The Best Things to Do in St. Kitts

"The former Belmont Estate sugar plantation, founded in the 18th century, looks a bit like a ruin, but some of the buildings were actually still in use when sugar production on St. Kitts shut down in 2005. Today, visitors to the St. Paul Capisterre site will find the remains of an old windmill and other production buildings, as well as the historic St. Paul’s Anglican Church and St. Paul’s Village next door. In addition to its past life as a sugar plantation, the estate serves as the setting for a St. Kitts folklore story about a sick bull that gets revived in various and hilarious ways—you might hear the tale if you visit during Carnival season."

"This being a former English colony, St. Kitts is centered around the Circus, a small roundabout modeled after London’s famed Piccadilly and set in the middle of buzzy Basseterre. Preserved Georgian-style buildings lineits edges, while the Berkeley Memorial stands in the middle. Built in 1883 to honor a local legislator and landowner, the memorial features an imposing green clock with four faces, each looking out toward one of the city’s main streets."

"This 1763 plantation house has an interesting tale to tell. It never employed slave labor, and its owners—descendants of Carib Indians—are commemorated with statues and figures spread throughout the rooms and gardens. Visitors can take tours of the house, gardens, and old overseer’s house, then enjoy beautiful views of the neighboring island of Nevis."

"If swimming with dolphins is on your vacation bucket list, you’ll want to visit Dolphin Discovery. The center offers a variety of animal encounters in an enclosure near the Bird Rock Beach Hotel on St. Kitts’ south coast, just outside Basseterre. Depending on which program you choose, you can expect dolphin “kisses,” fin rides, and a “foot push,” during which a pair of dolphins will lift you out of the water."

"The only existing French plantation house on St. Kitts, the Fairview Great House was built circa 1701 and originally housed French military officers. Today, guests can tour the beautifully restored property, taking in the period furnishings, kitchen, apiary, chapel, and bathhouse before exploring the two-and-a-half acres of botanical gardens, filled with tropical flowers, fruit trees, and monkeys. Visitors can also purchase day passes to the property’s swimming pool and sunny deck, or sign up for cooking classes and tastings of St. Kitts’ own Brinley Shipwreck Gold Rum."

"Wander through the six acres of gardens surrounding this historic manor house, which is now home to Caribelle Batik, a shop selling handmade batik products. And don’t miss the massive saman tree on the grounds—it’s believed to around 400 years old."

"One of the perks of staying at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort is the opportunity to test your skills at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 71 course laid out along the island’s Caribbean coast. If you’re not a Marriott guest, however, head to the Irie Fields Golf Course at Kittitian Hill, where organic farms fringe the fairways. Designed by World Golf Hall of Famer Ian Woosnam, the course is maintained without pesticides or chemicals—if you see a herd of sheep grazing on the back nine, let them play through."

"For more than two decades, the St. Kitts Music Festival has remained among the premier showcases in the Caribbean for a broad range of musical styles, from reggae, soca, and calypso to R&B, blues, and jazz, performed by world-famous artists like Lionel Richie and Ludacris. Held the last week of June, the festival draws thousands of attendees to Warner Park Stadium over five days and nights. This being the Caribbean, guests also enjoy a slate of beach celebrations and after-parties."

"A combination of train and bus, this three-hour tour weaves a fascinatingroute past some of the island’s most historic sights. Constructed from 1912 to 1926, the rail system originally carried sugar from St. Kitts’ estates to the factory in Basseterre, but today serves as a fun tourist attraction. Visitors ride in double-decker cars—the lower is air-conditioned, the upper open-air—past black-sand beaches, old plantations,andsugarcane fields, and then up a portion of Mount Liamuiga."

"Beach bars and restaurants comprise the bulk of nightlife options inSt. Kitts, the one major exception being The Royal Beach Casino at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. The 35,000-square-foot casino has more than 300 slot machines as well as blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker tables; the island’s only sports book; and an upscale lounge. If you’re looking for something more local and low-key, there’s also a small casino called MaPau with cheap drinks at the cruise port in Basseterre."