10 Best Family Things to Do in Barbados

Atlantis Submarines offers both daytime and nighttime underwater excursions for the whole family, allowing you to see a variety of local marine life. Through the windows of the submarine, you can see the stunning natural reefs and all sorts of corals and fish. The interior of the sub is also air-conditioned for maximum comfort.

The night tours are especially popular, as they offer entirely new insight into what lies beneath the water's surface. With high-powered lights that pierce through the water's darkness, you and your family will have no problem seeing the marine life that's more active after dark. You'll find this tour in Bridgetown along the western coast.

Harrison’s Cave is a natural wonder of Barbados that features impressive towering columns and shining stones with an active stream. When you visit, the stalagmites and stalactites will be particularly impressive, and they're still growing.

The massive central cavern in this cave network, known as the Great Hall, measures nearly 50 feet high. The interior temperature is around 80 degrees, so it can actually be cooler than the outside if you're visiting the island during the summer. You'll find this cave near the centre of the island on the west side of Saint Thomas.

Hunte’s Gardens is a lush collection of tropical foliage and flora arranged in a strikingly aesthetic manner with relaxing pathways and decorative statues. You'll find a variety of plants on display here, from plants native to Barbados to samples from the Caribbean at large.

Plants aren't all you'll find here, as the designated and well-maintained walking paths let the whole family explore the gardens with ease. You'll find benches now and then as well, allowing you to take a break when you like. You can get to these gardens in the Saint Joseph area, southwest of Surinam and Horse Hill.

The Richard Haynes Boardwalk is a beachfront destination where you'll find an unrelenting tropical atmosphere with easy access to the beach and restaurants. The beach is especially appealing, as you may be able to see hawksbill turtles at night during certain times of the year.

Along the boardwalk, you and your family can enjoy several different restaurants. Many of them offer seafood, but you'll find quite a bit of variety as well. Additionally, you can enjoy a laid-back atmosphere or something more upscale depending on your preference. You'll find this boardwalk in southern Bridgetown in Christ Church.

Farley Hill National Park is a massive area of natural beauty where you'll also find the ruins of a historic house dating back to the 19th century. The house is situated on top of a hill, so going to the ruins will not only offer insight into the past but a breathtaking view of the area as well.

When you visit this park area, you may find yourself attending a special event, as they're held frequently at the ruins. For the most part, these are concerts and performing arts shows. You can see it all for yourself in the northern part of the island along the border between Saint Andrew and Saint Peter.

Bushy Park go-karting offers fun for the whole family with safe yet speedy karts that race along a well-maintained circuit track. The karts use 4-stroke 270cc engines that can reach speeds of up to 50 mph, which feels pretty fast when you're that close to the ground.

When visiting with kids, they'll be using a much slower kind of kart to assure that everything's safe. Specifically, kids' karts are 160cc and feature a maximum 20 mph top speed. Additionally, their karts can be remotely shut off. You can find this adventure in Gasking on the east side of the island.

Folkestone Marine Park and Museum is an artificial reef and recreational zone that lets you and your little ones explore what lies beneath the blue waters offshore. The reef itself was formed by sinking the Stavronikita, a ship that now rests less than a half-mile from the beach.

While exploring the reef requires scuba diving gear, you can take in the inshore reef by snorkelling. This is the more popular option for families with small children, as you can see a variety of marine life, including fish, sea anemones, and coral. You'll find it all along the western coast of Holetown.

The Andromeda Botanic Gardens consists of a collection of plants curated by Iris Bannochie where you can see a variety of floral species that are adapted to the local environment. More than 500 different species of plants are on display here showing off vibrant greenery with flowering colours like pink as well.

When you visit these gardens, you'll find all sorts of plants, including 100 different species of trees and more than 90 different plant families. That kind of diversity is impressive even for the plant-friendly tropical world. You can explore the gardens in Bathsheba by the west side of the island.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve is the island's answer to calls for a zoo, as it seeks to showcase animals in their natural environment and plenty of diversity to explore. When you and your family stroll through the paths here, you'll see animals like monkeys, deer, and peacocks, amongst plenty of others.

Some of the animals here are set up in habitats that have a barrier between them and the walking paths. That's how they make sure the snakes and reptiles aren't a danger while still letting them enjoy their lives. You can find the reserve northeast of Benny Hall in Saint Peter.

The Jolly Roger lunch cruise is an unforgettable experience where you and your family can swim around and search for treasure along with eating cooked-to-order, delicious food. This cruise has a plank you can walk and rope-swinging opportunities, but you can also swim around a shipwreck and go snorkelling.

The food on this cruise is downright delicious, with everything cooked to order for a barbeque feast. Favourites like tuna, steak, and chicken are all available along with salads and sides. Discover the fun for yourself in Bridgetown by the river.