During European colonization of the Antilles in the 1700s, Antigua became the most important Caribbean base for the English crown. Admiral Horatio Nelson stood command over English Harbour, overseeing the protection of tall barkentines loaded with sugar, rum and gold set to sail for Bristol. Meanwhile, the English navy’s swift 30-cannon frigates set off in search of pirates and the Spanish, French and Dutch navies. The port was also a refuge from the elements for all types of ships from nations around the globe. A natural hurricane hole wreathed by protective mountains, English Harbour welcomed hundreds of vessels that put in whenever the seas got dark and stormy.  All that naval lore lives on in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park in English Harbour today.

This is easily Antigua’s most visited attraction with an eclectic array of pubs and restaurants, intimate inns, sail maker and shipwright shops, and charter boat services—all housed in 300-year-old buildings once used as sailor’s barracks. The best time to visit is during April and May when Nelson’s Dockyard is ground central for the hugely popular Antigua Sailing Week and Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. Literally thousands of sailors from as far away as Australia and Japan meet on the island to sing sea shanties and race among the tropical trade winds in everything from multi-million dollar mega-yachts to tired old wooden scows.

Gaming: Multiple casinos are spread throughout the island

Official language: English

Government: Member of the British Commonwealth

Temperature: Averages 79-86ºF

Rainfall: 40 inches annually

Official currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar, but U.S. dollar is widely accepted

Entry requirements: Valid passport or original birth certificate and valid I.D. photo in the form of a valid drivers license, plus onward airline ticket

Departure tax: $20