If you are looking for examples of Antigua's culture and history then the museum of Antigua and Barbuda is an ideal venue for discovering artefacts and displays depicting the history of the island. Meanwhile in St Johns, the Museum of Marine and Living Art contains an extensive collection of Antigua's seashells and relics from shipwrecks.
There is an enormous choice of duty-free luxury goods including jewellery and watches. Head for Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay, or for something more local and authentic, try the St Johns covered market.
No list of activities in Antigua would be complete without mentioning Cricket! The sport was introduced by the British military in the 19th century and the 59th Foot Regiment formed the first club in 1842. For many years, cricket clubs were an exclusive preserve of the white colonial visitors, frequented by the rich planters and merchants, and often little more than social clubs. Despite the snobbery, many West Indians took to the game, setting up makeshift pitches on the plantations and organising local matches. To this day, cricket is played wherever there is a piece of flat ground or beach!
Fort James at the northern entrance to St Johns Harbour and Fort Barrington at Goat Hill date back to the 1600s with the latter being used as a signal station until as recently as 1960.
Betty's Hope is a sugar plantation dating back to 1674. The plantation still boasts two windmill towers and there is a small museum providing information about the estate.
Half Moon Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches on Antigua. Almost circular in shape with an entrance facing the Atlantic, it makes an interesting surfing spot. Numerous sporting facilities can be found here including a variety of 'have a go' games on Sundays.
Falmouth Harbour has been a safe port for ships for centuries and the village next to it is one of the earliest settlements on the island.
Next to Falmouth Harbour lies the renowned English Harbour, a former Naval dockyard known as Nelson's Dockyard and is today the only working Georgian naval dockyard in the world. The dockyard was established in 1743 when the British chose Antigua as the main base for the Royal Navy, due to its central location and easily defended natural harbour. (See History of Antigua). Here ships were based, maintained, restocked and watered. They were also 'careened' (hauled over on their sides to clean the barnacles off the bottom). Many of the Georgian buildings were constructed from the bricks and stones that were used as ballast in ships, which arrived empty and returned laden with a cargo of rum and sugar.
The dockyard declined in the late 19th century due to the advent of steam ships and the closed in 1889. It subsequently fell into disrepair and was restored by the Antiguan Government in the1950s. Inside Nelson's Dockyard there is a small museum known as the Admiral's House holding a variety of artefacts and exhibits. After all this history call in to the authentic Copper and Lumber Store or Admirals Inn for a cold beer or delicious planters punch, perhaps accompanied by some conch fritters or fresh swordfish!
Overlooking English Harbour is a bluff containing the ruins of Fort Shirley named after General Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands. This offers a fabulous view of the harbour and is a great place to watch the sunset!