Top Things to do in St. John's
Countries
What to do and see in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda: The Best Places and Tips
In St. John's, the capital city of Antigua, farmers markets, candy- colored architecture and the ruins of sugar plantations vie for attention with a kaleidoscope of coral reefs and sailing adventures. Salute the white baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral that dominate the skyline before joining the flocks of cruise passengers on a Heritage Quay shopping excursion. To experience the island's early cultures, visit the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in a 1750s colonial courthouse.
Restaurants in St. John's
1. Scooter Snorkeling
Overall Ratings
5 based on 43 reviews
Dip down into an incredible world of corals and abundant marine animals on a snorkeling tour of the waters around Galleon Beach and the rock formation known as The Pillars of Hercules. Propelled by a handy sea scooter, enjoy a relaxing snorkeling experience as you marvel at the life under the surface. Meet your guide at your hotel and drive to Galleon Beach, English Harbour, a headland on the southern side of the island where the beautiful rock formation juts out into the Caribbean Sea. Following your expert guide, discover the incredible variety of marine life that inhabits Galleon Beach. As your sea scooter propels you through the water, eliminating the need to swim, you expend less energy than you would on a regular snorkeling expedition, giving you the freedom to simply focus on the aquatic wonderland all around you. Your guide points out the many species you encounter, including turtles, rays, sea urchins, conch, hermit crabs, and a rainbow variety of tropical fish.
Reviewed By Laurie A - Winthrop, Massachusetts
My partner and I were supposed to do this during a stop in Antigua while on a cruise. The people from Scooter Snorkeling contacted us though, to advise that the recent weather had churned up the ocean floor and was predicted to be windy the day we were scheduled to go, meaning that visibility would be less than ideal. we had encountered the same conditions on other Islands that week, but we were really appreciative of the honesty of the people at Scooter Snorkeling. They could easily have taken our money and had us show up, only to have a bad experience. They left it up to us whether we wanted to go or not. We chose not to, because of the predicted weather and visibility issues, but will go next time we pass through Antigua while cruising. The fact they were so up front with us proved that they really want customers to have a great experience.
2. Kitesurf Antigua
Overall Ratings
5 based on 58 reviews
Learn to kitesurf with Antigua's favorite kite Surfing school! We are locally owned/operated, and we offer the safest teaching techniques for students of all levels. With our professional IKO and BKSA certified instructors and over 10 years of experience, we are stoked to get you out on the water. Located on beautiful Jabberwock Beach where the Trade Winds blow consistently, and home to kiteboarding legends like Andre Phillip and Jake Kelsick, its a true kite surfer's paradise. So come ride with the local boys and sip a cold one with the crew after a fun session , we're always happy to meet new faces! :)
Reviewed By LostGoatOnHill - Vevey, Switzerland
Pros
Oli, one of the kitesurfing instructors, was very friendly guy who did his best.
Cons
Old, worn kitesurfing rental equipment
Teaching method was instructor stood on beach without boat or radio equipment, which very much limited the instruction received by student from instructor
3. Galley Bay Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 247 reviews
Reviewed By soprano1975 - Thornhill, Canada
Quaint and beautiful resort that oozes romance and relaxation. If you want to enjoy the beautiful beach, yummy local cuisine, impeccable service, this hotel is for you. One of the best Beaches I have ever seen. The fact that the room has a direct walkout access to the beach is amazing.
4. Gilly Gobinet Art
Overall Ratings
5 based on 46 reviews
Art Gallery featuring original paintings by Antiguan artist Gilly Gobinet in her delightful secluded waterfront residence.Her art features paintings in acrylic and watercolour of marine art, birds, flowers, seascapes etc with specialised portraits of dogs and cats by commission and nudes. Fine art prints, greetings cards and books by the artist who can be seen at work on the premises.
Reviewed By AEL212 - Norwich, United Kingdom
Visited the art gallery after Reading all these reviews and we were not disappointed. Officially Gilly is closed until November but she was more than happy to open up for us. We had a wonderful time browsing. She has lots of different styles and one is bound to appeal. Her art is displayed throughout her home which is amazing. Bought Gilly’s beautifully illustrated book of Cool Caribbean Cocktails and she generously gave us another one. She was informative about restaurants worth checking out too. Will definitely return next time we are lucky enough to visit Antigua again.
5. Valley Church Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 840 reviews
Reviewed By RCMommy - London, Canada
Beautiful area. Clean. Yes, there is some seaweed - we are talking about a beach and ocean afterall. Upon arrival the sales pitch for umbrella and chairs are hardcore. I told them I will buy them if I can put them at the end in a quiet spot. One guy walked us half way and dropped the stuff off in the middle of a crowd. I asked for further down. He asked a helper to take them further down. This new guy then proceeded to huff and puff and actually say to me “you are kidding me, this is too far”. I was further down where there was the odd person here and there, not the other side of the island! I would have carried the chairs myself had I known I was putting them out so much. Sheesh. He got his $20 and then ignored us. The life guard was sitting on a log singing away to music from his mobile phone which was pretty funny. Watch your kids, because this guy isn’t. A police truck regularly patrolled the area. We saw nothing unsafe. Likely just routine. Be careful when you get out of your taxi and get an arm band. They write a time on it, of which we did not realize. We ended up wanting to head back to the ship earlier than what was on the time band. Oh boy. That got everyone excited again. “Why?” “You go at 6!” “There is no driver for you until 6” I told him I did not agree to 6pm. Maybe the others in the van had but I did not hear him. Made a huge production of asking drivers if they were heading back, of which they were not because that would be taking our original drivers return fares. I believe they expected us to walk away but I stood my ground. I think they figured they would rather get rid of us so a driver did come over. We joined his van and he was incredibly polite and talkative. Take some good with some bad right? With all that being said, the beach is gorgeous and I am glad we were able to enjoy the scenery and warm water.
6. Salty Dogs Rentals
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Salty Dogs Rentals is conveniently located in Historical Redcliffe Quay, just a few meters from the cruise ship pier and commercial centre. For the adventurous, you can take a guided, self- driving tour, driving your own off road Buggy. Explore the island interior, through the rainforest then along the beautiful west coast for a swim in the Caribbean. You can also explore on your own on a very rugged Yamaha 50cc and 125cc BWS Scooter. The scooters can be rented ; Daily, Weekly and Monthly.
Reviewed By TNTRAVELERS15 - Nashville, Tennessee
We had the best time ever. When we were booking activities we say this and wondered if it would be worth it, Absolutely! Our guide Kevin was friendly, always watching out for you and making sure you were having a good time. Saw parts of the island that you can only see by buggy. Spent time at a beautiful beach with great amenities. Only wished we could have done it all day.
7. Ffryes Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 140 reviews
Reviewed By smokeeater2 - Toronto, Canada
We asked the taxi guy to take us to a beach that was beautiful but not too busy. This was it. There was people on it but only 1 row of people in chairs all the way along. So your view was never blocked. There were guys trying to sell you seadoo rides but they were subtle about it. I did get my kids a half hour and they loved it. The beach had a gradual slope into the water so our youngest (8yrs) was happy as well
8. Jolly Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 138 reviews
Reviewed By Roslyn138 - Wrexham
Having arrived in Antigua on Britannia, and been previously on the island we needed a day of beach, relax and enjoy the sunshire - Jolley Beach is just the place - plenty of room to have your sunlounger - although I would think that when a number of cruise ships come in then it will be very busy .
Miles of sandy beach to walk along - and the necessary bars if you do get thirsty .
It was just what we needed after two weeks of sightseeing .
9. Fort Barrington
Overall Ratings
4 based on 153 reviews
British fort looming dramatically over the shoreline, built in 1779 to protect the British island from the French.
Reviewed By bjo51 - Antigua
I go to the beach (Deep Bay) by Fort Barrington, but it took several visits before I felt like the hike up the hill to the Fort. It was not nearly as steep as it looked and took only about 10 minutes to get to the top. When you get there, you are rewarded with the remnants of the fort and great photo ops of both the fort and its construction and a panoramic view of the sea. Lovely. When you come down, walk the beach, take a dip and enjoy.
10. Fort James
Overall Ratings
4 based on 197 reviews
British fort built in the 17th century to protect the entrance of St. John's harbor.
Reviewed By TravelOn9928 - Edmonton, Canada
We took a cab from the local bus terminal and were dropped off and the cab driver came back about an hour later to pick us up. The site is rustic and while I understand the 'want' of having the site restored, its charm comes from it current state. Other tour groups (horseback and segway) came and went but otherwise it was quiet. We watched boats pass by and a man fish from the shore. I enjoyed the unpretentious environment and the remains of British colonial rule. It's worth a visit if you enjoy that sort of thing.
