Things to Do in Bridgetown, Barbados

Bridgetown is Barbados’ capital city and despite it being small, it is busy and full of life.  While there is so much to see around the whole island, if you find yourself with a day or two in the city and are looking for ideas on what to do in Bridgetown, here are our top suggestions!

1. Check out the local shops on Swan Street

Bridgetown is easily explored on foot.  You will find restaurants, street vendors, banks, and many shops catering both to high-end shoppers and locals alike.  The pedestrian-friendly Swan Street is a great place to find some bargain deals and shop amongst the locals.

Tip: For those of us from North America and other right-side driving places, remember to walk on the LEFT side of the sidewalk instead of the right-hand side.  Bajans will always move over to the left to move out of the way but we tend to move to the right, which can cause awkward run ins (and worse, tripping into the street! This may or may not have happened to us….) Also, if you accidentally step into the street you could end up in a dangerous situation since cars will be coming up behind you.

 

2. Have lunch at The Balcony Restaurant

Eating where the locals eat has always proven to be the best choice for us.  Not only is it a more affordable option in pricey Barbados, but the food is delicious!  Don’t come expecting anything fancy – come to experience the local flavors of Barbados.

The Balcony Restaurant is located inside the Cave Shepherd department store in downtown Bridgetown.  Enter the department store and take the escalators up to the top floor, turn to your left and you will see the entrance to the restaurant in the corner.

 

3. Explore Baxter’s Road

This is another great place to get a taste of “Real Barbados”.  If you are looking for authentic, local things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados then you can’t miss Baxter’s Road.  It is full of culture, colorful character and great food, with many people saying it reminds them of New Orleans back in the day.  Baxter’s Road is a popular late-night party spot as well.

 

4. Relax at Carlisle Bay

Carlisle Bay is a short walk from Bridgetown’s city centre.  Considering how close this beach is to the city, it is surprising just how beautiful it is.  It is a great place to relax or have some fun.  There are lots of water sports on offer, such as jet ski rentals, snorkeling, water trampolines, flyboarding, etc.

There are beach chairs and umbrellas for rent but we just laid out our towels and soaked up the sun.  The water is very calm and it a lovely place to swim and take in the sunset.

If you get hungry there is a beach bar right there, as well as bathrooms.

5. Stroll around Queen’s Park

Queen’s Park is a pleasant park just outside of the city centre, but still easily reached by foot.  It is home to Barbados’ largest and oldest tree – the 90ft tall baobab tree, believed to be over 1000 years old!

Baobab’s are not native to Barbados – they originate from West Africa.  The seed is thought to have floated over the Atlantic Ocean and grew on the edge of the lagoon which is now the existing Queen’s Park.

 

6. Grab some shaved ice from one of the street vendors

You will see shave ice carts around Bridgetown selling $2 BDS cups of the colorful sweet refreshing treats.

We chose to purchase some in Queen’s Park and got ours topped with sweet milk.  Delicious and refreshing after walking around in the heat!

 

7. St. Michael’s Cathedral

For those interested in historical things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados, walk over to St. Michael’s Cathedral.  The church was originally consecrated in 1665 but was later destroyed by a hurricane in 1780.  It was later rebuilt, eventually becoming the St. Michael’s Cathedral in 1825.

St. Michael’s Cathedral is an Anglican church built of coral stone in a simple classical style.  It seats about 1600 people and boasts one of the best pipe organs in the Caribbean.

 

8. Agapey Chocolate Factory

If you have a sweet tooth like me, a chocolate tour should be high up on your list of things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados.  Agapey Chocolate Factory is located right in the heart of Bridgetown and is a fantastic place to purchase some delicious artisan chocolate and learn about how it is made.

Tours should be booked in advance on their website.  The price is $20 USD/person, but private tours are also available.

 

9. Take the local bus

Honestly, we found that riding the local bus was one of the most fun things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados.  At $2 BDS/ride, it is a cheap and entertaining way to get around the island.

Note: Make sure to have exact change when paying for your ride.

There are 3 different types of local buses: the government-run Transport Board buses, and the privately owned mini buses and ZR buses.  You can tell the difference between them primarily by their colors.

The public buses are blue with a yellow stripe and are larger in size.  They run all over the island and follow a timetable, which can be viewed here.  We found that these buses were fairly reliable and quiet (ie. not as loud and fun as the private buses 😉 )

The mini buses are yellow with a blue stripe and are smaller in size.  They stick closer to the city centre and usually have a conductor hanging out the side to catch people’s attention and collect the $2 BDS fare.  They are quite a fun experience with loud hip hop music blasting.

The ZR buses are also smaller in size and are white with a maroon stripe.  They are often packed with people and are known to drive quite fast.  It is quite an experience riding in one of these and we found it super fun.  But if you are not a fan of loud music, you will want to skip these.  Same thing goes if you don’t like cramped spaces or fast speeds… 🙂

10. Admire the swimming horses

Yes, you read that right – swimming horses!  Watching the beautiful race horses take a sunrise dip in the ocean was one of our favorite things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados.

I mean, how often do you ever get to see such a sight?  We had never seen horses swim before so it was quite the magnificent experience.  If you don’t mind waking up early in the morning, head to Pebbles Beach to witness this impressive sight!

Read more about Where to See Horses Swimming in Barbados

11.  Try a local favorite: the fish cutter

Head over to Leftie’s beach shack to sample one of Barbados’ favorite local foods: the fish cutter.  You can find Leftie on Pebbles Beach, halfway between the Hilton Hotel and the Radisson.

We were there just before 7am and he was already open!  The man running this shack (all by himself) was super friendly.  We sat by the beach and he brought over our freshly made sandwiches.  There’s only 2 options: plain or with cheese and/or an egg.  He also serves coffee (instant, nothing fancy).

12. Have breakfast at Tiki Pies

If you are looking for a quick and convenient breakfast or lunch option, head to Tiki Pies.  Located on Bay Street, this little kiosk serves up some fantastic savory and sweet pies.

Tiki Pies is open from 7:30am-2:30pm.  Grab some pies to go and have a nice little picnic on nearby Pebbles Beach. 🙂

 

13. Go on a catamaran cruise

Our catamaran cruise with Jammin Catamaran Cruises was possibly one of the best things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados.  It did seem a bit touristy and pricey at first, but it was well worth it!  We had an absolute blast.

Early in the morning the staff picked us up from our hotel and took us to board the large catamaran at the dock in Bridgetown.  We were served a light breakfast on board and then our first stop was to snorkel with the turtles!

Then we snorkeled over to a ship wreck.

We ate a local-style lunch on board and the uber-friendly staff served us delicious unlimited rum punch throughout the trip.

We cruised the calm waters up the coast, jamming out to fun music and soaking up the sun.  There were more opportunities to swim and slide down the waterslides off the boat.  We even got a glimpse of Rihanna’s luxurious beach-side residence!  All in all it was a fantastic 5.5 hour cruise.

14. Check out the Garrison Historic Area

The Barbados Garrison is another must-see for those interested in history.  During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was the military headquarters for the Imperial Forces.

Nowadays, St. Anne’s Fort is still used by the Barbados Defence Force.  The Savannah is now home to the Barbados Turf Club and is also a popular spot for joggers, skateboarders, people flying kites and informal rugby and basketball games.

The George Washington House is another highlight ($10 USD entry fee) as is the Barbados Museum housed in the old military prison ($7.50 USD entry fee).

Click here to read our full Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure Statement

Want more Barbados posts?  Check out:

Best Place to Stay in Barbados On A Budget

Driving in Barbados

Afternoon Tea at Sandy Lane

Pin this post!