St John’s Tourist Places to Visit in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, America
St John’s is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda geographically positioned between 17°7′ N latitude and 61°51′ W longitude covering an area of 10 sq. km. St John’s houses American University of Antigua, Antigua Recreation Ground and Museum of Antigua and Barbuda as well as headquarters of Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority.
The economy of St John’s is centered on loaded tourism with many wonderful beaches, museums and ancient forts from the British colonial period. St John’s is also home to most of the huge shopping malls of Antigua and Barbuda and the branches of major financial institutions of the world.
History of St. John’s:
St. John’s became the capital of Antigua and Barbuda when the country got independence from the British in 1981.
How to reach St. John’s?
St. John’s is catered by VC Bird International located on the outskirts of the town. There are more than 10 major airlines serving VCBIA with regular flights from and to many USA, Canada, Caribbean and European locations and the main air operators include American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Caribbean Airlines.
St. John’s is also served by regular buses, charging US$1-2 per person and the major bus station is placed on Market Street. Tourists can hire car or taxi from their hotels.
Culture, Food and Shopping in St. John’s:
St. John’s is a city with diverse cultural centres including Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, Museum of Marine Art and sport centres such as Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and The Antigua Recreation Ground.
The major shopping centres in St. John’s are:
- Zemi Art Gallery
- Island Mantra
- Redcliffe Quay
- Sarah Fuller’s Pottery
List of prominent food corners in St. John’s include:
- Cafe Bambula
- C&C Wine Bar
- Roti King
- Australian Homemade Antigua
Things to do in St. John’s:
- Cedar Valley Golf Club
- Miguel’s Holiday Adventure
- King’s Casino
Places of interest in and around St. John’s:
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda:
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda was built in 1747, presently sited in the colonial Court House. It showcases artifacts from Arawak and colonial period and also features Arawak House’s replica and a cricket bat of West Indies Cricket legend, Viv Richards.
St. John’s Cathedral:
St. John’s Cathedral was originally constructed in 1683, rebuilt in 1745 and renovated once again in 1845 (after strongly damaged by earthquakes) with white twin towers. Architect J. Fuller was the designer of the cathedral.
Antigua Recreation Ground:
Antigua Recreation Ground is a national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda and hosted many international cricket matches and witnessed major records that set by the West Indies Cricket legends Viv Richards (fastest test match century off 56 balls) and Brian Lara (400*).
Other places of interest near St. John’s are:
- Reservoir Range
- Fort Barrington
- Galley Bay Beach
- Harmony Hall
- Jabberwock Beach
- Fort James
- Betty’s Hope
- Heritage Quay
- Barbuda Express
- Fort Bay Beach
- Wadadli Animal Nature Park
- Dutchman’s Bay
Best time to visit St. John’s:
The month of November will be the best time to travel St. John’s when the holiday season just begins.
Accommodation options in St. John’s:
St. John’s houses all the kinds of accommodation centres categorizing from cheap motels to luxury resorts. Rented apartments are relatively cheaper options and luxury resorts offer facilities of tennis instruction, meeting space, beauty and massage services, airport shuttle and hot water bath and much more. List of major hotels and resorts in St. John’s are:
- Galley Bay Resort
- Siboney Beach Club
- Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa
- The Villas at Sunset Lane
- Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort
- Hermitage Bay
- Blue Waters Antigua
- Cocos Hotel Antigua
- Grand Pineapple Beach Antigua
- Coconut Beach Club
- Antigua Village
- Valley Creek Hotel
- Jolly Harbour Villas
- Hawksbill by Rex Resorts
- Trade Winds Hotel
- Halcyon Cove by Rex Resorts