Conception Bay Tour Experience

Overview

Available languages

English

7 hours

Mobile ticket

Let’s take a drive and visit the many pretty outport communities that sprinkle the shores of Conception Bay; a region teeming with amazing stories about ancient pirates, WW2 submarine attacks, the dawn of transatlantic aviation, arctic exploration, and North America’s first European colony. This is a true Newfoundland experience that everyone who comes from away will embrace. Great times, great people, and great food await.

*Please Note: The lunch is soup, with fish cakes, and a dessert. If you have any dietary restrictions please let us know and we will accommodate you*

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

We require a minimum of four people total booked on a tour in order for it to proceed, and we reserve the right to cancel the tour if we do not receive sufficient people

Passengers may have to go up and down a couple of steps. We do stop and walk around at the different sites, however if desired they can stay in the vehicle.

The tour lasts 7 hours, which includes the driving time to get to the different sites, as well as pickups. We generally spend around 15 minutes at each stop but the driving time to get to each place adds a significant amount of time to the tour

The closest pickup to the Cruise Terminal is the Alt Hotel, roughly 300 Meters Away

Pickup starts prior to tour departure time- please check in the list to see how long before the start time of the tour you should be ready for pickup

If you have any dietary restrictions you have to let us know- otherwise we will provide you with the standard included lunch of fish cakes

This is a land-based tour (driving), that travels along the coast

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

3 Course Lunch

All Fees and Taxes

Pickup and Dropoff at major hotels and B&Bs

Live guide in English

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Holyrood

Stroll along the Holyrood Boardwalk, a scenic path that winds through lush landscapes and along the serene coastline, offering stunning views of the bay, nearby hills, and abundant wildlife.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Conception Harbour

Discover the wreck of the SS Charcot, a Norwegian whaling vessel that sank off the coast of Newfoundland in 1966, and delve into its intriguing history while exploring this unique maritime site.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Conception Bay Tour Experience

Pickup included

Reviews

4.78

18 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Wonderful day trip, with a great scenery and a lovely driver too!
sheilapL1973IL,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was my 2nd day trip with McCarthy's Party and I was lucky enough to have the same driver again! Steve really knew his stuff and made the trip even more enjoyable with his singing, stories and knowledge. The scenery was beautiful and well worth the trip. I'd highly recommend the company, the trip and their great driver, Steve!
A great day out.
mjb41,
Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
The bus was clean, punctual and driven carefully. The driver, Steve Gosse was friendly, funny and informative. I am happy that I took this tour.
Beware
Susan T,
Aug 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
It’s not a boat tour it’s a bus, maybe you have motion sickness like me so I would have been prepared, like I need the front seat
Don't miss this day tour!
ajdornier,
Aug 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Steve was a great guide and definitely gave a lot of historical background on all the stops we visited, and everything in between. The views of the bay and the coves were so beautiful, and understanding the role that these played (and in some cases, continue to) in Newfoundland's history was enlightening. The lunch stop was also excellent and the food was great (we were quite full afterward). I loved that there was not a lot of crowds in our photo stops. Steve was also very knowledgeable and so we were able to ask questions during our photo stops. I would definitely recommend this day tour!
Fun and knowledgeable...
Andrea L,
Jul 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Fun and knowledgeable tour guide (Steve) and a well paced visit to all the beautiful sites. Lunch was lovely, and the restaurant staff were very welcoming.
BrenLove,
Jul 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Conception Bay full day tour and The Outports half day tour both in vans that were okay for the short time in them but not very luxury for viewing the sights along the road. A different tour guide for each tour. Both were fairly knowledgeable but had their own interests in what to share. The full day tour guide was a little more personable, knew everyone on the bus and looked to give each one the best attention for their interests. The half day tour guide spoke a lot about his own and ancestor's life in Newfoundland so it was a slightly different perspective. The half day tour was combined with others who were with the driver for five days so it wasn't the same feeling on the bus or connection with the driver for being the first time with the bus and driver. Bus tours in Newfoundland are not my favourite thing to do since there are so many places to stop and enjoy along the coast and that is not possible on a tour. I felt that especially on the half day tour when we drove by the beach where Terry Fox was going to take water to the West Coast and I was told that we wouldn't be going to the beach from the view stop above it. If you are going to tell that story then it would have been really nice to stop at the beach. We went to a beach further along the road. Overall both tour itineraries were fairly well planned for the time and the distance.
tborys,
Jul 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great experience in July 2025. . The entire tour with McCarthy's was excellent! Dave was very informative and entertaining !! We highly recommend this to anyone.
St. John’s Nfld - Excursion around the bay tour
LFH86,
Jul 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Perfect weather for our “ Excursion Around The Bay Tour “ with McCarthy’s Tours Our tour guide , Dave, had a vast knowledge of the local history and a some amazingly funny local stories. Spent the day exploring Conception Bay South , the beautiful countryside and all the quaint little towns, rich in Railway and Aviation history and sunken vessel disasters. The glaziers left some amazing rock formations. Hard not to imagine why Newfoundland is referred to “The Rock”
Fun!!
Bootsnbeans,
Jul 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had Billy again for the Excursion Around the Bay! He did not disappoint, and neither did the tour! We took a few tours with this company. The Excursion Around the Bay was the neatest!
Cape Spear and Signal hill vistAs
conrads609,
Jul 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our guide, Billy was very very entertaining and informative. The scenery was amazing and the amount of time at each stop was just about right.