Things to Do in Accra
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Accra, Ghana, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Accra. Coastal capital, a genuinely warm welcome, and a history along that coastline that deserves more than a quick photo stop. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Accra: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the taxi fare. Six main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
Cape Coast Castle
About three hours from Accra, and honestly worth building a full day trip around. One of dozens of forts along Ghana's coastline once used in the transatlantic slave trade, now preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an essential, sobering visit, not a casual tourist stop.
Guided tours walk you through the dungeons and the 'Door of No Return', the point through which enslaved people were forced onto ships. It's a heavy visit, appropriately so, and one that gives real weight to a period of history often glossed over elsewhere.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am–5pm
Getting there About 3 hours from Accra by car
Makola Market
One of the largest and busiest open-air markets in West Africa, and the beating commercial heart of the city, fabric, produce, spices, and traders calling out prices in a wall of noise that takes a minute to adjust to. Not a tourist market, this is where Accra actually shops.
Bargaining is expected, go with small notes and patience. It's crowded and can be overwhelming on a first visit, but it's one of the most honest ways to see the city as it actually functions day to day.
Hours Daily, busiest mornings through early afternoon
Address Central Accra
Jamestown
Accra's oldest neighbourhood, colonial-era lighthouse, colourful fishing boats along the shore, and a properly different pace from the busier central districts. The lighthouse itself can be climbed for views over the coastline and the old town's rooftops.
It's also become known for street art in recent years, murals covering many of the old walls, worth a wander with a camera even without a specific destination in mind. The fishing harbour is at its most active early morning when boats come in with the day's catch.
Best time Early morning for the fishing harbour
Black Star Square & Independence Arch
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule, in 1957, and Black Star Square (also called Independence Square) commemorates that with a striking arch and the Black Star Gate. A landmark moment that inspired independence movements across the rest of the continent, and the square makes that history tangible.
It's a vast open plaza, used for major national events and parades, and worth visiting even on a quiet day just to take in the scale and symbolism of the place.
Address Central Accra, near the coast
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park & Mausoleum
A memorial park and museum dedicated to Ghana's first president and a leading figure of the pan-African independence movement, built on the site where he declared the country's independence in 1957. The mausoleum itself, marble and properly striking architecturally, sits at the centre of landscaped gardens.
The attached museum covers Nkrumah's life and Ghana's path to independence in real depth, a good complement to Black Star Square if you want the fuller story behind the symbolism.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am–5pm
Address Central Accra
Nubuke Foundation
A contemporary art gallery and cultural space showing Ghanaian and West African artists, a good counterpoint to Accra's historical sites if you want a sense of where the country's creative scene is headed rather than just where it's been.
Exhibitions rotate regularly, so worth checking what's currently showing before you go. A calm, well-curated space if the markets and crowds elsewhere in the city have you needing a break.
Hours Tue–Sat, check current times online
Best time to visit Accra
August through September and December through February are the best windows, drier weather without the heaviest of the year's rains. December especially brings a festive atmosphere, with many Ghanaians returning home for the holidays and the city's energy noticeably lifted.
The main wet season runs roughly April through July, workable if you plan around the afternoon downpours, but the drier months make day trips like Cape Coast Castle considerably more comfortable.
Getting around Accra
Tro-tros (shared minibuses) are the cheapest way to get around and a real slice of local life, though they take some getting used to if you don't know the routes. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are the easier option for visitors, agree fares upfront with traditional taxis since meters aren't standard. For Cape Coast Castle, arrange a car and driver for the day rather than relying on public transport.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Accra worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the history along the coast, Cape Coast Castle especially, and the warmth of the city itself, markets, street food, and a strong sense of national pride around Ghana's independence story.
- How many days do you need in Accra?
- Two days covers the city itself; add a third for the Cape Coast Castle day trip, which is genuinely worth the time.
- Is Accra expensive?
- Moderate, markets and tro-tros are cheap, hotels and restaurants aimed at visitors cost more, broadly comparable to other major West African capitals.
- What is Accra famous for?
- Being the capital of the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence, its historic slave-trade era forts along the coast, and Makola Market, one of West Africa's largest.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
