Rio Bueno

The first community in Trelawny across the border from St. Ann, Rio Bueno is considered by many experts to have been the actual landing point for Christopher Columbus on his second voyage, while that claim is also made for Discovery Bay. The port at Rio Bueno was an important export point, as can still be seen by the dilapidated warehouses and wharves along the waterfront beside the community's only accommodation, the Rio Bueno Hotel.

The small village is today undergoing somewhat of a renewal, with the new North Coast Highway bypassing the town entirely, which could ultimately enhance its picturesque appeal even while the busy Rio Braco rest stop will be less relevant.

The riverbank along the Rio Bueno is great for a stroll; visitors can see ruins of the Baptist Theological College. The college was the first of its kind in the hemisphere. Other ruins in town include those of Fort Dundas behind the school. The Rio Bueno Baptist Church was originally built in 1832 before being destroyed by the Colonial Church Union, whose mostly Anglican members organized militias to terrorize the abolitionist Baptists, who were upsetting the status quo. The church was quickly rebuilt twice as large in 1834, and the present structure was built in 1901. While the roof is largely missing, services are still held downstairs.

The Rio Bueno Anglican Chuch was built at the water's edge in 1833 and remains there today. The church was petitioned by the community after years of attending service in a rented space.

The extensive Gallery Joe James, on the grounds of the Lobster Bowl and Rio Bueno Hotel, displays artwork by proprietor Joe James, among other selected Jamaican artists. The gallery extends throughout the restaurant, bar, and hotel and makes for a surreal waterfront setting. The restaurant itself is enormous, with outside seating extending out on a dock along the waterfront, as well as inside a large dining hall.

The Rio Bueno Primary School up the road is sometimes used for entertainment and events.