One of Montego Bay’s most popular tourist areas is the must-see Hip Strip, located on Gloucester Avenue. It is popular for its charming bars, clubs, shops, restaurants, and plenty of other entertainment offerings.
Positioned close to many popular beaches, such as Doctor’s Cave and Aquasol Beach Park, the Hip Strip is the perfect space to enjoy the Jamaican vibe after a day on the beach. Of course, with so many choices of bars, clubs, and restaurants, it can be tough to decide where to frequent. Let’s take a look at a few of the top choices for tourists and locals alike.
Margaritaville
Opened in 1995 by two local businessmen, Margaritaville is an exciting place to have fun with your family and friends. You can enjoy both local and international food and drinks while relaxing to the tunes of the live entertainment.
There’s a wide array of water activities during the day which you can enjoy. This includes two water trampolines, a 36-meter tall waterslide, and water volleyball.
Margaritaville is located just 10 minutes from the Montego Bay Pier, in the heart of the Hip Strip. In the evenings, it transforms from a lively family restaurant into a trendy nightclub, where patrons can dance the night away to the beats from the in-house DJ’s.
There are also special themed party nights, including Ladies Night, and Glow. Margaritaville has also been visited by many celebrities, such as Tiger Woods, Nelly, and Uma Thurman. There is no cover charge to enter this venue.
Blue Beat Ultra Lounge
Located on the Montego Bay Harbor front, just next door to Margaritaville is the more sophisticated and upmarket jazz and martini bar, Blue Beat Ultra Lounge, which was opened in 2004 as the first of its kind in Montego Bay.
Offering the best in local live bands, including the resident band, Scotch, as well as an in-house DJ, visitors can enjoy fresh drinks while soaking in the vibes of the local talent. There are also themed nights, such as Saturday’s Guest List and Copacabana Latin Flair, where the music transports you to a different time and place.
In addition to great music, Blue Beat Ultra Lounge also offers live comedy nights and unplugged music evenings, as well as an outdoor lounge area with couches and chairs, just meters from the Caribbean Sea. The cover charge is dependent on the event on the night.
Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club
You can think of the Doctor’s Cave as the #1 beach in Montego Bay or at least on the hip strip. It’s a nice place for locals and tourists to relax on a warm, sunny day.
It’s a white sand beach and is almost always packed with tourists. The price to enter this beach is around 5 U.S. dollars and it’s well worth the price.
The Brewery
Considered Montego Bay’s most popular nightlife spots, The Brewery is an eccentric blend between a British pub and a Jamaican jerk-pork pit.
This unique venue features a wooden bar and is decorated with medieval collectibles and mementos. There is also a covered veranda out the back of the bar, which overlooks Gloucester Avenue as the party goers make their way to their respective hang outs. There is no cover charge to enter this venue.
Jamaican Bobsled Cafe
Specializing in New York style pizza, the Jamaican Bobsled Café is a well-loved restaurant where customers can count down the time until the next winter Olympic Games on the big digital clock while enjoying fresh pizza, burgers, salads, and platters.
The Jamaican bobsled that won the 1988 Winter Olympics is also located at this venue, and you can pay to get a photograph of you and your friends and family in it. The indoor and outdoor seating at Jamaican Bobsled Café makes this an ideal spot to enjoy some food with a bit of history. There is no cover charge to enter this venue.
Other Restaurants
There’s a ton of other restaurants and cafes’ on the hip strip too. As you walk the stretch, you’ll come across a few others like the pelican grill and the pork pit each which serves up delicious bites. If you’re looking for fast food, you’ll be happy to know that burger king can be found on the hip strip too.
Accommodation and Hotels
Because of its location, the hip strip has quite a few hotels and inclusive resorts running on it. You’ll find Royal Decameron Montego Beach, Grand Pineapple Montego Bay and Sandls Inn just to name a few.
Pier One
While this little spot isn’t positioned on the hip strip it’s relatively close (about 2 minutes drive).
It’s worth mentioning because it’s also a fun hang out spot.
Poised on a small pier, this quirky little bar is an affordable and entertaining little gem. Pier One is the perfect spot to enjoy a few cheap drinks while bobbing to the live music. Friday nights are a favorite, where the themed Pier Pressure ladies night offers rum drinks at just $2 each.
Pier One also doubles as a restaurant, featuring some of the best seafood in town, among a wide variety of other offerings. Their main stage is home to events including the Dancehall Queen and Reggae Sumfest. The cover charge is dependent on the event on the night.
There are so many fantastic bars, clubs, hotels, and restaurants on the Montego Bay Hip Strip. The above is only the tip of the iceberg. If you’re in Mobbay be sure to walk the strip. You won’t be disappointed.
