Grenada
Grenada is a small Caribbean island at the southern end of the Antilles archipelago and of the Grenadines island chain. The capital St. George’s is likely where you will start whether on flight or by cruise. Many visitors skip straight to Grand Anse Beach which boasts crystal clear waters, but Grenada has so much more to offer including historic forts, spice tours, lush rainforest with hiking, waterfalls, and wildlife viewing. You can also island hop over to islands of Petite Martinique or Carricacou located off the island’s northeast coast.
Grenada Cruise stop
So, you are stopping in Grenada on your cruise, and you want to get the most out of one day on this beautiful island. There are so many options for exploration so I will give you some ideas on top things to do and tell you how we did it!
Cruise port is right in downtown St. George the main city of Grenada. The Melville Street Cruise Terminal is walkable to the downtown attractions. In the terminal there is a tourism desk which when we were there gave out free postcards but beyond that had tons of information. You could also join a taxi or a water taxi from the terminal. To get to the Fort George or Carnage turn right out of the terminal and you’ll be there in no time.
top things to do
St. George
In town you should check out the Sendal Tunnel, House of Chocolate and the market. This colonial historic Caribbean town is beautiful and easy to walk around.
Grand Anse Beach
Known as the beach of the Caribbean. Its white sand and crystal blue waters are iconic. This area is full of hotels, bars, restaurants, water sports and more. It is the top tourist destination on the island.
Fort George
This fort located in St. George has great history and also incredible views of both the cruise port and Carenage inner harbor. Fort George is right in town.
Fort Frederick
Another famous fort in Grenada with spectacular views. This fort is 3km from St. George but since situated on a hill is about 45-minute hike. It is also included on many Grenada tours.
Spice Tours
There is a reason Grenada is known as “The Spice Island.” are a few estates that specialize in the spices of the island and this is a great way to learn and enjoy the island. The Belmont Estate has multiple different types of tours and is located about 1 hour from St. George. Other options include Laura’s Herb and Spice Garden and the Dougaldston Spice Estate.
Grand Etang National Park
This national park located within the interior of the island is fantastic for plant and wildlife viewing amongst the rainforests. It is a great place for hiking. The Grand Etang Lake, Seven Sisters Falls, Mount Qua Qua and Concord Falls are just some of the highlights of this park.
Annandale Waterfall and Forest Park
This attraction is about 7km from town and has a beautiful small waterfall is just a short walk. There is a little pool at the bottom you can swim in. There is also a restaurant and bar located along the pool.
Underwater Sculpture Park
If you want a unique snorkel or scuba experience this is the place. The sculptures were created by Jason deCaires Taylor and were submerged as an underwater gallery and to also serve as an artificial reef.
Carricacou
This nearby island can be reached on a high-speed ferry boat that takes about 90 minutes. It boasts both black and white sand beaches and incredible snorkeling. From here you can catch a water taxi to the even more remote Petite Martinique.
our itinerary
After disembarking off the cruise ship we headed into St. George to explore. St. George is a beautiful and colonial historic Caribbean capital city. First, you will head through the Sendall Tunnel. While strolling the streets we stopped into the House of Chocolate where you see basics of how chocolate is made and grab some chocolate to taste. It is more like a shop than a museum but a very cool little stop and very highly rated tourist attraction in town.
From there we headed up to Fort George. The views from here are incredible of the town below and Carenage. After getting the views of Carenage (inner harbor) we headed over there to explore. This little harbor is lined with colorful buildings and filled with various ships and boats. It is very picturesque.
From here you can grab a taxi or collective ride to head down to Grand Anse Beach. Grand Anse beach is a white sand 1.5-mile-long beach filled with hotels, restaurants, and water sport activities. We did this and headed down to Umbrella’s Beach Bar from recommendations of some friends that had been to Grenada in the past. This cute little beach bar had food and drinks and was right on the beach. Other options include 61 West Restaurant and Beach Bar, Pelican Beach Bar, Coconut Beach, and more. To get back to the cruise port from Grand Anse Beach you can either grab a taxi back or take a water taxi. We grabbed a water taxi which was great!
We boarded the ship and said farewell but this beautiful island is one I would definitely visit again!
