However you arrive on our island you can always find your way to Kingston which is considered the Heartbeat of the country. Wherever you are from or whatever your budget is, there is something for you to do in our capital city. Here are the Top 5 elements that should be a part of your visit to Kingston.
1. Dining
Savoury, Sweet, Spicy are some of the flavours that make our favourite meals special. Kingston boasts a wide array of food selections guaranteed to satisfy even the most particular in taste. Our cuisine runs the gamut of fine dining to road side stalls and everything in between such as café and fast food options. Fine dining locations such as the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel and Rojo Restaurant at Spanish Court Hotel are just some of the options in Kingston that put a luxurious touch on the dining experience.
For a second, imagine a hot golden crust stuffed with seasoned beef. Sounds simple but the satisfaction of a Jamaican patty cannot be put into words hence why it is a popular option for locals and visitors alike. Another popular option is our road side cuisine which mostly consists of jerk chicken or pan chicken, along with roasted nuts, coconut water and coconut jelly, crab among other tasty options.
(via Spanish Court Hotel, Kingston)
2. Heritage and Historical Sites
Jamaica’s history is just as exciting as its people. We have various museums, historical tours and sites that will give you a sense of this history. Each museum focuses on a different area of Jamaican history such as the Jamaica Music Museum, the Military museum and the Jamaica Art museum. There is a museum for each day of your visit to learn something knew or improve on the knowledge you have.
Devon House is premier historical site in the city that gives a quick insight into the architecture of houses of the past century. It is a 127 year old, 11 acre property with a beautiful colonial home as its centrepiece where tours are offered daily. And of course our world famous Devon House Ice Cream is available on spot to cool you down.
Fun Fact: Devon House was built by Jamaica’s first black millionaire George Stiebel and represents a historical oasis in the hustle and bustle of the city.
3. Attractions
What about something to do in the day? Kingston boasts a variety of attractions that will keep you entertained. Jamaica is famous for its music and Bob Marley is one of our foremost music ambassadors. His former home and recording studio on Hope Road now represents a museum for all things Marley. His international acclaim has people from around the world flocking to this site to be in the aura that is Bob Marley. Another popular attraction is the Jamaica Zoo, which was recently renovated. The zoo, located at the Hope Botanical Gardens, houses a diverse selection of animals offering visitors the maximum exposure to animals in a safe environment. And make sure to have lunch in any of the designated eating areas! I’m sure the animals will provide entertaining lunch topics.
( Actor Jussie Smollet during a visit to Jamaica with the RuJohn Foundation)
4. Night life
The heart never rests, therefore the city never sleeps; this is true about Kingston night life. Kingston boasts a plethora of clubs and hang out spots which are sure to keep you entertained. Kingston night life is diverse in that the season will determine a lot of the party options available to you. Standard though is our night clubs with New Kingston having most of them such as Fiction, Club Privilege, and Quad among many others that offer an eclectic mix of tunes to keep you on your feet all night long. As a value option Uber kept in Club Privilege every Friday is a drink inclusive club experience. The night life also extends to the many sports bars which offer a setting appealing to sports fan, with multiple TV monitors showing different sporting events. Hang out spots encompass karaoke options, Latin nights for Spanish dancing and more chill spots as they are locally referred to. These various activities are guaranteed to keep you occupied throughout the night.
5. Nature’s Best- Gardens
Jamaica boasts simple joys that can be enjoyed by anyone. Nature is one such simple joy and the focus of many of the gardens located in the Kingston region. At any of the gardens you can enjoy the lush and diverse vegetation on the expansive grounds of the property, with bursts of colours, scents, sights and sounds all interplaying but still providing you with a sense of tranquillity. At Hope Gardens this is true, with a wide variety of plants each arranged to make for a picturesque escape. Castleton Gardens is another garden among the many options that provide the same diversity in flowers and also a wide variety of birds due to its hillside location.
