Barbados family holidays

Best activities in Barbados for families

Albeit a small island, Barbados has an armful of activities for all age groups. The west coast beaches are all soft sand and pancake-flat waters for tots to play and splash about in, while older sprogs can swim, snorkel, kayak and paddle board and parents join in or watch from the shore. Down on the south coast, some of the Caribbean’s best surf schools can teach them the way of the waves, while the north and east have cracking coast paths to trundle together. Nothing beats a good old-fashioned family game of beach cricket – a long-time local’s favourite. We’ve rounded up the top regions and the best family activities in each.

Christ Church & St Lawrence Gap

St Lawrence Gap is located in Christ Church Parish and is a buzzing hub of activity. Dover Beach is a popular destination for families, where you can enjoy boogie boarding, jet skiing and windsurfing, among plenty more.

St. Michael & Bridgetown

Why not have fun and soak up some culture at the same time with a trip to St Michael’s Cathedral? Or take a tour around Graeme Hall Wildlife Sanctuary to admire the animals and foliage. Whether you have young kids or harder-to-please teenagers, a submarine trip with Atlantis Submarines will keep them mesmerised.

St. James & Holetown

Holetown is the biggest city in St James. Try your hand at a new water sport on Holetown Beach. They offer everything from snorkelling trips to swimming with turtles – plenty to keep the family entertained for hours along miles of pristine beaches, such as Paynes Bay.

St. Peter & Speightstown

The historic town of Speightstown, in the parish of St. Peter, is popular among families and home to some beautiful quieter beaches. Take a tour of St Nicholas Abbey plantation house, a Jacobean property built-in 1650.

Best family excursions in Barbados

We love the family-friendly boat trips on offer, where you can swim with turtles, snorkel reefs and shipwrecks, go fishing, even pretend to be pirates… Inland, whether you tempt them in with tales of a dragon’s lair, the science of stalagmites or Insta-potential, Harrison’s Cave makes for a stonking good day trip. The Wildlife reserve’s another good un, where you can meet parrots, peacocks, flamingos and the stars of the show, Barbados’ famous green monkeys (don’t miss feeding time!). And for wildlife under the water, kids go nuts for the Atlantis submarines, where you’re taken under the sea among fish, turtles, colourful corals, maybe even a shipwreck… If you’re a cricket-loving clan (or want to fast become one), take them to the T20 at the Kensington Oval.

Best destinations in Barbados for families

As an island, Barbados is not too big and not too small which makes it just right when it comes to getting around - wherever you’re based - and gives you more than enough to see and do.

The South coast and St Lawrence Gap, affectionately known as ‘The Gap’ by locals, is hailed as a family-friendly region in Barbados due to its impressive array of accommodation and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

For more cost-effective options head to Paynes Bay in St James parish. This area is a hotspot for families with its calmer seas and selection of family-friendly restaurants. It is also a great place for a family snorkelling session and a fun catamaran trip. Dover Beach is also renowned as being a prominent beach for families, boasting a plethora of water activities including boogie boarding, windsurfing, and jet skiing.

Best hotels in Barbados for families

Being a family-friendly island, there are plenty of hotels to choose from and you’re bound to find something to suit your family's needs. All-inclusive is a popular hit with families due to the ease of having everything in one place and offering a range of activities to choose from. Here are our top picks of family hotels in Barbados:

Bougainvillea Beach Resort in Oistins, very close to St Lawrence Gap has a prime beach for families. This hotel has a games room to keep your young entertained. It is great value and many family rooms, with children under 16 staying free.

Colony Club by Elegant Hotels is located in St James Parish and set in a tropical paradise with waterfall swimming pools and free watersports. The hotel also offers day trips to the fascinating Barbados Wildlife Reserve.

Sea Breeze Beach House in Christchurch offers a ‘kids stay free’ deal. There are separate spaces for families and couples, so each can enjoy the holiday in their own way.

Turtle Beach, Christchurch, boasts the Flying Fish Kids’ Club, hosting activities which include beach cricket, Calypso dancing and arts and crafts, movie nights, plus many more.

Types of family holidays

Barbados holidays with a baby or infant

Infant in tow, you can’t go wrong with an island that makes you relax the second you think of it. Many things make this place perfect for new parents – the shorter flight time for starters (a good hour or two less than other Caribbean islands), and the familiar feel (English speaking, driving on the left-hand side) giving you less to think about when you might have baby brain to contend with. Hotels really know how to welcome little ones, offering the likes of in-room cribs, blankets, bottle brushes and night lights. Some also let you pre-order nappies and formula etc to save the luggage space.

Barbados holidays with a toddler

If you want to keep routine disruption and travel time minimal, the fact that Barbados’ time difference (GMT -4), flight time from the UK (8 hours) and transfer times (30-50 mins to get pretty much anywhere) are less than other Caribbean islands makes it brilliant for trips with tots. The nature of the beaches helps too - calm water and soft, clean sand are perfect for pottering away the hours - splashing in the shallows, building sandcastles and spotting fish and turtles. With family friendly properties plonked yards from them, you’re never too far from home when it comes to nap time. The best offer babysitting services too, giving you good opportunity for some adult time.

Barbados holidays with a child

Youngsters are welcomed with open arms in Barbados, from the natural wonders to the hotel facilities and kids clubs you’ll be dragging them away from. Wow their imaginations with pirate boats, shipwrecks, colourful reefs and underground caverns. Expand their horizons with tennis, swimming, surfing and sailing lessons. Nurture young global citizens with carnival culture, Bajan customs (like the Friday night fish fry) and tours of historic towns and plantations.

Barbados holidays with a teenager

Active adolescents won’t be bored in Barbados, with surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, jet-skiing, banana boats, scuba diving, beach volleyball and much, much more. Nor will your Instagram-influencers, thanks to dizzyingly pretty beaches, caves, botanical gardens and gobsmacking sunsets. Resorts take care of teens terrifically too, with teen lounges, activities galore and events like mocktail parties and movie nights.