Carriacou
Maintaining colonial-era traditions, islanders dry their corncobs atop corrugated tin roofs. The countryside has mountaintop views, plantation ruins, and towns defined by their early settlers. In Windward, Scottish descendants build boats. In French L'Esterre, where the day's news is written on a chalkboard, primitive artist Canute Caliste creates intuitively. Hillsborough, an English settlement, is the government seat and home to the Carriacou Historical Society Museum, where you can learn about the African Big Drum tradition, still practiced only on Carriacou. The surrounding waters sustain coral reefs and whales.

Distillery Tours
Step back in time to rum's young and wild days. The mill at River Antoine Rum Distillery in St. Patrick's, producer of River's Royale Grenadian Rum, contains the oldest working waterwheel-powered mill in the Caribbean. Westerhall Rum Distillery, along the southern ma in road, contains old refinery artifacts and equipment. At Grenada Sugar Factory in St. George's, you can tour Grenada's oldest working steam plant and watch the production of Clarke's Court Rum, which Grenadians claim is the island's best. (They also say it doesn't produce hangovers.) Near Grenville, Dunfermline Rum Distillery has been producing rum since 1797. The De La Grenade estate in St. Paul's, using a 200-year-old secret family recipe, produces the island's trademark La Grenade nutmeg liqueur. You can purchase bottles of the local product at each distillery.

Gouyave
Surrounded by mountain valleys dense with groves of papaya and breadfruit trees, this small fishing village named for the guava fruit is known primarily as a spice and cocoa processing center. Nutmeg and 11 other spices are run through the historic Dougladston Estate and its processing station. The tour takes you through the various stages of processing and hand (and foot) labor; spices are sold here at their very cheapest. The Fisherman's Birthday celebration is held in June.

Grand Etang Forest Reserve
The centerpiece of this 3,816-acre reserve is the volcanic crater Lake Etang, set at 1,740 feet above sea level in a cool rain forest. The Forest Center introduces visitors to the wildlife, history, and culture of Grenada; various hiking trails begin here and lead to waterfalls, around the lake, and to the 2,372-foot peak of Mount Qua Qua, passing cocoa trees, orchids, armadillos, and mona monkeys along the way. Guided and self-led tours are available. Beautiful Annandale Falls and Concord Falls lie nearby.

Grenada Nightlife
Grenada's after-dark scene is less than legendary but lively nonetheless. The busiest disco nights coincide with payday (Friday). Occasionally hosting live entertainment, Fantazia 2001 Disco at the Gem Resort on Morne Rouge Beach is a hot spot, as is Le Sucrier at Grand Anse. At 7:30 each night, you can hop aboard the Rhum Runner at St. George's Carenage for island music and rum punch. For local culture, the Marryshow Folk Theater in St. George's hosts plays and other performances.

Grenville
On the west coast, the lively town of Grenville, Grenada's second-largest city is known as the island's breadbasket. Its farmers' market rivals that of St. George's, often with better bargains, and with seafood on Saturday. You can also tour its spice factory - Grenada's largest.

Levera National Park
Interpretative nature displays teach about Grenada's rare fauna, including leatherback turtles, tree boas, and mona monkeys, and flora. Across the street, pretty Bathway Beach, with its lip of reef keeping out big waves and sheltering lobsters and colorful fish, is clean and safe for small children; bring your snorkel. Levera Beach lies less than two miles away and looks out on Carriacou and other Grenadian out-islands.

Morne Fendue
Lunch at Betty Mascoll's Morne Fendue Plantation House is a Grenadian dining tradition that provides the tastiest and most comprehensive introduction to local cuisine. The multi-course meal starts with callaloo soup (made from local greens and coconut milk), peaks with traditional pepper pot meat stew, fish, and all the "fixins," and ends with guava and ice cream. The price includes cocktails, beverages, and the magnificent mountain view from Betty's 80-year-old home.

St. George's
The cobblestone streets, tiled rooftops, and white-gloved policemen of Grenada's harbor side capital hark back to an earlier era. The Grenada National Museum, stationed in a French army barracks and prison built in 1704, displays diverse historical artifacts - coral specimens, carnival character models, Josephine Bonaparte's bathtub; kids love the steel drums they can play and the dugout Indian canoe. Market Square, best visited on Saturday, is filled with parasols, musical chatter, aromatic spices, and plump fruits. A fish market convenes on the Esplanade. On the Carenage, craft stands and duty-free shops cater to cruise-ship clientele. Steep streets lead to historic churches, Tikal (St. George's premier crafts shop), and Yellow Poui Gallery, which carries local artwork. Fort George amuses kids with a dizzying view and battle intrigue.

St. Patrick's River
This scenic section in north Grenada claims the majority of historic sites, including the Mount Rich petroglyphs. These 1,000-year-old Indian drawings, accessed via a slightly difficult 15-minute hike, depict native life on stones along the river. A large store of pottery, headpiece, and other Indian artifacts were found here. Nearby at Sauteurs (French for "leapers"), peek over the cliff where Carib Indians allegedly leapt to their death in order to circumvent enslavement. On weekends, catch a cricket game in the countryside.