West of Clarenville is the White Hills Ski Resort, which has a drop of 227 metres.
The Bonavista Peninsula and Burin Peninsula can be accessed via interchanges near Clarenville and Goobies, respectively.
The Isthmus
South of Clarenville is The Isthmus, a narrow strip of land that connects the Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland. This area is a harsh climate, beset by fog. In July it can be foggy 40% of the time. The soils are acidic and boggy, and sometimes only lichens cover the rocks.
Visit the lookout near Sunnyside on the neck of the Isthmus. If fog co-operates, you can view Trinity Bay to the east and Placentia Bay to the west – two of Newfoundland ‘s most productive inshore fishing grounds. Intruding over the blankets of deer grass bog and dwarf-shrub heaths are the transmission lines carrying energy from Bay d’Espoir to feed new heavy industry such as the oil refinery at Come-by-Chance .
Sunnyside & Come-by-Chance
At Sunnyside, on the east side of the highway, take the Centre Hill Wilderness Trail. This moderate to strenuous, half-day, 5-km hike (each way) takes you to the top of the highest peak in eastern Newfoundland (384 metres), where you can enjoy a spectacular, panoramic view of Bay to the east and Placentia Bay to the west.
On Placentia Bay is the oil refinery at Come-by-Chance. It as built in 1966 and produces about 115,000 barrels per day (18,300 m3/d) and has been through several owners over the years.