We have had the pleasure of staying in Barbados with the family, and we completed an article covering the Seabreeze Beach House Review, but our stay wasn’t just about the accommodation. We managed to get out and explore the island, and we’ve put together some great ideas for families visiting the location.
1. Travel underground on a tram in Harrison’s Cave
Harrison’s Cave is one of Barbados’ most amazing sights. It is one of the few places in the world where you can travel on a tram into the heart of a mountain! You get to explore the caves which were discovered in early 1830s, but because of their natural challenges, were only really opened up to greater exploration in the 1970s.
It was opened to the public in 1981, and is a must see for the kids, as you travel through the amazing halls, alongside the running water, and experience the columns, stalagmites, and stalactites.
The tram is a fabulous experience for the kids, and cuts out the whining, as you don’t have to walk anywhere!
Price: US$60 and US$30 for children (12+). You can book tours from your hotel that would include the price of entry in the total cost.
2. Take a trip on a Catamarran for a chill out day
You haven’t experienced relaxed until you’ve been on a Catamaran around the Barbadian coast. Tiami offer a few options for these cruises, including a full five hours, which we did with the kids and adored.
Go in your swim wear, and you can snorkel with turtles, swim out to a beach, and take a dip by jumping off the side of the boat.
Depending on where you are staying, your hotel might even be able to book the tour. We were able to book through Seabreeze Beach House during our stay.
Price: US$96, $US76 for children (13-17) and $US26 (4-12) though your hotel is likely to have better deals available.
3. Visit the shipwrecks and swim with turtles in Carlisle Bay
Carlisle Bay is the huge, white, and beautiful stretch of sand that Bridgetown nestles by. You could be forgiven for thinking that it is awash with colourful bars, and a haven for those that want to experience the nightlife on the island, alongside its beach life. However, it is well worth taking your snorkels (with older children who are strong swimmers), or taking a trip on a glass-bottomed boat, so you can see the wonders that lurk beneath the sea in this bay.
Do you see what we mean? This really was an amazing experience – just look at these squid!
If you are snorkelling, swim straight out from the gazebo on the shoreline to the bouys, and there are six shipwrecks for you to explore without having to use SCUBA equipment.
By far the best of the ships is the Berwyn, as it is only located about 7-10ft below the surface and sunk in 1932. It is the nearest to you AND had been around for the longest to encourage the marine animals to stick around.
4. Explore the smells, and colours in Hunte’s Gardens
Antony Hunte is a horticulturalist who developed these gardens within the rainforests of Barbados; in a sink hole like gully.
The flowers and vegetation he has cultivated through years of hard work is a sight to behold, and makes for a perfect, cooling stroll on the island. It is a great alternative to another trip to the beach.
Thankfully, upon entry you are given directions for the best way around the garden, and a picture board with a leaflet, so you know what flower varieties, and other attractions you are looking for, or at. The information sheet even includes the owners rescue dog, and their cat, Miss Marble. Both were rather a big hit with the kids…
5. Watch green monkey feeding time at Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Barbados even has it’s own Wildlife Reserve; born from the development of a research centre established in 1982 by primatologist Jean Baulu and his wife, Suzanne. It was expanded with money from Canada in 1985, and will give the kids a good 1-2 hours of exploring with plenty of other animals to take a look at, including Tortoise Caiman, Mara’s, Parrots, and of course, the Green Monkeys.
Watch out for the surfing monkeys!
It is worth making sure you are there for the monkey feeding time (early afternoon, check with your hotel as it depends on the season), so you don’t miss out on the baby monkey’s coming to feed with their mums.
6. Snorkel at Folkestone Marina Park
Snorkelling is a wonderful way to explore the sea, and Folkestone Marina Park offers a really easy way to see marine life up close from a beach. Within the recreational zone of the park, just off the beach near the museum and the information office, there is plenty of reef life for you and your family to explore.
We saw a wonderful selection of the life that Barbados reef fauna and flora has to offer.
Aside from the Marine life, the beaches here are stunning – it is well worth taking a little walk just around the headland from the car park. You won’t be disappointed….
7. Check out the Chattel shops in Holetown
Holetown is a beautiful little town just before the Folkestone Marina Park and is a good place for a stop off with its designer shops, restaurants, and the gorgeous Chattel shops just on the main street.
Chattel houses were originally used a small wooden houses that could easily be moved from place to place, and date back to the plantation days. Chattel means property – so seems suitable in this context.
8. Dive down to the depths (ish) on the Atlantis Submarine
Atlantic submarines have 12 dive sites across the globe, and one of them in is Barbados!
I don’t know about you, but our family had NEVER been on a submarine before, and what a wonderful opportunity to experience one; you get the see the reef life up close without even having to get wet. On our particular trip, we also went to look at a shipwreck too.
9. Visit Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday Night in a local bus
Fish is so important locally on Barbados, for food, for making a living, and for fun! In Oistins on a Friday night, both the tourists, and the locals gather to let their hair down after a busy week and enjoy some of the local catch, alongside having a bit of a party. It gets quite busy there, so do go down early to grab a table, before the rush. We went for around 6.30/7.00pm and it was already getting interesting…
And what a location to be enjoying it all in as well. We have a wonderful meal here with the kids, and can’t recommend it enough as an experience. Why not nip down on one of the Reggae buses; only US$1 (BAR$2) for pretty much any distance along the coast road. We loved these buses, so easy to catch, and loud, proud, and chaotic; just like Barbados. 😉
The beach at Oistins is gorgeous too – particularly when the sun is going down.
10. Visit when it’s Crop Over festival
Bajans celebrate the harvest from June until the beginning of August, and there are a few events in and around Bridgetown to celebrate.
The biggest and the best is the final weekend, often into the Monday, where there is a massive parade called the Grand Kardooment, alongside the Kiddie Kardooment too.
The music, the dancing, and the atmosphere are a big part of Bajan culture, so if you can visit when its on; do try!
We hope you like these ideas for enjoying Barbados. We have a wonderful time there, thanks to Tropical Sky, and we hope you enjoy yourself when you visit too.
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See you again soon!
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!