St. Lucia: The 10 Best Ways to Spend a Long Weekend

The Caribbean island of St. Lucia is a great getaway. Discover the best ways to explore the beauty and romance of this exotic destination.

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March 09, 2020

By: Lynn Coulter

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Photo By: St. Lucia Tourism Board

Photo By: Harbor Club St. Lucia, Curio Collection by Hilton

Photo By: Lynn Coulter

Photo By: St. Lucia Tourism Board

St. Lucia Sites

St. Lucia, voted the world's top honeymoon destination in 2018, is breaking its own tourism records as more travelers discover its sandy coves, lush rainforests and clear waters. April to June is a great time to visit while the weather is wonderful and the winter crowds and prices are down.

Formed by long-ago volcanic eruptions, the Pitons are St. Lucia's most stunning feature. Take a boat to see this World Heritage Site and photograph their lush, green silhouettes, highlighted by the blue Caribbean Sea. If you're in good shape, hike the larger of the two, Gros Piton, a moderately easy climb. It's the only Piton hike sanctioned by the St. Lucian government. An experienced guide is highly recommended for steep Petit Piton, which challenges even the pros. Once you're up, the views are incredible. Be safe, and research the hikes before you go.

Biking in St. Lucia

Rainforest cycling and jungle biking are fantastic ways to experience St. Lucia's natural beauty. Adventure Tours offers a rainforest mountain bike tour; book ahead, as it fills up fast with passengers from cruise ships. This four-hour tour, rated moderately challenging, takes you through lush forest trails to spectacular Dennery Waterfall. Bike St. Lucia's tours wind past tropical vegetation and 18th-century ruins on the Anse Mamin Plantation, part of Anse Chastanet Resort. There are miles of trails suitable for novices or experts and a training area for learning and practicing off-road skills. Advanced bikers can try Tinker's Trail, designed by world champion racer Tinker Juarez. It's a thriller, complete with tight switchbacks and gasp-inducing hills.

BOOK NOW: Anse Chastanet Resort | Expedia, $525/per night

Harbor Club St. Lucia

Harbor Club, on beautiful Rodney Bay, makes an ideal base for exploring St. Lucia over a long weekend. Part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, the resort features four full-sized pools, four restaurants and 115 rooms and suites, some with swim-up access. Catch a free water taxi to nearby Pigeon Island, a national landmark with a beautiful, sandy beach and a historic fort. Later, head to Rodney Bay to shop, dine and visit vibrant, late-night bars. Save time to play blackjack, roulette or the slot machines at Treasure Bay, St. Lucia's only casino.

BOOK NOW: Harbor Club St. Lucia | Expedia, $246/per night

Sunset Cruise on St. Lucia

From Harbor Club, board a luxury catamaran at Rodney Bay Marina for the resort's signature sunset cruise down-island. The sky turns coral-pink, yellow and red as the sun sinks and crew members pass around small bites and glasses of wine, rum punch and other libations from the open bar. Relax in a bean bag on the netting between the hulls and watch the waves splash below your feet, or get up and dance when the captain cranks up the music. The three-hour cruise is offered on Thursdays through Saturdays; check the website for times and prices.

Chocolate Making Class in St. Lucia

Cacao trees flourish in St. Lucia's rich, volcanic soil and tourists can indulge their craving for chocolate all around the island. Book a chocolate-making class at Howeltown Estate, a historic home built in Castries, the island's capital city, in 1896. From a veranda overlooking a gorgeous bay, you'll learn how to grind cacao nibs (bits of cacao beans) and mix them with cocoa butter and powdered sugar. Add a sprinkle of sea salt, cinnamon or chili powder and pour your creation into a mold to take home or nosh on the spot. Other chocolate indulgences: The Tree-to-Bar Experience at Club Boucan by Hotel Chocolat, a visit to the Chocolate Laboratory at Jade Mountain or a cup of traditional cocoa tea, served at various breakfast spots.

Scuba Diving in St. Lucia

St. Lucia's Anse Chastanet Reef was named one of the top five shore dives in the Caribbean by Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine. The reef, part of a marine preserve, starts 10 feet offshore, and its calm waters are home to blue tangs, wrasses and over 150 other species of fish, along with sponges and forests of yellow and purple gorgonian corals. Anse Chastanet is north of Soufrière Bay and accessible by car or boat. It's also ideal for snorkeling, although all divers and snorkelers must watch for strong currents. Other St. Lucia dive spots include Fairyland, a good place to see turtles, and Coral Gardens, at the base of Gros Piton. Try snuba, a unique combination of diving and snorkeling that doesn't require certification, from the beach on Pigeon Island.

Sulfur Springs in St. Lucia

Wear a dark bathing suit to hide the mud when you visit Sulfur Springs, home of St. Lucia's "drive-in volcano," the only one of its kind in the world. Located in Soufrière, this dormant volcano last erupted in the 1700s, leaving hot, muddy pools you can bathe in. As you'd guess, the mud smells, but it's said to help with sunburns, arthritis, eczema and more. Wash off under a 50-foot high waterfall, but don't be surprised if you're left with muddy streaks until you get to a soapy shower. Don't want to get dirty? Take the steps to see the collapsed cone of the volcano, where steam and gasses still rise from the ground and mud pits burble and splatter.

Horseback Riding in St. Lucia

On St. Lucia, you don't have to choose between horseback riding and swimming. Sandy Hoofs lets you do both when you follow trails through the open countryside and along the coast to several beautiful various bays and beaches. Weather and seas permitting, you can canter on the beach and take your horse right into the water for a refreshing swim. Beginners and experienced riders are welcome, and expert guides can accompany you upon request. Be sure to wear closed-toe shoes; open shoes can slip through the stirrups and disappear along the trail or in the waves.

Friday Night Street Party in St. Lucia

St. Lucians say that their famous Friday Night Street Party, which has been going on for 50 years, is the longest-running street party in the world. Tourists and locals show up every week at Gros Islet for lively Caribbean music, dancing and all-out fun. Vendors at this "jump-up," as it's called, sell cold Piton beer, rum punch and other drinks alongside fried fish, barbecued pork, whelk and other local foods. Stay till the wee hours and dip in and out of bars and clubs; the crowd is friendly and welcoming. Note: The party isn't held on Good Fridays.

Ziplining in St. Lucia

Instead of biking through St. Lucia's lush, tropical vegetation, sail over it on a zipline. Rainforest Adventure's "Adrena-Line" canopy tour lets riders soar from platform to platform over a series of cables. If you're not into going solo, catch the aerial tram, an open-air gondola that carries a small group and an experienced guide. If you just don't want to leave the ground at all, opt for a trail hike, bird-watching tour, photo adventure or combination package. Then, after all that excitement, book the yoga and spa experience to relax and just breathe.

St. Lucia: The 10 Best Ways to Spend a Long Weekend

Related To:

Shop This Look

St. Lucia Sites

Biking in St. Lucia

Harbor Club St. Lucia

Sunset Cruise on St. Lucia

Chocolate Making Class in St. Lucia

Scuba Diving in St. Lucia

Sulfur Springs in St. Lucia

Horseback Riding in St. Lucia

Friday Night Street Party in St. Lucia

Ziplining in St. Lucia

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