Barbados Tourist Attractions in St. Michael
Bridgetown is the capital city of Barbados located in the parish of St. Michael, which has many tourist attractions and exciting things to see and do.
The parish of St. Michael runs from the Garrison Savannah, through Bridgetown and up on the west coast until you get to Paynes Bay.
Horse Racing
Starting at the Garrison Savannah, you will find some attractions in this old military fort. The first being the Barbados Turf Club, with race meetings every other Saturday. Horse racing is a great day out for the entire family and well worth a visit while passing through this parish. Please see our article on horse racing for more information.
Tourist Attractions
In the same area is the Barbados Museum, which depicts the history of Barbados from the very first settlers right through to modern-day displays. It is a fascinating tour through the museum for the history buffs among you as well as those who are just interested in the heritage and culture of Barbados. Even the children will enjoy a visit here.
Another attraction at the Garrison Savannah is George Washington House, which was renovated to the period when George Washington stayed there for two months while his brother was recuperating from the smallpox virus.
The last attraction at the Garrison Savannah is St. Ann’s Fort, which is a military museum giving a guided tour of the military through the years in Barbados.
Church
As you continue along with Highway Seven towards Bridgetown, you will see the first of the city’s two cathedrals on your right, and that is the Roman Catholic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where there is a daily mass held at noon.
Beaches
Just along the main road from St. Patrick’s RC Cathedral towards Bridgetown is Carlisle Bay, a lovely bay famous for mooring yachts and which boasts an underwater dive park. There is a host of sunken ships and boats, which have created a natural habitat for marine life and is a popular dive site.
As a cruise passenger, it is the picture-perfect way to spend your day in paradise.
Also located in this bay is a favorite beach bar, The Boatyard, which is busy day and night. During the day you can get sun loungers, umbrellas and there are plenty of activities in the water to keep everyone amused, including a giant iceberg in the sea to climb.
The Boatyard is a boarding point for some of the available catamaran cruises. By night The Boatyard is transformed into a nightclub often with live performances from some of the island’s leading bands.
Synagogue
Once inside Bridgetown itself you will find the other cathedral, which is St. Michaels Cathedral, this is open all day for you to look around.
If you are interested in religious buildings, then you must try to visit the Jewish Synagogue in Bridgetown, as it is one of the oldest in the world. For further information, please read the articles below.
The Barbados National Heroes Gallery and Barbados Museum of Parliament invite you to explore the development of democracy in Barbados and the role that the island’s people have played in this growth.
Both are housed in the historic West Wing of Parliament and offer a combination of traditional exhibits, artistic interpretation, and modern interactive museum experience.
If you are interested in theatre, then you will find the Frank Collymore Hall in Bridgetown, which shows regular productions.
Catamaran Cruises
At the bottom of Broad Street, you will find the Careenage, where a lot of the charter fishing boats are based and where you can board some of the other catamaran cruises. There are some beautiful boutiques located on this stretch with excellent cafés for eating and drinking and watching the world go.
Shopping
Bridgetown is also the best place for duty-free shopping, with Broad Street being the main road running through the city center.
If you are looking for souvenirs to take home, then you need to head out towards the Port, where you will find the Pelican Craft Centre. Here you will find unique original pieces created on-site at the many studios’ open for you to look around. There are sculptures, pottery, art, and leather goods for sale.
Cricket
At the very end of Fontabelle, which runs parallel behind the Pelican Craft Centre, you will find the Barbadian home of Cricket, Kensington Oval. The oval was host to the ICC Cricket World Cup Final in 2007. For further information on the ground and Cricket in Barbados, please click on the link below.
Tyrol Cot, which is now a heritage center, is dedicated to its former inhabitants, who were Sir Grantley Adams, the first Prime Minister of Barbados, and his son Tom Adams who was also a former Prime Minister of Barbados. For more information, please see the links to the right of this page.
Now, if you head out onto the Spring Garden Highway, the first tourist attraction that you will come across on your left is the Atlantis Submarine, which is an excellent attraction for children and adults.
The last tourist attraction as you head towards the west coast, on your right along the same highway, is Mount Gay Rum Distillery and Visitors Center. You can experience the history of Mount Gay rum in Barbados, with a full tour of the factory, and a lovely café for lunch and drinks afterward.
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