Things to do in  Accra

If you want to experience day-to-day life in Ghana, there’s no better place than Accra’s sprawling Makola Market. One of the city’s best attractions, the market is equal parts wonderful and chaotic, with a maze of colorful stalls filling the streets. It’s also a great spot to try Ghanaian food or grab souvenirs—just be ready to haggle.

The former home and final resting place of W. E. B. Du Bois—the African-American civil rights advocate and father of Pan-Africanism—Accra’s W. E. B. Du Bois Centre is open to tourists and visiting academics. Home to Du Bois’ mausoleum, it contains a small museum and lecture theater. Its serene grounds are a verdant escape from the capital’s bustle.

Independence Square in Accra, Ghana, is a powerful symbol of the nation's journey to freedom. Notable for its Black Star Gate and Memorial Arch, the site commemorates Ghana's liberation from colonial rule. A pilgrimage here offers a glimpse into history and the spirit of independence, making it a must-visit for anyone who seeks to understand Ghana's heritage.

Since 1957, the National Museum of Ghana has been a key destination for exploring Ghana's rich history and culture. It features three galleries with artifacts spanning ancient to contemporary Africa. Highlights include ornate chiefs' regalia, handcrafted instruments, and modern West African arts. The museum has a sculpture garden with life-size political figures, a library, and a conservation lab.

One of Accra’s most important monuments (and prettiest green spaces), the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park pays tribute to Ghana’s first president, who led the country to its independence in 1957. The newly modernized memorial now houses an expanded museum, a mausoleum, and other commemorative attractions.

Housed in a historic European fortress in Accra, the Ussher Fort Museum offers a sobering look at the West African slave trade. It features exhibits such as slave trade paintings and artifacts from captors and enslaved people, including shackles and weaponry. The museum features model slave ships and tributes to abolitionists, emphasizing the struggle to end this inhumane practice.

While it may appear to be a fairly ordinary building from the outside, Osu Castle (Christiansborg Castle) is home to a dark and extraordinary past. Thousands of African captives were held in this 17th-century Danish trading post before being forcibly shipped across the Atlantic as part of the transatlantic slave trade. Later, the castle served as a British colonial seat of government and the office of the president of Ghana.

A must-see on any visit to Accra, Jamestown is just as vibrant as the street art that adorns its buildings. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover how the fishing village has been shaped by colonialism, slavery, poverty, and rebellion over the centuries.

Labadi Pleasure Beach is where the party’s at. While you can technically swim at this Accra destination, the water is far from the main attraction: Most travelers come here to enjoy highlife music, cold drinks, and local eats with a sea breeze and an ocean view.

Bohemian beach town meets surfing hotspot at Kokrobite, a coastal community about an hour north of Accra. It’s grown from a thriving fishing village into a popular day trip from Accra, and is a destination in its own right for anyone in search of a slower pace.

Ga-Mashie (also known as Old Accra) is the vibrant heartland of Ghana's Ga community, the original settlers of the city. Rich in cultural heritage, Ga-Mashie showcases colonial-era architecture and fishing villages along the Densu River and Chemmu Lagoon. You can learn about local culture and traditions by watching artisans practice net weaving and canoe hollowing.

Learn about Accra’s past and its dark history at James Fort, located in the Jamestown district. The fort was originally established in the 1600s by the Royal African Company of England to serve as a trading post for gold and slaves. It then transitioned into a prison until its closure in 2008. Today, the building is a tourist attraction and a historical site.

The Accra Mall is the first large-scale mall in Ghana. Step off the busy streets and into this air-conditioned oasis, where you’ll find a mix of local, regional, and international retailers. Make a day of it by grabbing a bite at the food court and catching a show at one of Ghana’s only multiplex theaters.

Spanning about 4 acres (1.6 hectares) of wetlands just beyond Accra city limits, the slum of Old Fadama—also known as Agbogbloshie—is home to some 40,000 Ghanaians living in extreme poverty. While living conditions are challenging in one of West Africa’s largest slums, members of this innovative community use discarded machinery, appliances, and old computers to forge a living through creativity, ingenuity, and a positive outlook toward improving their neighborhood.

The Brazil House Museum in Accra’s Jamestown is a place that tells the story of the Tabom people, who returned to settle in Ghana in 1836 after being enslaved in Brazil. They built and lived in this vibrant yellow colonial-style house, which has evolved into a museum that showcases artifacts from and exhibits about the Tabom community.