🚛 The Great Eastern Seaboard: Hauling a Trailer 3,300 Miles from Houston, TX to St. John's, Newfoundland

Canadian Flag

When a friend purchases a house in St. John's, Newfoundland, and needs a second driver for a 3,300-mile cross-continent haul, you say yes! This adventure took me up the entire Eastern Seaboard and across the Atlantic, driving a truck and trailer from Houston, TX, to St. John's, Newfoundland. Having never explored the far northern reaches of Canada, I jumped at the chance to be the second driver on this epic towing road trip.

Phase 1: Mastering the Haul (Houston, TX to Maryland)

We departed Houston on a scorching August day with the trailer hooked up and a lot of ground to cover. Neither of us had extensive experience towing a trailer long distance, and we quickly realized it demands much more concentration and significantly more fuel than driving a standard vehicle.

Day 1: We traveled through Baton Rouge and up into Mississippi, staying in Meridian. After ten hours on the road—due partly to heavy Baton Rouge traffic—we were exhausted. We immediately decided to limit our driving to no more than eight hours per day, a decision that made the rest of the journey much more manageable.

Day 2: The next stop was Knoxville, TN. Again, we were too tired from the constant focus required for towing to explore the city, opting for the nearest Outback Steakhouse instead.

Day 3: We reached Hagerstown, MD. I was impressed with our progress—three days from Houston to Maryland! Since this trip wasn't about sightseeing, I truly appreciated the consistency of the Marriott roadside hotels, specifically the Fairfield and Springhill brands. These comfortable, clean, and modern stops made driving the Interstate much easier and always provided ample parking for our truck and trailer setup.

Phase 2: East Coast Corridor and the Canada Border Crossing

Day 4: The next segment took us through the densely populated corridor of New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. By now, we were well-accustomed to hauling the trailer, which was necessary as the traffic in this area was significantly heavier. We pushed on and made it to Maine on the fourth day.

Day 5: We made it to the Canada Border Crossing! Border crossings always take time, but bringing a trailer full of household goods meant a lot more time, and the Canadian officials were extremely strict with the cross-border transport of household goods. My friend had to "negotiate" for every item in the trailer, confirming that thorough preparation is key when bringing significant items into Canada.

Phase 3: Relaxation in Nova Scotia

Day 6-7: Once across the border, we drove through New Brunswick, around to Nova Scotia, and immediately took a much-needed break. We stayed for two days with a friend on the water in Chester, Nova Scotia.

The coastline there is breathtaking—a scattering of islands dotting tranquil bays and inlets. I would highly recommend Chester to any traveler looking for a beautiful summer spot on the coast of Nova Scotia. We were welcomed with a home-cooked meal and beer. We arrived exhausted but left refreshed.

On the water in Chester, Nova Scotia

Novia Scotia Sunset

Phase 4: The Marine Atlantic Ferry to Newfoundland

Day 8: Our final push involved catching the overnight Marine Atlantic Ferry to Newfoundland. We drove to North Sydney, New Brunswick Harbour, and joined what seemed like a hundred semi-trucks, cars, campers, and people like us with trailers. Everything headed for Newfoundland seemed to pass through this massive harbor.

The ferry itself was huge—a first for me! Once the truck and trailer were secured, we headed upstairs to our nice sleeper seats for the overnight crossing from North Sydney to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. The weather was calm, allowing for a decent snooze in the sleeper seat, but I heard from others that it can be a very uncomfortable crossing in bad weather.

North Sydney Ferry

Port au Basque, Newfoundland

Phase 5: The Edge of North America

Day 9: When we docked in the morning at Port au Basques, Newfoundland, I was amazed we had come all this way and were almost at our destination! We had covered such a huge distance and were just one island crossing away from our destination.

Newfoundland is an amazing landscape of expansive forests, beaches, ocean, and mountains. You truly feel like you are at the edge of the world—the easternmost edge of North America, where it's actually shorter (about 2,000 miles) to Ireland than the drive we just completed!

We spent eight hours winding along the island's only major road, the Trans-Canada Highway, avoiding potholes on our way to a family stop in Glovertown. I was told that if we deviated into the interior's dense forests, we would need to notify the Canadian Park Service, as the interior is truly remote. If you want to be left alone, this is the place to go!

Glovertown took us eight hours to reach, and from there it was another five hours of driving to get to the final destination of St. John’s, which we did on Day 10. Click here for my highlights of the destination, St. John's, Newfoundland!

🛣️ What's the longest road trip you've ever taken?

Share your longest road trip or provide a tip for towing a trailer long distance in the comments below!