' peacekeeping mission in the Sinai; they were going home for Christmas. The trio look toward Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where a similar statue looks back.

    Stopping here adds 2.4 km to the drive.

    Directions →
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    Show on map: Silent Witnesses Memorial ↑

  2. Stop 2: Square Pond

    A pond-side stop beside the Trans-Canada. OpenStreetMap still uses its old provincial-park name; the province no longer lists it. A place to stretch your legs.

    Stopping here adds 0.7 km to the drive.

    Directions →
    Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
    Show on map: Square Pond ↑

  3. Stop 3: Joey's Lookout

    A mapped viewpoint on the Trans-Canada east of Gander, effectively on the road. OpenStreetMap records only the name and that it is a viewpoint. It is easy to miss at highway speed.

    Stopping here adds 0.1 km to the drive.

    Directions →
    Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
    Show on map: Joey's Lookout ↑

  4. Stop 4: Sandy PondDetour

    One of the park's officially designated observing sites under its Dark-Sky Preserve status: the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada designated Terra Nova on 26 February 2018, and Parks Canada's own night-sky page calls Sandy Pond the darkest skies in the park. RASC notes the designated sites have paved parking with a walk to the observing spot. The pond also has a beach and a trail for daytime. After dark, the drive back to the highway is moose country.

    Stopping here adds 4.8 km to the drive.

    Directions →
    Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
    Show on map: Sandy Pond ↑

  5. Stop 5: Butter Pot Provincial ParkDetour

    The drive runs along this park's boundary, but the park reaches well inland. ParksNL calls Butter Pot one of the most popular provincial parks in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its page lists ponds to swim, fish and paddle, sandy beaches, a campground, trails, and a view over the water from the top of Butter Pot Hill. A place to spend time, not a quick stop.

    Stopping here adds 6.6 km to the drive.

    Directions →
    Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
    Show on map: Butter Pot Provincial Park ↑

  6. Stop 6: Railway Coastal MuseumDetour

    At 495 Water Street, St. John's old railway station, now the Railway Coastal Museum, about the Newfoundland Railway and the coastal boats.

    Stopping here adds 2.4 km to the drive.

    Directions →
    Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
    Show on map: Railway Coastal Museum ↑
⛽ Fuel and gravel, road by road ▾
  • Route 330 →Whole road: 8 fuel stations mapped, longest gap 42 km. Unpaved mapped: none; 70% has no surface tag, so unknown.
  • Route 1 →Whole road: 54 fuel stations mapped, longest gap 119 km. Unpaved mapped: none; 68% has no surface tag, so unknown.
  • Route 2 →Whole road: 10 fuel stations mapped, longest gap 28 km. Unpaved mapped: none; 70% has no surface tag, so unknown.
  • Route 10 →Whole road: 7 fuel stations mapped, longest gap 91 km. Unpaved mapped: none; 77% has no surface tag, so unknown.
  • Route 11 →Whole road: 2 fuel stations mapped, longest gap 17 km. Unpaved mapped: none; 0% has no surface tag, so unknown.

Drive measured Oct 19, 2026, Gander International Airport (YQX) to Cape Spear. Your maps app gives the time on the day. How we measure

Add to a trip →Staying here? Days out ↓Airport info: Gander International Airport →

346.2 km. From Gander airport to Cape Spear, on Routes 330, 1, 2, 10 and 11.

When you get to Cape Spear

Sunrise and sunset at Cape Spear, by month
Month (the 15th)SunriseSunset
January7:43 am4:34 pm
February7:06 am5:22 pm
March7:14 am7:05 pm
April6:12 am7:48 pm
May5:23 am8:29 pm
June5:02 am8:59 pm
July5:18 am8:54 pm
August5:56 am8:14 pm
September6:36 am7:14 pm
October7:18 am6:13 pm
November7:05 am4:25 pm
December7:41 am4:09 pm

Worked out for the 15th of each month at this spot, in local time. The weather line at the top has today's.

Places to eat on the way

28 near the start: where to eat in Gander →

151 places to eat within 2 km of this drive, in the order you pass them.

The longest stretch with nothing mapped on it is 71.4 km — after Mary Brown's, until Robin's Donuts.

All 151, in the order you pass them — open the list
  • Copper Kettle Restaurantrestaurantkm 31.9
  • Family Pizzarestaurantkm 38.7 · 1870 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'srestaurantkm 68.3
  • Happy Adventure Cafecafékm 76.4 · 1229 m off the road
  • Snack shack.fast foodkm 115 · 624 m off the road
  • Robin's Donutsfast foodkm 144.1 · 1142 m off the road
  • A&Wfast foodkm 144.2 · 585 m off the road
  • A&Wfast foodkm 144.2 · 585 m off the road
  • Rod's Restaurantrestaurantkm 144.3 · 508 m off the road
  • Don Cherry's Sports Bar & Grillrestaurantkm 144.3 · 200 m off the road
  • KFCfast foodkm 144.5 · 773 m off the road
  • Jungle Jim'srestaurantkm 144.5 · 488 m off the road
  • Jungle Jim'srestaurantkm 144.5 · 488 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 144.6 · 593 m off the road
  • McDonald'sfast foodkm 144.6 · 539 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 144.6 · 676 m off the road
  • Pizza Delightrestaurantkm 146.1 · 1264 m off the road
  • Brownings Pubpubkm 146.2 · 1212 m off the road
  • Flannigans Pubpubkm 146.2 · 1229 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 147.9
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 147.9
  • Breen'srestaurantkm 174.4
  • Robin's Donutscafékm 174.7
  • Meghan's Restaurantrestaurantkm 198.9
  • A&Wfast foodkm 246.2
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 246.3
  • Subwayfast foodkm 246.3
  • Mary Brown'srestaurantkm 246.9
  • Robin's Donutsfast foodkm 318.3 · 1760 m off the road
  • Donovan's Irvingrestaurantkm 319.3 · 1243 m off the road
  • Subwayfast foodkm 319.3 · 1881 m off the road
  • Costco Food Courtfast foodkm 319.3 · 478 m off the road
  • Starbuckscafékm 319.4 · 378 m off the road
  • Five Guysrestaurantkm 319.5 · 439 m off the road
  • A&Wfast foodkm 319.7
  • Pizza Hutrestaurantkm 319.7 · 383 m off the road
  • A&Wfast foodkm 319.7
  • McDonald'sfast foodkm 320 · 1614 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 320 · 1834 m off the road
  • Wendy'sfast foodkm 320 · 296 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 320 · 306 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 320 · 1735 m off the road
  • Fat Bastard Burritorestaurantkm 320 · 405 m off the road
  • KFCfast foodkm 320 · 1658 m off the road
  • McDonald'sfast foodkm 320 · 1610 m off the road
  • Old Town Pizzeriarestaurantkm 320 · 1708 m off the road
  • A&Wfast foodkm 320 · 325 m off the road
  • Taco Bellfast foodkm 320.1 · 1684 m off the road
  • Acropolis Pizzarestaurantkm 320.1 · 382 m off the road
  • Full House Restaurantrestaurantkm 320.1 · 323 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 320.1 · 347 m off the road
  • Asian Caferestaurantkm 320.3 · 1619 m off the road
  • McDonald'sfast foodkm 321.2 · 156 m off the road
  • Extreme Pitafast foodkm 321.3 · 331 m off the road
  • Smitty'srestaurantkm 321.5 · 353 m off the road
  • Harvey'sfast foodkm 321.5 · 464 m off the road
  • Thaï Expressfast foodkm 321.5 · 328 m off the road
  • Harvey'sfast foodkm 321.5 · 466 m off the road
  • Subwayfast foodkm 321.6 · 391 m off the road
  • Pizza Delightrestaurantkm 321.6 · 330 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 321.6 · 325 m off the road
  • Booster Juicefast foodkm 321.6 · 173 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 321.6 · 327 m off the road
  • Little Caesarsfast foodkm 321.7 · 282 m off the road
  • Dairy Queenfast foodkm 321.7 · 276 m off the road
  • Landwash Brewerypubkm 323.4 · 964 m off the road
  • Johny & Mae'sfast foodkm 323.4 · 960 m off the road
  • The Sweet Newfie Kitchenfast foodkm 324.7 · 1941 m off the road
  • Oscars Eatery & Caférestaurantkm 324.7 · 1852 m off the road
  • Jasmine's Restaurantrestaurantkm 325.8 · 1610 m off the road
  • Dairy Queenfast foodkm 325.9 · 1498 m off the road
  • Redrock Bar & Grillrestaurantkm 325.9 · 1524 m off the road
  • New Moon Restaurantrestaurantkm 326 · 1517 m off the road
  • Ches's Fish and Chipsfast foodkm 326 · 1359 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 326 · 1475 m off the road
  • Topsail Road Pizzeria and Loungefast foodkm 326 · 1483 m off the road
  • Big Cheese Pizzafast foodkm 326 · 1377 m off the road
  • Jungle Jim'srestaurantkm 326 · 1374 m off the road
  • Sushi Makirestaurantkm 326 · 1374 m off the road
  • Starbuckscafékm 326 · 1488 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 327 · 1398 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 327 · 1404 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 327.6
  • Burger Kingfast foodkm 327.8 · 1032 m off the road
  • McDonald'sfast foodkm 327.8 · 994 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 327.8 · 952 m off the road
  • Peter's Pizzarestaurantkm 328.6 · 1017 m off the road
  • Rack and Roll Lounge and Games Roompubkm 328.6 · 1113 m off the road
  • Red Pepperrestaurantkm 328.6 · 1028 m off the road
  • Wendy'sfast foodkm 328.6 · 717 m off the road
  • Subwayfast foodkm 328.6 · 936 m off the road
  • Domino'sfast foodkm 329.6 · 1175 m off the road
  • Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 329.7 · 1022 m off the road
  • The Big R Restaurantrestaurantkm 330.1 · 906 m off the road
  • Subwayfast foodkm 331.1 · 1305 m off the road
  • Mr. Subfast foodkm 331.1 · 1396 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 331.1 · 1369 m off the road
  • Burger Kingfast foodkm 331.1 · 1404 m off the road
  • Fabulous Foodsrestaurantkm 331.2 · 1741 m off the road
  • RJ Pinoy Yumrestaurantkm 331.2 · 1456 m off the road
  • No Name Pizzafast foodkm 331.2 · 1406 m off the road
  • Ziggy Peelgoodsfast foodkm 331.2 · 1348 m off the road
  • The Cove Climbing Cafécafékm 331.2 · 597 m off the road
  • KFCfast foodkm 331.2 · 1449 m off the road
  • Leo's Fish and Chipsfast foodkm 331.2 · 1668 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 331.2 · 159 m off the road
  • Chinched Bistrorestaurantkm 331.4 · 1331 m off the road
  • Yellowbelly Brewerypubkm 331.4 · 1602 m off the road
  • The Kegrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1516 m off the road
  • 3 Sisters Vietnamese Subsfast foodkm 331.4 · 1867 m off the road
  • Afghan Restaurantrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1617 m off the road
  • Piatto Restaurantrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1610 m off the road
  • The Republicpubkm 331.4 · 1603 m off the road
  • Biancarestaurantkm 331.4 · 1993 m off the road
  • Sushi Islandrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1835 m off the road
  • The Sprout Restaurantrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1659 m off the road
  • Ziggy Peelgoods French Friesfast foodkm 331.4 · 1718 m off the road
  • Fat Bastard Burritofast foodkm 331.4 · 1469 m off the road
  • Jack Astor'srestaurantkm 331.4 · 1554 m off the road
  • Downtown Pizza fast foodkm 331.4 · 1457 m off the road
  • Humphreys Restaurant and Pubrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1125 m off the road
  • Kelly's Pubpubkm 331.4 · 1471 m off the road
  • O'Reilly'spubkm 331.4 · 1517 m off the road
  • Fiddlers Pubpubkm 331.4 · 1316 m off the road
  • Shamrock City Pubpubkm 331.4 · 1439 m off the road
  • Trapper John's Museum & Pubpubkm 331.4 · 1615 m off the road
  • Rob Roy Pubpubkm 331.4 · 1560 m off the road
  • Green Sleeves Pub & Restaurantpubkm 331.4 · 1545 m off the road
  • Formosa Tea Houserestaurantkm 331.4 · 1666 m off the road
  • Jumping Bean Coffeecafékm 331.4 · 1824 m off the road
  • Celtic Hearthrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1575 m off the road
  • Bridie Molloy’spubkm 331.4 · 1584 m off the road
  • Christian'spubkm 331.4 · 1483 m off the road
  • Duke of Duckworthpubkm 331.4 · 1856 m off the road
  • The Fifth Ticketrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1995 m off the road
  • Adelaide Oyster Houserestaurantkm 331.4 · 1476 m off the road
  • Merchant Tavernrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1599 m off the road
  • Chinchedrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1646 m off the road
  • Carribean Cornerrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1566 m off the road
  • LIVrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1540 m off the road
  • Frugal Steinsrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1516 m off the road
  • Saltwaterrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1507 m off the road
  • Gahan Housepubkm 331.4 · 1471 m off the road
  • Black Cat Pizzeriarestaurantkm 331.4 · 1681 m off the road
  • Casa Amigos Restaurant NLrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1670 m off the road
  • Tim Hortonscafékm 331.4 · 1826 m off the road
  • Cojones Tacos & Tequilarestaurantkm 331.4 · 1877 m off the road
  • Ches' Fish & Chipsfast foodkm 331.4 · 1688 m off the road
  • Subwayfast foodkm 331.4 · 1445 m off the road
  • The Station Loungepubkm 331.4 · 788 m off the road
  • Magic Wok Eateryrestaurantkm 331.4 · 1163 m off the road

Not ranked or complete, and nobody pays to be here. No opening hours: phone ahead. Open map data, swept 2026-10-18. How we measure · Add a missing place

New place to eat, or one that's missing? This list comes from OpenStreetMap, so nobody can pay to be on it. Add it to the map yourself (about twenty minutes on a phone), or email us the details and we'll put it on the map.

Short drives from Cape Spear

An easy day out from Cape SpearSt. John's 16 km awayIts own page measures from the Gander airport; from Cape Spear it is 16 km.Directions from where your phone is now:
Directions →
Other map appsApple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze

Or any of these: nearest first, measured by road from Cape Spear.

More, up to 44 km (10)

Distances by road, measured on OpenStreetMap October 16, 2026, from where this route ends. Your maps app gives the time on the day. How we measure

Doing it electric

Fast chargers on this drive
Gander km 3, Glowertown km 68, Port Blandford km 116, Goobies km 175, Paradise km 319, St. John’s km 321
Longest stretch without one
144 km
Goobies → Paradise, of 346 km driven
Nearest fast charger to Cape Spear
25.7 km
by road, at St. John’s

Coming in 2026 (NL Hydro, 2026-10-22): Gander (km 2) and Clarenville (km 148) and Whitbourne (km 247) and St. John’s (km 321). Not counted until it opens.

NL Hydro fast chargers within 3 km of the drive. Check the app for one that's working. Exported 2026-10-22. How we measure

Every route compared →NL Hydro: plan your road trip →

Paved or not, per the map

Mapped as unpaved
none
Not proof it is all paved: 64% has no surface tag.
Mapped as paved
36%
114 km of 346.2 km driven
No surface tag on the map
64%
202.6 km: surface not recorded

In a rental car: Hertz Canada’s terms say “use off paved roads or on roads which are not regularly maintained” voids the damage waiver. Check your own agreement. Hertz’s terms ↗. Source for these figures: OSRM driving profile, stored route query, with node annotations; OpenStreetMap surface tags via Overpass, checked 2026-10-19. Today's road conditions: 511.

Before you go

These change, so we link to the people who keep them up to date.

  • MooseYear round, worst between dusk and dawn

    The province says the likelihood of injury in a moose collision is twice as high between dusk and dawn as in daytime. This is 346.2 km, much of it unlit two-lane highway; plan the drive for daylight where you can.

    gov.nl.ca →

  • Road conditionsYear round, matters most November–April

    Conditions at one end of the island say little about the other. Check before you set off.

    511nl.ca →

Renting a car? Book the car when you book the flight.

Summer rentals sell out, says NL Tourism, and in June 2026 BNN Bloomberg reported St. John's airport agencies booked for nearly all of summer.

Both checked October 7, 2026.

Rental counters at Gander, with numbers →

Arriving without a car

Not renting? Here's who Gander International Airport Authority lists at the terminal.

No rideshare here.

The Airport Authority's transport page lists no rideshare service (checked 2026-09-15).

  • Taxi

    Busy Bee Cabs, which the Airport Authority says runs a 24-hour service available curbside in the Domestic Arrivals area.

    (709) 256-1444

  • Coach

    DRL Coachlines runs the island's one scheduled coach, once a day each way, between St. John's and the Marine Atlantic terminal at Port aux Basques. It stops at Gander Airport itself (the restaurant), and at Lewisporte, Grand Falls-Windsor, Deer Lake and Corner Brook among others. It reaches no island and no national park. Tickets are bought on the bus, cash only. The Airport Authority says a wheelchair-accessible bus needs 48 hours' notice. Times and fares are DRL's: drl-lr.com.

    (888) 263-1852

  • Limousine

    Nobel Limousines, listed by the Airport Authority.

    (709) 535-2457

Avis, Budget, National and Enterprise are listed at the airport. The Authority says accessible vehicles with wheelchair accommodation or hand controls are limited and need 48 hours' notice.

Source: Gander International Airport Authority,2026-09-15. Check there for fares and times.

Questions

How far is Cape Spear from Gander airport?＋

346.2 km from the terminal to Cape Spear.

What route do I take?＋

Routes 330, 1, 2, 10 and 11. Your maps app has the turns.

Do I need a car?＋

Plan on one. Buses between these towns are few, and the drive is the way most people make it.

No recorded track yet.Drove it? Send yours →

Put this map on your site

Run a place to stay, a tour or a town page on this drive? Add this map to your site. It shows your guests the drive and its distance. It is free, needs no account, and we keep the figures current.

<iframe src="https://fromtheairport.xyz/embed/yqx-cape-spear"
  width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy"
  title="Driving route: Gander International Airport (YQX) to Cape Spear"></iframe>
Add ?lat=&lon=&label= to the URL to pin your own property on the map.

Every distance and coordinate on this page was checked against its source on October 19, 2026. Origin: OpenStreetMap way/154350645 — Terminal. Destination: OpenStreetMap node/470734348 — Cape Spear.

Going with someone?

Hear when iceberg season looks worth the trip

One or two emails a year: where icebergs are showing up, and which drive gets you there.

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