Barbados enjoys over 3028 hours of sunshine annually. But with a nod to Longfellow, into each life some rain must fall. We have compiled a list of 12 things to do on a rainy day in Barbados – some choices are even loads of fun come rain or come shine.
It is a well-known fact that when the skies open up the bars and restaurants get crowded. Many lasting holiday friendships have their origin from a rainy day spent watching sports while sampling our local rums and beers. But if it is a family day you desire, here are a few suggestions to keep both adults and children, whether young or old, entertained when “de sun is not in de sky”.
1. Visit the Concorde Experience located next to the airport where G-BOAE made it’s final home. Learn how the amazing technology was developed and how it differed from other aircraft. Experience how it felt to fly in this incredible plane. Bajans of a certain age still love to tell the story of how the Concorde would fly low and slow along the West Coast every Saturday around 11 am on its final descent into Grantley Adams airport.
2. Tour the Barbados Museum located at the Garrison in St Michael next to the horse racing track. If you’re on the west coast the Arlington Museum in Speightstown is a good choice for a smaller museum. These are filled with Barbadian history and artifacts which tell the story of our heritage.
3. Take a tour through one of our greatest tourist attractions, Harrison’s Cave, a beautiful, crystallized limestone cavern located in the central part of the island. The spectacular underground natural wonder is without a doubt a great way to spend a “wet†day. After the tour grab a snack at the Village Bar.
4. Not a tour for the kids, but the Mount Gay Rum Visitors Centre located off the Spring Garden Highway on the outskirts of Bridgetown is where you can learn all about the history of our famous rum which dates back to 1703. “The rum that invented rum.†Ask for a “Painkiller†at the bar.
5. Visit St Nicholas Abbey. Located in the hills of St Peter, it is one of only 2 remaining Jacobean mansions in the Western hemisphere. Completely restored in painstakingly authentic detail by renowned local architect Larry Warren, this glimpse into the past is not complete without purchasing your very own hand etched crystal rum bottle which contains the Abbey’s very own aged rum.
6. Hire a car or private taxi for the day and take a tour of the island. It may not be the best photo op day but the entire island is rarely overcast and clouded.
7. The kids will love the Agapey Chocolate Factory located in Fontabelle on the outskirts of Bridgetown. You will receive an informative guided tour with samples of regional sugars and cocoa beans, and of course a taste of the finished product.
8. Spend a day browsing through some of the world’s finest designer stores at the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre in Holetown, and when you’re through, stop for lunch or a beverage at any of the great eateries in the mall. You can even smoke a Cuban cigar in the Cigar Shop upstairs.
9. The Orange Street Grocer in Speightstown, The Lone Star in Mount Standfast, Mullins Beach Bar on the west coast are great places to hang out enjoying good food and some great drinks in a relaxed and casual atmosphere while overlooking the sea. Rain or shine.
10. Visit Earthworks Pottery in St Thomas and peep “behind the scenes†to see how this world famous pottery is made. There is no charge for entry. But you will be tempted to buy at least a piece or two, whether a simple trinket or perhaps an entire dinner service to be shipped. Locals tip: visit the “seconds†shelf first for incredible bargains.
11. Visit one of the many Art Galleries on the island:- On The Wall Gallery at Champers Restaurant (south coast) or at Earthworks in St Thomas; The Tides Art Gallery at The Tides Restaurant in Holetown (west coast); Gallery of Caribbean Art in Speightstown (west coast).
12. See what an authentic plantation house looks like from the inside out. Sunbury Plantation House in St Philip is a fully restored plantation home filled with antiques and 300 years of historic content. Tour the grounds and view the old word machinery and carts used in the last century for the single purpose of land cultivation.