Taking the Kids: To Barbados

Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency on Apr 4, 2024

We did see the spectacular Bathsheba Beach on the east coast, popular with locals who come to surf or fish. The current is too strong for swimming but just watching the crashing waves is mesmerizing. A good place for a picnic, suggests our driver and guide, Kevin Ward. Nearby is the tiny Green Globe certified ECO Lifestyle & Lodge owned by former New Yorkers.

The newest hotel on the island, The all-inclusive Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle Resort, just opened in late 2023 with 422 rooms, a big spa, tennis, pickleball, a kids’ club, 15,000 square feet of outdoor and indoor meeting space and beautiful pools. The one drawback, guests say, is the ocean is very rough and there are no water sports here. That’s why there are complimentary shuttles to the calmer Carlisle Bay.

Samuel Hall Lord, who built the ruined castle on the property, was one of the most famous Barbados buccaneers who made his money by plundering ships he lured onto the coral reef with lights in the trees. Passing ships thought the lights were from the port city of Bridgetown, only to get wrecked, their riches stolen by Lord.

It’s always great to find restaurants as popular with locals, as well as tourists, like the Friday night Oistin’s Fish Fry in a major fishing community and Champers Restaurant in Bridgetown overlooking the ocean. If you are conjuring an image of a romantic Caribbean restaurant, this is it. There is no better place to watch the sunset than from the terrace. Come for lunch if you can’t get a dinner reservation.

Check out the art gallery upstairs featuring regional artists. And the food is delicious – you’ve got to try the restaurant’s signature coconut shrimp (yummy). We also feasted on seared ahi tuna, snapper (the catch of the day).

Bread pudding or coconut cream pie for dessert?

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