I have visited Newfoundland twice and have driven all the way across it each time. On the second visit we also took a ferry across to Labrador and up its coast to Battle Harbour. You can fly into St. Johns and rent a car, or you can bring your own across from Nova Scotia on one of two regular ferries. If coming from Nova Scotia a good plan is to take the long (18 hours) ferry into St. Johns, drive westward across the province, and take the shorter ferry back from Port aux Basques.
The Canadians who live in Newfoundland are known as “Newfies” and there are Newfie jokes (“You know you’re in Newfoundland when you owe more money on your snowmobile than your car.”) that could double for Redneck jokes or Polack jokes or whatever.