BEST SLOPES FOR FAMILY SKIING
WI N T E R 2018
74
PACK YOUR BAGS!
WINTER INDULGE IN EUROPE SANTA FE’S SPICY CHARM LAKE SUPERIOR’S CHILLY THRILLS ENJOY LAID-BACK LOWCOUNTRY
Beach near Algarve, Portugal
CARIBBEAN | BA R BA DOS
Garrison Savannah racetrack
Game Changers Head to Barbados for sun, fun and sports
B
BY ADRIENNE JORDAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREA WALKER
arbados offers beautiful beaches, picturesque sunsets and friendly locals, but for those who also want an adrenaline rush on vacation, there’s no shortage of options. In fact, 2017 was deemed Barbados’ “Year of Sports,” with special attention given to activities and events held year-round. And there’s something for everyone. Travelers can take their pick — including golf, cricket, skateboarding, horse racing and diving — to experience part of island life in Barbados.
RACING To get your blood pumping, head to the Bushy Park racetrack in the parish of St. Philip: a 2.2 km FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) grade 3 Formula One track and a 1.2 km CIK (Commission Internationale de Karting) grade A Supercart course. Founder and Barbadian (or Bajan) Ralph “Bizzy” Williams was drinking rum in his house one day and decided to create a racetrack. It was built in 1971; renovations began in 2013, and in 2014, it was reopened to become the most developed track in the Caribbean. The island’s first circuit event was the 2014 Top Gear >
134 GO ESCAPE | WINTER 2018
Cricket at Dover sports complex
CARIBBEAN | BA R BA DOS
Golfing at the Barbados Golf Club
Festival featuring the Global Rallycross Championship. International racers such as David Coulthard, Pascal Wehrlein and Jamie Whincup have competed on the track. “There is a lot more technical cornering aspect of this track compared to the speed of U.S. tracks,” says Amy Willis, operations manager of Bushy Park. Another year-round attraction at Bushy Park is go-karting. Children as young as 5 can take part. (The go-karts have shutdown transponders attached so operators can remotely stop any kart on track if needed.) Kids can also get their racing driver’s license at age 5 and zoom at speeds up to 20 mph.
136 GO ESCAPE | WINTER 2018
DIVING Dubbed the “shipwreck capital of the Caribbean,” Barbados offers amazing diving attractions. Reefers and Wreckers, a familyowned dive shop located in the north part of the island called Speightstown, frequently hosts guests for morning excursions. Aboard a small sailboat, divers descend onto Bright Ledge Reef, where a plethora of giant barrel sponges, puffer fish, barracuda, mackerels and other tropical fish meander through corals. Divers can also explore Pamir, a ship sunk in the 1980s for recreational purposes and reef creation. The wreck is an apt beginners dive, having a multitude of wide windows and crevices
Bushy Park racetrack
to swim through. Reefers and Wreckers also offers courses, which range from openwater to divemaster, from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. In November, divers can take part in the Lionfish Derby, a spearing competition that takes aim at the invasive lionfish. >
CARIBBEAN | BA R BA DOS
THE DETAILS When to go With a tropical climate year-round, Barbados is a great place to visit any time.
Currency 2 Barbadian dollars to 1 U.S. dollar
The F Spot
SKATEBOARDING For those who like to get their roll on, skateboarding competitions take place throughout the year. The main competition, the One Movement Invitational (onemovementcontest.com), occurs in March and August and will be held at Dover Beach, the island’s original skate park. The only DIY park, The F Spot, was demolished in May but plans for an official skate park are in the works.
CRICKET Cricket was introduced on the island in the 1700s during colonization and today is played at all levels, with top regional matches held from
138 GO ESCAPE | WINTER 2018
January through March. “The second division plays from May until November, and if a tourist wants to watch a match, they can come from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. to the Dover sports complex,” says Georgie Thomas, Dover Cricket Club’s secretary treasurer.
GOLF Catch the sunrise during a game of early morning golf. Barbados has five courses, including the Barbados Golf Club. Because the island was cleared of many of its fig trees for development, the Barbados Golf Club offers a chance to see one of the magnificent trees overlooking a 130-foot pond on the
15th hole. “We built the hole around the prized fig tree because it is the best tree we have,” says club director Roddy Carr, who helped build the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus course in 1971.
HORSE RACING History and sports meet at the Garrison Savannah, near the capital of Bridgetown. The winter racing season takes place from October to December, where you can take in the excitement of the jockeys racing beautiful horses at speeds of 30 mph. The Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup, one of the biggest sporting events on the island, is held in March.
Flying there There is one airport in Barbados, the Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI). Airlines include JetBlue, American Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada and Caribbean Airlines.
Getting around You can rent a car (but remember motorists drive on the other side of the road), hire a driver or take the bus.
Grab a bite The classic French, Bajan and Thai cuisine at Juma's Restaurant pair perfectly with ocean-front dining. 246-432-0232; jumasrestaurant.com