After so long away, cruise vacations are slowly starting to come back. Tourists from all over the world will soon be hitting the ocean again as they tour some of the world’s most wondrous places.
Few places can deliver quite like the spice isle of Grenada. The country is famed for its warm people, fantastic seafood, and, of course, its abundance of familiar spices.
If you’re preparing for your dream Caribbean cruise, you’ll want to know what some of the best things to do in Grenada are. We’ve got you covered.
In This Article…
- 1. Explore St. George’s
- 2. Fish Friday
- 3. Hike through Grand Etang National Park
- 4. Taste The Spice of Life
- 5. Walk Around Fort Fredrick
- 6. Golfing at Grenada Golf and Country Club
- 7. Snorkeling at Flamingo Bay
- 8. Experience Chocolate Heaven
- 9. Bird Watching in Levera National Park
- 10. Enjoy BBQ the Grenadian Way
- 11. See the Beautiful Sands of Black Bay Beach
- 12. Explore the Wreckage of The Bianca C
- 13. Visit the River Antoine Rum Distillery
- 14. Relax at Grande Anse Beach
- 15. Absorb the History at the Grenada National Museum
- 16. Tour the Island by Car
- FAQs on Things to Do in Grenada
1. Explore St. George’s
Where better to start than Grenada’s capital of St. George’s? Most of the island’s inhabitants live in this historic town.
The town is truly a sight to behold, with beautiful gothic cathedrals and quaint, picturesque homes lining the streets that sit atop the crisp and clear Caribbean water.
While you’re in the capital, be sure to check out market square and discover for yourself why Grenada is often dubbed “spice island.” Other worthwhile sights are Fort George and the country’s parliamentary buildings.
2. Fish Friday
You can’t come to Grenada and not get stuck in to fish Friday. Fish Friday is a weekly seafood festival held in the village of Gouyave. The festival was started to develop the local community and is seen as a year-round extension of the annual Fisherman’s Birthday celebrations.
Take a stroll up and down the village streets, where traffic is non-existent. The streets will be lined with countless stalls, all selling deliciously cooked fresh seafood. While you peruse the endless selection of seafood, you can listen to the rhythms of the live Caribbean music on show every week.
You’ll be able to tuck into lobster, shrimp, cod cakes, BBQ snapper, and so much more. This will be one of the cultural highlights of your Grenada trip.
3. Hike through Grand Etang National Park
Calling all nature lovers, Grenada is the place for you. You’ll have some amazing trails for hikes, but few can deliver like the Grand Etang National Park.
Take a hike up the rugged terrain and into the pristine tropical rainforest. Go with a guide to learn all about the different species of plants and animals that you’re bound to see on your hike.
You’ll get plenty of exercise as you spend the day ascending through the rainforest. All that hard work is worth the gorgeous waterfalls and other scenery you’ll see along the way.
4. Taste The Spice of Life
Grenada’s nickname of “spice island” is well deserved. The island is home to large amounts of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves.
Make the most of your time on the island by taking a spice tour. You can go to a nutmeg factory to see how the famous spice is processed. You’ll also find yourself visiting the incredible Dougaldston Estate.
Cocoa, mace, pimento, cloves, and cinnamon are all processed at the estate. It’s a fascinating insight into how our favorite spices end up in our kitchens. It’s also an interesting look into the island’s past, as spices often played a vital role.
5. Walk Around Fort Fredrick
Fort Fredrick is one of the most important sites in Grenada’s colonial past. It is steeped in over 250 years of history.
Surrounded by beautiful scenery, Fort Fredrick is Grenada’s best-preserved European fortification. You can take a guided tour around the whole area to learn its fascinating past and soak up all the history.
The whole fort is adjoined to the adjacent Fort Matthews. Tours of both the forts will educate you on the island’s colonial history and explain how both the British and the French vied for control of the land.
For a bonus activity, check out the nearby Annandale waterfall.
6. Golfing at Grenada Golf and Country Club
Want to spend a day of your Grenada vacation taking it easy and playing a round of golf? They’ve got you covered.
Check out the Grenada Golf and Country Club for a place to tee off. The club was built in the 1930s and has nine holes. Players wanting to do a full 18-hole game can do so as each hole comes with two different tee-off boxes.
The club has no age restrictions, and it will cost around $42USD to play 18-holes. Walk-ins are possible, but it’s best to book your game in advance.
7. Snorkeling at Flamingo Bay
You can’t come to the Caribbean without getting in the crystal blue ocean and seeing what’s down there. Head to Flamingo Bay–one of Grenada’s top diving sites–for a spot of snorkeling.
The bay is completely protected as it lies within the Marine Park Area. Under the water, you can expect to find giant coral reefs and a whole host of fantastic tropical fish.
If you keep your eyes peeled, you may be able to spot lobsters, seahorses, and arrow crabs. The waters around Grenada are as pristine as they come, and there’s no end to the number of fabulous sea creatures you can find while you’re snorkeling.
8. Experience Chocolate Heaven
It’s not just spices that Grenadians do so well. They’re also the chocolate capital of the Caribbean.
Grenada’s winning combination of volcanic soil, near-constant sunshine, and warm ocean air make the island ideal for growing cocoa. The plants were first introduced to the island in 1714, and by the mid-1700s, Grenada had become one of the world’s leading chocolate manufacturers.
Take a chocolate tour of the island to watch and learn how cocoa is harvested, processed, and transformed into delicious chocolate. After your tour is done, head to the village of Petit-Anise for an unforgettable lunch.
9. Bird Watching in Levera National Park
Grenada’s national parks are a spectacle to behold, and none are more beautiful than the Levera National Park.
The park is around 450 acres in size and plays host to some of the island’s most spectacular views. It has a beach that is very popular on weekends.
If you love wildlife, this is the place for you. The park’s lagoon is a great place to sit and spend the day bird-watching. The park is a bird haven, and you expect to see herons, stilts, snipes, and so many other species of bird.
10. Enjoy BBQ the Grenadian Way
Grenadians love to BBQ their food. You can find exquisite jerk chicken or BBQ fish from anywhere on the island. If you’re after a real treat, though, you need to give Roger’s Barefoot Beach Bar a visit when you’re in St. George’s.
People flock from all over to spend a day at the bar eating and drinking their worries away. You can take a quick dip in the ocean to cool off before getting right back to the bar for more delicious BBQ food and moreish cocktails.
If you’re after another beach bar, the nearby Umbrella Beach bar is one of the most highly rated in the whole country.
11. See the Beautiful Sands of Black Bay Beach
The island of Grenada is home to five volcanic centers. Because of this volcanic activity, Grenada is home to some rare and beautiful black sand beaches. The most breathtaking of these is the Black Bay Beach.
The beach lies within the parish of St. John on Grenada’s main island. It’s easily accessible via a 20-minute hike off of the main concord highway. You can take a day to bask in the black sand and soak up the tropical paradise.
For those who are feeling more adventurous, try exploring the Black Bay Cave at the beach. It’s one of the most extraordinary Grenada attractions. In the cave, you can find ancient Amerindian markings made by the first inhabitants of the island.
12. Explore the Wreckage of The Bianca C
This one is for the dark tourists.
In 1961, a gigantic ocean liner called The Bianca C was being towed through the waters of Grenada by a British naval vessel. During the voyage, an explosion in the engine room caused a fire that spread throughout the rest of the ship.
All of the passengers and crew were thankfully evacuated and taken to safety, where the wonderful local Grenadian people looked after them. The ship, however, sank to the ocean floor.
The wreckage still lies 50 meters below the water at the bottom of Whibbles Reef, and you can take guided scuba dives of the site. During your dive, you’ll be able to explore the history of the site and witness how many different marine species have since made the wreckage their home.
13. Visit the River Antoine Rum Distillery
Rum and the Caribbean are a match made in heaven. While most people think of Cuba or Barbados or their rum, Grenada has the longest-running distillery in the entire Caribbean region.
Grenada destinations don’t come much more interesting than The River Antoine Rum Distillery. You can explore the history of the distillery and learn about the production of rum and its historical significance.
Fascinatingly, the distillery still works in much the same way as it did in the 18th century. Workers still use the same water mill and wooden conveyor belt to crush and refine the sugarcane ready for rum production.
14. Relax at Grande Anse Beach
Protruding from the Southwestern tip of the main island lies one of the most stunning Grenada attractions. Grand Anse Beach is a must-visit for all beach lovers.
The beach is flanked by gently rising hills adorned with beautiful palm trees, and the sand is famed for being super soft. The shoreline is a vista of turquoise and crystal blue.
Spend the day lazing around on this beach and watching the catamarans bob around in the calm Caribbean waters. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to spot a dolphin majestically diving out of the water.
The beach isn’t short on refreshments and entertainment either. Hotels, bars, and shacks line the beach and serve up heavenly cocktails and hearty Caribbean food.
15. Absorb the History at the Grenada National Museum
In Grenada, things to do often revolve around getting outdoors and seeing the beaches and parks, but at the Grenada National Museum, you can learn about the entire history of this fascinating island and its wonderful people.
The museum is segmented into different areas that deal with a different aspect of the island’s history. These areas include slavery, the history of fishing on the island, and the plantation economy.
In addition to its usual exhibits, the museum often hosts cultural and musical events for people to enjoy.
16. Tour the Island by Car
Because Grenada is quite a small island, one of the best ways to see it all in a day is by car. You can hire private drivers to pick you up from your cruise terminal and take you on a whistle-stop tour of all the best sights the island has to offer.
The tour lasts around three hours and includes all of the famous highlights of the island. If there’s something more obscure that you want to see, you can talk to your driver and personalize your itinerary.
Also Read: IDEAL Things to Do in Antigua
FAQs on Things to Do in Grenada
After reading the list above, you’ll have some fantastic ideas for great things to do while you’re in Grenada. Let’s answer a few other questions that you might have before visiting.
The best time to visit Grenada depends on your preferences and availability. Generally speaking, though, the best time to visit will be during July and August.
This is widely considered the best time to visit anywhere in the Caribbean while on a cruise. The price may be slightly higher during these months, though, so if you’re after the best possible deal, then other months might be better for you.
The currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC). US Dollars are widely accepted, though. Hotels and car rentals will accept most major credit cards.
The most commonly spoken language in Grenada is English. Because of the country’s past as a colonial outpost for both the British and the French, you may also hear people speaking a French-based patois.
