Day Trips & Tours · From Runaway Bay

Make a Full Day
of Jamaica.

Bamboo rafting on a river that moves slower than the rest of the world. The hills of St. Ann where Bob Marley was born. A rum estate in a valley that smells like molasses. Day trips worth building your whole itinerary around — and a few that are worth the longer drive.

Start Here

The Ones Most Guests Do First

These three cover the widest range of ages and interests. Any of them makes for a full, satisfying day out.

1 hr 15 min Don’t Miss

Rafting on the Martha Brae

A two-person bamboo raft, a local captain who knows every bend in the river, and two hours moving at the speed of water through overhanging trees and quiet countryside. It’s genuinely one of the most peaceful things you can do in Jamaica — and one of the few experiences that works equally well for a couple celebrating something and a grandparent who doesn’t want to hike anywhere.

Tip: Book ahead in peak season — it fills up. Bring a dry bag for phones and cameras. The captains are half the experience — ask them questions. Combine with a lunch stop in Falmouth on the way back.

All ages · No physical fitness required · Book ahead in high season

1 hr 30 min Best for Groups

Chukka Good Hope Estate

A historic plantation estate that now runs some of the best adventure activities on the island — ATV rides through the hills, canopy ziplines, tubing down the Martha Brae, horseback riding, and mineral pool soaks. The kind of place where a group splits up by interest in the morning and reconvenes for lunch with completely different stories. Works well for multigenerational groups because the activity range is wide enough for everyone to find something.

Tip: Book activities in advance online — popular combinations sell out. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting muddy. Budget for lunch on-site; the food is decent and the setting is beautiful.

Groups & families · Wide activity range · Book online in advance

1 hr 30 min Culturally Essential

Bob Marley Nine Mile — St. Ann

Into the hills of St. Ann to the village where Bob Marley was born, lived, and is buried. The guided tour walks you through his childhood home, the mausoleum, and the rock he slept on as a boy — the one he said gave him prophecy. For diaspora guests bringing children back to Jamaica for the first time, this one lands differently than a waterfall. The drive through the mountains alone is worth it.

Tip: The roads getting there are winding — not suitable for anyone prone to motion sickness. Combine with a Fern Gully drive or a lunch stop on the way back. Guided tours are included with entry; the guides are excellent.

All ages · Guided tour included · Mountainous drive — allow extra time

For the Curious

History, Rum & a View That Stops You

Two trips that reward guests who want something beyond the waterfall circuit. Both are longer drives — both are worth every minute.

45 min Hidden Gem

Firefly — Noël Coward’s Estate

The hilltop home where playwright and composer Noël Coward lived, worked, and died — preserved almost exactly as he left it, with the most extraordinary view on the north coast. The Queen Mother came to dinner here. Ian Fleming was a regular. The house is small and the tour is intimate, but it’s the kind of place that stays with you — equal parts fascinating history and sheer beauty.

Tip: Combine with a stop in Port Maria town or a coastal lunch spot on the way back. Not widely known — rarely crowded. Go in the afternoon when the light on the coast is extraordinary.

Adults & older children · Small guided tour · Rarely crowded · Exceptional views

2 hr 15 min Worth the Drive

Appleton Estate Rum Tour

A working distillery in the Nassau Valley that has been producing rum since 1749. The tour takes you through the full cane-to-cup process — fermentation, distilling, barrel ageing — and ends with a tasting of some of the finest aged rums Jamaica produces. The valley setting is lush and beautiful and the whole experience takes about two hours. Worth pairing with lunch in nearby Black River, which has its own quiet character.

Tip: Adults only for the tasting. Book ahead — tours run on a schedule. Make it a full day and combine with Black River and the Black River Safari if you’re going that far south.

Adults only (tasting) · Book in advance · Full day recommended · Combine with Black River

The Long Haul

If You’re Staying Long Enough

This one is further south than the rest — not a casual afternoon. But for the right guest, it’s unlike anything else on the island.

We’ll Help You Plan It

Not Sure Where to Start?

Tell us who’s in your group — ages, interests, how much activity you want — and we’ll suggest the right combination of day trips for your stay. We can also arrange drivers, book tours, and handle the logistics.