7 Reasons To Visit Jersey

When you start thinking about booking a holiday, Jersey isn’t somewhere that immediately comes to mind. The Channel Island is part of the British Isles after all, it’s not exactly exotic is it?

But after my visit last month I actually think this 5 x 9 mile island is a bit of a gem. Here’s why I think you should consider a visit…

7 Reasons To Visit Jersey

The Beaches Are A+

You might be shocked to see how gorgeous the beaches are in Jersey. Sandy beaches with lots of water sports and surfing opportunities.

I visited St. Aubin’s Bay, a crescent shaped beach from St Helier to St Aubin, which was really lovely. I actually visited in the morning when the tide was out and the seaweed made cool patterns along the sand. Apparently the locals hate this but I thought it was pretty cool; it reminded me of the rice paddies in Vietnam!

The tide being out also creates a causeway out to Elizabeth Castle, so you can walk to the rocky island on foot. Neat, huh?

It’s Full Of History

Jersey actually has a colourful history, falling under British and French rule at various points in the past. It was also the only Bristish soil to be occupied by German troops during World War II.

I visited the Jersey War Tunnels to learn more about this period and found it super interesting. The tunnels were actually an underground hospital but the exhibitions detail everything that Jersey underwent in WWII including being abandoned by British troops, being evacuated, how the locals lived alongside German rule and the eventual liberation of Jersey.

I came away feeling so strange about the concept of war and how ridiculous it is in general. It was so informative and enlightening, definitely give the tunnels a visit if you’re in town.

The People Are Lovely

This is kind of a general one but I found everyone I spoke to in Jersey just so lovely. All of the taxi drivers I had were super friendly and on finding out it was my first time in Jersey, suddenly became my personal tour guides! They pointed out the sights and landmarks, explained some of the island’s history and even asked me to like the Facebook page campaigning for a Nando’s in Jersey. LOL.

This was also the case for the bar staff, waiters and hotel receptionists we spoke to and I just came away with a really good impression of Islanders. Nice people, y’all.

Perfect For A Weekend Getaway

The Channel Island location means Jersey is perfect for a weekend away due to the incredibly short 1 hour flight from London Gatwick. It means you can go after work on a Friday quite easily without taking the day off.

Oh and when you get to the other side, the Jersey airport situation is insanely short too. I went from the aeroplane seat to the taxi in under 5 mins. No word of a lie, it’s crazy.

Plus, because the island is so small it’s the perfect size for exploring in a weekend.

Fab Hotels

For my Jersey break, I stayed at The Royal Yacht hotel in St Helier. And it was gorgeous.

We had a wonderfully large room with a big balcony overlooking the water and it was just heaven. I don’t usually stay at fancy hotels like this so I was very much enjoying the novelty of having robes and slippers.

Also, the breakfast was delicious, the location was great right in the town centre and I even used their spa facilities which were really fab. Hello jacuzzi. I could get used to this life.

So yeah, there are definitely some top-notch places to stay in Jersey is what I’m getting at.

Great Food Options

Now St Helier wasn’t teeming with restaurants or anything, but the places we did eat at were really good so I thought it was worth a mention.

First of all, I really enjoyed eating at Air Mex, a Mexican 1940’s airline-themed restaurant. Yep. Think waiters dressed as flight attendants and a shelf of retro cabin baggage above your booth. It was pretty cool.

The only thing was they only served small plates at night, but it was quite nice sharing street food like chicken tinga tacos, black bean and sweetcorn tostadas and chorizo and potato quesadillas. Plus it was 4 plates for £17.50 so pretty affordable.

Secondly, I had a fab meal at The Square. It was proper gastropub cuisine and with its warm and cozy atmosphere, it was exactly what I needed after the rain and mud of Weekender festival!

It’s actually more of a steak and barbecue restaurant but I went veggie on my visit and opted for the Chana Masala curry with all the trimmings. And it was amazing. Definitely check it out if you’re in town as they also have live music in there.

Cool Bars

Okay, granted I didn’t really explore much of Jersey’s nightlife as I was mainly at the festival in the evenings. But I did visit one I thought was cool.

JB’s is a ping pong bar in St. Helier with a large selection of craft beers available. It had a lively atmosphere and the bar staff were really knowledgable about beers, recommending ones I might like. (Again, super nice people). They also have live music, live sports and serve food as well, just FYI.

Now what are you waiting for? Go book your flights to Jersey!

Let me know what you think in the comments below, tweet me @HeelsInBackpack or find me on Insta at @Heels.In.My.Backpack!

Total Blogger Transparency: I visited Jersey as part of a press trip with Visit Jersey but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I wouldn’t play you like that, shorty.