Lights, Camera, Action in Antigua

Our romantic debut in Antigua —

Mr. TWS and I are both romantics and often travel to places that are the epitome of  romance. The island of Antigua fits that description well. There will be more to come on the blog about our time in Antigua where we engaged in  a range of activities — eating well, enjoying outdoor recreation, embracing some adventure, and feeling the love.  In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy and be inspired by these photos and commentary (below the pics) that we’ve also shared on Instagram. Are you following us there? Please do!

On-camera romance in Antigua

There was something quite different about this trip. While we were discovering the best of the island and enjoying ourselves, we were often in the company of a professional camera crew filming our authentic experiences. Surprisingly, it all felt so natural that it didn’t take away from the fun, romance, or excitement.

Romance on the Caribbean

The Traveling with Sweeney love birds aboard the @tropicaladventuresantigua powerboat catamaran for a boat tour around the island.

Photographer Woody Woodson capturing the view

It’s been pretty cool hanging out with top-notch professional photographers like @woodsoncamera this week in #antigua — I like this shot of Woody in action capturing a beautiful view.

Romance on the beach

Ffryes Beach

Ffryes Beach

Ffryes Beach on the west coast of Antigua is one of the most popular beaches on the island. We found it quiet and romantic on the afternoon we spent here. Dennis Beach Bar and Restaurant, located just above the far end of the beach, is a great spot for a drink or meal while enjoying the views.

Dickinson’s Beach

Dickenson Bay Beach

Fun in the sun along Dickinson Bay Beach on the northwest side of Antigua. It was one of the romantic beaches we enjoyed during #destinationtakeover.

Adventures and misadventures

It wasn’t all about romance specifically, but participating in recreational and cultural activities are great ways to enjoy being together as well. When those activities present a challenge, it’s especially nice to have some loving support.

Ziplining

Zip-lining is not on my list of “just for the fun of it” exploits. Rather, it’s something that takes me out of my comfort zone and into the realm of doing something for the challenge with the potential of being fun. During our zipline experience with @AntiguaZipline, my form was terrible — spinning around mid-way on the first zip and awkward platform landings — as you’ll see in photos in future posts, but I accomplished what I set out to do. Yay for me!

Geared up for ziplining

Like the new look? Ready to zipline! … A challenging, but ultimately fun activity during our #destinationtakeover trip to Antigua. Might be able to come up with some “during zip lining” pics for you later.

Stingray City

A boat ride to a platform on a Caribbean reef gave us the experience of snorkeling and hanging out with gentle stingrays. Although this kind of water activity is definitely outside my comfort zone, I briefly donned snorkel gear and got up close and personal to a few of these beautiful creatures. You’ll find out more later about how I managed once in the water.

Stingray City boat dock

It was a beautiful Sunday in Antigua as we took off with Stingray City Antigua to snorkel and watch the gentle stingrays gliding through the water.

Biking and kayaking

I love riding bikes. Always have. On our Trifle Excursions tour we biked our way to the kayaking location and then later to Fort James Beach for a break and a walk up to historic Fort James.

I was a little apprehensive about the kayaking part since my first experience on a kayak on a river in Montana was not so pleasant. This was much more to my liking as the kayak was not the type where your legs are covered (which makes me feel trapped) and the water was calm. Our guides, Mark and Giles, also made us feel very comfortable and safe.

Kayaking with Trifle Excursions

Fun, fun, fun morning biking and kayaking with Trifle Excursions Antigua @triflexcursion on their 3-hour Fort James Tour. Feet belong to Mr. TWS.

There are more stories to be told about our adventures and misadventures in future episodes of our exploits including our Hash House Harriers excitement.

Wining, dining, and liming

Eat n Lime tour — food, rum, and local history

Did you know that “liming” in Antigua means to be chilling out/hanging out? Liming while eating local foods is especially enjoyable.

Tiffany of Eat ‘n Lime Food Tours

Food tour tip! When visiting #Antigua schedule a walking tour with @eat_n_lime_food_tours for a taste of the island. Tiffany took us to local spots to try delicious foods like curry chicken roti, sweet buns with Jamaican cheese, seafood appetizers and more tasty treats. We also made our own rum punch and sampled Wadadli beer (brewed in Antigua). It was a great tour with very interesting historical and cultural commentary as we walked through downtown St. John’s. Keep an eye on the blog for more about the tour.

Nicole’s Table Cooking Class

View from Nicole’s Table

Pretty view from a hilltop home in Antigua where we took a great cooking class with @nicolestable . More to share soon about our afternoon of cooking with Nicole and sharing the scrumptious meal we prepared with nice people we met in the class. In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful scene.

Nicole’s Table Cooking Class

Probably not a surprise that some of my favorite experiences in Antigua involve food. A highlight that you’ll hear more about soon on the blog was a Caribbean cooking class at Nicole’s Table. It was all about fun and freshness as we prepared recipes in her “All About Jerk” class. This is just a taste — And Nicole’s home has a stunning view as you can see here in the pic with my fellow “chefs-in-training”. 😊Nicole also gave us a tour of her garden where she gets many of her ingredients.

Papa Zouk

Bert Kirchner of Papa Zouk

Welcome to Papa Zouk, a super fun fish and rum spot in Antigua specializing in amazing fresh seafood — most notably a whole red snapper. Mr. TWS was in seafood heaven! I was thrilled to meet and interview the restaurant’s owner Bert Kirchner, a very interesting man with engaging stories to tell. I’ll share more soon on the blog, including the story behind the name.

Hodges Bay Resort and Spa

Farewell dinner at Hodges Bay Resort and Spa

Back home from our week in #Antigua, I’m reminiscing about lobster with fresh veggies and rice and beans; lionfish ceviche; and coconut custard at @hodgesbay_antigua. #FoodieFriday memories of our farewell dinner on the dock in front of the Boonji Spaceman sculpture by @brendanmurphyart

There is more about our dining experiences to come in future posts.

Romance at Hodges Bay Resort and Spa

The happy couple just arrived at @hodgesbay_antigua — fun and romantic times ahead!

Note: Antigua Barbuda Tourism Authority sponsored our island exploration, but the perspectives and recommendations in this article are strictly our own — as always.

Stay tuned for more about our Antigua highlights — romance and more.

PIN IT!