Free
Skerwink Trail
A free clifftop loop between Trinity East and Port Rexton, with views of stacks, the open Atlantic and Trinity harbour.
Home / Guides / Bonavista and Trinity
Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland
Bonavista and Trinity
Two harbour towns on the Bonavista Peninsula, with a free clifftop trail above Trinity, a collapsed sea cave in a day-use park, puffins at Elliston, and the lighthouse at Cape Bonavista.
Photo: The Skerwink Trail on the Bonavista Peninsula, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Trinity is a small, brightly painted harbour town tucked into a sheltered inlet. Just up the road, the Skerwink Trail follows the cliffs between Trinity East and Port Rexton, with views back to the harbour and out to isolated stacks.
Half an hour north, Bonavista is a working harbour at the tip of the peninsula. The Dungeon Provincial Park is a collapsed sea cave you look into from the meadow. Elliston, a few minutes away, is one of the closest places in North America to watch puffins from shore. The Cape Bonavista Lighthouse stands on the point John Cabot is said to have sighted.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
The Dungeon Provincial Park
A day-use park on the Bonavista shore, where a collapsed sea cave opens a hole in the meadow to the ocean. Stay back from the edge.
Free
Elliston puffin viewing site
A shore lookout a few minutes from Bonavista, one of the closest land views of nesting Atlantic puffins in North America. Birds are usually present from early May to mid-September.
Season Puffins are usually present from early May to mid-September (check before you go).
Free
Bonavista harbour
A working harbour and waterfront in the town, with fishing stages, boats and a walk along the shore.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Historic Trinity
A compact, colourful harbour town of wooden houses, churches and a sheltered inlet, easy to walk from end to end.
Free
Elliston root cellars
Dozens of traditional root cellars in the hills of Elliston, which calls itself the root-cellar capital of the world. Free to see from the road and paths.
Cheap
Cape Bonavista Lighthouse
A striped 1843 lighthouse on the cape, a provincial historic site, with views of the headland and, in season, puffins and icebergs.
Season Seasonal. The 2027 season is scheduled mid-May–early October (check before you go).
Cheap
Ryan Premises National Historic Site
A restored fish-merchant premises on the Bonavista waterfront, telling the story of the inshore fishery.
Season Seasonal; recently early June–early October, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (check before you go).
Cheap
Mockbeggar Plantation
A provincial historic site on the Bonavista shore, a merchant house and outbuildings from the town's fishing heyday.
Season Seasonal. The 2027 season is scheduled mid-May–early October (check before you go).
Cheap
Trinity Sites
A cluster of provincial historic buildings in Trinity, including period houses and a visitor centre in the old town.
Season Seasonal. The 2027 season is scheduled mid-May–early October (check before you go).
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Bonavista shops and studios
Independent shops, studios and cafés in the harbour town, a short walk from the premises and the waterfront.
Free
Trinity shops and studios
A handful of shops and galleries in the historic harbour, easy to take in on a walk through town.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Cape Bonavista Lighthouse
Admission to the provincial historic lighthouse on the cape.
Season Seasonal. The 2027 season is scheduled mid-May–early October (check before you go).
Ryan Premises National Historic Site
Admission to the restored fish-merchant premises on the Bonavista waterfront.
Season Seasonal; recently early June–early October, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (check before you go).
Trinity Sites
Admission to the provincial historic buildings in Trinity.
Season Seasonal. The 2027 season is scheduled mid-May–early October (check before you go).
Part of our Eastern Newfoundland guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Skerwink, the two harbours and the puffin shore are too much for a single pass.
- The lighthouse and the provincial sites are better in the morning, before the tour buses.
- St. John's is about three hours away; this peninsula rewards a night, not a day trip from the capital.
Nearby and worth the drive
Ready-made trips with Bonavista and Trinity
Good to know
- Tourism: newfoundlandlabrador.com has official pages for Bonavista and Trinity.
- Historic sites: The Cape Bonavista Lighthouse, Mockbeggar Plantation and the Trinity Sites are provincial historic sites, seasonal. Ryan Premises is a Parks Canada site, also seasonal. Check hours before you go.
- Cliffs: Stay back from the edge at the Dungeon and on the Skerwink Trail. The rock is undercut, and the wind can be strong.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The Skerwink Trail on the Bonavista Peninsula, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Dungeon, a collapsed sea cave near Bonavista, Ryan Sharpe, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Atlantic puffins at Elliston, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bonavista harbour, Yergoneby, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Trinity harbour from the Skerwink Trail, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Cape Bonavista Lighthouse, ErixS, CC BY-SA 3.0