5 Fun Things to Do in Portmore, Jamaica

Portmore is a large urban town located on Jamaica’s southeastern coast in St. Catherine. Much of Portmore is built on reclaimed swamp to offset the overpopulation and housing challenges of Kingston. Over time, Portmore has grown from merely a low-budget housing solution for Kingston’s working class to achieving municipality status in 2003. One day, it may even become Jamaica’s fifteenth parish! For that reason, shrewd investors have brought malls, restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts and entertainment activities to Portmore– rewriting Portmore’s history from dormitory town to promising metropolis. Today, let’s highlight five fun things to do in Portmore, Jamaica. While not marketed as a tourist destination, Portmore’s rapid growth may change that one day!

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1. Play at Buzzers Gaming Arcade

Buzzers Gaming Arcade in Naggo Head, Portmore promises fun for the entire family. Yes, adults are not left out of the fun! Buzzers offers VR games, Laser Tag, racing games and more, with occasional special themed nights and super-deals such as at Halloween, Christmas and Easter.

2. Watch a movie at Sunshine Palace Cinema.

The Sunshine City of Portmore now has its own cinema, thanks to the Jamaican cinema chain Palace Amusement Company. The Sunshine Palace Cinema is a four-screen multiplex in the Portmore Pines plaza which opened in 2021 and features Christie digital cinema projection throughout, including an RGB pure laser projector, the first of its kind in Jamaica. As a result, this cinema charges a little more than its other branches but I’m sure the citizens of Portmore are glad they no longer have to sit through Kingston’s traffic to take in some screen. Movies at Sunshine Palace cost JM$1,700 and $1,100, adult and child prices respectively. 3D movies cost JM$2100 and $1500.

Portmore’s history stretches as far back as 900 AD to the first inhabitants, the Tainos. Evidence of Taino presence was discovered at Port Henderson’s Hill, Hellshire and Naggo Head. Read the rest of Portmore’s history here.

3. Go roller skating.

I’ve yet to try roller skating myself, but there are now TWO places to roller skate safely and affordably in Jamaica. What a stroke of luck for Portmore residents that both are located in their neck of the woods. The two such establishments are Destiny Rink, and the Portmore Skating Place. Entry fee starts at JM$700 per hour for adults, while children under 12 pay $500. There is also a special rate for groups of six or more people. 

4. Go-Kart racing.

The Rocket Go-Karting Experience is a family-based operation located in Congreve Park near Bayside, Portmore. Rocket Go-Karting Experience is guided by international best practices and procedures with a high emphasis on safety. Unlike the go-karting facility in Palisadoes Kingston which focuses on speed-racing, Rocket specializes in family-friendly entertainment. Rocket has since expanded its offerings to include paintballing, mini-golf, target shooting and arcade games. Reservations, sneakers and IDs are required. Go-karting starts at JM$1,400 per person, while paintball starts at $3,500 PP.

5. Go beach-hopping.

The main recreational activity in Portmore is– you guessed it– going to the beach! There are lots of options to choose from in Portmore. Pictured above is Boardwalk Beach but there is also Hellshire, Waves Beach and Fort Clarence Beach Park. Hellshire has been badly affected by beach erosion over the past few decades. While the consumption of parrotfish has been implicated in the destruction of Jamaican beaches, you’ll still find parrotfish widely available and consumed at Hellshire (and yes, it’s still quite legal in 2023!). That aside, Hellshire is well known for its seafood and I urge you to visit and support the seaside restaurants. Prendy’s and Aunt May’s are the crowd favourites. Skip the parrotfish and try the snapper, lobster and shrimp with the traditional Jamaican fixings of bammy and festival.

Wrap Up

Would you visit Portmore, Jamaica? For those who live in or are considering moving to Portmore, are you excited about Portmore’s bright future? You should be! 🙂 Let me know your thoughts about Portmore in the comments below. Perhaps I’ll write a sequel to this post and share the best places to eat in Portmore too. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!

‘Til next time.

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