27 Things to Do in Barbados for the Ultimate Island Adventure: Barbados Bucket List
Barbados is more than just a beautiful cruise island in the Eastern Caribbean—it's a destination full of vibrant culture, history, and breathtaking natural landscapes. From the lively streets of Bridgetown and the charming coastal towns to lush tropical gardens and turquoise blue waters, Barbados offers something for everyone. Whether you have one day to explore on your cruise stop or are sticking around on the island for a little longer, you will find epic recommendations in this list to make the most of your visit. Keep reading to discover the 27 best things to do in Barbados, including top attractions, hidden gems, and unforgettable local experiences that will make your trip truly memorable and unique.
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How to Get Around Barbados
The best and most efficient ways to get around Barbados are by rental car, taxi, or private driver.. You can also utilize the bus system!
Rental Car
A rental car will give you the most freedom to explore on your terms, as long as you are comfortable with driving here! These can be picked up at the airport or car hire offices around the island.
While we did not rent a car during our trip to Barbados, I can say from observation that roads, particularly the more rural ones, are less kept up, so being aware of potholes, unpaved roads, and tight roads that barely fit 2 vehicles is important to keep in mind if you do wish to drive yourself.
Taxi
Taxis are available at taxi stands, on the streets (especially in busier cities like Bridgetown), and through the ride-hailing app, pickUP Barbados. You can ask them to drop you off at your destination, or work out a price for them to wait on you so they bring you back as well. Many taxi drivers will offer their card or service as a private taxi driver for you around Barbados. This is how we found our amazing private driver!
Private Driver
We chose to hire a private driver for any day-long excursions we wanted to do around the island. This guaranteed our safety on rough roads with a local who knew where they were going and was incredibly knowledgeable of Barbados, which eased the stress of getting around. We got to sit back, relax, learn about the island, and enjoy the views on our drives.
You can also book custom, private day excursions through sites like Viator, where you can refer to reviews and photos from others’ experiences.
NOTE: Hiring a private driver for a day-long tour of the island is not cheap in Barbados. On average, we paid about USD 400 for 7-8 hour days.
Bus
Bus routes connect you to all parts of Barbados. This is the most cost-effective transportation option, but it will take significantly more time, cash to pay for the fare, and a lot of planning. In rural parishes of Barbados, the bus only comes once an hour (if that), so if you miss your chance, you’ll be waiting for at least another hour! You can refer to the following bus resources to plan your route:
27 Best Things to Do in Barbados
Walkers Reserve
My favorite activity we did in Barbados was doing the Coastal Nature Walk tour at Walkers Reserve on the beautiful East coast! Walkers Reserve is a sand mining quarry turned ecological reserve and regenerative agriculture region. A passionate guide will take you through the reserve, explaining all of the incredible things WIRRED is focusing on to rebuild a natural environment for animals, and to feed the community with orchards and agriculture. If you value eco-tourism, you must visit Walkers Reserve!
They offer a range of tours from a coastal nature walk to a tropical driving tour in an off-road vehicle, to beekeeping and birding.
💰Cost: Depends on the tour. Coastal Nature Walk starts at $52/person USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Friday dinner at Oistins Fish Fry
Oistins Fish Market is open every day, but Fridays in particular are when I recommend you visit! The market is a collection of food stalls serving Bajan food. You walk up to the stall that looks delicious to you, order, and take away to any spot you can find to sit (or stand at the busiest times).
On Fridays, locals and tourists alike join together to eat good food, enjoy Caribbean music, and dance. It’s a whole different vibe than during the week!
💰Cost: Free to visit, food costs range
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Mount Gay Rum Distillery Tour
Mount Gay is a 300+ year old, fully-operational rum distillery in Barbados - the most notable and historical on the island. Several different tours are available, catering to your interests. From a 2-hour distillery tour to cocktail-making classes! Mount Gay Rum Distillery is a must-visit place in the northernmost parish of Barbados!
NOTE: I am sober and did the Signature Distillery Tour. I had a fantastic experience touring the distillery grounds and learning the historical significance of Mount Gay. Even though I did not participate in the rum tasting at the end of the tour, I felt it was well worth the visit!
💰Cost: Tours starting at $60/person USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
PEG Farm & Nature Reserve
PEG Farm & Nature Preserve is a biodynamic farm and garden-to-table cafe that hosts tours to educate visitors on their dedication to free-range animals, organic agriculture, and connecting to the land, while immersing yourself in the natural beauty of Barbados.
Tour options include a sunrise walking tour, a standard tour of the farm, or a day pass to explore the reserve. Have lunch at their cafe!
💰Cost: Guided tours starting at ~$13/adult USD; self-guided tours are free
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Eat Flying Fish Cutter
The dish of Barbados! Flying fish is filleted, fried, put in a Bajan bread roll, and eaten as a sandwich. Some variations add tomato, lettuce, and a spicy pepper sauce. It is a staple Barbadian street food item! Some delicious and popular spots to get fish cutter include The Caboose in Speightstown (pictured above) Cuz’s Fish Stand in Bridgetown.
Barbados Museum & Historical Society
A recommendation we received from a local for the most comprehensive museum experience to learn about Barbados’ history, heritage, and culture was the Barbados Museum & Historical Society. This museum houses over 500,000 artifacts, artworks, and exhibits located in historic military buildings.
💰Cost: Self-guided tours for foreigners are $20 BDS/adult (~$10 USD)
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Animal Flower Cave & Restaurant
My favorite Saint Lucy destination! Located on the steep limestone cliffs of Northern Saint Lucy is Animal Flower Cave & Restaurant. As the name suggests, there is a restaurant and a cave! The open-air restaurant overlooks Horseshoe Bay and the sea to the North, with views of the distinct northernmost point of Barbados, and serves delicious Caribbean dishes.
The cave, weathered away by water and wind over the years, can be accessed by guided tours taking you down a steep staircase to the large, open chamber below. Bring your swimsuit and shoes with a good grip so you can easily walk your way to the swimming hole at the end of the cave, opening up to views of the rough sea below you.
Also, check out the tourist shops selling souvenirs and follow the signs for “The View” to see more epic views of the dramatic cliffs along Animal Flower Bay.
NOTES:
The restaurant and cave are only open Tuesday-Sunday (waves permitting). Check their website for operating hours.
You do not need to purchase cave tour tickets ahead of time. When you arrive, buy tickets at the ticket booth, and they will assign you to a tour guide and group once available. We only had to wait about 10 minutes.
It is not necessary to make a reservation ahead of time at the restaurant; HOWEVER, we did, and we were seated at the best table in the house. I truly believe this was because we had a reservation.
💰Cost: 40 BDS/adult (~$20 USD/adult) for guided cave tour including swimming - credit cards accepted
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Take an Island Safari Barbados tour
Island Safari Barbados is an adventure tour company offering a unique way to see Barbados off the beaten path. Ride in the back of a 4x4 safari truck to top destinations and sites around the island, + some that are a little more difficult to get to.
You can choose from one of the three following tours:
Adventure Safari ($155/adult USD)
Discovery Safari ($100/adult USD)
Tailor-Made Safari (Starting at $400 USD)
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
George Washington House & Garrison Tunnels
Tour the George Washington House, a 1700s plantation home visited by George Washington. The house is a museum showcasing artifacts and detailing the history of slavery at this estate and across Barbados.
Under the house are the Garrison Tunnels, a network of 10,000 feet of underground tunnels rediscovered in 2011 and is one of the world’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
💰Cost: $20/adult USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Explore the town of Speightstown
Speightstown, a coastal town in the Saint Peter parish of Barbados, is known for good beaches, a relaxed balance of local and tourist living, colonial-era architecture, and its history as a main port trade town. If you’re looking for a stroll through a charming coastal town, look no further than Speightstown.
Attractions in Speightstown:
Grab a bite to eat at a famous eatery like The Caboose, Local & Co, Nicholls Bakery, or The Orange Street Grocer
Harrison’s Cave Eco Adventure Park
If you do anything at this park, at the very least, do the Harrison’s Cave Signature Tram Tour. This guided tour was phenomenal, and it takes you on a tram 160 feet underground through the breathtaking Harrison Cave.
You could spend a whole day at this adventure park, though. There is zip-lining, a rum experience, challenge courses, day pool passes, and a more technical cave tour, having you crawl through tight spaces you won’t see on the tram tour. View all tours here.
💰Cost: Tram tour starts at $57/adult USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Boat Cruises (Private Charter or Shared Group Tour)
Barbados does luxury boat chartering well. While this is an expensive island activity, it’s great for large private groups or special occasions. Here are a few that offer private charters on yachts, catamarans, or speedboats:
A more affordable way to get out onto the water is to book a shared group boat tour. Viator has some great options:
Take a surfing lesson
The South and East coasts of Barbados, particularly during the November to June season, are known for their consistent swells and great surfing conditions. Surf schools offer lessons for all ages and experience levels. Whether you’re a beginner who wants to try something new or an experienced surfer wishing to perfect your skills, there are safe and reliable surf schools in Barbados to get you there.
Visit Bathsheba
Bathsheba is one of the most beautiful east coast towns in Barbados. Twisting, hilly roads through rural Barbados lead you to this one-of-a-kind town in Saint Joseph. It’s a well-known destination for its unique, rocky coastline, surfing, and relaxing atmosphere.
Here are some spots to check out in Bathsheba:
St. Nicholas Abbey and Steam Railway
St. Nicholas Abbey is a plantation estate and distillery in Saint Peter offering tour packages suitable for all ages. Tour the Great House, ride the train up to Cherry Tree Hill for views of the East Coast, or join the distillery tour.
💰Cost: Tours starting at $35/person USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Day at a beach club
You can’t go wrong with spending a whole day at a beach club! Reserve a beach lounger and umbrella, enjoy food and drink service at your chair, and relax to the sound of waves for a day. My absolute favorite beach club I returned to again and again, was Sea Shed in Saint Peter on the West Coast.
Globe Drive-in Movie Theater
If you have a car and want to do something a little more off the tourist path, check out the Globe Drive-In movie theater in Oistins. Food stalls offering a wide selection of snacks that can be delivered to your car are available!
💰Cost: $18/adult BDS (~$9/adult USD)
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Welchman Hall Gully
Take a guided tour (available seasonally) or a self-guided tour through Welchman Hall Gully, a tropical forest in a collapsed cave. Easy, paved walking trails wind through the lush gully. Refer to the guidebook you will be given at the ticket booth to learn more about the numbered markers along the way.
Fun fact: It is thought that the grapefruit originated here in Welchman Hall Gully!
💰Cost: $15/person USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Stroll around Rihanna Drive
Rihanna was born and raised in Barbados. Rihanna Drive, renamed in 2017 (formerly Westbury New Road), is the street where her childhood home is located. You can view it from the outside, as well as see the Rihanna monument dedicated to her further down the road.
💰Cost: Free
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Gun Hill Signal Station
Gun Hill is a historic signal station built in 1818, used to signal to other stations around the island about the type of ships approaching the island and whether to stand guard or not. Walk through the towers to view artifacts and models of living quarters. Incredible panoramic views prove why this hill was chosen as a station lookout point.
💰Cost: I failed to keep track of the price for this location…and couldn’t find a price online. Comment below if you know!
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
eBike Tour
A unique and adventurous way to see Barbados is an electric bike (eBike) island tour! Here are a few tour companies to check out:
Have a picnic at Farley Hill National Park
Farley Hill National Park, located at the border of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew, is the site of the ruins of a beautiful mansion built by Sir Graham Briggs that burned down in 1965. What remains is protected by the Barbados Government as a national park. Surrounding the mansion is an expanse of shaded grounds with picnic tables. Make your way to the lookout point where there are epic views of the east coast (above).
Weekends are particularly popular here for locals who come with their families to BBQ and enjoy the scenic area.
💰Cost: Free
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Folkestone Marine Park
A Greek ship sank off the shore of Saint James and has since created a natural reef, making this a popular diving and snorkeling spot for enthusiasts. At Folkestone Marine Park, you can rent equipment to snorkel or dive, rent a kayak or a SUP, take a walk along the scenic boardwalk, and tour the Folkestone Museum.
💰Cost: Depends on activity
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Hunte’s Gardens
Hunte’s Gardens is special. It is an ornate botanical garden created by Anthony Hunte inside what used to be a regular gully. It is still a gully, but now fully transformed into a stunning tropical oasis by someone with a keen eye to nature’s potential. If you’re lucky, you may see Anthony himself as he lives in the garden. Stop by the cafe for a souvenir, snack, and a refreshing beverage!
💰Cost: $20/adult USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Flower Forest Botanical Gardens
This botanical garden blew me away. Flower Forest is 53 acres of dense and blooming tropical trees and flowers lining a walking path. Viewpoints and secluded seating areas surrounded by lush greenery allow you to relax and take in the garden. Afterwards, pop into the gift shop and grab a small bite to eat and a coffee from the cafe.
TIP: Arrive here at open time for the best chance of having the garden to yourselves. We did! (On a weekday).
💰Cost: $15/adult USD
📍Location: Get directions on Google Maps
Morning weekend visit to a farmer’s market
Visiting a farmers’ market is a fun activity to do in a new country, and you don’t need to buy anything there to experience it. The two farmers' markets listed below have a good mix of stalls selling produce, pastries, artisanal goods, and more!
Left to right: Shark Hole, St. John’s Parish Church, Ragged Point, Enterprise Cliff
Drive around to epic lookout points
If you’re obsessed with natural landscapes like me, you will enjoy checking off these beautiful lookout points, both coastal and inland. Barbados, of course, has many. Hop in a car and drive around to these spots worth stopping at.
St. John’s Parish Church (viewpoint at the back of the cemetery, trust me!!!)
Tips for Visiting Barbados
You can get an eSIM card ahead of your arrival in Barbados using the app Airalo. Get $3 off your first eSIM card with my referral code, ANNA5384
Lump more than one place in this list together on a single trip! Barbados is small. Some of the locations on this list are close together and take little time to visit, so hitting more than one in a day is totally doable. Check out the map I put together to plan out your Barbados adventure!
Check websites and social media for the days and hours of operation of restaurants, businesses, and destinations you are headed to. Many places around the island are closed 1 or more days of the week and for holidays, so do a bit of research on the places you wish to visit before heading that way.
Carry cash with you, just in case. Credit card is widely accepted in Barbados, but as you venture out into the less populated and traveled-to parishes, or dine and shop at more locally owned establishments, you may find cash is more frequently necessary. The Barbadian Dollar (BBD) and USD are universally accepted across Barbados.
Prioritize sun protection and hydration. Barbados is hot, humid, and mostly sunny! Before heading out, always put on sunscreen. Wear sunglasses, hats, and UV shirts. Handheld fans are helpful for areas or days with little wind. And drink, drink, drink water and electrolytes!
Respect wildlife and nature. Pick up after yourself, don’t litter, do significant research on any tours that involve animals (snorkeling, wildlife reserves, etc), don’t feed or touch wildlife, wear reef-safe sunscreen, save water, limit plastic consumption.
Expect tight and bumpy roads. The main roads and highways around Barbados are in good condition. The more rural you go, expect some roads only wide enough for 1 car to drive down or unpaved and covered in potholes. Take it slow and decide what your vehicle is capable of!
Google Maps is not always accurate. This goes for the entire island. Do research on the location of the places you are visiting ahead of time to get a general understanding of the area.
Hire a local taxi driver for the day! If you aren’t confident driving around on your own, hire a local driver who knows the area and can navigate difficult roads that they are used to driving. They will also likely be able to give more local recommendations on where to go and give you some history of the areas you are visiting, and it is a great way to support the local economy!
Use the pickUP Barbados rideshare app to get around, but be patient! While this app is available across the island, the availability of drivers can be scarce depending on your location. For example, when we stayed in Saint Peter, on average, drivers who accepted our ride request were typically about 10 minutes away from us. We would sometimes get several cancellations before a driver accepted and followed through with picking us up. The later in the evening, the longer it will likely take to find a nearby driver, if at all. When we stayed in St Lawrence Gap, a driver was always 1-3 minutes away.
Wear mosquito repellent. Especially at dawn and dusk, if you are prone to being a mosquito target.
Respect and embrace “island time.” Things are not always as efficient and fast-paced as in places like the US, Canada, etc. Be patient and flexible!
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