We followed the winding road as it climbed around Gun Hill. On the other side was a wonderful surprise. Our eyes feasted on the stunning scene. Below us, an adorable town was nestled on a small cape and enclosed in blue water. Trinity had stolen our hearts.
Trinity
When we were planning our trip to Bonavista Peninsula we had been told to stop at Trinity. Known for being very picturesque, we didn’t think it could be any cuter than what we had already seen so far on this trip. After all, we had seen so many cute towns with colourful homes on picturesque bays.
Even before we reached Trinity, we were treated to pretty views. The main highway passes small, picturesque ponds surrounded by green hills. As we edged closer to the bay we had our first glimpse of Four Point Lighthouse at the end of a long cape.
Leaving the main highway, the drive to Trinity travels on a narrow, winding road around small mountains and hills. As we reached the other side of Gunn Hill we were in awe of the spectacular scene hidden below. We stopped near the top of the hill and looked down to see colourful homes spread across a funny shaped peninsula, framed by azure blue water. In the distance, a lighthouse was sticking far out into the water at the end of another pointed cape. This scene had all the necessary elements for an amazing view.
We slowly made our way down the hill toward town, almost not believing the perfect site our eyes were absorbing. In the late 1700s the people of Trinity were very wealthy due to the city’s prominent role in the salt fish industry. Today the town’s heritage homes line the meandering streets and lanes while colourful old boathouses sit at the water’s edge. We wandered through town, wishing we were staying for the night in one of the B&Bs in this quintessential Newfoundland fishing village.
Across the bay the perfect lighthouse stands at the end of a long rocky cape and enticed us to get a closer look. As we drove on the convoluted road to reach Four Point Lighthouse we had more amazing views of the idyllic town. It’s perfect from every angle.
Once we reached the end of the pointy cape we could see Four Point Lighthouse sitting on the edge of a rugged cliff. Behind it a long rock wall provided the perfect backdrop.
Skerwink Trail
On the other side of the small bay is a trail that is promoted as having more scenic views per square foot than any other hiking trail in Newfoundland,. That was enough for us to know we wanted to hike the Skerwink Trail. It is a 5.8 km loop that begins in the town of Port Rexton and travels around the edge of Skerwink Head. It took us by tall cliffs with steep walls and tight inlets with sea stacks soaring up from the rough ocean floor. There definitely are a lot of scenic views on this short hike.
We could see the fog rolling in as we reached the tip of Skerwink Head so, we rushed to make sure we didn’t miss our view of Trinity. As we rounded the loop, the fog was closer. The lighthouse on its rocky projection came in and out of view through the mist. At times the entire town was smothered in a blanket of fog, at other times, bright colours poked through. It was at this time that we were glad we didn’t have a hotel room in Trinity. The loud fog horn began sounding and continued to blow loudly twice a minute for the remainder of the hike.
This was the perfect ending to our time on Bonavista Peninsula, but we still had more to see in Newfoundland.
Tips for Visiting Newfoundland
- The TransCanada Highway in Newfoundland is shaped like a horseshoe as it travels along the west, north and eastern edge of the island province. There are smaller highways leading to the various capes, but in order to get from east to west, you have to drive all around the northern edge. There are no shortcuts across the island. It will take a full day to drive from one side to the other. There are quite a few potholes across the province so drive with caution.
- Watch for moose while driving, especially between dusk and dawn. With 125,000 moose on the island there are, on average 700 moose-car collisions per year.
- If you’re planning to rent a car or RV, the best advice is to book early. Even when there isn’t a worldwide pandemic, there are not many available.
- Newfoundland Standard Time is 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Standard Time so do don’t forget to change your watch.
- Don’t confuse St. John’s, Newfoundland’s capital city with Saint John in New Brunswick.
Where to stay on Bonavista Peninsula
Camping – Lockston Path Provincial Park is located in the middle of the peninsula, not far from Trinity. We found this a convenient location as well as a quiet, clean and affordable campground.
Hotels/Bed & Breakfast – There is a growing number of availabe hotels and B&Bs on Bonavista Peninsula. Depending on what sites you want to see, you can find many options in Trinity, Bonavista and Elliston. We loved staying in Meems Elliston B&B. The friendly hosts, clean and comfy rooms and great location makes it a great option.
Getting to Newfoundland
Marine Atlantic ferries travel between Sydney, NS and western Newfoundland’s Port aux Basques (7 hrs) twice a day and to the eastern province’s Argentia a few times a week. If traveling to or from Argentia it is a long 16 hour trip, usually overnight. Another ferry travels from Blanc-Sablon, Quebec to St. Barbe on the Great Northern Peninsula. This ferry is much closer to L’Anse aux Meadow, however it is a long and difficult drive to reach the Quebec Port.
Most flights travel to St. John’s, but there are also international airports in Stephenville and Gander. Gander is famous for accepting planes from the US during 9/11.
Read more about Newfoundland in our posts – Bonavista Peninsula, Western Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park, Vikings in Newfoundland, Conception Bay, St. John’s, Signal Hill, and Day Trips from St. John’s.
To read more of our stories from Canada, click here.
For more pictures from our travels around the world visit Gallery on monkeystale.ca
To read stories from other parts from Canada click here, or other countries visit Destinations.
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107 responses to “The Adorable Town of Trinity, Newfoundland”
Wonderful journey !
Thank you!
I can only imagine how fortunate the residents of Trinity must feel to be able to live in that town.
It would be like living in dreamland, other than having people like us walk around taking pictures of your house all day 😊.
Nice looking town.
Yes it’s very pretty, Thanks Joseph! Maggie
This fact (quoted from Wikipedia) really surprised me: “The harbour at Trinity was first used by fishing ships around the 16th century. The Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real named the location “Trinity” as he arrived on Trinity Sunday, 1501 although another account gives his arrival as 1500.” That was not long after Columbus “discovered” the Western Hemisphere. Didn’t realize that fishing ships from Europe were active in that area that long ago.
Oh yes, Cabot arrived in 1497 and is believed to be the first European (other than the Vikings 500 years earlier). After Cabot landed in Newfoundland and saw the massive amounts of cod fish in the Atlantic, fishermen came every year from all over Europe. Now there is no cod.
Love the architecture in this sweet town!
Yes it really is adorable. 😊
I can tell you enjoyed indeed loved this town and your visit.
Any plans to return?
Yes we love it. We actually looked at real-estate here and a couple other towns once we got home. It’s a bit of a commute from the west though. Maggie
Yes, quite the commute. However, it does sound idyllic😊
Trinity looks lovely in both sunshine and fog, I would definitely want to stay there!
Yes next time we’d stay there, regardless of the fog horn. Thanks for your comments Sarah! Maggie
Absolutely stunning little town. Newfoundlanders certainly take pride in their communities. I can imagine it m ight have more foggy days than not and like you say, a nice place to visit, but I would not want to live here. Thanks for sharing. Allan
Newfoundland has invested in these heritage spots and it shows. I agree there are probably more days with fog than without. Thanks for your comments Allan, Maggie
Imagine seeing this scenery every morning. I wonder if the people that live there realise how amazing it is if they haven’t lived anywhere else. Simply amazing vista.
If you grew up here, the rest of the country would be rather plain wouldn’t it!
veramente fantastico: un Canada meraviglioso! grazie
Grazie!!!
Wonderful photos and scenery. It is amazing that people can still live in such a small town and thrive. I looked up the population and as of 2016, Trinity had 169 people. Your hike looked lovely. Thanks for sharing this great long road trip.
It is a small little town. There are quite a few small towns on the east coast, and you’re right it’s great that they can thrive. I know Trinity relies on tourists but many are still active fishing towns. Thanks for coming along on the roadtrip! Maggie
I can honestly say, this is probably one of the most picturesque towns I’ve ever seen! Love the lighthouse … and the fog rolling in makes it even more photogenic.
I agree, it’s the most picturesque town we’ve seen too. We thought the fog would make it worse, but it actually resulted in a few interesting pictures. Thanks for your comments! Maggie
Wow, what a lovely little town, Maggie, it is certainly break-your-heart pretty – can you imagine living there and being surrounded by so much nature and beauty? I love the red, yellow, white, mint, peach, and bright blue buildings, they look darn good on camera. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
It is such a camera ready town. It almost seems as if it was created just for pictures. Thanks for reading Aiva! Maggie
Wow! it looks really really nice and Trinity is a place I would like to spend some time.
Also, the trail that leads to Fort Point Lighthouse looks very nice too.
Yes it’s such an adorable spot, we love it ! Thanks for your comments! Maggie
That’s a stunning little town.
I loved your post and all your wonderful images
Thank you Luisa, glad it’s cuteness came through 😊 Maggie
It is I who thank you for introducing me to such a beautiful place
Picture perfect, and I love the lighthouse with the backdrop of cliffs. What a lovely place!
Thanks Jo, it almost seems to perfectly placed to be an actual town, but it is! Thanks for reading 🙂 Maggie
No wonder you had your heart stolen. Your photos show such a wealth of picturesque and scenic sites.
Thanks Tanja, it is one of the cutest towns I’ve ever seen. Thanks for your comments. Maggie
I was skeptical on how cute the town would be and then I saw all the little houses scattered along the peninsula and…well, you’ve convinced me. Also I think Trinity’s population may grow after this post LOL!
Haha! Glad I didn’t oversell. I am still in love with this town and could see myself moving there too. 😊
That was a great journey and I was right there, with you. The fog took me by surprise, but you caught some beautiful shots, with and without it.
Thanks! It was a real treat to see these views. The fog caught us by surprise too, although by then we had seen so much fog in Newfoindland I don’t know why it did! Thanks for coming along! Maggie
I remember you said “Wait ’til you see Newfoundland!” in response to a comment I made about another cute town on your route. You were right! This is beyond charming – I love it!
Haha, glad I didn’t disappoint! Trinity is one of the cutest towns of all, but there are still a few more scenes to come, especially in St. John’s.
The place looks so different in sun and fog. Lovely both ways though
Yes, it’s picturesque from all angles and all weather!
Trinity is a very picturesque town and your pictures capture all its beauty and charm. Skerwink Trail was one of my favourite hikes when we visited Newfoundland a few years ago. It’s crazy how quickly the fog rolled in.
The fog came in so fast, we could see if very far out and watched it inch closer and closer. The whole Trinity area is so pretty, we loved it! Thank for your comments 🙂 Maggie
A delightful place. Off the beaten track. Thanks for writing about it.
We had never heard of it before planning our trip, and even then it wasn’t on the usual tourist trail. But it was such a great find. Thanks for reading:) Maggie
Wow! Going all the way to the far eastern corner of Canada to find this pretty little town must have been worth the time and effort. Trinity seems to be perfectly positioned in the most beautiful setting, with fog or not. Those heritage buildings, the awe-inspiring natural landscape, and the hiking trail, I think it’s impossible not to love this place.
We had no idea that we would see so many cute towns on this trip, but Trinity was completely unexpected. You’re right this little town has it all. Western Canada may have spectacular mountains but we don’t have those cute towns like the east coast. Thanks for reading Bama!
The town is straight out of a storybook. The views are stunning, and I think you were fortunate to experience the fog even if the fog horn was annoying.
It almost seems like a made up town because it’s so perfect. In the end we got great pictures because of the fog but I didn’t know how loud those fog horns are! Thanks for your input! Maggie
Adorable indeed! I love all the bright colors.
The colours make the pretty setting even nicer don’t they?! Maggie
It really is adorable, that church is stunning. It’s crazy how different it looks in the nice weather versus the mist, but either way it’s beautiful
At first we were upset about the fog but it did allow for a different view and interesting pictures. Thanks for your input Hannah, Maggie
Indeed… beautiful town!! Great captures, Maggie!
Thanks Jyothi!
Stunning photos! Trinity certainly is a cute town. I love the brightly colored buildings.
Thank you! Trinity is one of the cutest towns I’ve ever seen! Thanks for your comments! Maggie
Those colourful houses are absolutely lovely!
Aren’t they?! This town is truly adorable. Thanks for your comments!! Maggie
Wow, what a sight Trinity is! I share your disbelief in how perfect this place is. Looks almost like a toy. The last photo is sublime!
Thanks Leighton! Trinity was such a pleasant surprise. It almost looks too cute to be true. The fog completely changed its look but added another beauty. Thanks for your comments! Maggie
WOW! What an absolutely beautiful place. Amazing photos. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Glad our pictures could show how cute Trinity is! Maggie
Loved our visit there in Trinity Bay in Newfoundland last summer. We went there to find the Puffins .so amazing. You enjoyed your time there.
Anita
It is just the cutest town isn’t it?! We love Trinity. Thanks for your comments Anita, Maggie
🥰
Great photos and you couldn’t have described the town better: idyllic. I love that photo of that domed cloud over that domed spit of land jutting out into the water. I’m sure there’s a name for that kind of cloud formation, but I don’t know it.
In the mountains I think it would be lenticular, but over the ocean, I have no idea. It was a cool scene regardless of the name 😉 Maggie
Very picturesque, with or without the fog🙂 You made us all wishing to go there🥰
Love it!
Thanks Christie, as you can probably tell we were very enamored with this little town. It’s a must if you ever travel to Nfld. 😊 Maggie
Beautiful photos! Looks perfect from a postcard or movie set (Aquaman).
Thanks, it almost seems to be too perfect to be real doesn’t it?! I’ll have to watch Aquaman if they have cute movie set towns 😊 Thanks for reading! Maggie
No wonder you were blown away by Trinity, what a gorgeous picturesque town in an idyllic natural setting. Of all the great photos here, I love the one where the cloud follows the shape of the island. As you say, a fabulous way to end what has been a special trip.
It’s such a great spot in sun and fog. And I love it when a place is unexpectedly great. Hope you’re having a great time in California Maggie
Looks amazing! I hope to visit there sometime
It is a cute little town and well- worth a visit. Thanks for reading! Maggie
What a beautiful place. I bet people have lived there for thousands of years.
Possibly, the only history that I know of is since the 16th century. Indigenous records here were hard to find, but I’m sure they were. It’s such a beautiful pace it must have been inhabited prior. Thanks for reading! Maggie
What a wonderful area! Looks fun to explore!
Yes it’s an awesome little town!
I’m glad you had some sunshine in Trinity, it makes the colours of the houses even more vivid. It’s true that they are in a beautiful state of preservation and I remember reading that Trinity has been used several times as a film location. I was also interested in the setting simulating the drying of fish as it was in the old days.
I’m so glad we had a sunny day in Trinity. I had read that it was the site for a few movies, but I don’t know any of them. It would be fun to see some. Thanks for your comments 🙂 Maggie
You may have found the loveliest spot in Newfoundland, and so nice that the sun came out to light the colors of the houses. The fog around the lighthouse made for some nice photos too.
Yes, I dream of living in Trinity. I can’t believe that its an actual town and not a movie set. Blue sky or fog, we had great views. Thanks for your comments Ruth! Maggie
Oh such a cute place! It really reminds me of small towns in Iceland. The coast looks so beautiful too – I’m a sucker for sea stacks! Your posts are really making me want to visit eastern Canada more.
Newfoundland does remind me if pictures I’ve seen in Iceland. Gorgeous coast with remote but cute, bright villages. We absolutely loved our trip to Atlantic Canada. Maggie
interesting how spread out it is for a town of that size
Yes I guess they like their personal space on the island.😊
A spectacular place and the magical fog makes it look mysterious.
It was one of our favourite spots on the whole trip. The town looks great in any weather 🙂 Thanks for your comments, Maggie
This is so beautiful, it looks like it was specifically designed for a movie or photo shoot.
It does at that. It really is the perfect little town. Thanks for reading! Maggie
So beautiful!
I so want to visit Newfoundland……great supporting info in your posts, Monkey’s Tail
Thank you Michael, we fell in love with Newfoundland. It’s as unique and charming as you expect it to be😊 Maggie
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