Friday night is the night in St. Lucia. And for those in the know, the Boatyard is where to go. Not easy to find after dark, it's a left turn off the main road running from Castries to Rodney Bay (if you're driving, it's best to stop and ask at the Shell gas station). Once there, this inauspicious pub on the water's edge is where the island's wealthy elite mix it up with Rastas and world-wise yachtys. Perfect for sundowner drinks and way after. There are also numerous nightclubs nearby, including Charlos, Aqua, Indies, and Rumours, but in St. Lucia it's always better to follow than to lead—what's jammed and jumping one week can, for reasons unknown, be dead the next.

Open Mondays through Saturdays, 9 am to 11 pm.

This quiet fishing village just north of Rodney Bay undergoes a radical metamorphosis each Friday night for Gros Islet Night—a jump-up that half the island seems to attend, tourists and residents alike. What's a jump-up? A party where you just can't help but jump up to dance! Several blocks are closed to car traffic, speakers blare soca and Caribbean music, and street vendors sell food and drinks. Things usually get grooving around 9 p.m. and last until after midnight.