Family trip to Antigua Island with children. Ideas on where to go with your child

If you decided to go to Antigua with your children, you should definitely visit Stingray City. Hardly anywhere else in the world will you have a chance to communicate so closely with those amazing creatures. The dive into the unknown world of stingrays starts from the base. Experienced instructors will tell you and your child how to behave near these sea animals and how to feed them. The kids can first practice those skills right there on a toy. You can rent here a boat and a snorkel with a diving mask. The transportation to the place, where the stingrays are living, is already included in the excursion fee.

Under the instructors’ guidance, you can feed those sea creatures with calamari, pet them or swim with them. Those, who like snorkeling, will appreciate the opportunity to swim by themselves in the clearest water and to watch other underwater inhabitants. When you come back to the base, you can take a shower and buy a souvenir with a stingray picture for your child. If you want to walk through the island on foot, use The 5am Hiking Club service, which organizes walking tours around the island for people with different level of physical training. Honestly judge yours and your child’s skills, and go for a walk! You can visit a local settlement on your way, to see the life of the local people.

Children, who love animals and plants, will like a trip to the Wadadli National Park. Here you can not only see all the typical representatives of the local flora and fauna but also to hold and feed some of the animals. There is a 40-minute walking route on the territory of the park – your child won’t even get tired. There is also a restaurant in the park. The kids will also enjoy The Donkey Sanctuary. The entrance to the territory, where 150 species live, is free. The donkeys here are friendly towards the visitors, especially to children. You can even formally take custody of one of the donkeys for 25 dollars. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Take your child to Shirley Heights, aka English Harbour. A great view, an outdoor fish barbeque, and the War Museum, which all the boys are going to love. The kids enjoy collecting shells, all the more, there are a lot of them here, of different sizes and types. The biggest shells are usually at Jolly Beach. At Half Moon Bay you and your children can cover yourself with some curative mud. The boys will most likely enjoy jet ski riding or going fishing, where they can catch a tuna, a barracuda, or a dorado. You can also go on a “journey” to Barbuda – there is something to see there, so any children will like to change a scenery and get new impressions.

Little history fans would like to see Fort James, Fort Barrington, Nelson's Dockyard, Admiral's House Museum. Nelson’s Dockyard and Admiral’s House are directly related to Admiral Nelson – one of the most famous naval commanders of all times. There are no big amusement centers in Antigua and D-Boat is the only thing that can be considered as some kind of aqua park. It is a small boat, where you can eat at a restaurant, enjoy the great view of the island from the open sea, and go down the slides outside the boat. However, there are things to do here for children, and they will remember this place. Beautiful nature, clean beaches, friendly local people, flora and fauna, the landmarks of the colonial times – all of this will definitely impress any child.