Nelson’s Dockyard, Shirley Heights, Stingray City & So Much More!
Antigua & Barbuda are a beautiful Caribbean nation in the Leeward Islands just north of Guadeloupe and east of St. Kitts & Nevis. Antigua is famous for it’s 365 white sand beaches, excellent cuisine and rich sailing history. When visiting the Caribbean, it’s always fun to get off the resort and explore what the island really has to offer. In Antigua, that means taking-in great tropical views from historic sites and enjoying nature from both land and sea. Of course, there’s also time to fit in a round of golf as well as a visit to Stingray City. For your next vacation to Antigua and Barbuda, may we suggest you…
Visit Antigua’s Best Attractions (on land)
Nelson’s Dockyard is probably Antigua’s most popular historical site and a must-see for the history buff. Reminiscent of its 18th-century origins, the humble English Harbour outpost includes a marina, hotel, shops and restaurants. Being around all the ships and history of the area should give you a nice relaxing vibe.
Shirley Heights provides spectacular views of English Harbour, Falmouth Harbour and the Caribbean Sea! Once the site of a military lookout and gun battery, this location is now home to the where you can take the most iconic pictures of Antigua.
Devil’s Bridge is an interesting limestone rock formation on the coast of Antigua. Relentless sea waves crashing against small rocky cliffs has over time created a natural bridge, where sections of the under-pinning rock have eroded away. See the blowholes in action at high tide.
Betty’s Hope is a historical site on the grounds of a 17th-century sugar plantation. The main feature is the remains of a couple of wind-powered stone mills. One can imagine life back in the day…
St. John’s Cathedral is an impressive church, both inside and out. The large stone & brick structure seen today has replaced the wood building originally constructed in the 17th century. Just down the street in the town’s oldest building is the Museum of Antigua & Barbuda, with exhibits that outline the history of the islands.
Guarding the mouth of the large bay at St. John’s stands the remains of a pair of military outposts. Fort James on the northern side of the bay is located next to a long beach and still has stone walls and some cannons. Fort Barrington on the southern coastline is located on a small hilltop with great views of St. John’s and the surrounding bays and beaches. Simply gorgeous!
A couple of other Antigua attractions to consider stopping at includes: Cades Bay Agricultural Station, the home of Antigua’s famous ‘Black Pineapple’; and the Humane Society’s Donkey Sanctuary, always fun for kids of all ages.
For more information on Antigua’s attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Antigua & Barbuda Land Excursions page
Swim with the Stingrays
Meanwhile, in the water, Stingray City is a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience where you can swim and snorkel with southern stingrays in their natural environment. It’s an exhilarating feeling standing in waist-deep water with the large otherworldly fish swimming around your legs. Of course, you won’t forget what it’s like to hold one of the gentle creatures – Their soft, fur-like wings in your hands!
For a more colourful review of visiting the island’s stingrays, check out our personal Stingray City Antigua Experience blog
Check out Antigua from Sea
The multi-hued blue waters around Antigua is absolutely breathtaking and being on the sea provides a unique perspective of the island. Appreciate the mainland’s jagged shoreline with its inlets, points and white beaches as well as mangrove forests and multiple off-shore islands. It’s also the best way to see Antigua’s famous coral and limestone rock formations known as the Pillars of Hercules as well as the coral archway known as Hell’s Gate, up close and personal. While most of the island is flat limestone, Antigua’s hilly south-west with its volcanic features will really stand out when viewing from the sea.
For a relaxing and enjoyable cruise around Antigua and Barbuda, there are plenty of sailboats available to show you around. To really engage and feel the energy of the sailing scene, time your visit to coincide with the annual ‘Antigua Sailing Week’ which attracts dozens of yachts and hundreds of visitors from around the world to Nelson’s Dockyard for the Caribbean’s top Regatta.
If motoring around the islands in a fast boat is more your thing, there are several motorboat / tour operators that can fill your need for speed. Don’t worry, they’ll slow down for you to enjoy all the attractions…
When sight-seeing from either a sailboat or motorboat, there’ll be opportunities for snorkeling or swimming over a reef / perhaps even a stop at an uninhabited offshore island for a stroll. Of course, watching the sun set from the sea with that someone special is also a unique and wonderful experience.
For more information on Antigua’s ocean excursions along with a list of boat / tour operators who will get you on the water, click on our Antigua Sailing and Antigua Boating pages
Golf in a Tropical Setting
There are a couple of gorgeous Antigua golf courses to choose from. The Cedar Valley Golf Club is conveniently located near the capital, St. John’s. This 18-hole / par 70 golf course that plays to 6,157 yards is set within tropical trees and has great views of the ocean. Set on the quieter west side of Antigua in a slightly hilly parkland is the Jolly Harbour Golf Club, an 18-hole / par 71 championship golf course plays to 5,587 yards.
For more information on Antigua’s golf courses, click on our Antigua Golf page
Enjoy Nature in Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua is home to four National Parks that were established to preserve the island’s cultural and environmental heritage.
- Green Castle Hill National Park and it’s ‘megalith’ rock formations are only accessible on foot
- Devil’s Bridge (Formerly Indian Town Point) National Park is a limestone rock formation featuring blowholes at high tide
- Fort Barrington National Park features the remains of a 17th-century hilltop garrison
- Nelson’s Dockyard National Park encompasses the Dockyard area as well as Shirley Heights, Fort Berkeley, Fort George and a number of hiking trails.
Outside of the parks, there are a few locations known to be great for bird watching. They include Antigua’s off-shore islands, specifically Great Bird Island and Long Island as well as Barbuda’s bird sanctuary, which is home to the largest Frigate Bird colony in the Caribbean.
For more information on Antigua’s natural attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Antigua & Barbuda Land Excursions and Antigua Hiking pages
Join the Festivities
Antigua’s annual Carnival, billed as “the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival”, includes costumed parades and music including steel-bands and calypso. Of course there’s always plenty of food fairs and partying throughout the festival…
The annual Antigua & Barbuda International Kite Festival is held at Devil’s Bridge National Park. Watch hundreds of kites flying and dancing in the wind along Antigua’s rocky east coast.
For a full listing of Antigua’s Carnival, Festivals and Events, check out our Antigua & Barbuda Events Calendar page
Want to see more? Check out our Memories of Antigua video on YouTube!
For a more complete review of Antigua & Barbuda Attractions and things-to-do, along with a list of local Tour Operators who can help you get the most out of your day, check out our Things To Do in Antigua page.
If you’re looking for something more active that will raise your pulse rate a bit higher, check out our recommended Antigua & Barbuda Adventures blog
For an overview of the beautiful and diverse islands, click on our Antigua & Barbuda Vacations page
