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Family holidays to Grenada

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Grenada – Family holiday guide

The largest of the Caribbean’s Grenadine Islands, Grenada is closer to South America than the US. Famous for a lush mountainous interior and pristine seas, it’s a former British colony and one of the world’s leading producers of nutmeg. Kids will love adventuring around the coast here. Hiking and climbing in national parks is fun for teenagers, and nobody can resist the easy-going island atmosphere.

Why go on holiday in Grenada

  • Direct flights from UK

    British Airways flies direct from Gatwick to Grenada in under 10 hours.

  • Tropical climate

    Average daily temperatures of 25˚ year round. Low rainfall from January to May.

  • Good family accommodation

    Grenada has a wide choice of places to stay from luxurious resorts to cute local guesthouses, and pretty beachfront cottages and villas.

  • Home of the Spicemas Carnival

    Grenada’s August carnival is one of the Caribbean’s friendliest, and a real family event packed with colourful local traditions.

  • Explorable mountains, waterfalls and forests

    Grenada’s lush, mountainous interior’s very accessible for walking, hiking and climbing, and the island’s famous for its enchanting swimmable waterfalls.

  • Kid-friendly history

    The British left English as Grenada’s first language, along with a fascinating legacy of historic forts, elegant colonial architecture and beautiful plantations.

  • Dive capital of the Eastern Caribbean

    Many of Grenada’s dive sites are accessible to beginners, and water visibility is superb for snorkelling all year round.

Where to go

St. George’s

Nestled round a breathtaking natural harbour, Grenada’s capital is often called the prettiest town in the Caribbean. It’s a quaint mix of colonial heritage and bustling island life. The skinny streets are packed with cute shops, colourful restaurants and cool cafés. Plus, the performance of loading and unloading local boats around the Carenage, is better than the best theatre.

  • Visit St. George’s Market Square on Friday or Saturday for the island’s biggest morning market.
  • Don’t miss: the Underwater Sculpture Park; Grenada National Museum; Fort George; Sendall Tunnel; Fort Frederick.
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South Grenada

The sheltered south of Grenada’s the best base for family holidays. Most of the island’s luxury resorts are here, and overlook award-winning beaches like Grand Anse, Pink Gin and Lance aux Epines. Maurice Bishop Airport’s also in this area, and St. George’s is just 20 minutes drive north.

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Sauteurs

Visit the far north for a day on long, sandy Bathway Beach: famous for views of the neighbouring Grenadine Islands. The historic town of Sauteurs is charming and comes with a tragic back story: in 1651, the last of the island’s Carib people threw themselves off the 40m high cliffs near Sauteurs, rather than be ruled by the invading French. The nearby cliffs are known as Carib Leap, and the town name translates as ‘jumpers’.

  • Levara National Park and Belmont Estate are just a short from Sauteurs, and the town’s traditional architecture’s interesting to explore with kids.
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Gouyave

Gouyave is a must-do visit with kids for the nutmeg factory and spice-centred history. Plan to stay on a little, the friendly town is also known for good local restaurants and cute beach bars.

What to do

  • Rainforest Hiking
    Dense, tropical rainforest and immense waterfalls, soothing natural hot springs and curious wildlife are just a few of the reasons to take a guided hike with kids in Grenada’s interior.
  • Sea Kayaking
    Grenada’s justifiably proud of its eco-credentials, so no surprise that conservation kayaking with expert local guides is one of the island’s most popular family activities.
  • Belmont Estate
    The island’s most visited plantation produces world famous chocolate. Take the Bean to Bar Tour or spend a day exploring the grounds, museums, craft workshops, goat farm and wildlife haven.
  • Guided Snorkelling, Grenada Marine Park
    In 2006, the world’s first ever sculpture gallery was submerged in Grenada Marine Park. Go guided snorkelling to explore the underwater artworks.
  • Whale and Dolphin Watching Cruises
    From December to April, over 15 species of whale migrate along the coast of Grenada and there are hundreds of dolphins in residence year round.
  • Turtle Watching, Levara National Park
    Levara National Park’s protected beaches are prime nesting sites for Leatherback Turtles. Kids can observe on conservation tours from April to June each year.
  • Grenada ‘Spicemas’ Carnival
    Visit Grenada in the middle of August for the island carnival. All the customs from Mas and soca to j’ouvert are in place, and it’s exciting without being too hectic. A good intro to the great Caribbean tradition for kids.
  • Carriacou and Petit Martinique Cruises
    Locals say you can’t visit Grenada without dropping in on the sister islands, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. You can of course, but regular ferry services make at least one day trip hard to resist.
  • South Grenada Bike Tour
    This gentle and interesting tour takes in most of the island’s pretty south and, because it’s car-free almost all the way, works well for kids.
  • Stand Up Paddleboard Tours
    Grenada has 75km of coastline and many of the island’s loveliest beaches are only accessible from the sea, or on a stand up paddleboard tour.

Educational value for kids

  • River Antoine Rum Distillery is the longest running in the entire Caribbean, it’s also reputed to produce the strongest spirit in the world. Put that claim to the test on a guided tour: adventures in tasting for grown-ups and fun for kids to see the distillery workings, and meet River Antoine’s friendly team.
  • You can’t visit Spice Island without checking out the spice at one of Grenada’s nutmeg factories. The largest of all is in Gouyave and does an interesting short tour where kids can see everything from grading the fruit to packing it up in traditional burlap sacks for export.
  • If you want the best views on Grenada, visit one of the island’s historic forts. They have incredible vantage points and guided tours of Fort Matthew or Fort Frederick are possible, if the 360˚ panoramas aren’t thrilling enough.
  • Coveted Grenada has a long and fascinating history, influenced by a variety of cultures and centuries of colonisation. Spend an hour at the National Museum in St. George’s and discover what, and who, shaped the island you see today.
  • Visit Grand Etang Lake and National Park in the centre of Grenada, it’s home to the island’s highest peaks and the ‘lake’ is actually a volcanic crater. Great for walking and hiking on well-marked trails. A brief introduction to the park and cool drinks are included in the (small) admission fee.
  • Spend an hour wandering around the Carenage at Saint-George’s colourful and extremely lively harbour. There are some beautifully restored Georgian houses to admire, but watching endless streams of boats being loaded up for inter-island deliveries is the true entertainment here.
  • Island hopping to Carriacou is an adventure for kids, don’t miss the excellent Carriacou Museum: its well curated Amerindian and African cultural exhibits are good enough to warrant a UNESCO recommendation.

Getting around with kids in Grenada

There are buses to ever corner of Grenada and they stop on demand, anywhere outside the centre of St. George’s. A frequent water taxi service runs between Grand Anse and St. George’s Harbour Carenage and there are road taxis all over the island, remember to agree the fare before heading off. Grenada takes less than two hours to drive from north to south, and there are plenty of tours with transport included. But if you want to explore independently, car hire’s easy to arrange, watch out for seasonal price hikes.

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