I don’t have a book review for you (yet) because I’ve been caught up in a slower, epic read that I will hopefully tell you about soon; and I recently spent a lot of my time watching all 10 best picture nominations (yay for CODA!).
Because travel planning is my other hobby besides reading I want to share my experiences and recommendations from a fun trip we took in March to Jamaica.
We went to Kingston and Montego Bay, very different cities, and together they made for a great vacation.
Jamaica Part – 1 Kingston
Even some Jamaicans couldn’t believe we wanted to go to Kingston! But I just couldn’t take my kids to an all-inclusive resort and say, “This is Jamaica.” I also can’t sit on a beach/pool all day, every day. Plus I really wanted to see the Bob Marley House.
What we saw in Kingston were glimpses of ordinary life in the capital city. With my pre-planning and hired drivers, I felt safe at all times. It was only the other drivers who made me nervous. These roads are chaotic with drivers making their own rules. Driving is also on the left side so that was also different for us.
First, we went to Fort Charles, which was built by the British in 1655 to look like a ship from afar. It has been partially destroyed by an earthquake. The tour was interesting, and we were literally the only people there! Last spring we saw Castillo de san Marcos.
Our second major tourist stop in Kingston was Devon House, the former home of Jamaica’s first black millionaire. You can tour the inside, and the grounds have a lot to offer, including restaurants and shops. In non-COVID times this is a major gathering spot but not so much when we were there because they still had major restrictions in place.
The highlight of our Kingston trip was the Bob Marley House and Museum. You cannot take photos inside so on the tour you are seeing awards, photos, etc. that not many people have seen. It had a spiritual feel to it and ended with a movie that was super informative. I’ve always loved Bob Marley. “Redemption Song” was on my always playlist at the RRs jukebox in college. Here, I was able to fill in the gaps in my knowledge about him and have even more appreciation for what he brought to music in only 36 years of life! My kids loved this tour too.
In Kingston, we loved staying at the Spanish Court. It is across from the British consulate and has a great pool.
Our excellent driver in Kingston was Lester – you can ask for him at Spanish Court.
Knutsford Express
But before I get to our time in Montego Bay, I need to mention how we got there. We took a charter bus company, Knutsford Express. I didn’t get the feeling many American families use this mode of transport but it was really safe and affordable (about $125 total for all of us and one of the few services where tips weren’t expected). It was super comfortable and the views out of the top-level were great. Restroom is on board which is very important to me. I would always take these buses again if I needed to travel across Jamaica.
Jamaica Part 2 – Montego Bay
For something completely different from our first stop, next we went to an all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, along with many other Americans.
I am obsessive about vacation planning and read so many reviews, joined groups etc. before deciding on the Hilton Rose Hall. It was great for our family. The food was great, and pools were big. Those are the two main things we need! The beach area is not extensive but it was enough to get a good feel for it. Waves were good in one area!! The rooms are VERY plain but have good views and all rooms have balconies. All in all, I would stay here again.
From this hotel, we did two excursions that I would recommend. First the Martha Brae River, that we rafted down, and it was so relaxing because someone else was guiding it. This was beautiful!!!
One evening we did the Rose Hall Ghost Tour and it was really fun. Ghost Tours are another thing my family loves. Previous post on our favorite one. I would also like to take this tour during the day just to see more detail of this great house.
Our guide and driver here was Chris from Top Choice Jamaica Tours. Excellent!!
After flying home after 7 nights (3 in Kingston, 4 in MB) I felt like I saw what I could of in Jamaica (in a week) and also had a fun and relaxing vacation. We love this island and the people of Jamaica!
We learned (from Chris) that the colors of the Jamaican flag stand for the land (green), the sun (yellow) and the color of their skin (black). The additional color of red you see on some of the jewelry etc. is actually the Rastafarian influence (of which Bob Marley was a follower) and it symbolizes the bloodshed of those fighting for the African community.
Respect!
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