Guest Post by Sara at Big Adventures with Little Feet

Antigua is one of the most popular and safest countries in the Caribbean to visit.  I’ve lived here for the past three winters with my boyfriend and our kids. 

My time on the island has given me the chance to really explore the island.

From beaches to zip lines to boat rides and stingrays, there’s something for everyone on the stunning Caribbean island of Antigua.  

I’ve put together a fantastic 3-day itinerary that showcases some of the best activities and experiences that Antigua has to offer. 

When Is The Best Time To Visit Antigua?

The best time to visit Antigua is in the winter months of December through April. The weather is sunny and warm (it can get to 30 degrees Celsius) and it’s still dry. 

The peak season is great as everything is open and ready for business. These are also the busier months so you should expect some crowds on busy days when the cruise ships are in.

I’d recommend booking any activities a few days in advance to avoid disappointment.

I would suggest that you try to avoid May to September as that’s the hurricane season. Plus outside of the busy months some businesses close. 

Getting Around Antigua

Whilst Antigua does have a public transport system, it is not a very comfortable or efficient way to travel around the island. 

So it’s not one of the options that I’d recommend for you to try (unless you love local transport and have the time to take it). 

Instead, there are three main ways to get around Antigua; car rental, taxi, or tour.

For my 7-day itinerary, it’s easier to enjoy it using a rental car, however, you can also use a taxi and tours. 

Renting a car is great as it gives you the flexibility to go where you want when you want. 

Plus there are lots of cool street side vendors that you can pull over and check out, such as fruit stalls, drinks sellers and souvenir vendors.

Car Rental

One of the most popular ways to explore Antigua is to rent a car. 

It offers you the freedom to be able to visit places when you want to in an order that works best for you. 

We have a car on the island and what I love is that nowhere is more than a 45-minute drive!

Taxi

If you’re not staying for long, or aren’t keen on driving yourself then taking taxis is a good choice if you want flexibility in visiting attractions at your own pace. 

If you’re visiting some of the more remote places then I’d suggest that you ask your taxi driver to wait for you, because there isn’t any Uber in Antigua.

Tours

This is great if you want the planning taken out of the day for you and want to meet other visitors. 

This is an especially fun way to get around Antigua if you take a boat tour as you get to experience the island from the water.

Where To Stay In Antigua?

Antigua can be expensive and the cost of accommodation and food is very high in comparison to other countries. 

Because of this, most visitors to the island opt to stay at all-inclusive resorts as they work out better value in the long run. 

My top three recommendations based on our experience are:

✓ Sandals Grande Antigua – an adults-only resort in Dickenson Bay that has one of the best all-inclusive offerings in Antigua including free scuba diving!

✓ St James Club – this is a fun and affordable resort and is great for families.  It’s got a relaxed atmosphere and if you’re into pickleball it’s got lots of courts to choose from.

✓ Blue Waters – I love this resort for its low-key luxury Caribbean vibes.  It’s not as busy as the other resorts and has a casual air about it.

3 Days In Antigua Itinerary With The Best Places To Visit

I’ve assumed that you’re probably staying in Antigua for at least a week or two and that some of your time will be spent relaxing at your hotel. 

This three-day itinerary doesn’t have to be done as three consecutive days, and you could easily break it up into individual days that you spread out over the course of your stay.  

I’ve broken it up into three coastal adventures of the east, south, and west coats.

The north coast is fun as well, but it’s mainly the capital city of St John’s and the surrounding beaches, so I chose to focus on the other areas of Antigua. 

Day 1:  South Coast –  Explore Nelson’s Dockyard And Experience The Shirley Heights Lookout Party

Exploring Nelson’s Dockyard is a must on anyone’s itinerary for visiting Antigua. 

The fact that we live in English Harbour near the dockyard means we spend a lot of time and Nelson’s as the locals call it.

Each time we go we learn something new or spot something interesting to look at.

The dockyard is an open-air museum to a time gone by, and yes, it’s true Nelson did once live there. 

It’s also the base for some of the super yachts in Antigua making it a great place to watch the sailing from.  You’ll see lots including luxury yachts arriving to crew chatting away.

For lunch, I’d recommend heading to Galleon Beach and eating at Loose Cannon (one of our favorite local places to eat). 

The owner has several Michelin stars at his UK restaurants so you’ll be sure to get tasty food.  The burger is lauded as the best on the island, and I have to agree that it’s super tasty!

Galleon Beach itself is fantastic and my favourite family-friendly beach in Antigua. 

It’s also great for snorkeling as you can easily swim from the shore out to two wrecks.  You have a high chance of seeing some of the friendly local turtles.

If you’re in the area on either a Thursday or Sunday night then you have to head up the hill to Shirley Heights Lookout.

It is the high building above Galleon Beach.  There they host one of the most fun party nights on the island.

You need to arrive from 4:30 pm onwards to get there for drinks and to watch the sunset over the iconic lookout view over Nelson’s whilst a local steel drum band plays. 

Then once it’s dark a local covers band takes over and that’s when the party really gets started – usually fuelled by several cups of the very punchy local rum punch!

👉 Top tip from a local: Make sure to get to Shirley Heights early to bag yourself a table and order your food tokens with your first round of drinks. 

After sunset, the food token queue becomes very long.

Day 2 – West Coast: Traverse Fig Tree Drive To Explore The Rainforder, Go Zip Lining And Chill At The Beach.

My boyfriend and I have a “thing” for zip lining in every country that we visit, and luckily for us Antigua has one that we’ve tried. 

This zip line is set in the fabulous tropical rainforest on the west coast of the island.  It’s got a great variety of short and medium-length lines which are perfect for beginners who are new to it. 

For those of you who might be nervous then please don’t worry, they’re safety-regulated and provide a great briefing on what to do before you start.

Wherever you stay in Antigua you’ll need to drive along Fig Tree Drive to be able to get to the zip line. 

That’s because the zip line is halfway along this beautiful road.  Along this road, you’ll see local boutique businesses such as hot sauce sellers, art galleries, fruit stalls, and cafes. 

Make the most of the drive by taking your time to drive slowly and stop to sample local offerings.

If you like hiking then just off of Fig Tree Drive is Wallings Dam which takes you up to the top Signal Hill which is the 2nd highest hill in Antigua. 

At the top you’ll be rewarded with some epic views over the island.  It’s about a 1.5 hour round trip if you’re feeling energetic! 

The great thing about this hike is that most of it goes through the shade of rainforest which helps to keep you feeling cooler.  Or, you could just head straight to the beach if hiking isn’t your thing.

The west coast of Antigua has some of the most beautiful beaches where almost all of them have beautiful golden sands and turquoise waters. 

The fun part about these beaches is that they offer a true Caribbean vibe.  

I’ve listed out my favourite 6 beaches on this side of the island and each one of them has either a fantastic restaurant or bar you can enjoy.

✓ Turners Beach

✓ Love Beach

✓ Darkwood Beach

✓ Ffryes Beach

✓ Coco Beach

✓ Valley Church Beach

👉 Top tip from a local: It’s only a 10-minute drive from Turners Beach to Valley Church Beach. 

I’d recommend that you drive this part of the coastal road and pick a few of the beaches to stop at for a sunbathe and swim.

No trip to Antigua would be complete without a visit to Sheer Rocks which is one of the best restaurants on the island. 

The menu concept is built around seasonal ingredients being combined to create Mediterranean-inspired dishes. 

Hands down it’s one of the best restaurants in the Caribbean and it has the awards to prove it!  

👉 Top tip from a local: My boyfriend and I have dined at Sheer Rocks a few times. 

I would recommend booking one of their lower terrace tables to watch the sunset before your dinner, or a hot tub experience from their higher terrace.

Day 3 – East Coast: Half Moon Bay, Stingrays, Snorkelling At Long Bay And Sunset At The Devil’s Bridge

Half Moon Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Antigua on the east coast of the island. 

Its a stunning crescent shape (hence the name) and has soft white sand that gives it a true Caribbean feel. 

The first part of the beach that you arrive at can be quite wavey and it’s fun to jump over the waves.   However, if you’re looking for calmer waters head to the left-hand side.

👉 Top tip from a local: There are no shops at Half Moon Bay so make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks with you

Lunch at Half Moon Bay can only mean stopping at the tasty Beach Bum Cafe.  It’s grown over the years and to become one of the most popular beach bars in Antigua.

You should book a table in advance if you plan to visit during the peak season as it can get very busy, I’d highly recommend trying either the fish burger or lobster wrap.

I like this beach because as it’s a little harder to get to than most other beaches you’re unlikely to see many other visitors there. 

It does tend to get busy at the weekend when the locals come to hang out together. 

Antigua is one of the only places where you can swim and snorkel with the stingrays.

I really can’t recommend this experience enough.  My three year old son loves it so much that we’ve been there five times already!

Before you board the boats to the sandbar to see the stingrays you are given a thorough briefing and all of the equipment that you’ll need such as snorkel and mask. 

Once out at the site, you’ll have a chance to watch the stingrays glide past you, to feed them and if you’re feeling adventurous you can even hold one in the water.

👉 Top tip from a local: If you’re really into animals then you can combine the stingrays with a visit to Lavinscourt Island which is on the way back from visiting the stingrays. 

Laviscount Island is home to a giant tortoise breeding program when you have the chance to feed the tortoises.

Afterwards, I’d recommend heading to Long Bay which is just a short drive away and perfect for some snorkelling. 

When you get there Mama Pasta is one of my favourite places to eat and after lunch, it’s a short swim out to the coral reef which is about 30 m from the shore.  

I like this beach because as it’s a little harder to get to than most other beaches you’re unlikely to see many other visitors there. 

It does tend to get busy at the weekend when the locals come to hang out together. 

No visit to the east coast part of Antigua would be complete without a visit to Devil’s Bridge. 

It is a natural stone arch that has an atmospheric combination of Atlantic waves crashing onto it and water blowing up through its many blow holes. 

If you head there for sunset it is a beautiful way to end your day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is Antigua So Expensive?

Antigua is an island and a lot of products are imported either from other islands or from further afield places such as the US. 

The cost of transporting and importing these good means that prices in Antigua are relatively higher than places such as the US, the UK and Europe.

What Is The Currency Of Antigua?

The currency in Antigua is the East Caribbean Dollar, locally called “EC”. It is 2.70EC to US$1 and the rate is fixed which makes it easy to convert. 

Most places will take cards, however, if you want a deal, or to by from street side vendors then you’ll need to carry some cash.

Is Antigua Worth Visiting?

Yes, yes and again yes!  It’s an incredible island that has so much to do and see. 

It’s got 365 beautiful beaches, historical places such as Nelson’s Dockyards as well as lots of fun activities such as zip lining and swimming with sting rays.

Final Thoughts On Visiting Antigua

I love spending our winters in Antigua as there is such a fun variety of experiences, beaches and attractions to visit. 

I really hope that my 3-day itinerary has helped inspire you for your stay on the island!