8 Things You Must Do in St. Lucia

I consider myself to be more of a European traveler. Though I love warm weather and the beach, I have not traveled the Caribbean as extensively as I have other areas of the world. Part of the reason is I am a real city girl. The other part of it is I don’t enjoy sitting on a beach for days on end. I like to go, go, go! But every once and a while it is good to put on some sunglasses and lather on the SPF and just chill out in a lounge chair with a cocktail. And while I need to be upfront and say that St. Lucia is not my favorite Caribbean destination (that is reserved for St. Martin) it is a beautiful place to visit full of adventure and fun. Here are the 8 things you must do in St. Lucia.

Check out the Pitons

Start your exploration of Saint Lucia’s famous landmarks with the Pitons, two volcanic plugs on the southwestern coast of the island. You can hike around Gros Piton (at 2,530 ft high) and Petit Piton (at 2,438 ft high) or sail the coast to see their full size. They even inspired the creation of a local beer, Piton, popular with locals and residents alike. 

Enjoy a Cocktail, or Mocktail

And speaking of beer, enjoying a cocktail by the ocean is basically mandatory on a trip to St. Lucia. Last time I was there I was three months pregnant and was surprised to find that most bartenders make a pretty mean mocktail (though they may not see the point of them). 

Visit a Cocoa Fermentory

I love chocolate so I was excited to take a day trip to Fond Deux Resort a 250-year-old Cocoa Fermentory and UNESCO World Heritage Site. There we got to experience how chocolate is made as well as taste the final product – yum!

Go Ziplining or Take a Canopy Tour

If you’re staying at a resort they most likely have a service that makes arrangements for these day trips including an excursion to the rainforest to zipline. We visited the Rainforest Sky Rides Park and I opted not to go ziplining (Alex loved the experience) but rather take an aerial tram up to the heights of St. Lucia’s forest reserve. The greenery was so lush and the tropical flowers so beautiful, I felt like I was in paradise

Sail Away

Most resorts offer boat trips around the island and opportunities to take out canoes. While I decided to stay on the beach, Alex loved paddling out into the ocean. But we both loved the boat trip and even reenacted that famous Titanic pose at the bow.

Enjoy Nature at its most Natural

Soufrière is one of St. Lucia’s most famous towns and home to Diamond Falls & Botanical Gardens, a six-acre tropical retreat. Take a walk through the lush vegetation and the many tropical flowers and birds. Then marvel at the beauty of the waterfall before taking a soak in the mineral springs.  

Lounge by the Pool or the Ocean

Of course, you can’t go to paradise without experiencing some R&R. Don’t forget to carve out time to relax by the pool or on the beach. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

Watch the Sunset or Wake up Early to watch the Sunrise

I don’t think I have ever seen such colors as I saw in the St. Lucia sky at sunset and sunrise. The purples and oranges are so vivid, so stunning, I had goosebumps. 

Want more on St. Lucia? Check out my review of Windjammer Landing Resort.

Have you been to St. Lucia? What are your favorite vacation activities?