Popular Places to Visit in Barbados Aside from the Beaches

The beauty of staying at an all-inclusive resort in Barbados is that it gives you an opportunity to enjoy this island paradise without worrying about the little day to day activities that tend to bog people down. Your meals will be taken care of, your entertainment assured and your room will always be spotless once you let room service take care of it. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the island, the white sandy beaches and the impossibly good weather.

It's understandable that one of the main reasons why people flock to Barbados is to while their time away at any one of the many wonderful beaches. However, there is so much more that you could in this gorgeous destination. Here are some alternatives and things to do in Barbados aside from the beaches.

Best Things to do in Barbados

1. Learn and Witness the History of Barbados at Bridgetown

Bridgetown is the largest city in Barbados, it's also the capital of the nation and a world famous historical sites. This southwestern city has more to offer than just beautiful buildings, amazing restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. The small water canal in the middle of the city is a wonderful place to visit if you want a relaxing afternoon as you take in most of the city's beautiful sites. This city is perhaps best visited by people who are a little interested in the history of places. That's mostly because it's riddled with art galleries and museums that tell the story of Barbados in the most vivid of manners. As a city, Bridgetown was declared a UNESCO world heritage site for having so many historically significant buildings and attractions.

2. Have a Relaxing Afternoon at Hunte's Gardens

If you love gazing at, smelling and strolling among beautifully exotic flowers then you will love spending an afternoon at Hunte's Gardens. Owned by a local named Anthony Hunte, these gardens are the perfect place to go when you want to spend a quiet afternoon away from everything else that goes on in this island. Designed to be a wonderful sensory experience for nature lovers, Hunte's Gardens has numerous winding paths that take you around and through nurseries and patches of unusually beautiful indigenous flowers and trees. It's a photographer’s haven. 

3. Experience History at the Garrison Savannah Historic Area

Another one for history buffs. At the Garrison Savannah Historic Area, you will find a wonderful medley of history and sporting action to fill your heart's desires. The Garrison Savannah Historic Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site well known for a few interesting attractions. One that stands out the most is the "George Washington House. It's the house George Washington, the first president of the United States of America, took refuge way back when in the 1750s.

Within this area, you can also find a series of ruined fort buildings and barracks that belonged to the British.

However, it's not just about the buildings and the history. There is a race track there that takes center stage. It's believed that it the very same race track where the rich landowners of Barbados used to race their mares. Today, it's still used as a race track for modern-day horse races and fairs.

4. Take a Relaxing and Scenic Walk of the Barbados Boardwalk

Although this does technically qualify as spending time at the beach, there is a good chance that your feet won't even touch the sand once. That's why it makes this list of things to do in Barbados apart from the beaches. The Barbados Boardwalk is the first of its kind in the Caribbean. It's about three and a half miles of nothing but beautifully flat and well maintained beachfront track along the southern coast of the island.

Apart from the beautiful view across the sea, there are numerous bars and rum shacks along the way that you can pop into and enjoy a cold drink as you let the ocean breeze sweep your worries away.

5. Eat to Your Heart's Content at the Oistins Fish Fry

They say that the best way to experience a new destination is to take time to enjoy the local cuisine. Being an island nation, it's very understandable that fish is big on the menu and very few places do it as well as "Oistins Fish Fry". 

While it's nothing fancy, Oistins Fish Fry has risen to cement itself as a rite of passage for anyone visiting Barbados for the first time. Friday nights are particularly lively at this street shindig while Saturdays are not so bad either. Here you will find a wide variety of sizzling fish barbeques with some of the best tasting and freshest marlin, swordfish, and Mahi Mahi on the menu. The lobster is to die for and the music from the live band ties it all together nicely. This is where you go if you want to find the perfect mix of locals and tourists enjoying local fish cuisine in each other's company. 

Barbados has more to offer than just the beautiful beaches and resorts. Take time to experience the entire island on your next visit.