Recently, I traveled to Accra, Ghana for a vacation of a lifetime. I flew out of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) airport which is located in New York City on December 27, 2022. Travel time from JFK to Accra, Ghana was 9 hours and 50 minutes. I booked my flight in August with Air France and I paid $2250.
Where I Stayed
I stayed at Embassy Gardens, a beautiful property in Accra adorned with lush lawns, three pools, a gym, and a coffee shop. I booked my luxury accommodation with Airbnb. I paid $1757 for 8 days and 7 nights. I highly recommend staying at Embassy Gardens- 10/10.
What I Did
I wanted to immerse myself in Ghanaian culture so I thought one way to do this would be to take a cooking class. So I booked Cooking with Auntie K on Viator. During the class, I learned how to make fufu, jollof rice, and chicken. I had the best experience. The instructor, Auntie K. was so nice, warm, professional, and informative. I will definitely book this cooking class again when I go back to Accra in December. Next time, I would love for Auntie K to teach me how to prepare other Ghanaian dishes like peanut soup and waakye. I paid $89 and highly recommend taking Auntie K’s cooking class- 10/10.
Also, I booked a Cape Coast tourwith Viator. On this tour we visited Kakum National Park for a canopy walk approximately 140 above ground. There were 7 bridges in total. We also went to the Elmina and Cape Coast slave dungeons. Both dungeons were where many black people were held captive and then sent on the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This was a very emotional yet informative tour. I paid $165 for this tour and it was excellent. 10/10 I highly recommend it.
While in Accra, I also went to Labadi beach on New Year’s Day. My friend Layla and I were amongst locals where we had the most thought provoking conversation. I even went on a short horse ride. It was a perfect way to start the New Year. I had the most amazing time.
Where I Ate
I had some of the most delicious food while in Accra. When I travel to another country, I like eating where the locals eat, not the tourists. So there was one restaurant I went to called, Celsbridge that has stuck out in my mind. At Celsbridge, I had delicious, authentic Ghanaian food. My friend and I dined on jollof rice and palava sauce. I even had a local lemon beer for the first time. I absolutely loved the food and I recommend Celsbridge for anyone visiting Accra.
Self Care
During my time in Accra, I went to Polish’d Nail and Beauty Bar where I had the best manicure and pedicure. The salon was so chic and posh. The staff were warm, friendly, and professional. I walked in for my service. I paid a total of 550 cedis the equivalent of $55 USD.
While in Accra, I also had my hair braided at Adora’s Beauty by Salon I paid 350 cedis the equivalent of $35 USD. Five Ghanaian women braided my hair and the service took approximately 4 hours. The styling service included washing, conditioning, blow dry, and braiding. I booked my appointment via DM on Instagram. 10/10 I highly recommend.
Night Life
To bring in the New Year, my friend Layla and I went to Garage Night club. The drinks were flowing and there was a good selection of hip hop music that played throughout the night. It was a good time.
While in Accra, I also went to Mood Bar, a laid back lounge with delicious cocktails that played good Afrobeats music. I had a great time and will definitely go back when I return to Accra, Ghana.
Transportation
I used Uber most of the time to get around when in Accra. My rides were inexpensive ranging from 45 to 60 cedis, the equivalent of $4-6 per ride. Uber is a very reliable service in Accra. There is a cash option within the Uber app to pay drivers with cedis at the time of your ride. Generally, the cash option with Uber is most driver’s preference.
All in all, I had the best time in Accra, Ghana. I actually want to go back to Accra in December of this year. Next time, I will also go to Kumasi where kente is made and hopefully I will be able to take a class. I encourage everyone to please go to Ghana. I loved every minute of my vacation and cannot wait to return.
