5 Caribbean Carnivals worth traveling for
From Trinidad to St. Lucia.


Updated January 16, 2025
One way to get to know the personality of a destination? Find out how it parties. And there’s no party quite like Carnival in the Caribbean.
In Trinidad—credited as the birthplace of Carnival—enslaved Africans were prohibited from participating in Catholic Lenten festivities and created their own celebration. After emancipation, Carnival celebrations continued as an expression of freedom and a way to honor ancestors.
Today, each island has its own twist on Carnival and celebrations take place throughout the year, not just around Lent. But for the most part, you can expect pulsating music, exuberant dancing, an abundance of food and drinks, and playing mas (masquerade) in elaborate costumes. Ahead, a guide to five popular Carnival celebrations—and what else to do while you’re there.
Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago
Usually in February or March

Considered the “mother” of Caribbean Carnivals, Trinidad’s is a two-day event that marks the beginning of Lent and is considered one of the biggest street parades in the Caribbean. Carnival festivities take over the capital, Port of Spain, and the week leading up to the Carnival parade is full of themed parties, steel band concerts, and limbo competitions.
One of the signature kickoff events is J’ouvert, which means “day opens” or “daybreak.” Revelers rise in the early hours to cover themselves in mud, paint, or oil and don pitchforks and horns to welcome the day and the upcoming celebrations. Don’t miss the “Pretty Mas,” a kaleidoscopic street parade with bands of masqueraders partying to soca and calypso music, that follows.
The trip list
Don’t skip Tobago
Take an express ferry to Tobago, Trinidad’s quieter sister island, and spend a relaxing day at Pigeon’s Point Beach or Englishman’s Bay. It’s also great for nature lovers: there’s Argyle Waterfall, a tri-level waterfall with a swimming lagoon, and the Tobago Forest Reserve, home to a variety of birds, reptiles, and fish.
Hunt down doubles
Trinidad’s cuisine is greatly influenced by its Indian population, who immigrated here as indentured laborers in the 1800s. One can’t-miss Indo-Trinidadian dish? Doubles, curried chickpeas served between fried flatbread. Grab some for yourself from Sauce Doubles in St. Joseph, about a 15-minute drive from Port of Spain.
Relax on the northern coast
If you want a break from some of the festivities, head to the idyllic Maracas Beach, 40 minutes from Port of Spain on the island’s northern coast. Stop by Richard's Bake and Shark for the restaurant’s namesake sandwich, a fried flatbread (bake) stuffed with fried shark meat.
Carnival, St. Lucia
Traditionally celebrated over the month of July


The island known for its scenic Piton peaks hosts one of the largest Caribbean Carnivals. The celebrations date back to 1947, when the first recorded band of St. Lucians paraded through the streets of Castries, drumming on bottles. By the next year, costumes and musical bands were integrated into the parade. Today, that same street parade lives on, alongside events like the Carnival Queen Pageant, a family-friendly Junior Carnival, and a twilight J’ouvert before the parade of bands.
The trip list
Take a mineral or mud bath
After partying for a few days, treat your body to a relaxing mud bath at the island’s famous Sulphur Springs Park. For something more low-key, head to New Jerusalem Mineral Baths, three concrete pools fed by warm mineral springs set in a beautifully manicured garden.
See the Pitons
It isn’t a visit to St. Lucia without seeing The Pitons, the twin volcanoes emblazoned on St. Lucia’s flag. There are a few ways to get up close: book a guided hike of Gros Piton (the easier to trek) or book a boat ride to snap photos with the stunning peaks in the background.
Eat like a local
If you’re in St. Lucia on a Friday night, head to the Gros Islet Street Party, where you can get lambi (stewed conch), fried fish, or sweet fried balls of dough called fry bakes. Wash it down with some rum punch or a cold bottle of Piton, a crisp, light beer brewed on the island.
Spicemas, Grenada
Held annually in August

Grenada is nicknamed the Spice Isle thanks to its abundance of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and other aromatics, and that claim to fame is celebrated in the name of Grenada’s Carnival, Spicemas. Festivities pop up across the island’s capital, St. George’s, with brilliant parades, thumping live music, and a children’s carnival.
During Spicemas’s J’ouvert, paraders dress as “jab jabs” (or devilish characters), covering themselves in oil and chains in mockery of slave owners and as a display of freedom. The last day of festivities includes a street parade and the Last Lap, a final parade celebration where carnival-goers give it their all before closing out the celebration.
The trip list
Explore Grenada underwater
While Grenada has some beautiful beaches, some of the best views are underwater. Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park can be explored via snorkeling or scuba diving, or if you’d rather stay dry, you can take a ride on a glass-bottomed boat.
Take a national-park break
Twenty minutes from St. George’s, Grand Etang National Park is a stark change from the bustle of the downtown, and it’s worth coming here for a day to hike the steep path to Seven Sisters Falls.
Visit a cocoa farm
For a look at Grenada’s modern spice production, visit Belmont Estate, a 300-acre former plantation that still harvests cocoa, nutmeg, and fruit today. Learn about its history and process on a half-day tour of the farm or on-site chocolate factory. Before you leave, settle in for a three-course meal at the farm-to-table restaurant overlooking the grounds.
Crop Over, Barbados
Spans roughly a month between July and August

As the name implies, Barbados’s Crop Over festival, one of the oldest Caribbean Carnivals, celebrates the end of the crop season, which historically meant a respite from the back-breaking labor involved in sugarcane harvesting.
Today, the action peaks in the capital city Bridgetown during Crop Over’s final week. Don’t miss Pic-O-De-Crop, a live calypso competition that lasts late into the night; the Bridgetown Market, a three-day mini-festival with live bands, food stalls, and artisan wares for sale; or the Grand Kadooment, a large-scale parade that starts at the National Stadium and caps off the celebrations.
The trip list
Learn about the island’s rum history
Barbados’s Mount Gay rum is legendary and has been in production for over 300 years. Opt for the Mount Gay Signature Rum Tasting Experience, which includes a tour and sample of the smooth, spicy rum.
Explore the food scene
Barbados’s food scene is a great mix of high, low, old, and new. Don’t miss the fried fish sandwiches (called cutters) at Cuz’s Fish Stand or the colorful cocktails at La Canane, a beachfront restaurant with a boho vibe. For stellar seafood (and views), book a table at The Tides.
Relax on Bathsheba Beach
Bathsheba Beach, on the island's east coast, is known for its huge waves and rocky shore. The surf is too wild for leisurely swims, but it’s still a great spot to spend an afternoon hanging out at a picnic table or walking along the shore.
Carnival, Jamaica
Kicks off after Easter Sunday
With its earliest iterations kicking off in the ’90s, Jamaica’s Carnival hasn’t taken long to make its mark with electrifying concerts and a high-energy street parade. Bonus, you can find Carnival celebrations across the island, from central Kingston to the west coast’s Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.
That said, the National Carnival Road March in Kingston is the star of the show: thousands of parade-goers take to the streets donned in bright feathered costumes, dancing in the wake of brightly-decorated trucks pumping out calypso, dancehall, and reggae music. It’s a can’t-miss.
The trip list
Spend the day at Maiden Cay
One of the best beaches in Jamaica is a ferry ride from Kingston. Book a Sunday boat trip to the uninhabited island, which includes food, drinks, and a DJ.
Dive into the island’s culture and history
Kingston is Jamaica’s cultural heartbeat, and you can learn more about Jamaica’s art and music at the Jamaica National Gallery, the Bob Marley Museum, or the Trench Town Culture Yard.
Head to the Blue Mountains
Jamaica’s famous Blue Mountain coffee is cultivated in the nearby Blue Mountains. Sign up for a guided hike or a tour that includes a visit to Creighton Estate, a coffee farm producing coffee since the late 18th Century.