Trinity: History, Craft and Discovery

Trinity is a destination for anyone who wants to do more than simply look at historic streetscapes and would like to experience culture in different ways. Options include museums and historic sites, hands-on activities, a guided theatrical walking tour, and tours on the water. Those who enjoy hiking or exploring a place on foot will also find ways to do so. When choosing a vacation rental in Trinity, you can first consider whether history and crafts, outdoor activities, or experiences in Trinity Bay should shape your stay.

Historic traces in the streetscape

The Trinity Historic Area is a municipal heritage district designated for its cultural, historical and aesthetic value. It preserves a remarkable part of the town’s character from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Architecture enthusiasts may want to pay particular attention to the Church of the Most Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church: the wood-framed church was built in 1833 in the Gothic Revival style. The Church of the Most Holy Trinity is also the oldest surviving wooden church on the island.

Other places tell stories of trade, work and defence. The Lester-Garland House, reconstructed as a museum and education centre, presents Trinity’s role as a centre of trade and commerce in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The Fort Point site tells the story of the salt fish trade in the harbour. Fort Point, also known as Admiral’s Point, was built by the British in 1748 to protect Trinity’s commercial interests. The Green Family Forge was restored in 1991 and opened as a museum.

Discover history for yourself

At the Trinity Sites, you can choose a guided tour with an interpreter or explore the site on your own. This offers different ways to experience the places: a guided tour gives you the chance to hear about them, while exploring independently lets you decide what to focus on. At the Trinity Visitor Centre, you can explore the exhibition about Trinity Bight.

Some activities invite you to try things for yourself. During the operating season, visitors to the Trinity Museum can try traditional mat hooking with fabric scraps. At the Mercantile Premises, you can tie knots or write with a quill. At Hiscock House, you can try on historical costumes. At the Cooperage, you can watch the cooper at work; the museum brings history to life. These varied activities give your stay a focus on crafts and culture without limiting you to a single way of learning about history.

Rising Tide Theatre offers another way to discover stories from Newfoundland with a guided walking tour. Actors perform songs and stories from life in Newfoundland’s outports. If you prefer to explore on your own, you can walk around Trinity or join a guided town tour.

Hiking and experiences on the water

From Trinity, you can hike the UNESCO Discovery Trail. This gives you the choice of spending a day visiting historic sites and exhibitions or spending time on a hiking trail. Trinity Eco-Tours offers guided sea-kayaking and paddleboarding tours exploring Trinity Bay, sea caves and the coastline. Small-group boat tours and whale-watching tours in Trinity Bay are also available in Trinity. Hiking, paddling and boat tours are distinct options that you can choose according to the experiences that interest you most.

Visitor information

There is a free public gravel parking lot opposite the Trinity Visitor Centre. All the Trinity Sites are within a short walk from there. This specific landmark is useful when planning a visit to the historic sites. Your preferred activities may help you choose accommodation: Trinity combines historic discoveries with hiking and guided experiences on land and water.

If you’d like to discover more places, you can also visit Port Rexton, Sandringham, Bonavista, Knights Cove, Greenspond, Clarenville and Elliston.

For the broader travel overview: Division No. 7.