Antigua means "ancient" or "old" in Spanish
At a local charity, ‘The Bourbon Bash’, for the Gary Senise Foundation, Bob was the highest bidder at a silent auction for a trip to Antigua.Â
We enjoyed a 7-day stay at The Verandah located in Willikies, a small settlement on the eastern side of Antigua.Â
The island boasts 365 beach fronts with crystal blue waters.Â
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Bob did his research before we traveled and hired a tour guide for a day trip around the island. I would highly recommend a tour rather than navigating the narrow, unmarked, poorly lit streets, especially at night. She also knew the areas to avoid and where the potholes were. 😉Â
Her contact info will be included below in this post.
Devil’s Bridge, Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, Shirley’s Heights,  Fig Tree Drive,  Half Moon Bay, St. John’s , Betty’s Hope Sugar Plantation are among just a few of the stops that Emelda has on her itinerary.Â
You might also like this link.…it’s a complete list of things to do!
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Our lunch in Nelson’s Dockyard at Copper Lumber was suggested by our guide and she didn’t get it wrong! It was the best meal we had during our stay in Antigua.
Shirley's Heights
It was a 30 minute drive up narrow winding roads to Shirley’s Heights  and the view was worth the trip!
You can visit during the week, but we heard there was a sunset party on Sunday evenings so we gave it a go. If large crowds, long food lines, and overly priced average food are your thing, then, by all means, have at it. We enjoyed the views and music for a short visit. Emelda will also bring you here on the non-party day. There is a fee to enter.
Sunset cruise turned party boat with Mystic Cruises
We had the best time with our friends. Did I mention that we traveled with another couple, good friends of ours? Anyway, the crew on this boat kept the party going with food and drinks. We relaxed, enjoyed the views and they kept our glasses full.Â
Just as the sun was setting, the rains that had threatened us all day began to fall. The crew quickly jumped into action, lowering sails, turning up the music, and refilling drinks. The fun had only just begun! The disc jockey’s music soon had everyone dancing in the rain and a conga line started up under the canopy. We were wet but our spirits weren’t dampened.
If you want a super thrill - check out Sting Ray City
Sting Ray City is surrounded by a Coral Reef and a 15 minute boat ride (2 rides actually) from The Verandah. It was very windy that day, so the water was high. Bob had a great time feeding the sting rays.Â
When you see a building with a sign that says “Hot Bread Sold Here”, you ask the driver to STOP and turn around! Fresh homemade bread, cheese, and butter….. So good for a quick on-the-road snack.
We also stopped along the road for a fresh sugar cane snack. Having Emelda as a driver is perfect. She knows the island!
As promised, here is the information for the tour guide that we used. She was friendly, and informative and accommodated us as needed. We had secured her ahead of our scheduled trip. She picked us up at the airport and returned us safely after our week was done. Â We invited her to join us for lunch at Copper Lumber and she was a welcomed addition.
I highly recommend her!
Crickets or Frogs ?
As you can hear, this incessant sound began as the sun set and continued all night until early in the morning. I didn’t lose any sleep over it, but it sure did spark a debate on my Instagram account as to whether they were crickets or frogs. When I first heard them I told Bob that I thought they were tree frogs. Â
I asked a young woman who worked at the resort and she told me they were large crickets. I had no reason not to believe her because I had seen what looked to me like very large grasshoppers. I have since googled it and the consensus is probably tree frogs. Oops!Â
So here is some trivia for you. Antigua is lush with rainforest so bugs are plentiful. You would think snakes would be too. Were we told there were no snakes on the island because the mongoose took care of business and eliminated them.
Partly true – the facts are here.
This wraps up our trip to the island of Antigua! See you on our next venture back to 6 Caribbean Islands on our upcoming first-ever, Virgin Voyage!
Before you leave me, please check out this great place to eat at the Miami Airport!
~Kat
Clubhouse One - Miami Airport
If you find yourself in North Terminal, Concourse D – 2nd Level Departures by Gate D-24, you won’t regret a meal at Clubhouse One
Our travel friends knew of this place so it came highly recommended. As a foodie myself, I find most airport food just that…..airport food.Â
The wedge salad was a must he said and he was right. I make a pretty darn good wedge and this was ‘almost’ as good as mine. 😉
Bob loves a good, authentic Cubano and this did not disappoint!
Oh, and both of these were enough for 2. Totally shareable.Â
We will be in the Miami airport again soon and I’m looking forward to a revisit!
