Antigua and Barbuda · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Antigua and Barbuda
These are the places worth your time in Antigua and Barbuda, from the markets and quays of St. John's and the dockyard of English Harbour to the west coast beaches, the wild east coast and the frigate birds of Barbuda. Classics sit beside quiet corners many travellers miss, so every kind of visitor finds something to love.
Places to Visit in St. John's
Arts and Culture
- Museum of Antigua and Barbuda (Long Street)
Set in the old colonial courthouse, it tells the islands story from Amerindian settlers to independence, including a cricket bat of Viv Richards. - St. John's Cathedral (Newgate Street)
The twin towered Anglican cathedral is the landmark of the capital, with a timber lined interior built to survive earthquakes. - Fort James (Fort James Road)
Old cannons and harbour views at the entrance to St. John's, with a beach right next door. - Fort Barrington (Deep Bay)
A short steep climb to a hilltop fort over Deep Bay and the harbour mouth, with superb views.
Shopping and Markets
- Heritage Quay (Waterfront)
The duty free shopping pier where cruise passengers land, handy for jewellery, rum and souvenirs. - Redcliffe Quay (Waterfront)
Restored warehouses where enslaved people were once held now house boutiques, galleries and courtyard cafés, a place to shop and reflect. - St. John's Public Market (Market Street)
Saturday morning is the time to see Antiguan black pineapples, ground provisions, hot pepper sauces and lively local trading. - Vendors' Mall (Thames Street)
A covered craft market for batik, carvings, straw work and island T shirts, good for gifts.
Nature and Outdoors
- Deep Bay Beach (Five Islands)
A calm horseshoe bay where you can snorkel out to the wreck of the Andes, a ship that sank in the bay in 1905. - Fort James Beach (Fort James)
The locals beach closest to town, busy on weekends with families, music and food stalls.
Things to Do
- Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (North Sound)
The national cricket ground, where international matches bring the whole island out in force. - Antigua Recreation Ground (Independence Avenue)
The historic town ground where Brian Lara scored his record test innings and local matches still draw crowds. - Wadadli Cats Catamaran Cruises (North Sound)
Day sails around the island or to Great Bird Island with snorkelling and lunch on board. - Adventure Antigua (Island-wide)
Small group boat tours led by a local family, mixing snorkelling, history and stops at Stingray City and Great Bird Island. - Cedar Valley Golf Club (Cedar Valley)
An eighteen hole course in the hills north of town with island views.
Restaurants
- Hemingway's Caribbean Cafe (St. Mary's Street)
A wooden balcony restaurant above the busy street, perfect for a fish lunch and people watching. - Roti King (St. Mary's Street)
A local favourite for filling Caribbean rotis stuffed with curried chicken, goat or conch. - Commissioner Grill (Redcliffe Street)
Classic Antiguan cooking in town: saltfish, fungee, pepperpot and grilled fish in a relaxed old building. - Big Banana (Redcliffe Quay)
Pizza and sandwiches in a courtyard setting, an easy family stop while exploring the quays.
Bars and Nightlife
- Papa Zouk (Hilda Davis Drive, Gambles)
A tiny, colourful fish and rum bar famed for its huge rum collection and creole seafood.
Stays
- Galley Bay Resort and Spa (Five Islands)
An adults only all inclusive on a long quiet beach west of town, with thatched cottages. - Hermitage Bay (Hermitage Bay)
A secluded hillside and beach retreat of private cottages, loved by honeymooners. - Hawksbill Resort (Five Islands)
A long established resort with four beaches on its own peninsula, including a clothing optional one.
Events
- Antigua Carnival (Carnival City and the streets of St. John's)
The islands biggest festival, from late July to the first days of August, with J'ouvert, calypso, soca and costumed parades. - Independence Day celebrations (Across Antigua)
Around 1 November the islands mark independence with parades, a food fair and national dress.
Places to Visit in English Harbour
Arts and Culture
- Nelson's Dockyard (Antigua Naval Dockyard)
The only working Georgian dockyard in the world, a UNESCO site of stone storehouses, boathouse pillars and superyachts. - Dockyard Museum (Nelson's Dockyard)
Housed in the old naval officers house, it explains the dockyard, the enslaved workers who built it and its yachting revival. - The Blockhouse (Shirley Heights)
Ruined military buildings on the cliffs above the harbours, quieter than the Lookout and full of history.
Things to Do
- Shirley Heights Lookout (Shirley Heights)
On Sunday evenings steel pan, reggae and barbecue meet a famous sunset view over English and Falmouth Harbours. - Antigua Rainforest Canopy Tour (Fig Tree Drive)
Zip lines and rope bridges through the rainforest of the southwest hills.
Nature and Outdoors
- Middle Ground Trail (Galleon Beach to Shirley Heights)
A hiking trail over the headland past ruins and cactus, with the best views of the harbours. - Fort Berkeley (Harbour entrance)
An easy walk from the dockyard to the old fort guarding the harbour mouth. - Pigeon Point Beach (Falmouth)
A calm, shallow public beach between the two harbours, popular with families and locals at weekends. - Rendezvous Bay (South coast)
A wild, empty beach reached on foot or by boat from Falmouth, with no facilities at all. - Galleon Beach (Freeman's Bay)
A sheltered beach across the harbour from the dockyard, reached by water taxi or a short drive. - Fig Tree Drive (Southwest Antigua)
A winding drive through banana and mango trees with roadside stalls selling local fruit.
Restaurants
- Pillars Restaurant (Admiral's Inn)
Waterside dining among the old boathouse stone pillars, lovely at night. - Catherine's Café Plage (Pigeon Point)
French style beach lunches on a deck overlooking Falmouth Harbour, a long, slow treat. - Trappas (English Harbour village)
A busy, friendly restaurant with generous plates, much loved by sailors and locals.
Bars and Nightlife
- Abracadabra (English Harbour village)
A garden bar and Italian restaurant that turns into the area's late night party spot in season. - Mainbrace Pub (Copper and Lumber Store)
A cosy pub inside the historic dockyard building, ideal after a day of exploring.
Events
- Antigua Sailing Week (English and Falmouth Harbours)
One of the Caribbean's great regattas, held around late April and early May, with racing by day and parties at night. - Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (Falmouth Harbour)
Traditional wooden and classic yachts race and parade in April, beautiful to watch from shore. - Antigua Charter Yacht Show (Nelson's Dockyard)
Each December the world's charter yachts gather in the harbours for a trade show, a sight in itself.
Stays
- Admiral's Inn and Gunpowder Suites (Nelson's Dockyard)
Stay inside the UNESCO dockyard in rooms set in restored Georgian buildings. - The Copper and Lumber Store Hotel (Nelson's Dockyard)
Characterful suites in an eighteenth century store building right on the dockyard quay. - South Point Antigua (Falmouth Harbour)
Modern waterside suites with kitchens, a good base for families and sailors. - Curtain Bluff (Old Road)
A long established all inclusive on a bluff between two beaches, known for tennis and diving. - Carlisle Bay (Old Road)
A calm, contemporary beach resort beneath the rainforest hills of the south coast.
Places to Visit in Jolly Harbour
Nature and Outdoors
- Jolly Beach (Jolly Harbour)
A long arc of white sand and calm water, one of the best swimming beaches on the island. - Ffryes Beach (Ffryes Point)
A broad, soft beach with sunset views and a much loved bar at one end. - Valley Church Beach (Valley Church)
Shallow, clear, turquoise water that is ideal for children and floating. - Darkwood Beach (Darkwood)
A roadside beach with calm water, a beach bar and views to Montserrat on clear days. - Crab Hill Beach (Crab Hill)
A quieter stretch beside a fishing village with simple local bars. - Mount Obama (Shekerley Mountains)
The highest point of Antigua, a steep forest hike with views across to Montserrat and Guadeloupe. - Cades Reef (Off the southwest coast)
A long protected reef reached by boat, great for snorkelling with tropical fish.
Bars and Nightlife
- Dennis Cocktail Bar and Restaurant (Ffryes Beach)
Sunset drinks and Antiguan seafood on a hill above Ffryes Beach. - OJ's Beach Bar and Restaurant (Crab Hill)
A classic barefoot beach bar for grilled fish, lobster in season and rum punch.
Restaurants
- Sheer Rocks (Cocobay, Ffryes Point)
Cliffside daybeds and tapas style plates over the sea, one of the island's special dinners. - Turner's Beach Bar and Grill (Johnson's Point)
Simple seafood with your toes in the sand on a pretty southwest beach. - Jacqui O's BeachHouse (Crab Hill)
A stylish, boho beach restaurant with long lunches and sunsets. - Carmichael's (Sugar Ridge)
Hilltop dining with sweeping west coast sunset views.
Things to Do
- Jolly Harbour Marina (Jolly Harbour)
A marina village with restaurants, a supermarket and boat trips leaving for reefs and beaches.
Stays
- Jolly Beach Resort (Jolly Beach)
A large all inclusive on one of the best beaches, popular with families and groups. - Cocos Hotel (Valley Church)
Adults only cottages on a rocky point above two small beaches. - Sugar Ridge (Jolly Harbour)
A hillside resort with plunge pools and views over Jolly Harbour. - Cocobay Resort (Valley Church)
Colourful cottages on a hillside above a calm bay, close to Sheer Rocks.
Places to Visit in Dickenson Bay
Nature and Outdoors
- Dickenson Bay Beach (Dickenson Bay)
A lively mile of white sand with water sports, beach bars and calm, swimmable water. - Runaway Beach (Runaway Bay)
A long, quieter neighbour to Dickenson Bay with gentle water and simple beach bars. - Jabberwock Beach (Hodges Bay)
A windy north coast beach that is the island's main kitesurfing spot.
Things to Do
- KiteAntigua (Jabberwock Beach)
Kitesurfing lessons for beginners on a breezy, shallow beach. - Dickenson Bay water sports (Dickenson Bay)
Paddleboards, kayaks and boat rides from the beach operators on calm days.
Restaurants
- Coconut Grove (Siboney Beach Club)
Candlelit dining on the sand under palms at the north end of Dickenson Bay. - Ana's on the Beach (Dickenson Bay)
A bright beach restaurant and gallery for lunch with views of the bay. - Bay House (Trade Winds Hotel)
Hilltop dining with sunset views over Dickenson Bay.
Bars and Nightlife
- Warri Pier (Dickenson Bay)
A bar and restaurant on a pier over the water, the classic sunset drink.
Stays
- Sandals Grande Antigua (Dickenson Bay)
An adults only couples all inclusive along the best part of Dickenson Bay. - Siboney Beach Club (Dickenson Bay)
A small, leafy beach hotel with a personal feel at the quieter end of the bay. - Trade Winds Hotel (Dickenson Bay)
Hillside suites with views and a shuttle down to the beach. - Blue Waters Resort and Spa (Soldier Bay)
A long established resort on the north coast with calm coves and family facilities. - Jumby Bay Island (Long Island)
A private island resort reached by its own boat from the north coast.
Places to Visit in East Coast
Nature and Outdoors
- Half Moon Bay (St. Philip)
A wide crescent of pink tinged sand on the Atlantic, part of a national park and one of the island's most beautiful beaches. - Devil's Bridge (Indian Town Point)
A natural limestone arch where Atlantic waves blast through blowholes, best seen from a safe distance. - Long Bay (Long Bay)
A reef protected bay with calm, shallow water that is excellent for children. - Great Bird Island (North Sound)
A tiny protected island with a hilltop view, coral sand and the rare Antiguan racer snake. - Green Castle Hill (Jennings)
A short climb to unusual volcanic rock formations with wide views.
Things to Do
- Stingray City Antigua (Seatons)
Wade and snorkel with friendly southern stingrays in a shallow sandy pen offshore. - Paddles Kayak Eco Adventure (Seatons)
Guided kayaking through mangroves and islands of the North Sound marine area.
Arts and Culture
- Betty's Hope (Pares)
The ruins of Antigua's first big sugar estate, with a restored windmill and a frank account of plantation slavery.
Stays
- Nonsuch Bay Resort (Nonsuch Bay)
Hillside apartments on a sheltered bay that is perfect for sailing and kitesurfing lessons.
Places to Visit in Barbuda
Nature and Outdoors
- Frigate Bird Sanctuary (Codrington Lagoon)
One of the largest colonies of magnificent frigatebirds in the world, visited by local boat. - Pink Sand Beach (West coast)
Miles of soft sand tinted pink by crushed shells, often with no one else in sight. - Princess Diana Beach (Coco Point)
A long, calm, pale pink beach on the south coast named after a royal visit. - Two Foot Bay (Northeast coast)
Limestone caves with a ladder up to a natural skylight and Amerindian rock drawings nearby. - Darby Sink Cave (Interior)
A huge sinkhole lined with ferns and palms, like a hidden world in the scrub. - Spanish Point (Southeast coast)
A wild point with reefs, a ruined lookout and snorkelling in calm weather.
Arts and Culture
- Martello Tower (River)
An early nineteenth century fort tower on the south coast with views along the beaches. - Highland House (Highlands)
The ruined Codrington family estate house on the island's highest ground.
Things to Do
- Barbuda Express ferry day tour (St. John's to Codrington)
A ferry crossing with an organised day of birds, beaches and lunch, the easiest way to see Barbuda. - Codrington village (Codrington)
The island's only village, small and friendly, with guesthouses, shops and lobster in season.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Best of Books (St. Mary's Street, St. John's)
An independent bookshop stocked with Caribbean writers, island history and maps. - Botanical Gardens (Factory Road, St. John's)
A small, shady garden near the East Bus Station, a calm break from the busy streets. - Clarence House (Above English Harbour, English Harbour)
A Georgian house built for the future King William IV, with views over the dockyard. - Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre (Shirley Heights, English Harbour)
A small centre on the heights with a multimedia history of the islands. - Skullduggery Café (Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour)
A friendly café for breakfast, coffee and sandwiches near the marina. - Cloggy's (Antigua Yacht Club Marina, English Harbour)
A sailors' bar and restaurant on the marina, lively during regattas. - Fig Tree Studio Art Gallery (Fig Tree Drive, English Harbour)
A small gallery in the rainforest showing Antiguan and Caribbean artists. - Castaways Beach Bar (Jolly Beach, Jolly Harbour)
A relaxed beach bar for lunch, cocktails and live music on Jolly Beach. - Epicurean Fine Foods (Jolly Harbour, Jolly Harbour)
A big supermarket for self catering, beach picnic supplies and local rum. - St. Barnabas Anglican Church (Liberta, Jolly Harbour)
A small green stone church, one of the most photogenic on the island. - Millers by the Sea (Runaway Beach, Dickenson Bay)
A long standing beach restaurant with Antiguan dishes and live music. - Le Bistro (Hodges Bay, Dickenson Bay)
A long running French restaurant on the north coast for a special dinner. - Cecilia's High Point Café (Dutchman's Bay, Dickenson Bay)
A garden café by the sea near the airport, an easy lunch on arrival or departure day. - Prickly Pear Island (Off Dickenson Bay, Dickenson Bay)
A tiny islet reached by boat for snorkelling and a beach lunch. - Harmony Hall (Nonsuch Bay, East Coast)
A restored sugar mill estate with a restaurant and art gallery over Nonsuch Bay. - Caribana (Codrington, Barbuda)
Barbuda's own festival around the Whitsun weekend, with music, pageants and horse racing. - Uncle Roddy's Beach Bar (Coco Point, Barbuda)
A long loved beach bar serving lobster and fish by the sea. - Barbuda Cottages (Coco Point, Barbuda)
Simple wooden cottages by the beach for a quiet night on Barbuda.