Gander

To travel to Fogo Island, most guests will fly to Gander (YQX), where you’ll find the closest international airport. This small city, one of Newfoundland’s major centres, harbours a fascinating history worth discovering beyond your stay at Fogo Island Inn.

What do Queen Elizabeth II, Fidel Castro, and Marilyn Monroe have in common? They all once touched down at Gander International Airport, where planes needed to stop and re-fuel before continuing across the Atlantic prior to the arrival of the jet age in the 1960s.

Now home to a bar and cinema, the former international lounge of the airport is a time capsule, still adorned with the stylish décor of its heyday. Head upstairs to learn all about the airport’s surprising history in an interactive exhibition.

On September 11, 2001, the friendly people of Gander opened their hearts and homes to those stranded at the airport due to the terrorist attack. The event inspired Come From Away, a hit musical that took Broadway and the world by storm.

From Gander, you’ll follow the road to Farewell along Newfoundland’s windswept northeastern coast. Drive through lush landscapes and coastal towns defined by the architecture that inspired the Inn. Keep an eye out for local wildlife on the way!