Antigua…..Sailing Capital of the Caribbean
Heading out for a new spring break adventure is never lacking of excitement and anticipation. What a great year to escape one of the top 10 snowfall years in Minnesota and head to the Caribbean to explore a new island and what it has to offer. As the title states, this year took us to the island of Antigua. A interesting fact as this is one of the smallest countries on earth yet boasts one with the most beaches at 365. Antigua hosts five large sailing races each year, with over 100 boats participating annually. Although we primarily kept our sea legs on the sand, I can see why this island is such a popular spot for boaters and tourists alike.
As many of us have found, the expense of travel has been creeping upward over the past year. Airline tickets, lodging and vehicle rentals have been at the forefront of these expenses. Even scouring our favorite airline ticket website Kayak and searching the internet for housing choices did not make us immune to the increased prices. American Airlines ultimately won the airfare price war on this vacation.
Wow! Eight hours in eight seconds, what a way to travel!
Another great way to travel……hire a service. How nice to arrive at our destination knowing there will be no driving that night. For our transportation needs we used Big’s Car Rental & Taxi Service. They have airport service as well as daily taxi services. If you rent a vehicle for three days or more, they have a free drop off/pick up service to your hotel or villa. You need to purchase an Antiguan driver’s license through the rental company to legally drive. Sorry children, 18 years and older only……
We chose the villa, Admirality House, for our home base. Admirality House is located on the South side of the island near Falmouth Harbor. The house is right on the waters of Turtle Bay and has amazing sunset views from the pool area. We used Admiral Management services to rent the villa, they are an on island management company that was very responsive to our needs for the week.
It probably goes without saying that this was also the best photo spot on the property…….
The house was lovely and spacious. There were three bedrooms in the main house and two more bedrooms in the guesthouse. Each bedroom has air conditioning and an ensuite bathroom. A cool amenity is the indoor/outdoor kitchen and informal dinning area. A great transition from meals to the pool and deck area. What a great place to stay!
Of course we cannot forget the great outdoors!
We enjoyed the house so much we decided not to leave for an entire day. We hired Chef Benjamin and his staff for the day to shop, cook and clean for us while we took advantage of the amenities. Chef Benjamin sends out menu suggestions in advance and creates your delicious cuisine on site with fresh, locally sourced food. See his website, The perfect Chef, for further information.
What did we do on the island for fun? We passed the days away relaxing, adventuring and swimming with the local animal celebrities……We took a little trip to meet up with Pigs in Paradise to feed and hang out on the beach with some piggies.
We couldn’t miss the animals that live under the sea. For a little snorkeling adventure we chartered a and let the captain and crew take care of everything for a few hours. Check out this family run business, Antigua Day Charters, for your water adventure. The cruise includes food and drinks and they have all the snorkel gear needed. Just bring beach towel and sun screen and off you go! Wesley and Rori even got a crash course in captaining the vessel.
As Antigua is known for its 365 beaches “a beach for every day” we had to go check a few out. Our first beach was Pigeon Point Beach which has a nice gradually sloping sandy beach within a protected harbor.
If lunch or drinks are needed, just walk up the beach to Bumpkins and grab a seat.
Our next beach adventure took us to Galleon Beach in Freeman’s Bay. Again, another gently sloping sandy beach leading into the warm, turquoise water. This beach was even less inhabited and offered a lovely beach restaurant, Loose Cannon Beach Bar, at sands edge. What a great afternoon!
Looking for a view? The best view on the island can be found at Shirley Heights Lookout. Sunday night is fun night at Shirley Heights with beautiful views, live music, crafts and a cookout. Get there early if you don’t want to stand in line!
I never knew that Antigua was such a foodies paradise! We had great meals wherever and whenever we went out. Check out what this island has to offer…….
Check out Incanto located right on the water of English Harbor, Italian cuisine at its finest with beautiful harbor views. Lunch an Maia was amazing with a full menu from seafood to sandwiches to chose from, the desserts were a hit. Hands down, the best sushi we had on the island came from the Club House Restaurant in English Harbor. Dinner at Pillar’s was full of fresh and local seafood and great wine. A must is the Friday night seafood nights at Copper & Lumber in Nelson’s Dockyards. Dining on the lawn, under the stars, was a fun experience. If you are traveling down Matthews Road in Falmouth Harbor, Sweet T’s is worth a stop for some ice cream.
What a fun spring break trip, couldn’t ask for anything more from this beautiful country.
