With kids · Barbados
Barbados with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alex Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Barbados suits families with calm west and south coast beaches, short distances and English spoken everywhere. Children enjoy Harrison's Cave, the green monkeys at the Wildlife Reserve and swimming with turtles on gentle catamaran trips. Top picks: Carlisle Bay, Harrison's Cave and Barbados Wildlife Reserve. Families usually base themselves in Hastings and Rockley.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Hastings and Rockley
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- December–March
Best things to do with kids
Beach · Bridgetown
1.Carlisle Bay
This wide bay just south of Bridgetown has calm water and several shallow shipwrecks within swimming distance of the beach, now home to reef fish and turtles. Catamaran cruises stop here, and the beach is backed by bars and the Pebbles and Brownes beach areas.
Snorkel the wrecks early in the day, before the catamarans arrive.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
Nature · St Thomas
2.Harrison's Cave
A crystallised limestone cave in the centre of the island, visited on an electric tram that passes stalactites, stalagmites, flowing streams and pools. It is one of the island's most popular attractions and a good choice for a rainy or very hot day.
Combine it with Hunte's Gardens or Welchman Hall Gully, both nearby in the central parishes.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Tram tours can sell out when cruise ships are in port; book a time slot online.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Iconic
Zoo · St Peter
3.Barbados Wildlife Reserve
In a mahogany forest in the north, green monkeys, tortoises, deer and birds roam freely along shaded paths. The reserve sits next to Farley Hill National Park, with its ruined mansion and views over the east coast.
Arrive around the afternoon feeding time, when the green monkeys are most active.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · St Lucy
4.Animal Flower Cave
At the northern tip of the island, this sea cave is named after the sea anemones in its rock pools. Guided visits lead down into the cave, where natural pools and openings look out over the Atlantic, and the clifftop restaurant has wide views.
Cave access depends on the sea; visit when the swell is low and wear shoes with grip.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Views
- Kids
Museum · The Garrison
5.Barbados Museum and Historical Society
Housed in the former British military prison at the Garrison, the museum covers Indigenous history, the sugar plantations and slavery, colonial life and natural history, with a children's gallery.
Allow time for the galleries on plantation history, which explain much of the island's story.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Experience · Oistins and Maxwell
6.Oistins Fish Fry
Every Friday night, the fishing town of Oistins fills with grills serving flying fish, marlin, mahi-mahi and lobster with macaroni pie and rice and peas. Music, rum stalls and dancing follow, and both locals and visitors come in large numbers. Smaller versions run on other nights.
Arrive by about 7pm to eat before the queues peak, then stay for the music.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
- Couples
Rainy-day ideas
- Harrison's Cave — Combine it with Hunte's Gardens or Welchman Hall Gully, both nearby in the central parishes.
- Barbados Museum and Historical Society — Allow time for the galleries on plantation history, which explain much of the island's story.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, first-timers, budget and beach
Hastings and Rockley
On the south coast just east of Bridgetown, Hastings and Rockley are linked by the Richard Haynes Boardwalk along the sea. Rockley's Accra Beach has lifeguards, beach vendors and gentle waves, and the area has a good choice of mid-range hotels and apartments, supermarkets and restaurants.
- Good
- Good value; Boardwalk for evening walks; Frequent buses to Bridgetown and Oistins
- Watch out
- Busy main road behind the hotels; Water can be choppier than the west coast
- Nearby
- Richard Haynes Boardwalk, Accra Beach, The Garrison, Bridgetown
Family travel tips
- Choose a west coast or Rockley base for calmer swimming water.
- Avoid swimming on the east coast, where currents are dangerous.
- Bring reef-safe sunscreen and rash vests; the sun is strong year-round.
- Many catamaran cruises welcome children and provide life jackets.
- Oistins Fish Fry is family-friendly early in the evening, before it gets crowded.
Day trips for families
- The north: St Nicholas Abbey and Animal Flower Cave (About 1 hour by car from Bridgetown) — Head north for the Jacobean house and rum distillery at St Nicholas Abbey, the view from Cherry Tree Hill, the green monkeys of the Barbados Wildlife Reserve and the sea cave at the island's northern tip.
When to go with children
The best months overall are December–April. December–March are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Barbados good for kids?
Barbados suits families with calm west and south coast beaches, short distances and English spoken everywhere. Children enjoy Harrison's Cave, the green monkeys at the Wildlife Reserve and swimming with turtles on gentle catamaran trips.
+What can kids do in Barbados?
Carlisle Bay, Harrison's Cave, Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Animal Flower Cave and Barbados Museum and Historical Society.
+Where should families stay in Barbados?
Hastings and Rockley: South-coast boardwalk, mid-range hotels and Accra Beach.