Who has rented a car and explored on your own?

[saraheg77]

Hi all! We are a family of 4 and thinking about just renting a car and driving on our own to our top picks... are there any issues with the chocolate factory or spice place just being open to groups or are they just open to the public?

 

Thanks!

Sarah

[jzc8n4]

I just drove for two days in Grenada, and we drove to what we wanted to see. We had no problems getting in anywhere, but you should research the hours places are open. Belmont estate is closed on Saturday, many places are closed on Sunday, the rum distilleries are generally closed on weekends.

 

While our trip was without incident, I would advise that driving in Grenada isn't for the faint of heart. If planning to drive, you should be prepared for the following:

 

1) Driving is on left side of road. Steering wheel is on right. Turn signal and wipers are reversed from where they are typically on US cars. I had the cleanest windshield in Grenada.

 

2) Major roads are to the standard of a country road in the US. You will not find anything comparable to a US highway in Grenada.

 

3) Nothing is marked well, including one-way streets. You will be driving on the main road around the island, and it will suddenly fork into two roads without any signage. Sometimes I guessed right, sometimes I did not. You will never find Annandale Falls unless you stop and ask for directions, as the road is not marked and looks more like someone's driveway. We had to stop and ask directions (the locals were very helpful) for the majority of places we tried to find, despite having a pretty good map.

 

4) The roads are narrow and in many areas mountainous. They love drainage ditches which are a foot deep starting right at the edge of the road. Many secondary roads are one lane. It was quite an adventure getting by the garbage truck coming the other way near the mountain location we were staying, with a ditch on one side and a cliff on the other. On the major two lane roads, cars are frequently parked in one lane. And there are virtually no sidewalks, so you will encounter pedestrians, bicycles, and the occasional goat in your lane, making the two lane road effectively one lane.

 

5) Despite the hazards mentioned above the locals know the roads and drive like they are playing Grand Theft Auto. I would frequently pull over and let them around.

 

We paid about $200 for the car, license, and gas over a two day period. We saw more things while on our own schedule, and spent far less than we would have on tours, but added several gray hairs. I have no regrets, but this is not something you should undertake without a spirit of adventure.

Edited July 14, 2017 by jzc8n4
minor addition

[IslandStar]

A brilliant summary of driving my lovely island by Randy - still giggling now imagining him facing the oncoming garbage truck :'):')

 

All that said we are safe if you drive defensively and not try to copy anything the buses do and dont pay any attention to them if they say its safe to overtake - they like to help but trust your own vision on corners etc.

 

The only down side to driving yourself is you are so intent on looking at the road you miss our fabulous scenery and you miss out on a lot of information the the taxi association guides give you.

 

Whatever you choose I hope you have a fabulous day visiting my beautiful spice island

[LaShelle2]

How about hiring a driver for the day? I would not try to drive there. You would probably spend the same $$$, and a driver can point out interesting facts.