Nelson's Dockyard and the Shirley Heights Sunday party
Overview
This is the classic Antigua Sunday: history in the afternoon, then music and a view you'll remember. You're collected from your hotel and driven to English Harbour on the south coast.
First comes Nelson's Dockyard, the only Georgian-era naval dockyard in the world that is still working. Horatio Nelson was based here from 1784 to 1787. Stroll between the restored stone warehouses and officers' quarters, the old boathouse pillars and the Dockyard Museum, while superyachts and sailing boats sit at the quays. The dockyard is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Late in the afternoon you head up to Shirley Heights, a restored military lookout and gun battery high above the harbour. Every Sunday it hosts the island's best-known party. A steel band plays as the sun goes down, followed by a reggae band. Grab a rum punch and some barbecue, and watch the light fade over English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour.
You're driven back to your hotel in the evening.
Highlights
- Walk Nelson's Dockyard, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- See the restored Georgian stone buildings and museum
- Sunset over English Harbour from Shirley Heights
- Live steel band followed by a reggae band
- Barbecue and rum punch at Antigua's best-known party
What's included
- Return hotel transfers
- Local driver-guide
- Entry to Nelson's Dockyard National Park
- Entry to the Shirley Heights Sunday party
- Food and drinks at Shirley Heights
- Tips
Request this tour
Send us your dates and a SkyRay advisor will confirm availability and price.
Itinerary
Frequently asked questions
The big party is every Sunday. There's also a smaller barbecue with reggae on Thursday afternoons. We can arrange a dockyard visit on any day.
Yes. Families are welcome, and children enjoy the music and the view. It gets busy, so keep little ones close after dark.
