20 Things To Do In Grenada

Grenada, commonly known as the Spice Isle, is a tiny collection of picture-perfect Caribbean islands with stretches of white sand beach, sparkling blue water and swaying palm trees – it’s a true heaven on earth. Far from a copycat paradise island, with its own lively local culture, epic landscapes, there’s a variety of things to do in Grenada for all ages.

Its nickname hints at its spice-laden history, as nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon and more are grown in Grenada, and food and drink are a rich part of the culture, where you can enjoy locally distilled rum and beer or enjoy a fresh seafood fry-up at a beach bar every day. There are national parks, cascading waterfalls, incredible underwater marine life, a tonne of history and more.

Grenada, Caribbean

20 Things To Do In Grenada

1- Tour The River Antoine Rum Distillery

What better way to kick off an exploration of Grenadian culture than by heading to its most famous rum distillery, River Antoine, the oldest-running rum distillery in the Caribbean.

This distillery hasn’t changed since 1785, with all the same machinery and processes used today, including the oldest water wheel in the Caribbean.

Take a tour around the site to see how they process the sugar cane into the final product, which you can do tastings of or buy a bottle to take home – although the most potent bottles aren’t legally allowed off the island.

Recommended tour: Rum Tour: Exploring the Historic River Antoine Rum Distillery

2- Relax On Grand Anse Beach

Grand Anse is the largest and most popular beach in Grenada, and although it can get crowded, it’s big enough to always find a sunny spot for the day.

Located in the southwest of Grenada, it has genuinely golden sand and impossibly blue water, perfect for swimming, snorkelling or kayaking, which are all available at shops behind the beach or through nearby hotels.

The beach’s popularity has led to many bars and hotels popping up alongside it, where you can enjoy a bite to eat or a cold cocktail, and the area usually catches incredible sunsets.

Recommended tour: Sunset & Champagne Cruise under sails on a Classic Schooner in Grand Anse Bay

3- Explore Grand Etang National Park

If you’re after a little more adventure, hiking in Grand Etang National Park will be right up your street.

The National Park is in the centre of Grenada and is home to lush forests, palm tree groves and mountainous terrain, all surrounding the beautiful Grand Etang Lake in the middle.

There are a variety of trails through the park, which allow you to explore fully and you’re likely to spot local wildlife such as monkeys, hawks, hummingbirds and mongoose.

Head up to the summit of Mount Qua Qua for the best views over the park and lake below.

Recommended tour: Half-Day Grenada Seven Sisters, Grand Etang Nature Center Hiking Tour

4- Discover Hog Island

Hog Island is a stretch of sand accessed via a bridge or by boat, where locals and tourists alike love to hang out and soak up the sun.

If you want to chill out, bring some picnic food and your beach set-up for a day on the sand, or visit one of the local bars and cafes.

One of the best is Roger’s Barefoot Beach Bar, which hosts weekly beachside grills that include jerk meats, fresh seafood and other tasty barbecue dishes, accompanied by music, dancing and a generally lively atmosphere.

5- Explore St. George

The lively, colourful capital of Grenada is the heart of the country and is filled with brightly coloured houses and fishing boats moored in the harbour, local markets, museums, historic attractions and great restaurants and bars.

Laid out in a U-shape around its harbour, the city centres around the main market square where there’s always something happening, and you can find locals selling produce, souvenirs and of course, bags and bags of spices.

For a dose of history, there’s also Fort St George and 18th-century fort, which has the best views of the capital.

Recommended tour:

• Grand Tours Grenada
• Guided Tour of Grenada

6- Step Back In History At Fort Frederick

History buffs won’t run out of things to do in Grenada, with its rich colonial history.

Aside from Fort St George, there’s also Fort Frederick, which overlooks the capital city.

A centuries-old European fort, Fort Frederick was built by the French in 1779 and is one of the oldestbastions in the Caribbean.

It only costs $2 to enter the fort and there are guided tours which will help you learn more about the fort’s history, spanning from French rule to the Grenada Revolution in 1979, including exploring some of its tunnels and taking in the views over the island and ocean from the top.

Recommended tour: Island Adventure Tour: Waterfalls, Forts and Beaches

7- Go Snorkelling and Diving

The Caribbean is a mecca for any water-based activities and snorkelling and diving in Grenada are world-class.

Some of the best snorkelling spots are found just off the west and south coast of Grenada itself, either straight from the beaches or via boat tours.

Grenada’s second-largest island, Carriacou, also has amazing snorkelling spots thanks to its location close to Turks & Caicos.

Close to St George is Grenada’s famous underwater sculpture park, which divers will love to explore.

A range of beautiful and slightly eerie sculptures of humans have been laid on the ocean floor, where coral and fish have now made their home, making it one of the most unique dive sites in the world.

Recommended tour: 4-hour Snorkel Cruise to Underwater Sculptures 

8- Beach Hop At Morne Rouge Bay

There are dozens of beaches to choose from across Grenada, but one of the best for a little more peace and seclusion is the lovely Morne Rouge Bay.

This spot is popular with everyone but particularly families, as the waters are warm and much calmer than other beaches.

It’s only a short way from Grand Anse Beach but gets fewer crowds, and is lined with palm trees rather than bars and hotels, although you will find a couple of beach huts for buying drinks and snacks.

You can reach Morne Rouge by car, but it’s easier to combine it with Grand Anse as you can walk between the two for a day of beach hopping.

9- Pick Spices At Laura’s Herb and Spice Garden

When on the Spice Isle, you simply can’t miss a visit to a spice garden and Laura Herb and Spice Garden is one of the best.

The garden grows most of Grenada’s most famous spices including nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pimento, cinnamon and vanilla, which you’ll be taken around by knowledgeable guides who will explain the growing and harvesting process.

You can pick, touch and smell the lovely spices and there are other plants, such as banana, mango, and cocoa trees on the property.

You can check out the gift shop to buy products made using the spices or bags of spices to take home with you.

Recommended tour: Grenada Spice Gardens, Rum & Chocolate Tour (Full/Half Day)

10- Go Island Hopping

There’s more to Grenada than Grenada itself, so one of the best things to do when visiting is to hop on a boat to Carriacou and Petit Martinique, which can often be done on a tri-island tour from Grenada.

Carriacou is Grenada’s second largest island and also reachable by ferry, with far less tourism and development than the main island, meaning virgin beaches and crystal clear water await, plus, it’s famous for its coral reefs and rum distilleries.

Petit Martinique is even smaller and more authentic, almost untouched, with volcanic landscapes, sandy beaches and fishing communities, which makes for a fascinating and relaxing day trip.

Recommended tour: Isle of Spice Adventure Tour

11- Taste Chocolate At Belmont Estate

Just like Trinidad, St Lucia and other Caribbean islands, Grenada produces one of the tastiest foods in the world – chocolate.

This 17th-century plantation is a popular tourist attraction, unsurprisingly, and you can take tours to see the full chocolate-making process, from the cocoa bean right to the delicious chocolate bar.

Aside from tours, they also have full experiences that include tours of the plantation and the chocolate-making process, including tastings followed by lunch with amazing views.

Even if you don’t book in, you can head to the restaurant for a snack, browse the onsite museum or pick up some sweet treats in the gift shop.

Recommended tour:

• Full-Day Tour: Concord Waterfall, Chocolate Factory, Rum Distillery, Grand Etang
• Belmont Estate Heritage Tour

12- Kayak Around Woburn Bay

For a slightly different adventure on the water, taking a tour of Grenada’s largest mangrove forest at Woburn Bay is a fascinating way to explore the local flora and fauna and learn more about one of the island’s most important ecosystems.

You can kayak yourself through the mangroves or take a tour, which will point out wildlife along the way such as diverse bird life like ospreys and herons, as well as turtles and iguanas.

You could combine it with a wider kayaking trip around the island on the open ocean for an active day of exploring.

13- Explore Levera National Park

Levera National Park is one of the most gorgeous areas of land in Grenada, home to the white sand Levera Beach, deep blue waters, mangrove forests, densely forested hills and wonderful views.

The park is particularly popular with twitchers, as a range of bird life lives in the area, such as snipes, herons, waterfowl and more.

If birds aren’t your thing, don’t worry, there’s an even cuter option.

Between April and July, Levera Beach sees hundreds of nesting turtles arrive, with mothers climbing out of the ocean to lay eggs on the beach.

The area is protected during this period but you can do organised visits with local conservationists.

14- Wander Around Gouyave

Around 40 minutes from the capital of St George is the fishing village of Gouyave, where you should head on a Friday for the best feast you’ll ever have.

Known locally as Fish Friday, the main streets, St Dominic and St Francis are lined with stalls selling super fresh seafood such as lobster, marlin and red snapper.

You can grab a beer from any of a dozen stalls or bars, pair your fish with a local baked dumpling and enjoy the evening.

The event normally begins around 6pm, with live music and steelpan playing, and continues late into the night.

15- Look For Friday BBQ Stalls

You may realise by now that food is a big part of Grenada island life, and if you can’t manage to make it up to Gouyave for Fish Friday, St George has its very own weekly celebration.

Each Friday local shops, restaurants and some hotels set up stalls to offer barbecue menus.

Most are accompanied by steel pans and bonfires close to the beach, and you can enjoy seafood, chicken and pork with locally grown potatoes, pumpkin and veggies – it’s a true Grenadian rite of passage.

Recommended tour: Grenada Island Food & Sightseeing Tour (Full/Half Day)

16- Feel The Sand Between Your Toes At Black Bay Beach

Grenada’s volcanic topography means you should expect more than one black sand beach, one of which is the beautiful Black Bay Beach near St John.

It’s a little tricky to reach via a 20-minute hike and it’s recommended to hire a guide, but the beach is secluded and rarely visited by tourists so you’ll likely have this unique spot to yourself.

Aside from the soft, black sand, you can also explore Black Bay Cave, which has ancient petroglyphs made by the Amerindians, who were the first settlers on the island.

Recommended tour: Half-Day Grenada Sunshine Highlights Tour

17- Get On The Water 

Snorkelling and diving are one thing, but there’s plenty more to do where water sports are concerned in Grenada.

If you fancy sailing around the other islands, you don’t have to do a tour, you could also charter a boat for the day or better yet go sailing yourself – even if you’ve never been there are plenty of places that offer lessons.

Kayaking, parasailing, jet skiing, deep-sea fishing – you name it, you can find it in Grenada.

Most hotels and resorts have some sort of equipment rental service, but if you’re out and about, the major beaches have plenty of shops and tour companies.

18- Hike To Concord Falls

Grenada has various waterfalls you can explore, including Annandale Falls and Mount Carmel Falls, but Concord Falls is one of the best for exploring and swimming.

It’s made up of three separate cascading falls, each reached via beautiful hikes – the first is fairly easy to reach while the other two take around 45 minutes.

There’s a small fee to enter the area but once you’re in you can explore the area, take a quick (but cold) dip in the falls and take photos of the surrounding nature.

Some people like to jump into the falls from higher areas although this is not recommended for the faint of heart.

There’s no need to bring anything except a towel, as drinks, souvenirs and snacks are sold here too.

Recommended tour:

• Seven Sisters Waterfalls Hike
• Half-Day Grenada River Tubing Adventure and Annandale Falls

19- Hike Mount St. Catherine

Active, daring adventurers may seek to conquer Grenada’s hardest challenge: reaching the peak of Mount St Catherine, which is Grenada’s highest point.

This extinct strato-volcano is 2,760ft high and you’ll need to take a guided tour to reach the top.

You can find many tours offered in St George’s and having a guide will be helpful, since much of the trail is thick jungle, plus the top can often be very cold and misty.

If you get good weather at the summit, you’ll have 360-degree views over Grenada and the surrounding ocean.

For the five-hour hike, don’t forget to bring plenty of water, mosquito repellent and a camera.

20- Drink At The West Indies Beer Company

Not everyone is into rum or sipping pina coladas, so you’ll be pleased to find out Grenada has its own beer brewery called the West Indies Beer Company.

You’ll spot their craft beer in many shops and bars on the island, and at the brewery, you can take a tour to learn about the brewing process, followed by a flight of their different IPAs, beers and ciders accompanied by some food.

They also have weekly deals and theme nights, such as Thursday Latin night, where you can learn to salsa, and $2 Tuesdays – which are unsurprisingly very popular.