Antigua and Barbuda With Kids: A Family Guide

Antigua and Barbuda is a two-island nation in the eastern Caribbean, about four hours by air from New York. Antigua is the larger island with the resorts, the 365 beaches and all the infrastructure. Barbuda is 27 miles north, quieter, flatter, and famous for its frigate bird colony and pink sand. V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU) in St. John’s receives direct flights from Miami, New York JFK, Fort Lauderdale, Toronto, London Gatwick and several other Caribbean islands. English is the official language. The Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD) is the local currency, pegged at about 2.70 to 1 USD, but US dollars are accepted at most tourist spots.

When to go

Antigua and Barbuda by season

1. 1December through April
   

   Dry season

   The most popular window with temperatures around 25 to 29°C (77 to 84°F), low humidity and very little rain. Antigua Sailing Week falls in late April and brings a festive atmosphere. Christmas and February half-term are the busiest stretches. Book resorts three to six months ahead for peak weeks.

2. 2May through July
   

   Shoulder season

   Slightly warmer with occasional showers, usually brief. Hotel prices drop noticeably. The Antigua Carnival runs in late July and early August with parades, music and costumes. Water is warm and calm. A strong window for families who want good weather without peak pricing.

3. 3August through November
   

   Wet season

   Hurricane season peaks in September and October. Rain is more frequent but rarely all day. Some resorts close for maintenance in September. Travel insurance with hurricane coverage is essential. The trade-off is the lowest prices and the emptiest beaches.

Where to go

What families do in Antigua and Barbuda

Swim with stingrays on a shallow sandbar, zip through the rainforest canopy, sail in English Harbour where Nelson’s fleet once anchored, watch the sunset barbecue at Shirley Heights, and explore 365 beaches at your own pace.

Beaches and water

365 beaches, Stingray City and boat trips

Dickenson Bay is the main family beach with calm water, loungers and beach bars. Long Bay has shallow water where toddlers can wade out to a reef and see fish without a snorkel. Stingray City is a sandbar where kids stand in waist-deep water and interact with southern stingrays. Half-day boat trips from Jolly Harbour or English Harbour stop at secluded bays for swimming and snorkeling. A catamaran with a glass bottom works for non-swimmers.

History and nature

Nelson’s Dockyard, rainforest zip lines and Devil’s Bridge

Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only continuously working Georgian dockyard in the world. Shirley Heights above it has a lookout with views across the harbour and a Sunday afternoon barbecue with steel drums. The rainforest zip line and aerial walkway at Antigua Rainforest Canopy Tour runs above the valley floor. Devil’s Bridge on the east coast is a natural limestone arch with blowholes that spray seawater.

Wildlife and culture

Donkey Sanctuary, Wadadi Animal Park and Barbuda

The Donkey Sanctuary outside St. John’s has over 150 rescued donkeys that kids can feed and pet. Wadadi Animal Nature Park is a conservation-focused park with local and exotic animals and educational programmes. Barbuda is a day trip by charter flight or ferry and has a frigate bird sanctuary with one of the largest colonies in the Western Hemisphere. Betty’s Hope is a restored sugar plantation with working windmill sails.

Where to sleep

Accommodation in Antigua and Barbuda

Most families stay on the northwest coast around Dickenson Bay or the southwest coast near Jolly Harbour. All-inclusive resorts dominate, with several offering kids clubs and water sports included in the rate.

Royalton Antigua is one of the newer all-inclusive options with a kids club, splash park and multiple pools. St. James’s Club has two beaches and a kids programme. Villas around Jolly Harbour give you a marina, supermarket and restaurants within walking distance. Barbuda properties are small and remote, best suited to families with older children who are comfortable with limited dining options.

Getting around

How families get around Antigua and Barbuda

• Fly into V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU) in St. John’s. Direct flights from Miami (about 3.5 hours), New York JFK (about 4 hours), Toronto, London Gatwick and several Caribbean hubs
• Rental cars are the best way to explore the island. Driving is on the left. Roads are narrow and sometimes rough outside the main routes. A temporary local licence is required and issued at the rental desk for about $20
• Taxis are plentiful but unmetered. Agree on the fare before getting in. Airport to Dickenson Bay is about $15 to 20. Airport to English Harbour is about $30 to 40
• Barbuda is reached by a daily catamaran ferry (about 90 minutes) or a short charter flight (about 15 minutes)
• Water taxis and boat charters are available from Jolly Harbour and English Harbour for beach hopping and day trips

Before you go

The practical stuff

Beyond the resort

Day trips and excursions

Barbuda is the headline day trip. Fly or ferry over for the pink sand on Princess Diana Beach (locally called the 17-mile beach), the frigate bird sanctuary in Codrington Lagoon, and caves with Arawak petroglyphs. On Antigua, a circumnavigation by boat covers multiple beaches, snorkeling stops and lunch at a beachside restaurant in a single day. The National Sailing Academy in English Harbour offers half-day sailing instruction for families. Wallings Nature Reserve in the island’s interior has guided rainforest walks with wildlife spotting. Cedars Pottery near Jolly Harbour runs paint-a-pot sessions that younger kids enjoy.

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