The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency I haven’t traveled to (yet). I’ve been to Bretagne in France and in the south of England, but I’ve never come close to actually visiting. But a visit has been in the making for a long time as I was going to visit Guernsey and Jersey in 2015 when I was hitchhiking along the edges of Europe (sorta). There’s only one Crown Dependency I’ve visited before: the Isle of Man – with its adorkable Manx Cats – in 2013.

Things to Do in Guernsey

Population: ~64.781. All prices from 2025

• First of all, I’d love to hitchhike in Guernsey. It’s the best way to meet locals and a good alternative when the bus doesn’t come often enough
• Arrive or depart by ferry to one of the other islands or the European mainland: Jersey, England, or France. There are many routes, some with seasonal availability
• Spend time in the capital Saint Peter Port. Probably mostly for the nice cafés, pubs, and restaurants
• Guernsey, unfortunately, doesn’t have a railway anymore. But perhaps there are still some signs or remnants along the route from St. Peter Port to St. Sampson to see
• Walk past the small airport in Guernsey, which has flights mostly to the fellow Channel Islands, the UK, and France. I don’t see a reason to take a flight, since there are daily ferries in and out of the archipelago
• Visit the car-free Herm on a day trip. It’s possible to go camping there overnight or stay at the historic White House Hotel. With a population of ~83 people, it’s not just for tourists. Things to do include coasteering, kayaking, SUP, birdwatching (puffins), seal spotting, and walking around the Manor Village at the center of the island. Walking around Herm is only a 6.3-kilometer commitment
• Of all the lighthouses, I think St. Martins Point Lighthouse is one of the most interesting, accessible, and combinable with a hike. All the others are on outer rocks or inside harbors
• Visit some heritage sites, such as the smallest church the Little Chapel (free), Fort Hommet (£3), Castle Cornet (£12) in the harbor at St. Peter Port, Batterie Mirus, Fort Grey with its shipwreck museum (£5), Victoria Tower and the Candie Gardens. Perhaps we’ll also visit some prehistoric sites, such as the impressive La Varde Passage Grave
• Try out some local foods. While the savory dishes are all not vegetarian-friendly, the sweets department has gâche and gâche mêlaïe, which are fruit breads. Sounds yummy. Guernsey dairy products (cheese, or ice cream at beachside kiosks!) are also famous, as they have their own Guernsey cows. I’d also like to pick up some fresh produce at a ‘Hedge Veg’ stand, which is just homegrown fruit and veg, paid for through an honor system. As for drinks, there are local cider, gin, and breweries: Little Big Brew Co. craft beer, Randalls Patois and Breda, Liberation, Second Meridian Brew Co.
• Perhaps visit a museum or gallery or two. The most famous ones are the Victor Hugo House (£12), German Occupation Museum (£8), Guernsey Tapestry Gallery, Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery (£7), German Naval Signals HQ (£5), German Underground Hospital (£6), and La Vallette Underground Military Museum (£9)
• Walk the low-tide causeway to Lihou Island
• Enjoy nature at Château des Marais, Bluebell Woods, St. Germain Nature Reserve, or Portinfer Dunes Nature Reserve. There are also loads of themed hikes on the island, from WWII Occupation Trails to Guernsey Ice Cream Trails
• Go swimming at some of the nice beaches or hidden coves on Guernsey. A popular one is Pembroke Bay Beach. Smaller ones include the Venus Pool in Lihou and Petit Port Beach

Things to Do in Alderney

Population: ~2.167

• My preliminary research shows that many of the island’s fun activities are organized by the Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT). For example: kayak rental, birdwatching boat tours to The Gannet Rocks and Burhou, night hikes, and foraging walks
• Though I don’t think it will make sense, I’d like to take a flight to/from Alderney. There’s a good chance it would be in a plane smaller than an ATR 72
• Take the still-operational Alderney Railway, which isn’t a long journey, but at £6 per person one-way, maybe it’s fun. It’s about 3 kilometers long and brings you from the harbor and the capital Braye to the east side of the island. The train runs on Saturdays from May till October and also on Sundays during July and August, so it’s important to plan around this
• I’d love to visit Mannez Lighthouse, from where you can see the French coast on a good day. In the summer, there are guided tours. Otherwise, visitation is minimally available
• See the historic forts around Alderney, such as the 2000-year-old Roman Fort (aka The Nunnery), Fort Quesnard, Fort Ile de Raz and Clonque (both via tidal causeway), the urban exploration site Fort Tourgis, and more
• Follow the WWII Occupation Trail and visit the Odeon Bunker, which was one site of many built with forced labor during WWII. It’s possible to visit for free from 10:00–16:00, but I’m not sure if this is only in summer
• See blonde hedgehogs and bats on a nighttime tour by the Alderney Wildlife Trust
• Spend some time at the beaches, such as Braye or Longis Beach. Most of the beaches are on the north side, as the south is rocky and steep
• Visit the Alderney Museum (£5) to learn about the island’s history on a rainy day
• Though there seems to be no beer brewed on Alderney anymore, there are still plenty of pubs to visit

Things to Do in Sark

Population: ~562

• Arrive by ferry, since there is simply no other way to go there but boat—storm or shine
• Enjoy the fact that it’s a car-free island and therefore do a lot of hiking without fear of being run over on the way to the Window in the Rock or while geocaching. Several trails are going between the tenements, such as the Militia Trail and more
• Go stargazing at night, either by myself or an arranged visit via the Sark Observatory (£10 donation per person)
• See Brecqhou from Sark. It’s not far away, but it was closed to the public until 2012. It’s still not allowed to visit, unless it’s A) summertime, B) you’re staying at one of the Sark Island hotels for a minimum of two nights, and C) you’re able to visit on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. I got this information from some
• Go swimming and watch the sunset from La Grand Grève Beach
• Visit Sark Lighthouse from the outside, which used to be a very desired posting for lighthouse keepers
• Join some local events, such as the annual Sark Sheep Racing Day, usually held in July
• Do something a bit more adventurous, such as sea kayaking or coasteering
• Wander around La Seigneurie Gardens (adults: £8 entry in 2025). The building itself is where the Seigneur of Sark traditionally lives, which ties into the interesting politics of Sark, which only became a democracy in 2006
• I’m not sure if they’re still brewing ales, but if so, try a pint of Isle of Sark Brewing Company’s best
• Hike to the Little Sark peninsula via the La Coupée causeway in the south and go swimming in the Venus Pool down the cliff when the tide is right
• See (and pet?) the donkeys, pet a cat, and go birdwatching

Map of Things to Do in the Bailiwick of Guernsey

Useful map with points of interest, divided in Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm. Click the menu to make POIs (dis)appear. If you’re on mobile, you can add this map to your Google Maps app and deactivate it once you’ve finished.

If you know cool places and things to do in Guernsey etc, comment below so I can always find your suggestions again once I start making the dream come true! Tips are especially welcome if you are an Islander or have lived there for a while

Are you a travel blogger and do you have good posts about Guernsey? Drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!