Things to do in  Grenada

Grand Etang National Park preserves the nutmeg groves and tropical rain forest of Grenada’s central highland. At the park’s heart is the crater lake that gives the park its name, Grand Etang Lake. A network of walking trails meanders through the park, around the lake, and toward the coast—it’s Grenada’s most popular area for hiking and trekking.

The River Antoine Estate is home to the oldest rum distillery in Grenada, where the original owners began producing rum in 1785. Today's owners continue the tradition. Rum is a huge part of Grenadine culture and history and the distillery offers a glimpse (as well as a small taste into the production of one of the country’s most famous exports.

This waterfall site in Grenada has three separate falls to visit—from a 35-foot (10.6-meter) cascade near the entrance to two larger waterfalls that require a hike through a forest reserve. The first waterfall is accessible via a paved path with handrails. The natural pools make for a refreshing swim.

In the central highlands of Grenada, Grand Etang Lake was formed in the natural crater of one of the island’s extinct volcanoes. Multiple waterfalls and creeks flow into the 20-foot-deep (6-meter-deep) lake, now filled with bright blue water, creating a tropical landscape at the center of Grenada’s national park.

This expansive nutmeg garden is the home and source of a variety of nutmeg products made by the company De La Grenade. As Grenada is famous for its spice exports, particularly nutmeg, the gardens give visitors the chance to experience the heart of the “Isle of Spice.” Here, learn about the historical, traditional, and medicinal uses of spices and other local plants.

A 400-acre plantation that dates back to the late 1600s, Grenada’s Belmont Estate allows visitors a glimpse of traditional Caribbean farming. The estate was founded on sugar and coffee and now grows spices such as nutmeg and cloves, and the neighboring Grenada Chocolate Company showcases the transformation of cocoa beans into chocolate.

If Grenada is known as the “Isle of Spice” then Gouyave should be known as “Nutmeg Village” for its role as the main producer of the island’s most famous spice. Located on the west side of Grenada, Gouyave is a fishing village where the 3-story Gouyave Nutmeg Station churns out three million pounds of the spice each year, for export.

Off the coast of Grenada, travelers will find a unique community below the surface—the Molinière Underwater Sculpture Park. The more than 100 works by Jason deCaires Taylor cover over 8,600 square feet (800 square meters) of the ocean floor, and are accessible by scuba diving, snorkeling, and glass-bottom boat rides. The park draws divers and snorkelers away from the nearby fragile reefs and serves as a safe base for marine life.

The Carenage is St. George’s lively waterfront promenade, which winds around Grenada’s inner harbor. Its name is derived from the French word carenage, meaning “safe anchorage.” Lined with colonial-era buildings, the inlet offers shops, seafood restaurants, and cafés, plus it’s near Grenada’s bustling open-air market.

Cruise passengers can explore St. George’s on foot from Grenada’s Melville Street Cruise Terminal, as this port exits into downtown. Smaller ships berth at the Carenage, which is also close to waterfront shops and restaurants. Carenage is not as bustling as Melville Street port, but it’s one of the most picturesque parts of St. George’s.

Carriacou provides a laid-back alternative to the larger neighboring island of Grenada, where many day trips to Carriacou begin. One of the Grenadine Islands, Carriacou is known as “the island surrounded by reefs." Its pristine beaches and clear waters offer ideal conditions for snorkeling and scuba diving.

There are lovely beaches tucked away in La Sagesse Nature Center, but bird watching is the bigger draw here. Birds flocking to the estuary’s tranquil mangroves, scrub, cactus, and salt ponds include coots, egrets, herons, and flycatchers. Follow the hiking trails that wind through the park and see how many varieties you can spot.

Inside the Grenada National Museum, you’ll learn about the island’s diverse, colorful history through a collection of artifacts, including Amerindian pottery shards, sailors’ rum stills, and the flotsam and jetsam of the island’s many occupying forces over the years. Plus, the historic building boasts its own interesting and varied past.

This 5-acre (2-hectare private garden is home to some of the oldest mahogany trees in Grenada, as well as some of the island’s most treasured native plants and flowers. With the ocean bordering one side of the estate and the mountains facing the other, Sunnyside Garden is particularly scenic, making it a top garden spot in the Caribbean.

Smithy’s Garden is a private estate and spice garden that’s rich with orchards, vegetables, spice plants, and tropical flower gardens. It is divided into two sections, one representing the old gardens and the other, the new. Though the gardens are maintained, the area still retains a wild, jungle-like atmosphere and a sense of plants thriving in their natural environment.