I love that my daughter is well travelled. But even my jaw dropped a bit when I realised she’d had two Caribbean holidays before the age of two (and had racked up five by the time she was seven). I, needless to say, was working (very nice work, admittedly).
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Because although the islands have a well-deserved reputation for romantic breaks, they’re fantastic for family holidays as well. Quite apart from the sand and sea, we’ve always had a very warm welcome and enjoyed swimming with stingrays in Antigua, making chocolate in St Lucia, discovering a fascinating shipwreck in Grand Turk and snorkelling in Aruba.
With direct flights to a lot of islands from the UK, I’ve got my eyes on a few more Caribbean destinations too – Barbados is less than nine hours away, with some gorgeous luxury villas as well as plenty of family-friendly attractions. Here are my top eight things to do in Barbados with kids.
Spot monkeys in Barbados
My own monkey loves animals – all animals, but monkeys are easily among her favourites. So the Barbados Wildlife Reserve would be top of our list.
It’s a sanctuary for green monkeys but you’ll also find birds, racoons, deer, mara and reptiles, many living free within the reserve rather than in cages (except the snakes, fortunately).
You can buy tickets to visit at feeding time, including a visit to North Point, with hotel transfer as well.
Take a tour of Barbados
If you don’t have long in Barbados, or are looking for an easy way to see all the sights during your family holiday, an island tour is a great way to explore with kids, including this six-hour tour. suitable for younger kids.
Or you could choose a tour stopping at Animal Flower Cave as well as this island tour with rum tasting for adults – well, you are in the Caribbean!
Venture underground
Over 500,000 years old and three miles long, Harrison’s Cave is one of the island’s wonders and unmissable if you’re visiting Barbados with children.
In the centre of Barbados, a tram takes you down beneath the surface to discover stalactites and stalagmites and 50ft high caverns, until you reach the teardrop-shaped Cascade pool and waterfall – so clear, you can see right to the bottom.
It couldn’t be further from the beach and sun, but this is one unmissable experience – you can also visit as part of an island tour.
Head underwater in Barbados
You don’t need to be able to dive or even snorkel to get close to the tropical fish off the coast. Head underwater to the incredible reefs with a submarine ride from Atlantis Submarines Barbados – kids have to be 3ft tall and age 3+ and the tour lasts around two hours, including the short cruise out to the submarine.
There are even night dives or you can combine it with a tour of Harrison’s Cave.
Sail away
Feed turtles and spot shipwrecks, dance on deck in the sun or leap into the Caribbean from a rope swing – a cruise around the island is the perfect way to explore.
This family-friendly catamaran cruise is a great option, and suitable for ages 3+, while there are boat trips from Cool Runnings which are great for babies up.
Or try this Sunset, Turtle and Shipwreck cruise which lets you swim over shipwrecks and gives you the chance to snorkel with turtles before kicking back with a drink and a snack as the sun sets.
You’ll also find plenty of other Barbados boat cruise options including lunch, as well as shorter cruises – and always plenty of rum punch for the adults…
Board a steam train
Head to St Nicholas Abbey and there’s a chance to take a journey pulled by a steam locomotive on the Heritage Railway.
The route takes you through mahogany woods, through the plantation and stops at Cherry Tree Hill lookout for some amazing views out to the east coast.
Tickets to St Nicholas Abbey include a chance to see the Plantation House, one of the last authentic 17th century plantation houses left in the Caribbean, as well as a chance to sample the rum made at the on-site distillery.
Go snorkelling
The fantastic marine life of the Caribbean is always a good way to tempt kids to learn to snorkel – my daughter first pulled on her own mask in Aruba.
And one of the best places to snorkel in Barbados with kids is Folkestone Marine Park, a marine reserve where you can see shipwrecks as well as a string of colourful fish in the clear waters.
You can join a tour visiting Folkestone Marine Park for time snorkelling, chilling out on the boat then ending at one of Barbados’s lovely beaches.
Hit the beach
There’s more than just beaches in Barbados, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t head down to the sand at least once.
For starters, there’s not golden but pink sand at Crane Beach, guaranteed to stick in your kids’ memories. For older kids, there are also watersports including bodyboarding and boogie boarding, or you can just relax under the palm trees and swim in the clear turquoise water.
Younger kids will also love Bottom Bay which has shallow areas created by the coral reef – also great for snorkelling for older ones – or Accra/Rockley beach which has its own protected area. Reeds Bay is another great spot for a quiet day by the water, with calm waters.
If your kids love snorkelling, Worthing Beach is great – the reef is close enough to shore that you can practically walk out to it at low tide.
For older kids looking for more activities, Mullins Beach is ideal with water sports, restaurants on the beach and more snorkelling to enjoy. And Surfers Point – as the name gives away – is the perfect place to try surfing, as well as being good for kayaking. It also has some protected ocean pools if you’ve got littler ones as well.
If you’re over at the east coast, Bathsheba beach also has some great rock pools if you visit at low tide – perfect to spot the little fish hiding amid the rocks and shells, and if you’re lucky, you could even spy a sea spider.
Where to stay in Barbados with kids
When you’re planning a family-friendly holiday in the Caribbean, it’s always great to have your own space – and there are some fantastic luxury villas if you’re visiting Barbados with kids.
Top Villas has some great places to stay in Barbados including for smaller families of 3-4, as well as bigger groups of 12.
You can find plenty of choice with a private pool, and if you’re looking for some serious indulgence, you can even book options with their own chef if you’d rather put your feet up in the sun than cook.
*First published 2016, updated 2025*
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Main photo/green monkey courtesy Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, all other images courtesy of Depositphotos, all other images provided by
