Kingston With Kids: Family Outings
Travel advice, October 2026: Jamaica has high rates of violent crime, concentrated in inner-city neighbourhoods, and both the UK FCDO and the US State Department name areas to avoid, including parts of Kingston. Use licensed or hotel-arranged transport, avoid walking after dark, and read gov.uk and travel.state.gov before you go.
Kingston is a busy capital, so family days here are short outings built around one anchor each: ice cream, gardens, a fort, a boat ride or a mountain walk. The Uptown sights along Hope Road sit close together and make the easiest base for children. Prices are in US dollars unless marked J$.
Devon House
The 1881 mansion on Hope Road was built by George Stiebel, who became Jamaica’s first Black millionaire. The grounds are open daily from 9:30 to 22:00 and the South Lawn from 9:30 to 18:00, which gives children space to run. Devon House I-Scream serves 28 flavours in cups or cones, and the bakery sells patties, including callaloo and saltfish. Mansion tours run Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 16:00 and on Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00. Ask at Devon House about tour prices and grounds entry before you go, as neither is published online.
Hope Gardens and Hope Zoo
Hope Botanical Gardens, at 231 Old Hope Road, cover about 200 acres and date from 1873, with an orchid house, a sunken garden, lawns and a lily pond. Hope Zoo sits inside the gardens, and it runs the Jamaican iguana head-start programme. Opening hours and admission change, so check the zoo’s own site before you go, and pack a picnic and water.
Fort Charles and the Giddy House
At Port Royal, children can walk the cannon walls of Fort Charles and step inside the Giddy House, a storehouse built in 1888 that tilts at about 15 degrees since the earthquake of 1907. Standing inside gives most visitors a dizzy feeling, which children usually enjoy. Fort Charles opens daily from about 9:00 to 17:00. Adults pay about US$15 to US$18, so confirm the price at the gate. The drive from New Kingston is about 25 km.
Lime Cay by boat
A 15-minute boat ride from Port Royal reaches Lime Cay, where the water along the shore is shallow. There are no facilities, shade or fresh water, and nobody is on hand to help if something goes wrong. Bring water, food, sunscreen, shade and your own life vests, keep children within arm’s reach, and take all rubbish back with you. The boat fare reported is about J$1,500 for adults and J$1,000 for children, paid in cash.
Music and mountains for older children
The Bob Marley Museum suits older children and teenagers. The 75-minute tour covers Marley’s Rastafari faith, his life and the 1976 attack on his home. Children aged 4 to 12 pay US$12. For a shorter visit, the Tuff Gong studio tour runs 45 to 60 minutes and shows how vinyl records are pressed, with the same US$12 child ticket.
In the Blue Mountains, the Blue Mahoe trail at Holywell is 250 m and takes about 10 minutes, which suits small legs. Children pay US$5. The mountain road is steep and winding, and the air is cool, so bring jackets.
Read more: Sightseeing in Kingston has hours for the main sights.
See current tour times on the Bob Marley Museum site and trail fees on the Holywell page . Family tours can be compared on GetYourGuide .