Head south of the Caribbean Sea and you will find Grenada, an island nation made up of one main island and six surrounding islands.
Dubbed the “spice of the Caribbean,” Grenada has plenty to offer.
With roots in history, natural wonders like lakes and waterfalls, tropical animals, tasty cuisine, and white-sand beaches, Grenada has something for everyone.
This Grenada travel guide will help you plan your next vacation.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
Fast Facts about Grenada
- Power voltage is 230 V at 50 Hz.
- The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar and 1 Eastern Caribbean Dollar is equal to 0.37 USD.
- The best way to get around is by car.
- To enter, you will need a U.S. passport. You do not need a tourist visa as long as your stay is under three months.
- Digicel and Flow are the main mobile providers, and a prepaid SIM card can be purchased through any of them. For the SIM card to work, you must have a phone that is unlocked and is compatible with a GSM international cell phone.
- The sales tax rate is 15%.
Things to See and Do in Grenada
- Grenada National Museum: Travel back in time with artifacts and exhibitions to learn about the cultural heritage and history of Grenada, from the early days of the Kalinago inhabitations up to the 20th century. Admission is 5 European Caribbean Dollars for adults and 2.5 for children.
- Grand Etang National Park: Make a day trip out of this national reserve. Hike through nature trails and see lakes, waterfalls, and wildlife like armadillos, Mona monkeys, and tropical mockingbirds.
- Fort George: If you like history, stop by this historic fortress. Built in the 18th century, this fortress can be reached by taking a hike up the hill to see the fortress up-close, as well as great views of the harbor and city below.
- Annandale Falls: If you love waterfalls, come see this great waterfall. Stroll through a short nature trail and see vegetation and natural beauty before getting to the waterfall, which has a beautiful pool of water at the base. Make sure to bring a camera.
- Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park: Diving fans will love this underwater sculpture park.One of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World, you can dive, snorkel, or take a boat down into the bay to see wondrous artistic sculptures.
Grenada Travel Guides
Budgeting
Accommodation
Budget: You can find prices for budget hotels in the range of 150-320 Eastern Caribbean Dollars per night. Enjoy private rooms, free Wi-Fi, good locations, an outdoor pool, free breakfast, and a hotel restaurant.
Mid-Range: For mid-range hotels and resorts, expect to pay between 400-700 Eastern Caribbean Dollars per night. These hotels typically come with private rooms with tea and coffee makers and minibars, a hotel restaurant, an outdoor pool, fitness centers, and great locations to nearby beaches.
High-End: Upscale hotels and resorts can range from 950-5,500 Eastern Caribbean Dollars and beyond. Take in the best with private suites and villas, multiple hotel restaurants, spa services, beach clubs, tennis courts, scuba diving facilities, live entertainment, and more.
- Check out our favorite booking platforms Booking.com, Tripadvisor and VRBO for the best deals on accommodation.
Food
Food: The national dish is Oil Down, a meal made from salted meat, chicken, dumplings, breadfruit, callaloo (taro leaves), and is stewed in coconut milk and spices. Seafood is popular in Grenada. When out and about, look for treats like cocoa tea (like hot chocolate, with bay leaves and cinnamon), roti (wraps with meat or vegetables), or Grenadian spice cake. In total, expect to pay around 140 Eastern Caribbean Dollars per day for food.
The Best Ways to Get Around Grenada
Getting to Grenada:
Getting to Grenada: The main airport to fly into is the Maurice Bishop International Airport. It is located 5 miles from St. George’s, Grenada’s capital.
Flights: You can check for the best flights on Skyscanner.
Transportation:
Train: Grenada has a Discovery Train that is built for tourists and can take you around St. George’s in 45 minutes, with stops at destinations like the museum and Fort George.
Ferries: Taking a ferry is the best way to get to the surrounding islands of Grenada. Go from the main island to Carriacou in 90 minutes for 80 Eastern Caribbean Dollars.
Bus: Buses are a cheap way to get around, with a typical fare being 2.50 Eastern Caribbean Dollars. The buses in Grenada are minibuses and run most days, except Sundays. You can catch one by waving it down or going to a bus stop.
Taxis: Taxis are a good way to get around. Taxis have flat rates instead of meters, so always double check what the price will be before getting into a cab. Go from the Maurice Bishop airport to St. George’s, for example, for about 30 Eastern Caribbean Dollars. As with the bus, look for a license plate that starts with an H, so you know it’s official.
Rent a car: To rent a car, you need to be 25 years old and have a U.S. driver’s license, as well as a local Grenada driving permit (which cost 60 Eastern Caribbean Dollars). Prices for car rentals start at 135 Eastern Caribbean Dollars per day. You can also compare prices here
When to go To Grenada
The best time to go is December. During this month, the rainy season has mostly ended, and you can beat some of the tourist crowds (the most popular time to visit is between January and April).
If you want to reduce hotel rates, you can travel between May and November, though be aware this is Grenada’s rainy season and there can also be a chance of hurricanes.
Where to Stay in Grenada
Deyna’s City Inn: For those on a budget who still want to experience a great stay, Denya’s City Inn is the place to be. Located in the town center of St. George’s, the inn is a short walk to Fort George and the Grenada museum. When you’re done exploring, come back to the hotel for air-conditioned rooms with sea views and the hotel restaurant and bar.
True Blue Bay Boutique Resort: Whatever your budget, this hotel in St. George’s is a great place to stay. Choose from a variety of rooms, from standard all the way up to suites that come with whirlpool tubs and living rooms. All rooms are equipped with a kitchen and the hotel also offers an indoor and outdoor pool, a golf course, a hotel restaurant and bar, a fitness center, room service, and shuttle to the airport. This hotel is both kid and pet friendly. Grand Anse Beach is just 5 minutes away.
Spice Island Beach Resort: Come stay at this luxury 5-star all-inclusive beach resort to see some of the best of Grenada. Rooms come with LED TVs and furnished balconies and you can enjoy numerous amenities like massage services,an outdoorpool and relaxing lounge area, room service, ocean kayaking, beachside yoga, and more.
Check out our favorite booking platforms Booking.com, Tripadvisor and VRBO for the best deals on accommodation.
What to Pack for Grenada
- Sunscreen: Protect your skin from the beautiful sun with some sunscreen.
- Bathing Suit: With so many beaches to explore, don’t forget to bring a swimsuit.
- Lightweight Clothing: As the weather is beautiful year-round, bring clothes that aren’t too heavy.
- Sarong – We always pack sarongs, especially in the tropics. Read why here.
See our packing tips: packing tips
Grenada Travel Guide: Best Booking Resources
Whenever we travel to we make sure to start with these companies. We have tried a lot of different ones over the years and all of these have consistently proven to be the best when it comes to offering great prices.
We have used every one of these personally and continue to do so.
- Booking.com: This is our go site to when comparing prices for accommodation. It usually has the cheapest prices, especially in Europe and we love their interface. Not to mention you get free cancellation and you are guaranteed the best price.
- Trip Advisor: What we like about Trip Advisor is that we can look at all the reviews and then book our accommodation. TripAdvisor is where we go when we want to compare prices with multiple accommodation providers.
- VRBO: is the main search engine we use when we are looking for a home or apartment rental. It can sometimes be cheaper than hotels and it is the best way to stay in areas that offer a more local feel.
- Hostelworld: With one of the largest databases of hostels in the world, Hostelworld is the go-to site when you are looking for budget accommodation.
- Skyscanner: This is the first place we check for flights. It consistently comes back with the cheapest and best options. It allows us to compare a lot of airlines to get the best price.
- Rome 2 Rio: If you want to see how to get somewhere by plane, train, bus, ferry or car Rome2Rio lays it all out for you as well as related costs.I love how they show it all to you on a Google Map and it works offline.
- Get Your Guide: For all your day trip and city guide needs, we use Get Your Guide. It has the world’s largest collection of things to do with more than 30,000 activities in 7500 destinations.
- World Nomads Insurance: When traveling to Italy you should always have travel insurance. We have found the best bang for your buck is by far World Nomads.
Grenada Travel Guide: Related Articles
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