Things To Do With Kids in St. Joseph
St. Joseph is the parish that runs along the central east coast of Barbados. The landscape here is completely different from the west: dramatic cliffs, Atlantic swell, and a quieter atmosphere. Bathsheba is the main village. Andromeda Botanic Gardens on the hillside above it is one of the best garden visits on the island.
Make Bathsheba a shore stop, not a default swim
Bathsheba gives children space to explore the shore, watch surfers and see the large rock formations. The Atlantic current is strong, so families should not treat the main surf area like a sheltered west-coast beach.
Walk, take photographs and stop for food, then choose a safer swimming plan elsewhere. Rock pools and shore edges still need close adult supervision because waves can reach farther than expected.
Add a garden or forest visit
Andromeda Botanic Gardens gives families a shaded, slower stop near the east coast. Flower Forest adds a hillier garden experience, so choose between them based on walking ability rather than trying to complete both with small children.
Rain reaches the central and eastern hills even when the south coast looks bright. Closed shoes and insect repellent are useful, and a carrier handles wet or uneven paths better than a large stroller.
Places in this guide
- Andromeda Botanic Gardens · St. Joseph
Andromeda Botanic Gardens is a 6-acre tropical garden in Bathsheba, St. Joseph, created from 1954 by award-winning horticulturalist Iris Bannochie and now managed by the Barbados National Trust.
- Atlantis Historic Inn Restaurant · St. Joseph
Atlantis Historic Inn Restaurant is a restaurant set inside a historic building in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, on the east coast of Barbados.
- Bath Beach · St. Joseph
Bath Beach in St Joseph is one of the few east coast beaches where family swimming is genuinely safe.
- Bathsheba · St. Joseph
Bathsheba Beach in St Joseph is the most visually distinctive beach in Barbados, defined by giant coral boulders carved by Atlantic wave action.
- Bathsheba Beach · St. Joseph
Bathsheba Beach in St Joseph is the most visually distinctive beach in Barbados, defined by giant coral boulders carved by Atlantic wave action.
- Bathsheba Tide Pools · St. Joseph
The Bathsheba Tide Pools are natural rock pools at the northern end of Bathsheba Beach in St Joseph.
- Clifton Hall Great House · St. Joseph
Clifton Hall Great House is a historic plantation great house in Barbados, built in coral limestone in the 17th century.
- Coco Hill Forest · St. Joseph
Coco Hill Forest is a nature reserve and guided forest walk in the parish of St. Joseph, Barbados, set in the Scotland District on the island's east side.
- De Garage Bar & Grille · St. Joseph
De Garage Bar and Grille is a casual bar and grill in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, on Barbados's Atlantic east coast.
- ECO Lifestyle & Lodge · St. Joseph
ECO Lifestyle & Lodge is a small sustainable property on Tent Bay in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, on the Atlantic east coast of Barbados.
- East Side · St. Joseph
East Side is a bar on Highway 3 in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, on the Atlantic east coast of Barbados.
- Flower Forest Botanical Gardens · St. Joseph
Flower Forest is a 50-acre botanical garden in the parish of St. Joseph set among the rolling hills of the Barbados countryside, with sweeping views toward the Atlantic coast.
- Hackletons Cliff · St. Joseph
Hackleton's Cliff is a dramatic escarpment in the parish of St. Joseph, Barbados, rising approximately 300 metres above the Scotland District below.
- Hillcrest Community Centre · St. Joseph
Hillcrest Community Centre is a restaurant located at Bathsheba, Saint Joseph in Barbados.
- Hunte's Gardens · St. Joseph
Hunte's Gardens is a private tropical garden in the parish of St. Joseph, Barbados, created by horticulturalist Anthony Hunte in a natural sunken gully on his property.
- Rest Haven Beach Cottages · St. Joseph
Rest Haven Beach Cottages is a hotel on the east coast of Barbados in Saint Joseph.
- Round House · St. Joseph
Round House is a historic inn and restaurant in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, built in the early 1800s, giving it over 150 years of continuous history on the east coast.
- Ry's On The Beach · St. Joseph
Ry's On The Beach is a restaurant located at Bathsheba, Saint Joseph in Barbados.
- Sea View Bar · St. Joseph
Sea View Bar is a bar and grill at Foster Hall in Saint Joseph, on the east coast of Barbados.
- Shonny's Kitchen · St. Joseph
Shonny's Kitchen is a neighbourhood restaurant at Sugar Hill in Saint James, in the inland area above the west coast hotel strip.
- Soup Bowl · St. Joseph
The Soup Bowl is a powerful reef break on the east coast of Barbados at Bathsheba Beach in Saint Joseph.
- Tent Bay · St. Joseph
Tent Bay is a small fishing bay on the east coast in St. Joseph, right by Bathsheba and the famous Soup Bowl surf break.
- The Farm House · St. Joseph
The Farm House is a restaurant at PEG Farm and Nature Reserve in Easy Hall, Saint Joseph, on Barbados's east coast.
- Zemi East Coast Cafe · St. Joseph
Zemi East Coast Cafe is a restaurant in Bathsheba, Saint Joseph, on Barbados's rugged east coast.
Questions parents ask
Can children swim at Bathsheba?
The main Bathsheba surf area has strong Atlantic water and should not be treated as a routine children's swimming beach. Enjoy the shore and choose calmer water for swimming.
What can families combine with Bathsheba?
A garden visit, lunch or a short scenic stop works well. Keep the route on the east side instead of adding a distant south-coast attraction.
Are St. Joseph gardens suitable for young children?
They can be, but heat, slopes and uneven ground affect the visit. Choose a shorter route and carry water and a lightweight carrier.
Do families need a car for St. Joseph?
A car or taxi gives the simplest access to gardens and scattered east-coast stops. Buses serve Bathsheba and main communities for BDS$3.50 per ride.