St. George's

Yes, with normal caution. The capital is compact, walkable and friendly, and Grenada has one of the lower violent-crime rates in the Caribbean. Watch your bag around the cruise pier and the busy market, avoid quiet beaches after dark, and use registered taxis at night. Solo female travelers consistently report easy days and uneventful evenings.

Five to seven nights is the sweet spot. Two days cover the town itself — the Carenage, Fort George, the spice market, a long dinner at BB's Crabback. Add three or four for Grand Anse beach days, a waterfall hike, the Underwater Sculpture Park, and a spice-estate tour. Stretch to ten if you want a Carriacou ferry add-on.

Mid-December through April. February, March and early April are the driest and sunniest stretch and the safest weather bet. December is the value sweet spot — sunshine has arrived but peak prices haven't. Grenada sits south of the main hurricane belt, so July through November is wetter but rarely disrupted. Carnival travelers should target early August.

Cheaper than Barbados, St. Lucia or the British Virgin Islands, and a long way cheaper than St. Barths or Anguilla. Budget travelers manage $90 to $120 a day with guesthouses and minibuses. A mid-range Grand Anse hotel, sit-down dinners and a couple of tours runs $200 to $300 a day. Villa rentals and full-service resorts push well past $500.

Its horseshoe harbor — the Carenage — and its spices. Grenada produces roughly 20% of the world's nutmeg, and the open-air spice market in the capital is the introduction. Add Fort George's hilltop view, pastel colonial townhouses stacked up the hillside, the Molinière Underwater Sculpture Park offshore, and Grand Anse Beach a short drive south.

Both, leaning cash for anything outside a hotel. Mid-range restaurants, supermarkets and resort shops take Visa and Mastercard. The spice market, minibuses, roadside cookshops, beach vendors and most taxis run on cash — Eastern Caribbean Dollars preferred, US dollars accepted at a slight markup. ATMs in St. George's and Grand Anse dispense XCD freely.

Fixed-rate taxis are the only direct option — about US$20 to St. George's or Grand Anse, 15 to 25 minutes by road, with roughly a 20% surcharge between 10pm and 6am. The taxi stand sits directly outside arrivals. Pre-booked hotel transfers run $25 to $40. Public minibuses don't serve the airport.

Annandale Falls (15 minutes, swimmable) is the quick win. For a fuller day, Grand Etang Lake plus Seven Sisters Falls combines a rainforest crossing with a swimmable cascade. Concord Falls pairs well with a chocolate-estate tour. La Sagesse Beach is the off-the-radar swim. For an overnight, take the Osprey ferry to Carriacou.

Most visitors base themselves on the Grand Anse peninsula — two miles of beach, easy minibus into the capital, and the bulk of hotels and guesthouses. Lance aux Epines suits villa renters and divers. Stay actually inside St. George's only if you want harbor bustle outside your window — choices are limited and nightlife is quiet.

Depends what you want. Grenada is smaller, less developed, cheaper and more low-key — better for travelers who like spice estates, hiking and a working capital with a real market. St. Lucia is more dramatic visually thanks to the Pitons, has more upscale resorts, and a livelier scene. Honeymooners often prefer St. Lucia; repeat Caribbean travelers often prefer Grenada.

Probably not. US, Canadian, EU and most Commonwealth passport holders enter visa-free for 90 days (six months for UK citizens). You'll need a passport valid for the duration of stay and proof of onward travel. Citizens of countries outside that list can apply for a tourist visa in advance for roughly US$50 to US$100.

English is the official and universally spoken language — every taxi driver, hotel clerk, vendor and tour guide will speak it fluently. Among themselves Grenadians use Grenadian Creole English, an English-based creole, and you'll catch words and rhythms that take a minute to tune to. French and Spanish appear only at international hotels.

Technically yes, but it sits at the very southern edge and is hit far less often than islands further north. The last serious storm was Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Through a typical July to November wet season you'll get short heavy showers and the occasional tropical wave, but full-blown hurricane disruption is rare. Travel insurance is still smart.

Oil down. It's a one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat (often pigtail or saltfish), dumplings, callaloo greens and turmeric, slow-simmered in coconut milk and Grenadian spices until the liquid is absorbed. Look for it at roadside cookshops on weekends and at any local restaurant on a Sunday. It's the cultural meal of the island.

Generally yes. Tap water in St. George's, Grand Anse and most of the south coast is treated and considered safe to drink. Many travelers prefer bottled or filtered water for taste rather than safety. In rural areas and at unconnected villas, ask your host. Brushing teeth with tap water is fine without concern.

Yes — it's the best stretch of sand on the main island and consistently lands on Caribbean best-beach lists. Two miles of soft white sand, calm swimmable water, hotels and beach bars at one end, locals' patch at the other. Go in the morning before cruise tenders arrive. Snorkel off the south end for the best fish.