Get Straight to it

Who wouldn’t want an spontaneous Bae-Cation sponsored by their sweetheart amongst the Caribbean Sea? The answer is somebody out of their mind or someone who doesn’t like adventure (and that’s boring).

Here’s the scoop: it’s a quick cheap flight which is why we changed our plan from a weekend trip to New Orleans to Antigua & Barbuda.

Antigua is a small Island ~8miles long. There was an untouched appeal, like when you go to a destination that isn’t swarming with tourist. There are still chicken and cows roaming the streets and that to me is beautiful to see. Anyways, let me get out of my antisocial nostalgic reminiscing and tell you’ll about the island. Upon arrival things slowed down. Westerns are infamous for fast food, fast pace, fast living. This island is on “island time” and that can be refreshing for some and frustrating for others. My suggestion is to slow down, enjoy the view, and the company. I found the locals to be extremely down to earth once you engage with them.

Greeted by a lovely couple at our Airbnb with warm energy. The airbnb is in a gated area with two main houses and two guest houses. Our guesthouse was beside the pool and had a stunning view overlooking the island. Our walkway was surrounded by an assortment of fruit trees blooming with delicious treats. We admired them and our host promised us fresh homemade popsicles with the soursop grown on their trees. Those popsicles were so refreshing in the heat of the day. We also had a bottle of homemade rum punch waiting for us in the fridge. This is one of the many reasons I love Airbnb, what hotels provide this type of local and organic experience? The rum punch was also tasty, it was spiced just perfectly and the kick of alcohol was balanced with the sweetness of juice.

The first restaurant we went to was Casa Roots right on the beach. It was an quiet nestled and unassuming romantic setting. Once you find the place the aesthetics and vibe take over. It’s formal enough to put on your LBD but casual enough to enjoy the beach setting. We heard waves crashing as we ate and watched the sunset. We even walked along the beach while waiting on the food to arrive. Then we went to the bar to sample the special shots. We spent hours at the bar chatting with our waitress and bartender. We talked about the economy of the island as well as fun things to do and really got to know each other. We enjoyed the food and the company. There were a few different flavors, all made in-house. Our bartender “Spoon” gave us recommendations and we laughed the nigh away. He told us Huchins Bay is the expensive side of town and the nightlife is popping in English Harbor and named Cloggies as one of his go-to’s. The service was exceptional as well as the food, drinks, and dessert. I HIGHLY recommend.

The next morning we drove to the downtown area to find some breakfast. Not many places were open but fortunately one of the locals saw us looking for a place and decided to walk us to a spot. The breakfast spot he took us to was a donut shop called Donut Ace which is a local shop that also serves breakfast. I was excited about the menu as they had everything from pancakes to bacon to plantains and the sweet stuff was just a bonus. The cinnamon rolls looked amazing but it was a little too early for me to take on. This place is definitely a hidden gem, the locals swarm and there was a line out the door while we awaited our food. I suggest trying the coconut craze drink, you won’t regret it. So many sweets to choose from with my sweetie.

Then we went shopping, the downtown area is filled with local artesian shops, handmade crafts, and souvenirs. I opted for a handmade purse, I love finding unique accessories and rocking them with my future fits. I was also looking for an ankle bracelet and luckily we approached a little old lady near the pier. She was so lively and loving. She was selling necklaces and bracelets and when I told her I was looking for a anklet she ensured me not to worry and when I found the design I wanted she began crafting it for me on spot, custom-made for my ankle. This is my new Antiguan auntie. She was a joy and now I have a custom keepsake.

After shopping we wanted to check out the sting ray encounter at Stingray City Antigua. We walked right up and booked on the spot; although, it was nearly fully booked, so I suggest trying to reserve this in advance. The safety measures were in full affect, they ask you to wear your mask upon check in and sanitize your hands. The tour began with a safety brief and the guide showed us how to we should hold a stingray using a stuffed animal. It was comical and we all signed waivers and hoped on a boat. The boat ride isn’t too long before docking in the middle of the ocean to snorkel and see the stingray. The water is pristine, which made the stingray encounter even more exciting. The guides hold the stingray and pass them along to you when you are ready. They move your hands and capture photos as you try not to freak out or disturb the stingray. It’s a terrifying and exhilarating experience all at once. You also get a chance to feed them, which was terrifying for me because I didn’t want to loose a digit. I spent most the encounter screaming and hugging up on my beaux lol. There is a wide range of ages on this tour from toddlers to seniors. It was followed by the strongest of strong rum punch back on shore. This is where the fun continued as we got to know our fellow tourist. We met couples from New York, Colombia, and even locals from Antigua.

We spent our days at the beaches. They were secluded, clean, and pristine. The ocean water was warm, the perfect bae-cation vibe. We ended up near the Sandals Resort and saw their photographer making rounds photographing patrons with the Sandals sign on the beach. We also were able to enjoy one of the resort’s amenities without dishing out thousands of dollars for one night stay. On the hunt for the swim up bars we ended up at a lavish resort with many pools and bars. The property was also surrounded by cabana beds and hideaway spots for the taking. We wandered all around and claimed our spot on a beautiful hideaway facing the ocean sunset. It began to rain so we sat tight and waited it out. If that’s not the setting for a baecation I don’t know what is. After the rain stopped we called it a night and headed home. On the way to our homestay we stopped at a Jerk Stand on the side of the road since we Roti King had already closed. The Jerk Stand was a local vibe, with music playing, people playing dominos and just vibing out. We could see the jerk meats being cooked to perfection and cut by the cook in the back. The cashier was a young playful girl who kept us entertained as we waited on our food.

Our vacation to Antigua and Barbuda was phenomenal ! It was extremely short but we packed our days with adventure and relaxation. It was the perfect weekend getaway with bae.

Transportation Details

BWI-MIA-ANU (~6hrs of flight time total)

$450 RT

Car Rental (Drive-A-Matic Car Rentals booked on the spot at the airport)

$45 total for 3days ($10 mandatory driver’s license)

Accommodations Details

Airbnb in Saint George

$100/night

Cedar Valley View Villas

Activities

Beaches

Shopping

Sting Ray encounter

Swim up bars

Other Activities

Laviscount Island for giant tortoises and other tropical wildlife

Boat trips

Water Sports

Turtle snorkeling

Sailing (Sailing week held annually at the end of April)

Helicopter ride over volcanic Montserrat

Hiking

Recommendations

Food: Try the national dish fungie and any seafood dish

Drinks: Try the local Wadadli Beer and any drink with rum

Sports: Try/Watch Cricket, the national sport

Planning Tools

Suggested MINIMUM budget	$100/night accommodations $50/day meals $19/day transportation
Suggested Duration	4-6 days
Suggested Time of Year	February/March for best weather August (low season) for better prices but hottest weather

Homegirl Guide Inside Scoop

We didn’t get a chance to check out Barbuda but the locals seemed unimpressed. It’s an 90 minute ride on the ferry and there’s a bird sanctuary if you’re into that kind of things. The Antiguan people echoed there’s not much to see but y’all let me know if you end up finding out. The street food was bomb. There was a Jerk stand that was phenomenal and fried fish sandwich stands everywhere, where they will load it up with hot sauce and an assortment of toppings. The pricey food was great too! Everything we ate was flavorful and fresh. You can’t go wrong out here. There are resorts that house probably the majority of tourists so getting outside of those resorts will definitely get you off the beaten path to discover the wonders and this naturally beautiful island. & The majority of the population is black y’all ! I love to see it.