Jamaica is often called the “Heartbeat of the Caribbean”. In this lush island nation, you’ll find cultural and natural treasures, and many are recognised by UNESCO and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. There’s no better way to discover these gems than by driving. Renting a car lets you explore freely, connect with local people, and stumble upon hidden spots. In this guide, you will learn the best way to experience heritage sites in Jamaica. You’ll get detailed driving routes, must-see attractions, and insider travel tips.
Jamaica’s World Heritage Sites and national heritage landmarks are scattered across the island. As of now, there are two official UNESCO sites in Jamaica – the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and the underwater city of Port Royal.
Start your road trip in Jamaica from the Blue and John Crow Mountains. This vast national park protects a rugged, rainforest mountain range in the east of the island, including Jamaica’s highest peak. It was once a spiritual home for the Windward Maroons and the indigenous Taino people.
The park’s heritage value is twofold. It preserves the remains of Maroon culture and hideouts, and it shelters an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem of tropical montane forest. The area’s misty forests are a hotspot of Caribbean biodiversity. It is home to rare species like the giant swallowtail butterfly and the Doctor Bird hummingbird. For nature lovers, the ultimate goal is summiting Blue Mountain Peak, which rises 2,256 metres (7,402 ft). Many hikers start before dawn to reach the summit at sunrise.
If you don’t like strenuous hikes, you can enjoy shorter nature trails and picnic spots at Holywell, a hilltop recreation area in the park with cool air, panoramic views and hummingbirds around. Coffee lovers will want to visit a local coffee plantation on the Blue Mountain slopes. This region grows some of the world’s most prized coffee beans. Consider arranging a visit to a Maroon settlement like Moore Town or Charles Town on the Portland side of the mountains.
How to Reach the Blue Mountains
Two main routes lead from Kingston to the Blue Mountains. The first goes north via Papine and Gordon Town through Newcastle to Holywell. It is steep, narrow, and offers great views of Kingston. The second runs from the northeast via the B1 road from Port Antonio or Buff Bay, winding along the Buff Bay River. The B1 is very narrow and twisty, with 4WD needed only beyond the villages. The Kingston–Holywell drive takes about 1.5 hours despite the short distance.
Port Royal is just off the coast of Kingston, a place that brims with legend and maritime history. In the late 17th century, Port Royal was known as the “wickedest city on Earth.” It was a notorious pirate haven. Under British rule, it grew into one of the richest ports in the Caribbean. But in 1692, a massive earthquake sent two-thirds of Port Royal sliding into the sea. Today, Port Royal is a fishing village and one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas. In 2025, the archaeological ruins of Port Royal were officially recognised with UNESCO World Heritage status, making it Jamaica’s second World Heritage Site.
Start at Fort Charles, the oldest and best-preserved fort in Port Royal. Fort Charles survived the 1692 earthquake. It used to stand at the water’s edge, but after the quake, it’s now inland. Today, it operates as a museum. You can walk its ramparts, see old cannons and learn about figures like Admiral Horatio Nelson, who was stationed here. Within the fort complex is the Giddy House, an artillery storage building constructed in 1888 that partially sank during the 1907 earthquake. Port Royal’s narrow lanes also hold other relics, including the Old Naval Hospital and St. Peter’s Church.
How to Reach Port Royal
From Kingston, it’s about a 30-minute drive along the Palisadoes Road, which connects the city to Port Royal across the Kingston Harbour. Follow Norman Manley Boulevard past the airport, and continue to the end of the Palisadoes peninsula.
On Jamaica’s north coast near St. Ann’s Bay lies Seville Heritage Park, a site often called the birthplace of modern Jamaica. Seville is where the Taino, Spanish, and British chapters of Jamaican history all intersect. Later in the 17th century, after the English took over, the site became a British plantation estate. Seville Heritage Park is an open-air archaeological park and museum that preserves artifacts and ruins.
The Seville Great House, a two-story Georgian-stle mansion, now serves as a museum and the centerpiece of the park. Inside, you’ll find Taino tools and carvings, Spanish coins and pottery, as well as items from the era of African enslavement and plantation days. Outside the Great House, the grounds overlooking the Caribbean Sea contain several ruin sites. You can see the stone foundations of Governor’s Castle, the residence of the Spanish governor, and the outline of a Spanish church started in 1525. There’s also the remains of a Spanish sugar mill from the 1500s and other structures under the earth. The park features horseback riding trails on its property.
How to Reach Seville
Seville is easily accessible via the North Coast Highway (A1). If you’re coming from Ocho Rios, head west about 24 km. The park is located west of the town of St. Ann’s Bay on the seaside. Coming from Montego Bay or Falmouth in the west, it’s about 1 to 1.5 hours’ drive east along the A1.
Nestled in the heart of Kingston is Devon House, a grand 19th-century mansion that is one of Jamaica’s most cherished historic landmarks. Built in 1881, Devon House was the residence of George Stiebel, Jamaica’s first black millionaire. Architecturally, the house is a beautiful blend of Caribbean and Georgian stles, furnished with antiques that reflect Jamaica’s Victorian-era affluence. Devon House is open daily, from mid-morning to around 6 or 7 pm. Tour times for the mansion are usually on the hour. Check in at the ticket desk to join the next guided tour. Alternatively, you can wander the courtyard and lawns for free.
Touring the Devon House Mansion takes you back into 19th-century elegance. Guided tours take you through rooms adorned with period furniture, crystal chandeliers, and Caribbean accents, as guides recount stories of George Stiebel and his family. Beyond the historical house, the grounds of Devon House is a spot for tourists and Kingston locals.
On the property, old stables and outbuildings have been converted into a courtyard of artisan shops and eateries. You’ll find craft boutiques, a bakery, a chocolatier, and more. Treat yourself to a scoop ice cream shop. It is located in what was once the carriage house, with flavours like rum & raisin and guava. There’s also a bakery selling fresh patties like the curried goat patty,
How to Reach Devon House
Devon House is centrally located in Kingston, at the corner of Hope Road and Waterloo Road. If you’re staying in Kingston or New Kingston, it’s likely a 10 to 15-minute drive to get there. From the airport side, you’d drive through downtown and head uptown via Hope Road.
Tucked away in the hills on the south side of Jamaica’s Cockpit Country is Accompong, a community that is central to the proud heritage of the Jamaican Maroons. Accompong was established in the 18th century by Captain Cudjoe, the famed Maroon leader who united his people and fought the British. In 1739, Accompong was the site of a historic peace treaty between the Maroons and the British, which granted the Maroons autonomy. To this day, Accompong is self-governed and is known for preserving Maroon culture, including distinct music, dialect, and traditions.
The best time to visit is on January 6, when Accompong hosts its annual Maroon Festival celebrating Cudjoe’s birthday and the anniversary of the 1739 treaty. During this vibrant event, the village comes alive with traditional goombay drumming, singing, dancing and ceremonies honouring the ancestors. There are tours of sacred sites like the Kindah Tree. You’ll also witness the community cooking of a porridge-like dish in a large kettle. You can visit the Accompong Museum, which houses artifacts, drums, and displays about Maroon history and the treaty.
How to Reach Accompong
Accompong is located in the St. Elizabeth parish, bordering the edge of the Cockpit Country. From Montego Bay, it’s a 1.5 to 2-hour drive southwards. The simplest route is to take the A2 coastal highway west from Montego Bay through Anchovy and Savanna-la-Mar towards Whitehouse (Westmoreland), then turn inland (left) towards Santa Cruz/Accompong once you reach the parish of St. Elizabeth.
Blenheim is a small village in the hills of Hanover Parish, and it is the birthplace of one of Jamaica’s National Heroes. This was the hometown of Sir Alexander Bustamante, who became Jamaica’s first Prime Minister upon independence in 1962. Bustamante was a pivotal figure in Jamaica’s fight for workers’ rights and self-government. Today, the Blenheim Estate, where he was born, is preserved as a heritage site.
The focal point is the Bustamante Museum at Blenheim, a re-creation of the simple wooden house where Bustamante was born in 1884. The original house was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt according to descriptions by those who knew it. It’s a single-story cottage with a Caribbean timber design. Inside, you’ll find a small collection of exhibits and heritage displays about Sir Alexander’s life. There are photographs, documents, some personal effects, and write-ups that narrate his journey from a country boy to a labor leader and national hero.
If you visit on the anniversary of Bustamante’s birthday on February 24, an official celebration is usually held here and in the nearby town square of Lucea. Each year, local officials and citizens gather at Blenheim and in Lucea to honour Bustamante with music, speeches, and a laying of flowers.
How to Reach Blenheim
Blenheim is located in the Hanover Hills, about 6.4 km west of the town of Lucea. From Montego Bay, you drive west along the A1 through Hopewell and Sandy Bay to Lucea about 1 hour, then turn off in Lucea up to Blenheim. The road up is a rural country road. The distance from Lucea is not far, but you’ll be going uphill; it will take 15 to 20 minutes from Lucea to reach Blenheim village.
Cockpit Country is one of Jamaica’s great wilderness frontiers. It is a vast area of rugged limestone hills, sun-kissed valleys, and dense tropical vegetation. The landscape here has thousands of conical hillocks and deep hollows. This karst topography formed over millions of years and is difficult to traverse, which made it an ideal natural fortress. Today, Cockpit Country is sparsely populated. It is home to countless endemic plants, birds, and over a thousand caves running beneath the hill.
Caving is one of the best things to do in Cockpit Country. There are extensive cave systems; the Windsor Cave in Trelawny is known for its bat population and impressive chambers. Guided cave tours can be arranged, and it’s highly recommended not to enter caves without a knowledgeable guide.
You can also go on nature hikes or off-road treks through the karst hills. The Burnt Hill Nature Trail and the Barbecue Bottom Road are known routes that take you through stunning cockpit scenery. Birdwatchers will delight in seeking out Jamaica’s endemic species here, such as the Jamaican Tody or the Giant Swallowtail butterfly. Another cave accessible with a guide is the “Printed Circuit” Cave, featuring beautiful white limestone formations. A tour usually involves Maroon descendants as guides.
How to Reach Cockpit Country
Cockpit Country spans multiple parishes, such as Trelawny, St. James, St. Ann, St. Elizabeth, Manchester. There are a few roads that cut near or through it, but be prepared for winding, narrow routes. If you are from Montego Bay or Falmouth, a common entry is via Duncans or Clark’s Town in Trelawny, then heading south toward Albert Town. The route from Montego Bay is to drive south through Wakefield to Deeside, and on to Windsor (near Windsor Cave).
Overlooking the Caribbean Sea just east of Montego Bay stands the Rose Hall Great House, the most famous great house in Jamaica. This beautifully restored Georgian mansion was built in the 1770s and was once at the centre of a vast sugar plantation. However, it’s best known for the legendary tale of the “White Witch of Rose Hall.” Her ghost is said to haunt the house to this day.
By day, Rose Hall Great House is open for historical tours. You’ll be guided through grand rooms furnished with antiques, from the sweeping central staircase to the high-ceilinged dining hall and bedrooms adorned with four-poster mahogany beds. The house also features a small museum area with artifacts and panels about the history of the estate and the legend. From the lofty windows and the front verandah, you get panoramic views of the coast and the rolling golf courses that now cover the estate’s lands.
The real spooktacular experience is the Haunted Night Tour. In the evening, the house is dimly lit by candlelight, and actors in period costume might pop out to dramatise parts of the White Witch story. After braving the haunted tour, you’re offered a shot of “witches' brew” (rum punch). The night tour isn’t gory, but younger kids might find it scary, so gauge accordingly. There’s also a gift shop on site with books about the White Witch, Jamaican rum, and souvenirs. If ghosts aren’t your thing, you can enjoy the house and gardens in daylight. If you’re a golf enthusiast, two of Jamaica’s top golf courses, White Witch and Cinnamon Hill, are on the Rose Hall Estate grounds nearby.
How to Reach Rose Hall
Rose Hall is a 15-minute drive east of Montego Bay city, along the main A1 highway (also called the “Queen’s Highway”). Many resorts are on what used to be the Rose Hall plantation lands. From Montego Bay Sangster Airport, it’s roughly 20 minutes east.
Going on a road trip to explore heritage sites in Jamaica isn’t just about ticking off attractions. You will be able to stand on a mountain peak that Maroons once defended, wander through the ruins of an ancient Spanish city, or listen to folktales under a village mango tree. It’s this dynamic, living heritage from reggae beats to Rastafarian traditions that makes Jamaica so special.
Rent a car in Jamaica with Final Rentals and start your trip from Kingston Norman Manley Airport or Montego Bay Airport. Choose the perfect vehicle, and enjoy instant confirmation, with no hidden fees, and 24/7 airport service. For extra convenience, you can also download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
