Antigua Shore Excursions

Things to Do with a Day on the Caribbean Island of Antigua

Antigua (An-TEE-ga) is famous for its British heritage, its sailing and its 366 beaches--one for every day of the year. Antigua is the largest island in the British Leeward islands, and tourism is the biggest industry. Aficionados of British Naval history will be enthralled with English Harbour, home of Nelson's Dockyard National Park, one of the major historical attractions of the Caribbean. Many compare the Dockyard with Williamsburg, Virginia (only on a smaller scale), since it has many craft shops, restaurants, and restored buildings and hotels.

The Seven Seas Mariner had six shore excursions available here. It was our last port of call on our Caribbean cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, so we were ready to spend our last shore day doing something fun and exciting. We chose the snorkel adventure on the beautiful catamaran the Excellence, and then wandered the busy streets in the afternoon. Other possible shore excursions in Antigua include --

• Jeep Safari
  This 3-hour tour takes a few hardy souls to some of the most beautiful places on Antigua, many of which are inaccessible to buses or cars. The adventure covers panoramic vistas of English Harbour, shore roads, and quaint Antiguan villages.

• Kayak and Snorkel Adventure
  I've never been in a kayak, and I've always wanted to try. A guide leads 2-person kayaks around the mangroves and inlets of Antigua to view the scenery and wildlife. After kayaking for a while, the group goes snorkeling. The tour ends with a ride to Seaton's Ridge, where the group enjoys a panoramic view of Mercer's Creek.

• Snorkel Adventure
  An 80-foot catamaran named the Excellence takes a group snorkeling to some of the protected reef national parks of Antigua. In addition to snorkeling, the tour includes a ride along the tropical coast of Antigua, giving the passengers a look at the island from the sea. We enjoyed this excursion very much, and the boat was gorgeous.

• Spectacular Antigua
  History buffs might want to take this 3.5 hour excursion, which includes stops at English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard. If the day is clear, the group might catch a glimpse of Montserrat from Dow's Hill Visitors Center or of Guadeloupe from the Blockhouse Ruins.

• Helicopter Flight to Volcanic Montserrat
  Anyone who is fascinated by volcanoes and nature may want to splurge on this look at the devastation on Montserrat caused by the Soufrierre Hills Volcano. Anyone who is a fan of TV nature shows or the news has probably seen the amazing power of this volcano. The helicopter ride takes the passengers over the excursion zone, which is off limits to ground or foot traffic. Much of this gorgeous tropical island is now covered with lava or ash.

• SCUBA Diving in Antigua
  The dive boat takes certified divers on a trip to explore the depths around Antigua.