Antigua (pronounced Ahn-tee-guh) & Barbuda is a two-island nation that lies where the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean meet. With sun-drenched, white sand beaches and an uncrowded feel, it’s an ideal destination to kick back with a rum punch in hand, of course. Here’s how to spend a perfect two days, focusing on the island of Antigua.

Quick notes

• Getting around: You can book excursions with transportation options, but renting a cars allows more flexibility and ends up being cheaper. Providers like Chase Rent-a-Car can meet you right at the airport. A full-size Jeep was about $100/day.
• Where to stay: The western part of the island has the best beaches, so try a hotel there. I’ve listed my favorite beachfront hotels below.
• Fun on the road: If you’re into local eats, keep an eye out for stands on the road. You can buy fresh fruit (the sweetest mangoes!), prepared goods like honey and hot sauce, and even homemade hot foods.

Day 1

Relax at the beach

Let’s start the day off strong – at the beach! I don’t think you can go wrong at any single beach in Antigua, but there are a few on the west that came highly recommended by locals.

Ffyres Beach, Darkwood Beach, and Valley Church Bay are spectacularly beautiful and usually not crowded. There’s beach bars to grab drink and food, but otherwise there’s not much so bring your own towels and other effects.

It gets a little more crowded as you get closer to St. Johns and the cruise part.

Jolly Beach and Dickenson Bay are especially popular and have facilities including chairs, umbrellas for rent, plus jetskis and other water activities.

If you seek something more secluded, Rendezvous Bay Beach is a gorgeous long sandy stretch that can only be reached on foot or 4×4. If you don’t have a car, you can book a fun excursion to explore beaches via tuk-tuk.

Explore Antigua’s past at English Harbour

After a day at the beach, head over to Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour where you can get a sense of Antigua’s colonial past. With preserved historic buildings, it’s a UNESCO Heritage Site that now harbors luxury yachts.

Sugar was the treasure that colonial powers tried to protect by occupying the Caribbean islands, and rum is the end product of that history. At Galleon Beach Academy of Rum offers an immersive rum making experience where you make your own bottle.

Sunset from Fort George and dinner at Shirley Heights

On Fridays, you can join the Rum in the Ruins tour at Fort George, part of Antigua & Barbuda National Park. Chat about the history, archaeology, and ongoing conservation efforts with one of the Park rangers—over a cup of rum punch, of course.

With its many hills, the National Park part of the island makes an excellent place to watch the sunset with views over English Harbour. You can then head down for dinner at one of the restaurants in the area.

If you’re here on a Sunday, head to the famous barbecue at Shirley Heights Lookout, a former military site that hosts various food vendors and live music into the night. Admission is $10.

Day 2

Swimming with the stingrays

Stingray City is located in the northeast part of the island, but it’s worth the trip. I was hesitant at first but all of the guides puts you at ease and help you witness the charm of these gentle creatures.

After checking in at the facilities, you take a short boat ride out to a sandbar where you can feed and swim with the stingrays. The trip ends with what else? Rum punch.

You can book in advance and pay once you arrive. I recommend doing the earliest trip so the rays will be more hungry and interactive.

While you’re out here, check out Long Bay Beach and a tasty locals’ spot called Matumba Cafe in Willikies. It was the favorite meal I had on the island. There’s not even a map location but it’s located on the way to Long Bay Beach and up the street from Reggaevillage East.

Tour the city of St. John

You might want to take a rest after an active morning.

If you’re itching for something to do, St. John is the small capital city mostly catering to the cruise crowds that dock there. It can feel a little empty when the crowds aren’t around.

Therefore it’s not a must, but if you’re interested you can spend an hour or two exploring the harborside center and Redcliffe Caye shopping village for shops, snack bars, and restaurants. There’s also the National Museum of Antigua & Barbuda to learn about culture and history, plus a casino if you’re into gambling.

A good place to eat and people watch is the deck at Hemingway Cafe.

Sunset dinner at Sheer Rocks

For dinner with a view, make a reservation at Sheer Rocks where the dining terrace is built into oceanside cliffs. It’s a bit pricey so you can alternatively just grab drinks and enjoy the view from one of the lounge areas.

And you can always of course catch the same sunset from on shore at Little Ffyres Beach or Valley Church Bay.

Nighttime karaoke at T.N.A. Sports Bar

A great place to meet friendly locals is T.N.A. Sports Bar which hosts karaoke nights. Bring cash.