Things to Do in Jamaica

Jamaica's old and new cities have something exciting to do that will impress even the youngest of your group.

Spanish Town

The former capital of Jamaica, Spanish Town, 10 miles from Kingston, is a walking tour you can do yourself. The grand monuments and red brick homes are impressive examples of Jamaican architecture. You will see the Court House, House of Assembly, Rodney Memorial, the Kings House and St. Catherine's Cathedral. It can take all day to see everything around Spanish Town.

Blue Mountains

Hike, climb or drive to the top of the Blue Mountains. The height of the mountain top is 7,402 feet, which will take less than one hour to drive up. The mountain is 12 miles wide and 28 miles long. While hiking, you will have a chance to see many of the over 600 species of plants and over 200 bird species. There are many trails that connect the settlements and villages at the base of the mountains that you can explore. The Buff Bay Road trail will take you to Mount Horeb and Catherine's Peak. Some of the lower slopes of the mountains are where the beans for the Blue Mountain coffee is grown. The best time to hike in the mountains is between December and April there are no landslides and flooding from the fast flowing rivers during heavy rainy seasons from May through November.

Green Grotto

Explore the labyrinthine limestone caves on the north coast of Jamaica. The caves give you a phenomenal view of light holes, crags, stalagmites and stalactites. The Arawak Indians used the Green Grotto caves as shelter centuries ago as is evident with the fragments of adzes and pottery that has been unearthed over time. Smugglers used the caves to smuggle weapons into Cuba and during the Second World War, Jamaicans stored rum barrels in the entrance ways to the cave.

Dunn's River Falls

Just two miles from Ocho Rios, you will find Dunn's River Falls where you can hike up the layered tiers of the falls. The rocks are slippery from being wet, so you will need to wear good shoes with a rough sole and take your time. The 600-foot waterfalls cascades down the rocks into a pool and down to another pool before reaching the sandy beach.