Five Days in Antigua and Barbuda
- Sarah Brooks
- Feb 10, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 30
Antigua and Barbuda is an absolute island paradise with breathtaking beaches and crystal clear waters. I was fortunate enough to spend a romantic Valentine's Day trip exploring the incredible island.
We stayed on Dickenson Bay Beach and used that as our home base for our explorations. You could easily spend every day on the beach in Antigua (there are 365 of them, after all.) But this tiny island has a lot more to offer. It’s the perfect place for a romantic getaway! Here's my five day itinerary for inspiration.
Day One - Relax on Antigua & Barbuda's beaches!
Since we used Dickenson Bay as our home base, we started our trip, here! It's one of the most popular beaches on Antigua. You can rent a beach chair and check out the many beach bars and restaurants nearby!
Dickenson Bay is also a great place for water sports! You can rent jet skis and paddle boards from the shack on the beach; or sign up for a horseback ride.
While you’re there, definitely visit KonTiki, the floating Tiki Bar! You can hail a motorboat ride from the shore and head out for some rum punch. The ride is free, but be sure to tip your driver.
For dinner, check out Stella Ristorante. I know, you’re probably thinking “Italian? In the Caribbean?” But trust me! This is an incredible rustic, open air-restaurant up on the hill overlooking Dickenson Bay. It's like eating in a Caribbean treehouse! The wood fired pizza is incredible and all of the homemade pasta is delicious!
Day Two - Get off the beaten path
On our second day in Antigua, we ventured way off the beaten path two swim with some pigs! I've swum with pigs in Exuma, Bahamas and this was a very different experience. There was so much more interaction and the guides were fantastic. We got to feed the big guys and snuggle with some baby piglets on Seaforth Beach.
We drove well over an hour down a dirt road in the absolute middle of nowhere to reach this insane stretch of secluded shore. The drive took us through the countryside and we got lost more than once!
Update: Since my visit, Pigs in Paradise has ceased operations due to a land dispute. However, Seaforth Beach is incredible and I still recommend visiting this if you're able.
Once the pig experience ended, most people departed with their tour groups on boats and busses and we were the only ones left. We had this picture perfect beach literally all to ourselves! It was my favorite spot on the whole island.
For your second stop of the day, I recommend Ffryes Beach. It's a lively stretch of beach with lots of beach bars and a fun atmosphere. Fair warning, it's a popular cruise ship stop so there are busses dropping off passengers at some of the local bars. I recommend grabbing a bite to eat at Dennis Restaurant, which isn't on the cruise line itinerary. The snapper is delicious!
Day Three- East Coast Adventures
Spend the day exploring all of the great things to do on the east coast of the island. Everything below is located very close together and makes for a perfect day of fun!
Stingrays at Stingray City: This was by far my favorite snorkeling experience ever! Enjoy a rum punch before taking a short boat ride to the open water spot where the stingrays will gather.
Swimming with the stingrays was so cool, if a little unnerving. They aren't phased by people in the water and will bump right into you. You also get a chance to feed them and if you’re brave enough, hold one!
Sea View Restaurant: Stop here for some amazing Caribbean BBQ! It's located just a few minutes away from Stingray City so we stopped here for lunch.
It would be easy to overlook this little gem. To be honest, it looks a little sketchy from the outside and you wouldn't guess there's even a restaurant here.
You'll order from a small counter attached to a mini-mart where you place your order. When we were visited I got the feeling they weren't quite open for full service yet, so our only option was 'chicken,' so we just went with it!
You can take your food to the deck upstairs and eat while you enjoy some amazing sea views.
Devil’s Bridge National Park: This is a quick stop to take a moment to appreciate the raw power of the waves, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea. Just don’t get too close and walking across the natural bridge isn't advised. The waves are relentless!
Betty’s Hope: Like many Caribbean Islands, Antigua has a complex history of colonialism. The old Sugar Mill provides a thorough history of the island’s past and how slavery shaped it. Two of the mills dating back to the 1600s are still standing and there's a great little open air museum full of history. The plantation was also one of the biggest rum manufacturers and you can explore the ruins of the old Still House.
Day Four - British Harbour
British Harbour is located on the south end of the island, about 45 minutes from Dickenson Bay. It's perfect for a day trip!
Carpenter's Trail: We spent an amazing day hiking in British Harbour! We took the Carpenter’s Rock Trail, which is starts at the southern end of Galleon Beach. It has some of the most amazing views in Antigua!
The trail is along a cliffside high above the ocean and follows the shoreline. You'll be hiking through some lush foliage and fun, funky cacti! It’s a relatively easy, short trail, but it is steep in parts and quite rocky. We stumbled upon this hike and weren't quite prepared. I managed to do it in sandals, but I definitely recommend wearing some sturdy footwear!
The Pillars of Hercules: The pillars are a natural limestone formation that rise straight out of the ocean. At low tide, you can walk to the base of them from Galleon Beach.
For the best views, though, I would recommend taking boat ride and seeing it from the ocean. We didn't do either of these things, though!
Since we were there at high tide and hiking the cliffs above, I got an aerial view from above with my drone. It was still very cool; but next time I would opt for the boat tour!
Galleon Beach: To cap off the day, we enjoyed the sunset over the harbor from Galleon Beach, which is lined with trendy restaurants and bars. You can have dinner there, or just grab a bucket of Carib and sit in the sand, like we did! You can also get a look at some of the huge yachts that dock here for the night.
Note: most people come to this part of the island to visit Nelson's Dockyard to tour the restored 18th century buildings and visit the history museum. We decided to skip it, since naval history isn't really our thing. If you do decide to visit, admission is $15, which also gets you entry to Shirley Heights. We decided to skip this as well since we had a chance to soak up the amazing views on our hike and the $15 fee didn't seem worth it.
Day Five - Explore St. John's
St. John’s is Antigua’s capital and holds so much of the island’s history. The streets are filled with brightly colored buildings and this is where you can get a real taste of local island life.
We spent a couple hours just wandering the streets and popping into some of the local stores and markets.
St. John’s Cathedral is also a beautiful stop
while you’re in town and it's just a short walk
from the downtown area. It's said to be the largest cathedral in the Caribbean and dates back to the 1600s. It's been damaged by several earthquakes and is still undergoing reconstruction, but the architecture is gorgeous. There is a $5 donation required if you want to enter the grounds or go inside.
Note: St. John's is where the cruise ships dock, so if you want to avoid the crowds, avoid the Heritage Quay area. We wandered down there and were immediately inundated with people trying to sell us day tours and excursions. It is a good spot to shop if you're looking for some souvenirs, but otherwise I would avoid the area.
Other helpful info
Renting a car: This is the best way to make the most of everything the island has to offer! I only recommend this if you’re very comfortable driving on the left side of the road. Many of the streets are chaotic and confusing, and the roads in some areas are in very poor condition. Everywhere takes longer to reach than you might expect. Don’t trust the Google map times! That said, renting a car is the best way to see the island and you’ll have so much freedom to explore!
The beaches: All of the beaches in Antigua are open to the public. Don’t let the resorts try to intimidate or deter you from entering. You may encounter a 'barrier,' but everyone is welcome! Most beaches offer chairs and umbrellas to rent for about $5.
Visiting Barbuda: Antigua’s sister island of Barbuda is a popular day trip, however we didn’t make it there on our visit. It’s a 90-minute ferry ride to get there and there are very few transportation options once you arrive on the island. We decided to save it for our next trip when we have more time!
Eating out: The food in Antigua is incredible! Expect a lot of seafood, curry and roti. Plan at least an hour and a half for your meals. Everything runs on ‘island time’ here! Many restaurants also cater to cruise ships, so check before you sit down that a tour isn’t coming in.
Prices: Antigua is much more expensive than other Caribbean islands (although still less expensive than the US) Just be prepared that eating out in a nice restaurant can set you back around $100 for two people.
