Barbados Oct. 3-10, 2009

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A Tour Of Bridgetown Barbados

The best way to explore this town is by foot and should only take a few hours.  The main street of the town is Broad Street and

is the perfect place to start your tour. This is considered the main area to go shopping in Bridgetown Barbados and it should take

you a few hours to explore the numerous duty free shops and craft stores along this street.

At the west end of Broad Street you will find St.Mary’s Anglican Church, the 2nd oldest church on the island, which was built in 1825.

As you travel east along this street you will come across a great store to visit on Broad Street called Cave Shepherd. This is the island’s

leading duty free shopping centre. You can pretty much find anything here from souvenirs and beach wear to high end jewelry and cosmetics.

Once you have reached the east end of Broad Street you will be in the heart of the capital and should take a moment to take a few pictures

of the Barbados Parliament Building. There is a beautiful clock tower attached to it. Just to your right there are also some other tourist attractions

in Bridgetown you should consider taking a look at. These include National Heroes Square, a tiny square built as a tribute to the island’s many

heroes, as well as The War Memorial and Fountain Gardens. The Chamberlain Bridge will be just behind you along Wharf Street.  Here you will

find docked the many yachts and catamarans aboard which the Barbados sea turtle tours begin. A stroll west along the beautiful boardwalk

at this river inlet will lead you to the Carlisle Wharf and Barbados Heliport. The Barbados helicopter tours begin at this heliport.  During your stroll

you will notice the HMBS Wiloughby Fort, home to the Barbados Coast Guard Division of the Barbados Defence Force.A trip further west from

here along Princess Alice Highway will lead you past the Bridgetown Fishing Harbour and bring you to the infamous Pelican Village. This is a

shopping village which offers visitors the widest selection of Barbados handcrafts and art work. Here you can take a rest, grab some local food at

the Cou-Cou village restaurant and wind down your foot tour of the city.

Getting Downtown and Driving in Bridgetown Barbados

If you have hired a car you can park in one of the many public parking lots located throughout the city. You must be wary of the numerous one-way streets

throughout the city. These one-way streets can be seen on the interactive map with red arrows depicting the direction of traffic flow. Bridgetown is also a very

 busy town and congested with traffic throughout the day. This leads to some drivers being aggressive so extra care while driving should be taken.

But if you are staying at a hotel that offers a free shopping shuttle bus to Bridgetown, such as Butterfly Beach Hotel, then you won’t have to worry about parking.

Local public buses and route taxis also run along the south and west coast of the island to the Bridgetown bus terminal (Fairchild Street Bus Station) and van

stand (Route Taxi Stop) for a flat rate of $1.50 BDS (75 cents USD). If you are staying along the south coast in one of the Bridgetown Barbados Hotels , you

can catch a bus from one of the many bus stops along Highway 7 (also called “The South Coast Road). And if you are coming from the west coast you can

catch a bus in to the town along Highway 1 (also called “The West Coast Road”).

__________________________________________________________________________

The Barbados Hilton, where we are staying, is at the bottom of this map

The Wharf St. is where much of the shopping is located

The cruise ship harbor at in the upper left. The Hilton is at the lower right.

Bridgetown - The capital of Barbados

Speightstown

Oistins

Holetown

St. Lawrence

Barbados Attractions: Harry Bayley Observatory
Spend an evening star gazing in Barbados! Visit the local observatory for a chance to explore the heavens through a Celestron 14 inch telescope.

The islands location gives you the opportunity to see the moon, planets and deep sky objects that are not visible from Europe or North America.

This is a great attraction for the kids as they learn while having a great time!

The Observatory was built in 1963 and is the only observatory in the Eastern Caribbean.

The Harry Bayley Observatory is open every Friday night from 8:30 pm.
Entrance fee is just US$5 for adults and US$2.50 for children.

Info Link 1   Info Link 2   Info Link 3   

Crane Beach - One of Travel Channels Ten Best

More Beaches (comments by others)

Brewery Tour

Come visit one of the finest small breweries in the world.

Take a stroll through our Brew-Seum and enjoy a journey through our 47-year history. See the huge trademark copper kettles where Banks Beer was brewed for

32 years and photos of the Brewery's '1000-gallon opening.' Then pause to take a look around our fully automated Computerized Facility before enjoying a bird's

eye view of the Bottling Hall where a great symphony of glass upon glass meets the ears, as we produce the distinctively flavoured golden brew.

Then its time to sit and relax in The Beer Garden which was constructed as a replica of a traditional Bajan watering hole. Here you can enjoy the full range of beverages

The Brewery

Q. How often are tours of the Brewery conducted?
A. Guided tours take place Mondays through Fridays at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm.

Q. How can I arrange to go on a tour?
A. Tel: (246) 227-6722 to make a reservation. Walk-ins are also welcomed.

Q. How much does it cost to tour the Brewery?
A. BDS $12 or US $6.

BEST AVAILABLE RATE BEST UNRESTRICTED RATE (more)

219.00 USD 1 KING BED WITH BALCONY BAYVIEW
219.00 USD 2 DOUBLE BEDS WITH BALCONY BAYVIEW
239.00 USD 1 KING BED WITH BALCONY OCEANVIEW
239.00 USD 2 DOUBLE BEDS WITH BALCONY OCEANVIEW
289.00 USD 1 KING BED EXECUTIVE FLOOR OCEANVIEW
289.00 USD 2 DOUBLE BEDS EXECUTIVE FLOOR OCEANVIEW

“Paradise. Plain & Simple”
Sep 9, 2009 - KCooker21 - Hollywood, CA
My husband and I stayed at the Hilton in Barbados for 7 days and both agree that it was one of the best vacations we have ever had. The location of the Hilton is absolutely breathtaking, the beach in... Read more

My husband and I stayed at the Hilton in Barbados for 7 days and both agree that it was one of the best vacations we have ever had. The location of the Hilton is absolutely breathtaking, the beach in front of the hotel was immaculate, the staff was wonderful, polite & accommodating, the food was excellent (though I recommend venturing out to try some local cuisine as well), the pool is fabulous, the activities are fun, and it is an all around wonderful place to stay! Close

“Fantastic Hotel”
Sep 8, 2009 - Nancy030 - Burnley, Lancashire
This Hotel offers everything you would expect from the Hilton chain. The rooms are modern, spacious and clean. The reception area is always attended to and is open air with a large staricase... Read more

This Hotel offers everything you would expect from the Hilton chain. The rooms are modern, spacious and clean. The reception area is always attended to and is open air with a large staricase leading down to the various pools and beach huts where you can get drinks, snacks and towels. The beach infront of the hotel is amazing. The beach is white and the water is clear blue and warm. Sun loungers are provided free of charge and you can easily relax without being too close to any other travellers. We stayed at the Hilton on a B&B basis because we wanted to try as much local food as possible. The only fault with this hotel is the location. You have to get a taxi every night to and from 'The Gap' and over the two weeks this adds up to a considerable amount. From memory I think it was $25 each way. There are lots of great places to eat at the gap. Prices vary but there is something for everyone. We didnt do any trips in Barbados but we did go to Oystons. Make sure you make the effort to go whilst you are in barbados. Its a great atmosphere and the locally prepared dishes are excellent and really cheap. Another gem if you decide to try somewhere other than the gap is the Waterfront Cafe in Brigetown. They have a traditional buffet on a Tuesday night and its is fantastic! Close

“Barbados, Hilton”
Sep 5, 2009 - norcalkitesurfer - Hayward, Ca.
Very nice place to stay. Friendly staff and very quiet. Walking distance to public transportion and Brown Sugar Rest (popular barbadian local rest). Amenities are also good. Very clean room and... Read more

Very nice place to stay. Friendly staff and very quiet. Walking distance to public transportion and Brown Sugar Rest (popular barbadian local rest). Amenities are also good. Very clean room and secured. If you decide to tour the island or shopping, we hired a taxi. The taxi was a late model BMW 5 series. Our driver was so frindly that we invited him to eat lunch with us before leaving. The rate was $30 US per hour with minimum of 3 hours. I promissed the driver that I would publish his info to gain some business. Please contact him if you need to get arround safely and comfortably. Here is his info: Name: Norman Alleyne Cell: [--] Hm: [--] Close

“Relaxing vacation ... nice hotel”
Aug 27, 2009 - NJ2anywhere - NJ, USA
My wife and I stayed at the Hilton for 7 days in January 2009 using Hilton Hhonors points. Being a gold member, we were upgraded to the executive floor to a king ocean view room. Despite what some... Read more

My wife and I stayed at the Hilton for 7 days in January 2009 using Hilton Hhonors points. Being a gold member, we were upgraded to the executive floor to a king ocean view room. Despite what some of the other reviews said, we were very happy with our choice and experience while in Barbados. We were looking for a relaxing vacation and we got exactly that! HOTEL: The hotel staff was very friendly. We utilized the concierge almost daily to assist with dinner reservations and a few other things such as arranging for a rental car. We rented a car (motu) for 1 day to explore the island and it was nice. The maps of the island are not very detailed (nor are the road signs) so you should have a good sense of direction if you plan on driving. Also, the hotel is centrally located to Bridgetown and St. Lawrence Gap, but is at the point of the bay so it's rather quiet/secluded a bit....and unless you like to walk a lot (which we do), then you'll have to take a taxi most places. MEALS: We ate breakfast in the executive lounge every day; we purchased lunch items (most days) at the nearby convenience store/gas station; and we enjoyed drinks and appetizers in the executive lounge before heading to dinner. We only ate at the hotel restaurant on our first night and it was decent. Of all the places we have traveled (Asia, Australia, Tahiti, Europe, etc.), Barbados is one of the most expensive places to eat. Restaurants to recommend include Brown Sugar (great local restaurant - and within walking distance of the hotel), Just Grillin (casual, outdoor grill with excellent grilled chicken sandwiches), Pisces and a few others in St. James, Bridgetown and St. Lawrence Gap. The locals are very nice and welcoming. In fact, we were stopped twice while driving around the island to see if we were lost and/or needed help with directions. (It is easy for locals to identify tourists by the license plate!) Close

“Pretty Good Hotel”
Aug 24, 2009 - DennisTyler_Texas - Tyler, Texas
We stayed 7 days at this hotel. Our room was on the second floor overlooking the ocean. We paid for a King Deluxe Bay view but was given a given a King Ocean view at no extra cost. The staffs were... Read more

We stayed 7 days at this hotel. Our room was on the second floor overlooking the ocean. We paid for a King Deluxe Bay view but was given a given a King Ocean view at no extra cost. The staffs were very friendly and helpful. I think this stems for the general nature of the Barbadian people. Even on the streets the people were very friendly. The capital, Bridgetown is a 5 minutes drive away and is worthwhile of a visit. The hotel is located on the beach. The hotel beach is private but it is not the best beach Barbados has to offer. However it was kept clean by the hotel. In the water we were bombarded by 2-3 feet waves and were restricted to a small area for our safety. The beach opposite the hotel that is open to the public has calmer water and is better for kids and people who do not want to deal with endless waves. This public beach which is about 100 yards from the hotel is frequent by the locals and has adequate public facilities. The hotel has restaurants that are pretty expensive. There are local restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Kingston 10, located in Bayside Plaza is an excellent inexpensive restaurant that serves a good selection of local dishes at lunch time. We love the steam fish; it was always fresh and palatable. The “Brown Sugar” is an upscale local restaurant that has a lunch buffet and an A la Carte dinner dining. There are also good restaurants that would require short travel by transportation from the hotel. “Just Grillin” in Quayside Center serves very good grilled fish. The “Pisces” located in the St. Lawrence Gap is a very upscale restaurant that sits basically on the water, it is very expensive but the food is excellent and reservation is recommended. The Fish Fry in Oistins is a must; there is good local food, music and dancing on Friday and Saturday night. There are much more visitors on Fridays. The activities at the Hilton are somewhat limited for family. Beside the beach, there is a beach volley ball area, 4 lighted tennis courts and night club. The tennis courts are not in the best of shape; they are in dire need of resurfacing and new nets. The night club does not charge an admission fee and there were a large dancing crowd on some of the nights. In addition, the hotel has pretty good pools that are well maintained. We were in time Barbados for the Crop Over festival. The parade is held on the first Monday in August. There are many carnival activities prior to the final big parade. The pageantries parade from the Nation Stadium to Kensington Oval accompanied by music bands playing sweet calypso music. Many tourists were seen participating in this activity.

Short Description
The perfect diving, snorkeling and windsurfing destination, the island of Barbados was formed by years of coral reef growth, and

offers its visitors 21 miles of pink sand beaches, many sightseeing attractions, great nightlife, dining and shopping.

Destination Highlights
Pink Sand Beaches
Coral Reefs Great For Diving
Windsurfing Capital
British Flavor and Culture
Great Duty Free Shopping
Exciting Nightlife
Live Entertainment
Various Types of Dining
Golf and Tennis
Racket Swinging and Cricket

Local Weather
The average temperature in the Barbados is 82 degrees in the summer and 79 degrees in the winter. The balmy, tropical climate is cooled by constant sea breezes, but it is sunnier and drier than the other Caribbean islands. The dry season is from December to June; during the so-called wet season (July to November) some brief rain showers are likely, followed by the tipical hot and dry Barbados sun.

Description
Barbados is an island in the Atlantic about 300 miles (483 km) north of Venezuela and the easternmost island of the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles.

It is an island formed in pre-historic times from years of coral reef growth which has left modern-day visitors a 21-mile-long playground for beachgoers, scuba

divers, snorkelers, golfers, fishing enthusiasts and just about anyone seeking fun. On Barbados' south and west coasts, where the warm Caribbean Sea

caresses the shore, there are many beachfront resorts. The waters of the West Coast are famous for their clarity and the location of the most exclusive resorts

and beautifully landscaped tropical gardens. Snorkeling, windsurfing, sailing and scuba diving are regular activities. In fact, Barbados ranks among the top-six

places in the world with ideal conditions for windsurfing. Other often played sports include racket swinging, golf, tennis and cricket which are its major sports.

Barbados is a great island getaway, offering not only beautiful pink, sandy beaches, but also a rich cultural heritage and a wide array of sightseeing attractions.

This sophisticated island has a distinguishably British flavor - afternoon tea and the sport of cricket are quite popular. Its upscale shopping and gourmet dining

will please vacationers with distinctive taste. Throughout the Caribbean, Barbados boasts some of the lowest prices on certain goods. There are goods bargains

on English goods such as Porcelain, China, Crystal and Perfume. Rum is also a buy. The capital of Bridgetown is often considered the most vibrant and

exciting in the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean. Its colonial charm blends well with the contemporary commercial buildings. It is also a port city and the

deep blue harbor accommodates container ships of great economic importance and massive cruise liners of similar importance.

Local Information
The local currency is the Barbados dollar but US dollars are accepted throughout the island. The official language of the Barbados is English. Electricity

is normally 110 volts but some hotels have 220 volts and offer transformers. American appliances are fully compatible. As far as driving, British rules apply,

so please drive on the left and remember to look right before crossing streets. You will need a valid driver's licence plus a driver's permit issued at the

airport (cost is US$5) to rent a car. Eastern Standard Time is used within the islands of Barbados. (GMT-4)

Airport Information
To get to the Barbados you would fly into Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI). The airport is located approximately 10 miles (16km) southeast of

Bridgetown city centre which is the capital of Barbados. Major carriers sevicing the island include Air Canada, Air Caribbean, Air Jamaica, Air Martinique,

American Airlines, American Eagle, British Airways, BWIA, Carib Express, LIAT, LTU International and Virgin Atlantic. Each traveller is required

to pay departure tax of US $30.00 at the airport upon leaving the island.

Entry Requirements
Effective December 31, 2006, the U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security requires all travelers to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and

Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality. This information should be used only as a

guideline and non-U.S. citizens should contact the airline they are traveling on, or their local consulate regarding the specific entry requirements that apply to their nationality.