In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Fortune
One night, and only if you are catching the Saint Pierre ferry: the town itself is a 2–3 hour stop, not a destination.
Fortune is a Burin Peninsula fishing town of about 1,400 people on Highway 220, roughly 200 km from the Trans-Canada Highway. Its real draw for travellers is the SPM Ferries terminal with sailings to Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Everything else — the geological centre, the fossil cliffs, a supermarket and a diner — fits into an afternoon. Come for the ferry, sleep one night, and treat the town as a staging post for the French islands.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, wet, many services closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$140–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Health advice (811) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a bakery item | C$4–8 |
| Diner meal | C$15–25 |
| Fast-food chicken combo | C$12–18 |
| Beer at the Legion | C$6–9 |
| Geological Centre entry | C$5–7.50 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYT · St. John's International
- About 4 h 30 min by road to Fortune; no scheduled air service in Fortune itself
Typical fares
- Fortune → Saint Pierre, SPM Ferries
- foot passenger, about 1 h 15 min; fare check with SPM Ferries
- Foote's Taxi shuttle from St. John's
- daily service; fare and times check
- Fuel, Fortune → St. John's
- about 4 h 30 min drive, roughly 450 km (280 mi)about 4 h 30 min drive, roughly 280 mi (450 km)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or drive. The town is small enough to cover on foot in 20–30 minutes, but you need a car for Fortune Head Park Reserve and for Highway 220 connections. No local bus service; Foote's Taxi runs a shuttle from St. John's (check days and times).
See and do
Known for
- SPM Ferries terminal to Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Fortune Head fossil cliffs
- Fortune Head Geological Centre
- Burin Peninsula fishery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | SPM Ferries from Fortune terminal, foot passengers and up to 15 vehicles | About 1 h 15 min crossing |
| St. Lawrence | Drive Highway 220 east, about 40 km (25 mi)Drive Highway 220 east, about 25 mi (40 km) | About 40 min |
| Burgeo | Drive via Highway 220 and Route 480 | About 3 h |
| Grey River | Drive Highway 220 west | About 1 h |
| Ramea | Drive to Burgeo, then ferry | Half a day or more |
Sleep
- Bayview Street strip
- Hotel Fortune and the supermarket sit here, a short walk from the ferry terminal.
- Bunker Hill Road
- Geological Centre, bakery and a few guesthouse-style beds; quieter, still walkable.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Where is the ferry terminal? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry to Saint Pierre and Miquelon needs a passport or ID and a booked seat in summer; sailings can be cancelled by weather.
- Cell coverage and fuel are limited outside the town; fill up before heading down the peninsula.
- Most restaurants and shops close early and many shut out of season — check hours before you arrive.
- Weather changes fast on the coast: fog, wind and rain even in July.
Very low crime; the real risks are coastal weather, fog on Highway 220 and long gaps between services. Tell someone your route and carry fuel and water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fortune yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- SPM Ferries terminal to Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Fortune Head fossil cliffs
- Fortune Head Geological Centre
- Burin Peninsula fishery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Town of Fortune: www.townoffortune.ca/
- SPM Ferries: www.spm-ferries.fr/en/home/
- Fortune Head Geological Centre: www.fortunehead.com/
- Wikivoyage: Fortune, revision 5239602 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239602
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Fortune
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates in Fortune; the US consulate general is in Halifax and most embassies are in Ottawa (check).
English is the everyday language; French is useful for Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/fortune). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.