From crystal clear waters to mountainous jungle landscapes, Jamaica is the quintessential Caribbean paradise. For an island roughly the size of Connecticut, this rocky oasis offers endless adventures. After spending a week driving all over Jamrock, and we are already plotting our return!
If you’re in the market for an epic Jamaica road trip, we’ve rounded up all of our recommendations into an adventure-packed 8 day itinerary below.
Getting There
Jamaica is situated within the Caribbean Sea and can be accessed via a direct flight from Washington DC or New York City in just under four hours. We flew from DC into Montego Bay, picked up our car from SIXT for the week, and headed straight for Seven Mile beach in Negril.
Day 1: Exploring Negril’s Shoreline
-Drive down to Negril from Montego Bay and hang out on Seven Mile Beach. This stretch of beach is the last sandy spot before you reach Negril’s infamous rocky cliffs. If you’re looking for an adult beverage and some live reggae at night, I highly recommend Alfred’s Ocean Palace, Drifter’s Bar, or Bourbon Beach.
Day2: Cliff Jumping at Rick’s Cafe
-Wake up and grab some breakfast at Sweet Spice. This home style restaurant was recommended to us by a friend of ours who calls Jamaica home… Do you need any more convincing?
-How can you visit Negril without jumping 35 feet into crystal clear blue water at Rick’s Cafe? After breakfast and some beach time, head to Rick’s for late lunch/early dinner and plunge off the infamous cliffs. This restaurant is known to host the best view of the sunset in Negril, so be sure you stick around and enjoy a cold one as the sun sinks into the ocean.
Day 3: Swimming in Blue Hole Mineral Spring
-Head for Treasure Beach in the morning, but before you make it too far, stop in at Blue Hole Mineral Spring. This lightly traveled hole in the earth is filled with deep blue spring water and is the perfect place to relax and escape the blistering Jamaican sun. $10 USD will admit you entrance into the park where you can lounge by the pool, indulge at the bar, or jump 24 feet into the hole itself. Get there early if you want the place to yourself. We arrived when they first opened and were completely alone for about 2 hours.
-Just before you get into Treasure Beach, stop at Cloggy’s On The Beach for a little lunch. This roadside restaurant and bar boasts beachfront seating and delicious eats.
-Once you reach your temporary homestead, unwind at an ocean side oasis that is Jake’s Restaurant.
Day 4: Relaxing at Treasure Beach + Floyd’s Pelican Bar
-Wake up and charter a boat out to Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a tiki hut built half a mile off shore. A boat ride from Treasure Beach will take about 25 minutes and should cost around $5,000JAD per person. The price per person goes down as your group numbers go up. Your Capitan likely won’t want to stay out there all day so make sure you vocalize that if he gets another tour that you are more than happy to stay. He told us that we wouldn’t want more than an hour out there and were elated when 45 minutes into our stay, he received another tour and ran back to pick them up. We ended up spending 3 hours at Floyd’s and never once did we regret being “stranded”. Below are the numbers of two boat captains I recommend if you decide to make the trip.
Captain Garrett +1 (876) 378-2813
Captain Alan +1 (876) 366-7394
-After a long day of drinking in the sun (and red stripe) go down to the beach and relax the night away at Jack Sprats Bar and Restaurant. Don’t forget to get some ice cream on your way out. I highly recommend the stout flavor, made from the island’s own Dragon Stout.
Day 5: Exploring Port Antonio
-In the morning, rise up and head for Port Antonio. It is a pretty long ride so an early start is wise. It’s not the distance that makes it a lengthy trip, rather the roads you take to get there.
-Before you get too far down the road, stop in at Lover’s Leap. Legend has it that two enslaved lovers leapt to their deaths from the 1700′ cliff when their master took a liking to the woman and planned to have her lover sold off to another estate, ultimately separating them indefinitely. While the story is rather macabre, the view from the restaurant is breathtaking.
-Once you arrive in Port Antonio, stop in at Blue Lagoon. This hidden bay has some of the deepest blue water you’ve ever seen and is well worth the visit. Pro Tip: You are free to visit Blue Lagoon yourself and there is a parking lot at the bottom of the hill if you just want to check it out. Don’t be pressured by the locals at the entrance of the park to agree to a boat ride. There are plenty of vendors and you can secure a ride at the bottom of the hill if you so choose. There is no entrance fee.
– We stayed at Great Hut’s and I highly recommend spending your time in Port Antonio at this eco-resort. It has a private beach right next to Lynches Bay, a cool little surf spot and views that you can’t possibly be described.
Day 6: Chasing Waterfalls
-Now that you’re on the eastern coast of Jamaica, wake up and take in the sunrise from the stunning cliffs of Great Hut’s Eco-Resort. The view from these cliffs is nothing short of breathtaking, and you will likely have an opportunity to take them in unaccompanied. Most people don’t like to wake up early on vacation, but when there is so much to do, there isn’t much time for sleep.
-Hop in the car and drive to Reach Fall’s. This is another attraction where there are locals offering private trips as you drive into the area. Again, don’t be pressured into booking with them if you would like to experience the “government side” of the falls, like we did. If you choose to drive into the park, you will pay $10 USD per person and will be able to swim in the falls themselves. The private tours are only able to walk you up to the falls but you will inevitably not be allowed into the parks space. At the end of the day, I recommend visiting the falls directly through the Urban Development Corporation. Operating hours are Wednesday through Sunday 8:30-4:30 Pro Tip: Be sure to ask a lifeguard/tour guide to take you to the “rabbit hole.” You’ll take a short walk upstream where your guide will show you to a cavity among the rocks that you can jump through into a hidden swimming cove. Note: a tip is expected, and the experience is totally worth it!!!
-Go relax on your private beach and take the plunge off of the cliff into Lynches Bay. Make sure you are a strong swimmer, the current can be rather challenging at times.
-Have dinner at Boston Jerk Centre for some authentic Jamaican cuisine. The locals will be clamoring to get your business so feel free to haggle a little, you can end up eating a delicious meal that won’t break the bank.
Day 7: Resort Relaxation
-We treated ourselves to an all inclusive on our last full day considering we had a 6 hour drive from Port Antonio to Montego Bay. It was a great way to close out our week of adventure and relax and recharge before heading back to reality.
-Spend some time at Doctor’s Cave Beach. This beach offers beach chairs and umbrellas to rent, a restaurant with sea-side service, and water trampolines so you can relax or play the day away however you’d like. There is a fee charged to use these facilities, but it may be covered by your hotel or resort, so check at the front desk before heading over.
-Hit the Hip Strip at night for some bar hopping and don’t forget to score some grub from a jerk chicken cart to celebrate the ending of your vacation in paradise.
Day 8: Homeward Bound
-If time permits, lounge on the beach one last time.
-Return your car and head for the airport. Pro Tip: If you have a Priority Pass, you’re eligible to pass through Mobay Club’s expedited security and fast track to the airport lounge. After checking your bags, visit the Mobay Club desk and secure your voucher for security and relax in the lounge once on the other side.
