20 Things to Do in Barbados

Barbados packs an extraordinary range of experiences into a small island. From world-class beaches and historic rum distilleries to UNESCO heritage sites and Friday night fish fries — here are 20 things you shouldn’t miss. A rental car makes it easy to tick off every one.

Nature and Outdoor Activities

• Swim with sea turtles at Paynes Bay — hawksbill turtles feed in the shallows most mornings
• Explore Harrison’s Cave — dramatic limestone caverns by electric tram in St. Thomas
• Hike Welchman Hall Gully — a lush tropical ravine with green monkeys
• Visit Hunte’s Gardens — a hidden horticultural masterpiece in a gully in St. Joseph
• Surf the Soup Bowl at Bathsheba — one of the Caribbean’s best breaks
• Walk the Animal Flower Cave — sea anemones in natural caves at North Point
• Birdwatching at Graeme Hall Swamp — Barbados’s only inland mangrove

History and Culture

• Bridgetown and its Garrison — UNESCO World Heritage Site — colonial military heritage in the capital
• St. Nicholas Abbey — a 17th-century Jacobean plantation house with working rum still
• Sunbury Plantation House — fully furnished Georgian great house open to the public
• Barbados Museum and Historical Society — the island’s history from Amerindian settlement to independence
• Speightstown — Barbados’s well-preserved second city with Georgian architecture

Food, Drink, and Entertainment

• Oistins Fish Fry — the unmissable Friday night event: fresh mahi-mahi, local rum, live music
• Mount Gay Rum Distillery Tour — the world’s oldest rum brand, based in Bridgetown
• Foursquare Rum Distillery — multi-award-winning distillery in St. Philip
• Watch horse racing at the Garrison Savannah — a uniquely Bajan Saturday tradition
• Crop Over Festival — Barbados’s biggest annual celebration (July–August)

Beach and Water Activities

• Snorkel the Carlisle Bay shipwrecks — six wrecks in shallow, clear water near Bridgetown
• Kitesurfing at Silver Sands — consistent trade winds make this a world-class venue
• Catamaran cruise down the west coast — popular half-day excursion with sea turtle swimming stops

The best way to experience all 20? With your own car. Book with appaRent and explore Barbados on your schedule.