Shirley Heights Lookout, Antigua

No trip to Antigua is complete without at trip to Shirley Heights Lookout, one of the most popular tourist activities on the island. Home to a BBQ party complete with a live steel drum band and arguably some of the best views on the island, it isn't to be missed.

Every Sunday at around 4pm, throngs of tourists descend upon Shirley Heights to catch the sun setting over the postcard perfect English Harbour, which is dotted with sleek yachts and stylish sail boats .

Food and drink options at Shirley Heights Lookout

Shirley Heights Lookout has an onsite restaurant and bar, serving up strong rum punch cocktails and a BBQ feast including a variety of meat options such as grilled pork, chicken, cheeseburgers and ribs served with potato salad and garden salad. There’s not really anything for vegetarians to enjoy, so do keep that in mind if you’re a veggie! While the food here is steeply priced (and only OK quality wise), we felt it added to the overall experience. 

Dance to the steel drum band at Shirley Heights Lookout

We were amazed by the 14-member steel drum band, which had everyone on their feet dancing to popular songs.  The charasmatic drummers never missed a beat as they performed song after song, making their performance seem almost effortless.  

After the steel drum band had finished playing, a live band took over the entertainment, playing top pop songs to keep the party atmosphere alive.

The party tends to wind down around 7:30pm when local taxis start to arrive to collect visitors. At around 8pm, we left Shirley Heights with smiles on our faces, still buzzing from the performances. Overall, we'd definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Antigua.

Top tips for visiting Shirley Heights

• Ensure that you wear sensible shoes as there are very steep drops and you don’t want to lose your footing when you’re capturing that all important sunset shot! 
• Be prepared to wait in long queues to be served food and drink

​A.A. Miln






​Looking for accommodation in Antigua?  We recommendSugar Ridge and Keyonna Beach Hotel - two gorgeous luxury resorts that boast impressive locations and superb service. 

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