Things to Do in Accra: 15 Top Experiences for 2026 Visitors

Why Accra Should Be on Every Traveller's 2026 List

Accra is loud, warm, soulful and unapologetically modern. It's the entry point for most visitors to Ghana, and in 2026 — riding on Year of Return momentum, AfroFuture, and the booming Detty December scene — it has more world-class restaurants, art galleries, beach clubs and rooftop bars than ever before.

This is the curated 2026 guide we give our own tour clients at Secure Travel and Tours: 15 things to do in Accra that will give you the real city, not just the postcard.

1. Walk Across Black Star Square (Independence Square)

The vast plaza built for Ghana's 1957 independence is the symbolic heart of the city. Go at sunrise for the cleanest photos of the Black Star Gate and the Independence Arch, then walk to the seafront promenade.

• Cost: Free
• Best time: 6:00–7:30 am or 4:30–6:30 pm
• Pro tip: Sundays the square fills with families, joggers and live drumming

2. Visit Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum

The final resting place of Ghana's first President, set in a manicured park with reflecting pools, a museum of personal artefacts, and the iconic black-and-white star fountain.

• Cost: GH₵ 50 (Ghanaians) / GH₵ 100 (non-residents)
• Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
• Don't miss: The original speeches, photos with world leaders, and Nkrumah's Pan-African library

3. Explore Jamestown — Accra's Most Photogenic Neighbourhood

The old colonial fishing quarter is a paradise for street photographers. Climb the Jamestown Lighthouse, see the lively fish landing site, and walk through walls covered in murals from the annual Chale Wote Street Art Festival.

• Cost: GH₵ 20 lighthouse entry; tip your community guide GH₵ 50–100
• Best time: Saturday mornings
• Safety tip: Visit with a local guide — both for navigation and for respectful access to the community

4. Shop at Makola Market

Accra's largest open-air market is sensory overload in the best way. Buy waxprint fabric, kente, beads, spices, smoked fish and shea butter — and learn to bargain.

• Cost: Free entry; budget GH₵ 100–500 for souvenirs
• Best time: 9:00 am–12:00 pm (cooler, less crowded)
• Bring: Cash in small denominations and a crossbody bag

5. Relax at Labadi Beach (La Pleasure Beach)

The city's most famous beach is busy, lively and full of music, horse-riders, drummers and weekend pool parties.

• Cost: GH₵ 30–80 entry
• Best weekends: Sundays for the live reggae sessions
• Want quieter?: Try Bojo Beach (GH₵ 80 entry, 45 min from city centre)

6. Tour the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre

The Cantonments home where Du Bois lived his final years is now a museum and Pan-African research centre. Quiet, deeply moving, and perfect for diaspora visitors connecting with Ghana's intellectual history.

• Cost: GH₵ 50
• Time: 1 hour
• Pair with: The nearby Mahatma Gandhi statue and the National Museum

7. Visit the National Museum of Ghana

Reopened after a long renovation, the National Museum now showcases West African archaeology, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and Ghanaian fine art across three floors.

• Cost: GH₵ 50
• Time: 2 hours
• Best for: Rainy afternoons and first-time visitors

8. Eat Your Way Through Osu and Oxford Street

Osu is Accra's nightlife and food strip. In a single evening you can have:

• Jollof rice at Buka or Asanka Local
• Wood-fired pizza at Pizza Inn or Roma
• Sushi at Santoku
• Craft cocktails at Republic Bar & Grill
• Late-night kebabs from the street vendors on Oxford Street

Budget: GH₵ 150–400 per person for a full meal with drinks.

9. Catch Live Highlife or Afrobeats at +233 Jazz Bar

Live music venues like +233 Jazz Bar & Grill, Front/Back, and Bloom Bar host the best of Accra's contemporary music scene every Wednesday to Sunday.

• Cover: GH₵ 50–150
• Dress code: Smart casual
• Detty December warning: Book a table at least a week in advance

10. Day-Trip to the Aburi Botanical Gardens

A 45-minute drive uphill from Accra brings you to cool mountain air, 19th-century palm avenues, and a fantastic viewpoint over the city.

• Cost: GH₵ 50 entry + GH₵ 50–80 guide
• Time: Half day
• Pair with: A stop at the Aburi wood carvers' village

11. Wander the Artists Alliance Gallery

A four-storey gallery on the La beachfront with contemporary Ghanaian art, antique sculptures, ceremonial chairs and the country's best small-press art books.

• Cost: Free
• Time: 1–2 hours
• Pair with: Lunch at the nearby Tribes Lounge

12. Take a Cooking Class with a Local Chef

Learn to make jollof, kelewele, banku, red red, and shitor pepper from a Ghanaian home cook. Several agencies in East Legon offer half-day classes for $40–60 per person.

13. Visit Cape Coast Castle as a Day Trip

If you have one spare day, the 3-hour drive west to Cape Coast Castle and Kakum National Park is the most powerful 24 hours you'll have in Ghana. We package this as a single-day or overnight tour starting from $180 per person.

14. Experience Detty December and AfroFuture

If you're visiting between mid-December and early January, Accra hosts:

• AfroFuture (formerly Afrochella) — multi-day music and culture festival
• Afro Nation Ghana — beach festival with Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido and global Afrobeats stars
• Detty Rave, Detty December Beach Takeover, and dozens of brunches, boat parties and pool days

Tickets sell out by October. Book accommodation by August.

15. Sunset Drinks at Skybar 25 or Pop-Up Rooftops

Accra's skyline is best seen from above. Skybar 25 at Movenpick Ambassador Hotel and The View Rooftop at Marriott Accra both serve sunset cocktails with views over the city and ocean.

• Cost: GH₵ 80–200 per drink
• Best time: 5:30–7:00 pm

Where to Stay in Accra

• Luxury: Kempinski Gold Coast City, Movenpick Ambassador, Marriott Accra
• Mid-range: Best Western Premier, Tang Palace, Lancaster Accra City Hotel
• Affordable: Tomreik Hotel, Frankie's Hotel Osu, La Villa Boutique
• Apartments: East Legon and Cantonments Airbnbs from $40–120/night

How to Get Around Accra

• Bolt and Uber: Reliable, GH₵ 15–80 per ride within the city
• Yango: Often cheaper than Bolt
• Trotros: GH₵ 3–10 per ride, authentic but confusing for first-timers
• Private driver (chauffeur): $60–100/day through Secure Travel and Tours

Money, Connectivity and Safety in Accra

• ATMs: Stanbic, GCB, Ecobank, Standard Chartered all accept international cards
• SIM: MTN or AirtelTigo at the airport — $5 for 10GB
• Safety: Accra is one of West Africa's safest capitals. Standard big-city precautions apply: don't flash phones in trotros at night, use Bolt after 9 pm, keep your passport at the hotel

For a deeper dive on safety, see our guide: Is Ghana Safe in 2026?

Plan Your Accra Trip with Secure Travel and Tours

Whether it's a 3-day weekend stopover or a full 14-day Ghana adventure, our Accra-based team builds custom itineraries that combine the city's best with day trips to Cape Coast, Volta and Kumasi. We handle airport pickup, accommodation, chauffeur, restaurant reservations and event tickets in one package.

WhatsApp +233 20 444 4220 or book a free consultation to start planning.