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My wife and I are considering a trip to Antigua. Have never been there before. We have multiple trips to Aruba and St. Marteen; several to Grand Cayman. We love beaches, sightseeing, restaurants. How might Antigua compare to some of these other islands? Do you need a car to get around? Generally we do get a car.

RoamsAround

Topographically, Antigua is similar to St. Martin but other than the area around its capital, St. Johns it is no where near as crowded as St. Martin or Aruba. The island boasts 365 beaches but some are quite small. The island has its share of restaurants but you won't find anywhere near as many as on St. Martin as Antigua is not noted for its dining. Things on the island are very spaced out so you will need a car to get around, unless, of course, you want to spend the majority of your time "on resort". For what it is worth Antigua has nothing in common with either Grand Cayman or Aruba except that it is an island in the Caribbean - that's where any similarity ends.

eileen

I love Antigua, but I agree with the previous poster that it is not really a restaurant destination. I think that may be because the island is mostly upscale AI resorts and it is spread out and somewhat difficult to get around. The driving is on the left and the roads are not well marked so every trip is an adventure! We have been twice and rented a car each time. There's lots to do -- we've done two great catamaran trips -- one that was Eli's eco-tour and one circumnavigation with Wadadli Cats -- both well worth the $. The best way to see the island is from the water as there are 365 beaches, many which you can't get to by road. We also enjoyed Nelson's Dockyard for the history, Devil's Bridge and many people enjoy Shirley Heights although we have not done that yet. We stay at Galley Bay -- our all-time favorite Caribbean resort, and sometimes it can be hard to leave the property! We aren't very impressed with St. John's, there are many other island towns we like better. I have been to all three of the other islands you mention -- I think the beaches in Antigua are every bit as nice (they just don't stretch for miles as they are cove beaches) as those islands, I actually think they are more picturesque than GC, Aruba or St. Martin. Aruba is very Americanized and overbuilt, Grand Cayman felt like Florida to me, St. Martin I only spent one day on Orient Beach but I understand the restaurants, shopping and towns are really great. I think you will probably enjoy Antigua but choose your resort and the area you are located in carefully if you want to take advantage of some restaurants.

TPAYT

We have been to all of the islands mentioned above and most others.

Just my opinion, but why don't you look at Anguilla, St. Barth's, and Turks & Caicos. They all have outstanding restaurants and beaches.

Antigua(again just my opinion) is a "stay in your resort" kind of island. A few hours to Shirley Height's and Nelson's Dockyard is about it.

St. Barth's is hilly and beautiful to drive around to different beaches. It may be a bit overpriced because of the Euro, but the French influence makes it charming and the food memorable.

Anguilla is a bit quieter than you are used to. A bit scruby to drive around, but the beaches are absolutely gorgeous, and the food is some of the best. We like to stay at www.sbvilla.ai It's a bit older, but our balcony was RIGHT on Shoal Bay East beach. It was the best view we have ever had. If you like a newer or pricier place, "Ku" next door or "Cuisinart" resorts are good. No shopping except for the hotels, and not much nightlife if that's your thing.

Again, the beaches and food can't be beat.

On to our new favorite. Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos. We've stayed for the last 2 years at www.oceanclubresorts.com --Ocean Club West. We don't feel the need of a car there as we could walk to about 10 restaurants or have a short cab away. You might want a car for a few days. There are many other (all price range) resorts on Grace Bay. The beach is spectacular. We like the condo units to have breakfast on our balcony(although theydo have a restaurant on premises) and snacks, etc.---we go out to dinner every night and for 10 days, both times we were there, we wished we had more time to try new restaurants, there are so many great ones. IMO, this would be the best island for you to "move on" to. As far as choices of restaurants and accomodations, this would be the most similar to Aruba, Grand Cayman, and St. Martin.

St. Barth's for something very different, and Anguilla for something a bit quieter.

I doubt you'll be disappointed in any of them.

TPAYT

correction in the link to Shoal Bay Villas. Sorry I left out the "s" so it was a different place Here's rhe right one:

www.sbvillas.ai

ejcrowe

Though I agree that the restaurant scene on Antigua can't compare with Anguilla's, for example, I think it has many merits in its own right. It's beautiful to drive around and discover it many lovely beaches, one at a time. If one is crowded, just move along to the next one. Nelson's Dockyard is of interest for history buffs, and it has many quaint shops scattered around the island that are worth a stop (especially good on a rainy day, if you should have one). Harmony Hall alone is worth most of a day--stay for a long, leisurely lunch, admire the art gallery, browse the gift shop, stop by the bar for some grappa or fine cappucino, take the (free) boat out to Green Island to sunbathe.

I love the West Indian charm on the island, too. When visiting Antigua, I always stay at Long Bay Hotel out on the east end, which is small, locally owned, and charming.

Knowing

I have been to Aruba and Grand Cayman and prefer Antigua much more. I enjoy their street markets, steel bands and the barbecues.
Do you have a date in mind? I ask because although it is a perfect destination whether you go in the winter or summer, there are some things currently on the calendar. The Super Yacht Cup this year is from 1/27 to 1/30. Carnival runs from 7/24 to 8/3. You might enjoy one of those events.
Also, Shirley Heights gets mentioned often because of it's spectacular views of English Harbour. Nelson’s Dockyard is a great historical place. Many expensive yachts there, I think in part because it is considered to be the world’s only fully restored dockyard.