13 Best Caribbean Islands for Families

What do you picture when you think of the Caribbean? Perhaps your first thoughts are of water activities under the warm sun, romantic rum cocktails enjoyed on powdery white sand beaches, and visiting vibrantly colored villages with the scent of BBQ wafting through the air.

All these are definitely iconic images of the region, but the Caribbean is also a place of adventure and relaxation for children and families, with opportunities for connection and discovery around every corner.

Here are some of the best Caribbean islands for families.

Aruba

This island in the Southern Caribbean is the “A” of the “ABC” islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. It’s home to some of the best family-friendly beaches, with perfectly calm, clear waters and fine stretches of sand chiefly found on the western end of the island, in the Palm Beach area.

If you go all the way down to the southern tip, you’ll find the aptly named “Baby Beach,” a shallow, calm cove of turquoise water that occasionally sees visits from sea turtles.

Back up in Palm Beach, families flock to the Butterfly Farm, a tropical botanical garden teeming with butterflies. Tour guides present educational lessons on their life cycle and incredible metamorphoses while highlighting the island’s biodiversity.

Photo opportunities are best early in the day, when the butterflies are most active and the sun is not hot and directly overhead.

For older children who are not afraid to get into deeper waters for true exploration, Aruba is one of the best Caribbean islands for kids, who can go snorkeling around one of the largest shipwrecks in the world.

The S.S. Antilla, a 400-foot-long cargo ship, was scuttled off the coast during World War II, and it now lies in only 60 feet of clear water, with some parts of the ship even visible above the waves. It is now a habitat for colorful corals, spotted moray eels, and all types of tropical fish.

For an adventure with activities to thrill all ages, plan to spend a full day at De Palm Island, which has some of the best beaches in Aruba. This private oasis of beaches, waterslides, alfresco eateries, and underwater activities like “snuba” is a quick boat ride away.

Even those who would rather spend all day on the beach doing nothing will find that it is a destination unlike any other. Flamingos, turtles, and iguanas walk freely amongst the chaises and hammocks—this was their home first, of course.

Read: Best Things to Do in Aruba with Kids

Cozumel

Make a splash at Playa Mia Grand Beach Park, one of the best beaches in Cozumel. It includes areas and activities specially designed for small children.

Complimentary activities, authentic cuisine, a swim-up bar, a massive floating obstacle course, and even soothing spa treatments will keep the entire family delighted.

For an ecotourism experience for all ages, head to Xcaret. This cultural theme park can be easily visited from Cozumel by taking the ferry to Playa del Carmen on the mainland and riding down the coast.

In addition to swimming lagoons, a beach, a river that allows you to float through a Mayan village, and reefs for snorkeling, Xcaret features exhibits for learning more about the flora and fauna of this region of Mexico.

Children will love spotting manatees, visiting the bird and butterfly pavilions, and building up their courage to go inside the bat cave. Restaurants, a small zone of Mayan ruins, and live performances of traditional Mayan music and dance round out the experience of Xcaret.

Cozumel is also a great jumping-off point for visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chichen Itza. Hailed as one of the archaeological wonders of the world, the ancient Mayan metropolis is six square miles packed with hundreds of structures that are still standing since they were built around the year 800.

Children love visiting the ballpark stadium and learning how Mayans played their favorite sport, “tlachtli,” which has elements in common with modern racquetball.

Many tours to Chichen Itza also make a bonus stop at one of the many nearby swimming cenotes, so pack a swimsuit and towel to finish the hot day with a cool dip before heading back to Cozumel.

If you’ve already been to Chichen Itza, or perhaps you don’t want to dedicate an entire day to archaeology when some of the best beaches in the Caribbean are nearby, know that Cozumel is home to some more convenient ruins.

Combine a day at the beach with a visit to San Gervasio, where Mayan women made pilgrimages to pay homage to Ix Chel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, birth, medicine, and weaving.

View mysterious red handprints as well as ancient carvings as you learn what life was like for these ancient residents of Cozumel.

St. Maarten

This Caribbean island is famously split in two: One side is St. Maarten and predominantly Dutch, while the other side is St. Martin, and French.

A vacation to this Eastern Caribbean island can mean experiencing the best of both, as it is easy to hop back and forth (and you’ll hardly know which side you’re on, save for the top languages on the business signs).

Those who want a simple, easy beach day may set up shop on the sandy beachfront of downtown Philipsburg, but those willing to go farther afield will be rewarded.

Grand Case Beach is on the north side of the island and boasts brilliant views of Anguilla. This mile-long stretch of white sand is in the French part of the island, and the restaurants all around serve excellent fresh-caught fish in beurre blanc (emulsified butter sauce) as well as the usual beach favorites like burgers and BBQ chicken.

Wiggle your toes in the sand and soak up the sun alongside the gentle waves while listening to the romantic tones of the French language spoken all around you.

While Grand Case is a favorite beach on the French side, the Dutch side features one that’s famous all over the world.

Popular not for its sand and clear waters, but for its location at the end of the island’s runway for its major international airport, Maho Bay Beach means swimming one minute, and looking up to the belly of a landing Boeing 737 above you the next. This thrilling experience makes it one of the best Caribbean islands for families.

The beach is bookended by beach bars that have the day’s flight arrival and departure schedules written in chalk on a surfboard stood up in the sand, so you’ll know just when to be ready with your camera and when you have an hour to enjoy lunch without being interrupted by jet noise.

Aside from the beach, St. Maarten’s lush interior hides the exciting destination of Loterie Farm. This 300-year-old nature preserve of 135 acres allows children and adults to swing from the trees.

A sequence of ziplines, rope swings, and wood bridges are suspended from platforms high in the tropical forest canopy. Once you’re done playing in the treetops, Loterie Farm welcomes guests to cool off in their beautiful pool.

Read: Things to Do in St. Maarten

St. Thomas

Sapphire Beach is a favorite stop for families visiting St. Thomas. The drive takes you through the island’s countryside and the town of Red Hook before passing through mangroves to find that the waters are just as its name describes: sapphire blue.

The beach includes vendors that rent loungers, umbrellas, and snorkel gear, while of course selling rum cocktails, tropical smoothies, and activities out on the water, like a ride on a banana boat.

For families who love taking an easy hike through nature before setting up on the sand at a beach, opt instead for Smith Bay Beach Park and Eco Reserve.

Surrounded by groves of coconut palms and sea grapes, the site is a stunning example of the island’s coastal ecosystem in its natural state. The beach is just as sparkling blue as Sapphire Beach, but quieter and more ideal for relaxation.

One of the best places to go shopping in St. Thomas is the island’s largest gift shop, Mountain Top at St. Peter Mountain, where you can find just about any souvenir, handicraft, or island specialties. It’s a great stop for kids to find gifts for their friends back home.

The market is also reputed to serve up the best banana daiquiris (and non-alcoholic versions for kids) on the island.

Read: Things to Do in the Caribbean

St. Kitts & Nevis

Misty mountains and beaches that sizzle in the sunshine—St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual island nation that boasts a little bit of everything that families love so much about the islands of the Caribbean.

Pose for a family picture atop Timothy Hill on the main road that leads to the beaches to the south of St. Kitts. The popular vista includes the winding road ahead as it trails down to the southern tip of the island, with the rise of the island of Nevis just beyond, like a dot on an exclamation point.

From Timothy Hill, continue on down the road, which leads you to the lunch shacks and clear waters of Cockleshell Bay Beach. Take in the stunning views of the Atlantic to one side and the Caribbean on the other.

The passage of water that separates St. Kitts and Nevis is simply called The Narrows, and swimming at Cockleshell Bay gives a prime view of the passage as well as local boat traffic that regularly makes the crossing.

Relax on the sand, go for a swim, and have cash on hand to order freshly fried fish at the shacks in the shade of the palms that line this beach.

If a view of Nevis isn’t enough, catamaran tours can take you and your family across The Narrows for a beach BBQ lunch on Nevis and some free time to yourself to explore this smaller island.

After all, can you really say you visited St. Kitts and Nevis if you truly only set foot on St. Kitts? It’s one of the best Caribbean island hopping experiences you just can’t miss.

The history of the island is on display at Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was once a British fort and is now one of the best-preserved historical fortifications in the whole of the Americas, with exhibits on the incredible engineering that allows it to weather the years so well.

St. Kitts is one of the best Caribbean islands for families with many intriguing sites, and the best way to see it all is with a catamaran tour and an adventure on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway. The double-decker railway is an iconic piece of St. Kitts’ history, as it helped to build the island’s economy as a transport for sugarcane.

Today, it winds around the island, showcasing the lush nature, captivating views, and dramatic sea vistas that make St. Kitts and Nevis a favorite family vacation destination.

Read: Things to Do in St. Kitts

Puerto Rico

To understand the significance of Puerto Rico within the Caribbean, the United States, and the world, a family’s first stop should be the historic Castillo San Cristóbal.

Inside this fort at the entrance of San Juan’s Old Town, guides share the stories of the island’s battles with the Spanish, English, Dutch, and Americans over the course of centuries. The fort also offers incredible views to the historic city center it protects as well as the ocean beyond.

Conclude your tour by strolling through the Old Town and down Paseo de la Princesa, where you and your family can shop, snack, and photograph market stands and the historic architecture all around.

A favorite purchase here is fresh-squeezed lemonade, which is perfect for sipping as you browse the artisans selling “mundillo” (handmade lace), coconut shell handicrafts, and hand-carved religious figurines called “santos.”

One spot you can’t miss is El Yunque National Rainforest, which is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Located only 45 minutes from San Juan, this special ecosystem is full of colorful flora and fauna, like beautiful blooming hibiscus flowers and the cute coqui frogs.

Hikes range from easy to challenging and often lead to hidden oases, like Coca Waterfall and the historic stone-built Yokahú Observation Tower (with a spiral staircase to the top). El Yunque is a sacred place—indigenous people believed the rainforest to be the domain of their chief god.

The best way to follow a visit to El Yunque is with a refreshing dip into the tantalizingly clear waters of the island’s coast, where some of the best beaches in Puerto Rico are located.

Continuing with the theme of visiting protected, important sites, there’s also the option to visit Escambrón Marine Park, home to some of the best snorkeling in Puerto Rico.

Famous for its “fish wall,” with frequent sightings of schools of blue tangs, damselfish, yellowtail snappers, and the occasional turtles, the marine park also features sunken, faux sculptures that make it seem like you’ve stumbled upon the lost city of Atlantis.

Underwater, you might believe you’re way out in the ocean at a pristine reef, but the reality is that the Escambrón Marine Park is just out from the center city of San Juan, and nearby public beaches make for the perfect spot for relaxing following your adventure.

Read: Best Family Beach Vacations in the World

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Tortola is the hub of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Its capital, Road Town, is a cluster of jauntily colored buildings and a haven for yachts.

The appeal here is the gorgeous beaches, easy hiking, and sailing trips to the other islands in the archipelago. With so much choice, Tortola is without a doubt one of the best Caribbean islands for families.

You don’t have to travel far from Road Town to find magnificent beaches. One of the loveliest is Cane Garden Bay, with soft, golden sand and an array of watersports concessions and places to eat.

For a break from the beach, one of the best things to do in Tortola is to head for Sage Mountain, the highest point in the BVI. There are seven looped trails to explore that pass through rainforest and scrub. They offer multiple viewpoints from which you can see the sapphire Caribbean dotted with bottle-green islands and white sails.

Kids will enjoy looking out for wildlife including tree frogs (which you will most likely hear, rather than see) and lizards. The dense greenery and giant ferns give the forest a primeval feel.

Adventurous families will love The Baths on Virgin Gorda, a short boat ride from Road Town on Tortola. One of the best places to swim in the world, this natural watery playground forms part of Devil’s Bay National Park and is a series of giant, tumbled boulders strewn along the beach.

You’re advised to leave everything behind before you head down a trail to the entrance, as you will get wet. A waterproof phone case and an underwater camera are great, though, if you want to capture the beauty of the place.

As you pick your way from one end to the other, there are ropes and ladders to help you along the way. In between the boulders are tiny rock pools, shady caves, and hidden lagoons. It’s the perfect spot for clambering around and exploring the underwater world.

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman is more developed than some Caribbean islands, and as such, has plenty of organized attractions that are fantastic for families.

Kids will love the bragging rights of saying they’ve been swimming with stingrays. This dream becomes a reality at Stingray City, a shallow sandbar reached by boat. Some 50 or so stingrays, docile and calm, are attracted to the sandbar by the boats, as they know they’ll be fed.

Feeling them mill around you is an unusual sensation and leaves you with a sense of awe and a deeper connection to nature. Because the sandbar is shallow, this activity is good for less confident swimmers, too.

One of the best beaches in Grand Cayman is the sweep of Seven Mile Beach to the north of George Town. This magnificent stretch of powder-white sand is fringed with palm trees. The seabed slopes away gently, making this the perfect spot for splashing around in the shallows.

There’s good snorkeling just offshore, and confident swimmers can join a tour to the USS Kittiwake. This former Navy vessel was sunk off Seven Mile Beach in 2011 to create a habitat for marine life.

While snorkeling in Grand Cayman, kids will be thrilled both by the sight of the wreck and by the impressive creatures that can be seen here, including sea turtles, barracuda, and grouper.

Away from the beach, the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park makes a great family excursion. One of its functions is to protect the endangered blue iguana, which is native to the Cayman Islands. The dragon-like lizards are now back from the brink thanks to the conservation efforts of the park.

In addition to admiring lizards, families can stroll through tropical gardens, wetlands, and along a trail through woodland. You can also learn about the medicinal properties of some of the plants here, which have been used for centuries to treat common ailments.

Alternatively, how about a trip to Hell? This curious area of spiky limestone rocks, eroded into sharp points by the black algae that covers them, is indeed suggestive of the underworld. Luckily, you won’t burn on the hot rocks as there are wooden boardwalks from which to view the scene.

Dominica

Dominica has to be one of the Caribbean’s prettiest islands, with its sparkling black beaches, mist-shrouded volcanoes, and dense rainforest. For families looking for a jungle adventure, this is the place.

Kids of all ages will love river tubing at the Hibiscus Eco-Village in Dominica. This sustainable adventure travel spot is located in the territory of the Kalinago, descendants of the original Carib tribes who inhabited the islands before the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century.

The Pagua River carries you, settled into your inner tube, over a series of gentle rapids and serene pools over an hour and a half. As well as enjoying the thrill of the rapids, this is a chance to gaze up at the trees, looking out for birds and monkeys.

For hiking and dazzling views, one of the best things to do in Dominica is to head to the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, the volcano of the same name at its heart. This spectacular landscape will wow even the most cynical teen with its plunging slopes, jagged peaks, tumbling waterfalls, and hot springs. There’s even a “boiling” lake, a flooded fumarole heated from below by magma.

While you’d be ill-advised to swim in the boiling lake, Trafalgar Falls is another matter, not to mention a top Instagram opportunity. Here, twin falls cascade over a rock shelf into a green pool, surrounded by rainforest. You can cool off in the pool at the base of the smaller fall.

Barbados

Pretty Barbados is fringed with beaches, with plenty on offer for family fun. Carlisle Bay is convenient if you want to spend some time in Bridgetown before unwinding on a beach chair. This wide stretch of sand is next to the capital and has plenty of facilities, from snorkeling to beach bars.

You’ll often see local kids playing beach cricket, where the sport is an obsession. Visitors are always welcome to join in, and taking part in a game is a great way for kids to make friends—no experience necessary.

Head to the west coast beaches in Barbados for the serene waters of the Caribbean and the chance to swim among graceful sea turtles. For more drama, the rugged east coast is pounded by the wild Atlantic. Watch the surfers at Bathsheba Beach and explore the rockpools when the tide has retreated.

You won’t find a zoo on Barbados; far better is the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, located in a mahogany forest in the parish of St. Peter, in the north of the island.

Most of the animals roam freely in their natural habitat and are easy to spot. There’s a troop of Barbados green monkeys that lives on the reserve. Try to be there around 2 p.m. when they’re fed, as they are guaranteed to show up then.

Other animals include deer, armadillos, agouti, and caimans (like a small alligator). There are also iguanas, snakes, turtles, tortoises, and numerous species of birds.

If you visit the reserve, another unmissable thing to do in Barbados is to visit the Farley Hill National Park next door. This serene spot, which spreads around the grounds of a former grand mansion, has wonderful views down over the coast and is a great spot for kids to let off steam.

Grenada

Grenada is famed for its spice cultivation, and families will enjoy wandering around the market and looking at all the exotic produce in St. George’s, the island’s capital. While you’re in town, embrace a spot of history at Fort Frederick, one of the best-preserved bastions in the Caribbean.

The fort was built by the French in 1799 but ended up in the hands of the British, although a shot has never been fired from here in battle. Today, you can clamber around the structure and even go into a couple of tunnels at the base, although you will need the flashlight on your phone, as they’re dark.

As well as spices, cocoa is produced in Grenada, and kids may be particularly excited to visit a chocolate factory. Seeing the Grenada Chocolate Company is one of the best things to do in Grenada to learn all about the process and create your own bar of chocolate to take away.

Grenada’s wonderful beaches make it one of the best Caribbean islands for kids. Head to Grand Anse for two miles of soft sand and turquoise water, with plenty of beach bars for refreshment.

Or take a snorkeling trip in Molinere Bay, where the sea bed is dotted with underwater statues. These were created partly as an art form and partly as a habitat that sea creatures could colonize. Remember your underwater camera for this one.

Away from Grenada’s beaches, the island offers hikes suitable for all the family. Take a walk to the Grand Etang National Park & Forest Preserve, where lush rainforest surrounds a crater lake.

Hike to the Concord Falls, where water plunges 65 feet over a rock shelf. You can take a dip in the cooling pool here and watch locals leap off the top of the falls—strictly for daredevils.

Antigua

Families won’t struggle to find a beach in Antigua—there are 365 in total, one for every day of the year. Family-friendly Dickenson Bay is packed with restaurants, bars, food trucks, and watersports concessions, which makes for an easy day out.

Ffryes Beach is a quieter beach in Antigua, with shade from the sea grape trees and a couple of restaurants for lunch. Long Bay Beach has great snorkeling just beyond the shallows, where you could see parrotfish, blue tang, and colorful sponges.

Not all of the shoreline is sandy on Antigua; there are also green mangroves where you can take the family on a kayaking tour. Or join a hike through the island’s moss-draped rainforest. You’ll visit a pineapple plantation on this trip, with a chance to swim in the sea at the end of the excursion.

In the south of the island, there’s fascinating history at Nelson’s Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The British Navy built the dockyard and surrounding buildings in the 18th century next to the sheltered waters of English Harbour, the ideal spot to keep ships safe while they waited to go for repair.

The dockyard is a peaceful place now, with a couple of excellent restaurants and a museum. Kids will enjoy a stop at Galleon Beach for swimming and snorkeling in Antigua.

Curaçao

Sun-drenched Curaçao lies in the far south of the Caribbean. Together with its neighbors, Aruba and Bonaire, it enjoys a drier climate than much of the rest of the region and is rarely affected by storms. As such, this is one of the best Caribbean islands for families in the summer vacation months.

Adults will love the colorful Dutch architecture of Willemstad, the pretty capital. Walk on the Queen Emma Bridge, a pontoon bridge that swings open to allow ships through.

Teens may enjoy a street art tour; the neighborhoods of Punda and Otrobanda have several extraordinary murals and a good guide will help you to interpret them.

Naturally, the island is blessed with gorgeous beaches. Water babies will be keen to explore some of the sandy coves, home to some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean.

Two beaches in Curaçao, Grote Knip and Klein Knip, have water that’s an astonishing shade of aquamarine and teem with underwater life. Teens will enjoy Mambo Beach, too, where cool shops fringe the white sand and there’s an all-day buzz.

If you need to get out of the sun for a while, take the family to Hato Caves, an underground cave system with stalagmites and stalactites that have been given names like Sea Tortoise and Sleeping Giant. There’s a colony of bats here, too, which adds to the atmosphere.

Explore the best Caribbean islands for families on a cruise vacation. On a Caribbean cruise with Celebrity Cruises, choose from guided shore excursions on multiple islands that showcase the most family-friendly aspects of each port of call.

If you’re ready to experience all that the islands of the Caribbean have to offer, browse itineraries on our website and book your family getaway today.