9 Best Sights in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

It's said that Columbus made his New World landfall here, just north of Cockburn Town on the protected west shore. And why not? This is the prettiest beach on Grand Turk; it also has great off-the-beach snorkeling. As you enjoy the powdery white sand, you may be visited by one of the many donkeys that pass by. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

In one of the island's oldest stone buildings, the National Museum houses several interactive exhibits, as well as a super little gift shop with books and local handicrafts. The complete collection of preserved artifacts raised from the noteworthy Molasses Reef Wreck is here. Dating back to the early 1500s, it's the earliest European shipwreck yet excavated in the New World. There is also a natural-history exhibit including artifacts left by the Taíno (or Lucayans), the earliest migrants to settle in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The museum also has a 3D coral reef exhibit that complements its presentation on the history of diving. Another gallery is dedicated to Grand Turk's involvement in the Space Race. John Glenn made landfall here after being the first American to orbit Earth. Locals are quite put out that the movie Hidden Figures inaccurately portrayed the landing as having taken place in the Bahamas just north of Turks and Caicos. A fascinating display is a collection of “messages in a bottle” that have washed ashore from all over the world. This is the perfect spot to start your walking tour of the historic waterfront.

Directly in front of the official British governor's residence, known as Waterloo, is a long stretch of beach framed by tall casuarina trees that provide plenty of natural shade. The beach can be a bit crowded on days when cruise ships are in port. There are a couple of picnic tables where you can enjoy a picnic lunch, and there is a decent snorkeling spot just offshore. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking.

More than 150 years ago, the main structure of the lighthouse was prefabricated in the United Kingdom and then transported to the island; once erected, it helped prevent ships from wrecking on the northern reefs for more than 100 years. It was originally designed to burn whale oil as its light source. You can use this landmark as a starting point for a breezy cliff-top walk by following the donkey trails to the deserted eastern beach. The cruise-ship world has made its mark here, so you'll find the location's solitude can be interrupted by the zipline course constructed there. 

This stone prison was built in the 1830s to incarcerate men and women who had committed mostly petty crimes. As time passed, the prison expanded, housing even modern-day drug runners until it closed in the 1990s. Tours are self-guided, and there's not much to see from outside the tall limestone walls—but check it out if you happen to pass through the area.

This stone prison was built in the 1830s to incarcerate men and women who had committed mostly petty crimes. As time passed, the prison expanded, housing even modern-day drug runners until it closed in the 1990s. Tours are self-guided, and there's not much to see from outside the tall limestone walls—but check it out if you happen to pass through the area.

Otherwise known as East Side, Long Beach is more difficult to get to, but it is the perfect spot for individuals wishing to explore. Without the reef as protection, much washes ashore; search for seashells on the seashore or examine decades of flotsam and jetsam that litters the beach, including old bottles and weathered ships' planking. You will be sure to find total solitude on this side of the island. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

The owner of this abandoned building has given his full blessing for local artists to transform the unfinished concrete structure into an open-air art gallery with floor-to-ceiling murals depicting historic events and paying homage to important figures in Grand Turk's history. Check out this spot to take photos and have a quick walk on the nearby beach.

Just a half-mile walk from the cruise-ship terminal on the southern tip of the island, White Sands Beach and Boaby Rock Point offers a secluded alternative to the cruise crowds, with access to the terminal and shops (when a ship is in port). The old weathered fishing boats resting on the beach contrast with the big shiny cruise ships that loom behind them. There is off-the-beach snorkeling; as it is not as protected as along the west coast, you must be a competent swimmer here. The miles of beach offer wonderful exploring with excellent beachcombing. Amenities : food and drink. Best for : partiers; swimming; walking.