From St. John’s Newfoundland, we were forced to begin the trip back to Channel-Port aux Basques to catch the ferry to Nova Scotia as the ferry from St. John’s back to the mainland would have required that Bailey stay in the RV on the ferry alone for about 15 hours without a bathroom break. We didn’t mind as there was a lot more to see and do on the way back, including Bonavista (a town Chevrolet labeled as “Most Road Trippable” Town in Canada), Port Rexton, and Trinity!
Sights included an historic lighthouse, more puffins, and my favorite Newfoundland hike!
Cape Bonavista Provincial Historic Site – Lighthouse and Cabot Statue
This striking, red and white striped, 1843 lighthouse is one of the most photographed places in Newfoundland and Labrador! While we were there, puffins were nesting on a tiny, craggy island nearby so we could see them from the shore. During certain times of the year, Cape Bonavista is also a good place to see icebergs and whales.
A short walk from the lighthouse is a statue of John Cabot, a Genoese-born, English-backed adventurer, who may have landed at this site in 1497 with his second expedition to North America. What did he find when he landed? Fish…and lots of them! The race was on to scoop them up, dry them out, and ship them to Europe.
There’s lots to see in Cape Bonavista and the location was an excellent spot for boondocking, so we stayed overnight. There were multiple flat spots to park and plenty of other RVers in the area, but you’re still likely to find a spot.
Cape Bonavista 
Puffins
Dungeon Provincial Park
On the Cape Bonavista Peninsula is the Dungeon Provincial Park. Horses along the road to this provincial park were icing on the cake. The main attraction was a collapsed sea cave that was really unusual and just a short walk from the parking area.
Dungeon Provincial Park
Elliston
North of Elliston, at Spillars Cove, we took a short walk to view some irregular pillars, tiny islands, and steep drop-off cliffs.
South of Elliston, nearer Maberly, signs in town directed us to the puffin colony in the area. We passed a root cellar before arriving cliffside. Like the puffins at Bonavista, with a good camera or nice binoculars, you’ll have tons of fun watching these little guys bop around their island. Even without a zoom lens or binoculars you’ll enjoy their short awkward cliffside runs to the edge as they dive bomb into the water.
Spillars Cove
Root Cellar 
Elliston
Puffins 
Bonavista
The town itself was unpretentious and very walkable. Take the Old Day’s Pond Boardwalk around the Bonavista harbor to photograph the rainbow of colored homes that surround the area. Then stop at the Matthew Legacy, a museum that houses a replica of Cabot’s ship, the Matthew, and tells the story of his journey. A reproduction of this small wooden ship that sailed from Bristol England to Newfoundland was built to recognize the 500th anniversary of the journey. After 2 years of work and $3.8M spent, it sailed across the Atlantic where it was welcomed in Bonavista by Queen Elizabeth II and 30,000 spectators.
Bonavista 
Old Days Pond Boardwalk 
The Matthew 
Skerwink Trail
Leaving Elliston we drove towards Trinity and stopped to hike the Skerwink Trail. This cliffside trail wraps its way around gorgeous bays. The trail was enchanting with lots of boardwalks and staircases that passed through thick forests before opening up on stunning vistas. It was my favorite hike in Newfoundland, so please add it to your must-see list!
We camped that night at an odd, but acceptable, campground in Lockston Path Provincial Park.
Skirwink Trail 
Trinity
If you haven’t had your fill of cheerful little harbors, Trinity is a good stop. This white picket fence community was used as a film location for the 2001 film “The Shipping News”. Downtown they had a number of historic buildings that can be toured, but we didn’t have the time to do so. With a small theater, cute bed and breakfasts, multiple places to eat, and whale watching tours, this is a popular Newfoundland stop.
Trinity
Luckily, all of these locations are close together (less than 2 hours of total driving) so I’m not going to recommend one stop over another (which would be tough as I enjoyed them all for different reasons)! Definitely spend a few days in this area if you go to Newfoundland. It’s worth it!
