We completed our first installment of our business plan, opening our restaurant and gift shop in 2007. In 2009 we will be expanding to include occasional musical events. Whether you are a bird watcher, nature photographer, or whale watching adventurer, you will be thrilled by Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve. Just ask around the wharf, and you may find a fisherman who is willing to take you over for a trip to see the island.

There are lots of things to see and do in Grates Cove, Newfoundland, so come for a visit. You can see icebergs, whales and seabirds from shore, and enjoy our walking trails, historical buildings, rock walls, Cabot Rock monument and our scenic beauty. Take a walk to our resident eagle's nest, or go berry picking or trouting in our many freshwater ponds. If it's a nice sunny day, maybe you'd like to take a swim in Dancing Place Pond.

Our Cafe and Gift Shop is open from late June to Labour Day, so stop in for a home-cooked traditional Newfoundland meal and check out our locally made, handcrafted arts and crafts and quality souvenirs.

We also recommend a visit to see local artist and photographer, Vicky Martin, at Vic's Rock's 'N Things! She makes interesting folk art pieces and has wonderful digital photos and prints for sale of the natural beauty and history of Grates Cove. Check out her website here....

And if you are searching for your family roots, ask at Beyond Baccalieu to speak with genealogist Susan Snelgrove. She has the history of most Grates Cove families and many from up the shore in Conception Bay. With a database of over 15,000 names, if you have roots in Grates Cove, she can help you start climbing your tree. Check out her contributions of parish and other family history records on the Grates Cove Genealogy page.

Check out the other items on our Grates Cove page to learn more about what there is to do here, and to learn more about the stops along the Baccalieu Trail. You can spend several days exploring up and down the Conception Bay and Trinity Bay shores, using Grates Cove as your base. Just a 2-hour drive from St. John's, Newfoundland, it is well worth doing the loop.