Antigua Cruise Port – Ultimate Guide to the Port and 22 Best Things to Do By A Local
Visiting Antigua Cruise Port?
We’ve spent the last 3 years living in Antigua as a family and spending time in St John’s where the Antigua cruise port is located. Sara used to work on cruise ships and knows how important a port day is. Sometimes you want to max out your time getting to know the country. At other times, you just want to find the nearest best beach to relax on.
Using our local knowledge and experience we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Antigua (St John’s) cruise port. And all the things you’ll want to know to explore the Caribbean island of Antigua on a cruise. We’ve also selected the best 22 things to do in Antigua for you to choose from to show you what a great place it is.
Our Choice Of Best Tours In Antigua
📍 Circumnavigate Antigua on a boat – you’ll get to see the whole island tour from the sea, which is an awesome way to explore it and includes off-the-beaten-track Rendezvous Beach (one of my favourites)
📍 A Boat tour to Barbuda – this is the best way to visit Barbuda. Join a boat to tour all of the top sites in one day.
📍 An off-road dune buggy tour of Antigua – we love to try different ways to take an island tour. This one is great fun as you go through the tropical rainforest off-road.
📍 Stingray City and Laviscount Island – this fun half-day tour combines 2 of our favourite animal experiences; snorkelling with stingrays and feeding giant tortoises.
Where Is The Cruise Terminal And Where Do Ships Dock?
Cruise ships dock in the picturesque St. John’s harbour, often referred to as Heritage Quay. It is home to the Antigua cruise port and its cruise ship docks. Up until recently, the port sported just two piers jutting out from the city of St. John’s, Antigua’s capital. But now, there’s a shiny new addition: a new pier perched on the northern shore of the bay giving them three in total.s
Antigua’s cruise port can now handle up to five mammoth cruise ships at once on the new fifth berth. This makes it a bustling hub of activity. When you’re ready to disembark and explore, keep in mind that the exit gates for all three piers are roughly 500 feet (or 150 meters) from where the ships dock. Oh, and a little heads up: as you make your way back to the port area, the port security will be checking all cruise passengers’ boarding passes at the gates, so don’t leave yours behind!
Since cruise ships dock at Heritage Quay, just an easy 5-minute stroll from the piers to downtown St. John’s, exploring the landmarks and attractions of Antigua’s main city and capital is a piece of cake. You can comfortably wander around on your own, taking in all the sights and sounds.
What’s to do in St John’s the Capital of Antigua
If you’re on a Caribbean cruise then it’s likely that you’re ship will head to St John’s as part of your itinerary. St John’s is the capital city of Antigua. You could decide to spend your day discovering St John’s city centre as it’s walking distance from the ship. It’s a bustling town that in winter months welcomes over 350 cruise ships bringing more than 610,000 cruise ship passengers to Antigua.
You can have a wander and see most of the main attractions in less than a couple of hours. And you don’t really need a tour guide to do that. We love to have a mooch when we head there to go shopping.
Shop at Heritage Quay
This colourful-lined street starts at the end of the cruise ship dock. This is one of the most prestigious tax-free shopping areas in the Caribbean with a variety of different shops to choose from. It comes alive when there are cruise ships docked, and you can watch steel bands and enjoy other local entertainment as you browse.
Relax at Redcliffe Quay
This centuries-old quay has been beautifully restored to all its Georgian glory with its stunning historical area with turquoise, red and yellow waterfront buildings. There are lots of stunning boutique shops offering locally sourced products from artworks to clothing.
Try The Local Fruit At The Market
When we visit a new country we always like to explore the local markets to try the local fruits and vegetables. St John’s is no exception to this and has the wonderful Public Market Complex. It is only a 5-minute walk from the dockside.
The best days to visit when it’s super busy with lots of local vibrancy are either a Friday or Saturday when it’s super busy with lots of local vibrancy.
Explore The Old Recreation Ground
Antigua’s national sport is cricket, and if you’re a cricket fan then a walk to the old Recreation Ground is great for you.
The Rec, as it is affectionately known, is now run-down and more of a relic than a sports field. However, as you walk in you can feel the atmosphere which helps to bring it to life this historic site.
Visit The Cathedral
The cathedral was built in 1845 to replace the one that was destroyed in an earthquake. The interior woodwork has recently been restored to all its former beauty.
As the Cathedral is perched on a high hilltop it has wonderful views of St John’s Antigua. You can even see the cruise ships parked on the dock.
History at the Antigua and Barbuda Museum
We love learning about the history of Antigua, and the best place to head to is the Antigua and Barbuda Museum. You can find it in an old courthouse which was built in the 1750s.
Once inside you’ll get a chance to learn more about the origins of the island through to its independence in 1981.
Eat And Drink
St Johns has a fantastic array of places to eat and drink, some of our favourites are:
Hemmingways – delicious Caribbean food with a high-up view of the dock
Papa Zouk – another firm favourite with us and our friends as it serves great fish dishes
Cuties – set in the beautiful Redcliffe Quay and perfect for people-watching
22 Best Things To Do In Antigua From Antigua Cruise Port
1. Explore The Best Beaches Close To Antigua Cruise Port
Antigua has an amazing 365 beautiful beaches to choose from. When you visit Antigua you won’t want to miss the white sandy beaches and clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. Because we are beach lovers we’ve recommended our top beautiful beaches that are easy to reach from the Antigua cruise port. They are all easy to reach and less than a 25-minute drive from St John’s.
Fort James Beach: just a short 10-minute drive, or 50-minute walk from St Johns, this is the nearest and easiest beach to reach. There are a couple of great restaurants with sun loungers and parasols for hire.
Dickenson Bay Beach: a 15-minute taxi ride away, this beach has loads to offer. There are watersports hire such as kayaks and paddleboards, as well as a big selection of restaurants and bars to choose from.
Jolly Beach: a 25-minute taxi ride away this is another fun beach with plenty of activities to choose from. Have a dash around on a jet ski or a paddle in a kayak. One of our favourite beach bars Sandra’s can be found here.
Ffryes Beach: we love this beach as you can play in the waves by jumping over them. Or you can hire paddle boards and kayaks from the vendors on the beach.
Darkwood Beach: A very long white sand beach which is super easy to reach. It’s a stunning beach with clear blue waters, a few restaurants and some watersports equipment rental.
Valley Church Beach: This has to be one of the most amazing beaches on the island and one of our favourites. If you’re looking for chilled-out Caribbean beach vibes then this is the place for you.
2. Explore Nelsons Dockyard
Historic Nelson’s Dockyard is a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Nelson’s Dockyard National Park and is totally worth visiting. It also happens to be one of the main historical destinations in Antigua, and yes, Nelson did live there at one point. We live in English Harbor and absolutely love heading to Nelson’s (as its called by locals), to have a drink and people watch as the yachts come and go.
Don’t forget to head out to Fort Berkeley at the entrance to English Harbor for some great photo opportunities!
Top tip from a local: Nelson’s dockyard is in English Harbor. You could spend a day in English Harbour easily exploring the dockyard, Shirley Heights and Galleon Beach.
3. Discover The Shirley Heights Historical Buildings
Together with Nelson’s Dockyard, Dow’s Hill Interpretive Centre, and Clarence House, Shirley Heights makes up the UNESCO Heritage Site known as the Antigua Naval Dockyard. It is the location of the barracks at the time that Nelson’s Dockyard was an active Naval base. There are still some of the buildings up there to visit.
We think that the best view in Antigua is from Shirley Heights lookout point overlooking English Harbour. If you’re feeling adventurous then you can hike up from Galleon Beach via the Mermaid Pools. This is a hike that we love to do as a family because the views are incredible. Plus there are so many things to see such as butterflies, hermit crabs, hummingbirds, cacti and much more.
4. Betty’s Hope Sugar Plantation
If you’re keen on history then a visit to this sugar plantation is a must on your list of things to do in Antigua. This particular plantation dates back to 1651 making it one of the oldest in Antigua.
5. View The Devil’s Bridge
If you’re looking for a break from the beaches and love being at one with nature then Devil’s Bridge is great. You can sit, relax and watch the Atlantic Ocean crashing in its natural limestone Arch. We love going on Easter Monday when it’s host of the Annual Kite Festival.
6. Swim With Stingrays
Antigua is one of the only places in the world where you can take a tour out to a sandbar in the sea to swim and interact with stingrays. You don’t need to be able to swim and kids of all ages are welcome (under 5’s are free).
Whenever we have friends come they ask us what our top things to do in Antigua are, and this is in our top 5. It’s why we’ve done it 6 times already!
7. Feed Giant Tortoises At Lavinscourt Island
The main experience at Lavinscourt Island is feeding and petting the giant tortoises that live there as part of a breeding programme. It is incredible as they actually (when hungry) move much faster than you expect them to. When we went they seemed to enjoy the attention they were given when getting a little rub on their shell or neck.
Top tip from a local: You can add a visit to Laviscount Island onto your stingray tour as it is just a few minute’s boat ride from the Stingray City HQ.
8. Pigs In Paradise
You may have heard of the swimming pigs in the Bahamas, and now Antigua has its swimming pigs too.
At the remote (and beautiful) Seaforth Beach, the Pig’s Paradise team bring their little piglets to visit you. You’ll have a chance to swim with the pigs and bottle-feed them their milk.
9. Antigua Donkey Sanctuary
We must have been at least 20 times to visit Antigua’s Donkey Sanctuary. This is a great activity to do with kids as they get to brush the donkeys. As an added bonus you’re also supporting a local charity at the same time.
10. Rainforest Zip Line Tour
If you enjoy heights and adrenaline, then this is the activity for you. One of the most fun things to do in Antigua is a zipline tour. We’ve loved doing it and flying through the air because it’s especially fun laughing at Sara hates heights, haha!
They have various packages on offer depending on the number of zip lines you want to try. You can also book a combination tour that includes a half-day kayaking in the mangroves.
11. Snorkelling
If you want to see turtles, rays and more, then Antigua is the right place to come. Several of the beaches have very safe snorkelling spots that you can swim to from the shore. The best beaches for snorkelling are Galleon Beach, Long Beach and Deepwater Bay. There’s nothing like snorkelling in the warm Caribbean Sea. It’s a great place to teach kids to snorkel and is where our son Cameron learnt
There are also lots of amazing boat tours that you can take to explore places such as Cades Reef which is one of the main coral reefs in Antigua.
12. Go Scuba Diving
One of the highlights of diving in Antigua is the sheer diversity of marine life you’ll encounter. Keep your eyes peeled for graceful stingrays gliding along the ocean floor, majestic sea turtles lazily cruising by, and even the occasional encounter with a friendly reef shark. With professional dive operators ready to guide you to the best spots. And top-notch equipment at your disposal, diving in Antigua is an experience you won’t soon forget.
13. Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules are geological formations rising out of the sea at the end of Galleon Beach. The relentless rain, wind and crashing waves have over time carved them out. They’re impressive to see and one of our top locations for some great snorkelling.
The easiest and best way to visit them is by boat tour. However, if you’re feeling adventurous then it is possible to walk to them from Galleon Beach.
14. Sample Local Food
As a family, we love Caribbean flavours! When you visit you really should try some local food. Close to the Antigua cruise port, you’ll find various restaurants with jerk chicken and fresh fish on the menu. Most also have good kids choices too, if you have. specific request (ours is usually an omelette for Cameron) then they are usually happy to help.
Hemmingways and Pap Zouks are firm favourites of ours.
15. Take A Cooking Class
If, like us, you’re into cooking then taking a cooking class should be on your list of things to do. We love this great school called Nicoles Table where you can learn to cook local jerk style. She runs all sorts of classes, from curries to jerk and much more in between.
16. Blend Your Own Rum
A fun way to spend a few hours is to join the Rum Masterclass workshop over at Galleon Beach. By the time you finish, you’ll have sampled a variety of different rums and created your own stunning 750ml bottle of bespoke rum.
17. Take A Helicopter Ride
Taking a helicopter ride over Antigua is a fantastic experience. The pilot gives you a tour as you fly by, and there’s something incredible about skirting over the sea and seeing turtles and stingrays from the helicopter.
If you’re looking for something a bit different then you can take the helicopter ride to Montserrat and fly over the active volcano there!
18. Learn to Sail
Did you know that Antigua is one of the top sailing destinations in the Caribbean?
As a family we love to sail and one of the best places to learn is in Antigua. So, we have a membership at the National Sailing Academy in Falmouth Harbour. At the academy, you can either have a lesson or fine-tune your skills. Or, if you can sail already then you can hire boats of different sizes and types and sail over to Pigeon Point Beach.
19. Go To A Cricket Match
Antigua’s national sport is cricket, if you love it as much as the locals do then you should head to the stadium to watch a match. We’ve been a few times and even though we aren’t all huge cricket fans, we’ve still really enjoyed it. There’s such an incredible party atmosphere.
In our opinion, the best tickets are the ones in the mounds as it’s in the middle of the party atmosphere.
20. Visit Barbuda
Did you know that the actual country name is Antigua and Barbuda? And that Barbuda is the little sister island to the main island of Antigua
Next to the piers at the Antigua cruise port is the pier for the ferry that heads over to Barbuda. There you can visit pink sand beaches, eat freshly caught lobster, look out for flying frigate birds or go caving at Two Foot Bay
21. Head to Carnival
If you find yourself on the island in late July or early August, mark your calendar for Antigua Carnival – it’s a total game-changer! This festival isn’t just any old bash; it’s a cultural sensation that draws folks from every corner of the globe. We’re talking about more than just partying; it’s a full-blown cultural extravaganza that’s deeply woven into the fabric of the island’s history and heritage. Trust us, you won’t want to miss out on this unforgettable experience!
22. Head To A Resort On A Day Pass
Lots of the all-inclusive resorts in Antigua sell day passes which give you the chance to spend the day at the resort maxing out on their all-inclusive offering. It is worth mentioning that they are usually priced between US$120-200. And you’ll not only be able to eat and drink as much as you’d like, but you’ll also have access to their private beaches, swimming pools, gyms, sports courts and water sports making them incredible value for money.
We’ve had fun visiting several on the island, our top recommendations are the following luxury beach resorts:
How To Get Around Antigua From The Cruise Port?
There are four ways that you can get around Antigua. However, as local buses can be quite tricky to get around we’ve not listed them as an option. Our three main recommendations are:
- You can hire a taxi for the day following your own itinerary and their recommendations. You’ll find taxi drivers waiting at the Antigua cruise port for your business.
- Rent a car and drive yourself around the island. This is a great way to travel as it will give you a lot more flexibility and could be better value than hiring a taxi all day.
- Take a shore excursion as there are plenty to choose from.
FAQ’s About Antigua
Gustavia is the cruise port of St Barths which is near Antigua. It is a fantastic place to add to your plans if you’re travelling between Caribbean islands because there are lots of great things to do in St Barths.
The currency of Antigua is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) more locally called “EC”. You’ll find that most things will be priced in EC, and higher-priced items such as tours and accommodation will also be advertised in US dollars.
The best time to visit Antigua is between December and April, most people choose to visit in the winter seasons. You’ll be outside the rainy season which means that it will be warm and dry.
Yes, we think it’s very safe. Since living in Antigua for the last 3 winters we have never experienced or heard of anything that makes us think that it’s unsafe.
Final Thoughts On Antigua Cruise Port
If you’re arriving by cruise ship to Antigua cruise port then there are lots of fantastic options of things to do. You could decide to stay local in St John’s, the capital of Antigua. Or, you could head off and explore some of the best things to do on the such as taking a tour, relaxing on one of the beautiful beaches or taking in some history at Nelson’s Dockyard.
The toughest part will be deciding which to do first!
