Help - I'm booking on Expedia later today, Sandals. Any ideas about restaurants, tours, places to visit? Thanks.

I was in Antigua last in November and will be back again in May--it's one of my favorite places to visit in the Caribbean.

For restaurants, I recommend Le Bistro and Chez Pascal for French/continental cuisine that is lightened up somewhat by local Caribbean touches. Neither is affiliated with a hotel. Coconut Grove at the Siboney Beach Hotel is in a wonderful setting right on the water--one of the best atmospheres on the island. Hemingway's in St. John's town is great for lunch if you're there shopping or browsing one day. Good prices, good food, and great people watching opportunities from the outdoor, second floor balcony. It's shaded and has ceiling fans, so it's quite comfy even for lunch. The Beach is a very casual restaurant and beach bar on Dickenson Bay that frequently has live entertainment at night. They even have tables set up right on the sand if you so choose.

I recommend Eli for his kayak and snorkeling eco tours. When on Antigua for a wedding we booked a private catamaran for our large group through Wadadli Cats, which was terrific. They offer daily tours, and based on their very personalized service I would recommend them.

If you go before the second week of May, try to get to Harmony Hall on the east coast. It's an Italian restaurant, art gallery and gift shop--definitely worth the hassle of getting there--and they provide their luncheon customers with free transport out to Green Island for snorkeling or sunbathing.

Nelson's Dockyard is fun on days when there are no cruise ships docked in St. John's. Otherwise the crowds are overwhelming. The animatronic display at the information center is a good overview ofo the island's history, even if it does skim right over the perpetually thorny issue of slavery.

Shirley's Heights is fun on a Sunday evening for live music and BBQ. I also enjoy catching a quiet moment in the cathedral downtown--it's worth a visit. As is the Antigua & Barbuda museum.

You'll be situated right on the busiest beach, but if you want to get away for some solitude, try Half Moon, Darkwood, or Ffryes Beach--pack a picnic and enjoy it. Either rent a car for a few days or arrange with a taxi driver to drop you off and pick you up at a certain time.

Antigua is great--I hope you're able to get out and about from Sandals to see what the island has to offer. The Sandals there isn't that great, so if you've not already booked, you might want to consider other locations...

Many thanks, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Expedia is calling me in one hour to complete the reservation. I'm afraid I'm don't have an option about Sandals - I'm taking relatives and they insist on an all-inclusive deal, even though I'm paying for it, LOL. They stayed at another Sandals one time, and they apparently want to be able to dine, etc. without concern for bills. I will however use the other information ... thank you very, very much. By the way, using Expedia instead of Sandals has saved me thousands!!! Literally. No real surprsie, I suppose, but it's always good to reinforce a good practice.

Well, glad to be of help. Aren't you the swell fellow to be taking his relatives on vacation? As your trip approaches, let me know if you have more questions. Antigua is an island that doesn't get much attention on this board for some reason.

Thanks, for the kind words. We always said if we made some money off investments, and we did, we'd take my partner's parents wherever they wanted to go, to pay them back for all their support to us. They selected the Caribbean, and we chose the island. We originally looked at the three Sandals in St. Lucia, but travel times were not great. We like Guadeloupe, started going there in the early 80s, but it's not their cup of tea ... want a place with English as the main language. Anyway, thanks for the help, and we'll post a report when we return. Have a good weekend.