FFryes Beach, Dickenson Bay beach or Beach Limerez ?

[volk904]

Looking at our options for Antigua in 2 weeks.  Looks like the ship has beach extrusion to both FFryes and Dickenson Bay. We could taken them or cab it on our own. Price is not awful.  
I know Beach Limerez has some fans on here. But the idea of walking 200 yards down the road for beach access is a negative to us. Love to have some feedback. 

[volk904]

Anybody know anything about Jolly Beach?

Edited January 29, 2020 by volk904

[MKellyUtah]

Consider Fort James beach.  We went there for the first time in December.  Short cab ride ... beach bar / restaurant (they'll serve you food and/or drink where you're sitting) ... natural shade areas & loungers/umbrellas ... nice beach & easy access in and out of the water (no large drop-off like on some of the beaches.)  Cab driver came back & picked us up at designated time as requested.  We've done Turner's and Valley Church beaches in the past, they're fine --- but this one was less crowded and the easy in-and-out of the water seals the deal for us.  I plan on writing up a little report on it & posting it here soon.

[kstetser]

Are people constantly pushing you to buy things on Fort James Beach?  We are looking for a relaxing beach day  where we can swim/eat/drink and relax.  My friend was just in Antigua for a Port stop and said she felt the vendors were super aggressive everywhere they went.

[MKellyUtah]

Kstetser:

The day we were there, we dealt only with the guy who directed us to a chair/umbrella & took our money, and a friendly waitress who came and took & delivered our drink order.  No other vendors or sales people on our visit.  We had the taxi driver come back to pick us up after only 2 hours because we didn't realize how close to port or how nice it was.  We're headed back to Antigua in November, will stay longer next time.  A very relaxing & pleasant day.

[volk904]

On 1/28/2020 at 11:48 PM, MKellyUtah said:

Consider Fort James beach.  We went there for the first time in December.  Short cab ride ... beach bar / restaurant (they'll serve you food and/or drink where you're sitting) ... natural shade areas & loungers/umbrellas ... nice beach & easy access in and out of the water (no large drop-off like on some of the beaches.)  Cab driver came back & picked us up at designated time as requested.  We've done Turner's and Valley Church beaches in the past, they're fine --- but this one was less crowded and the easy in-and-out of the water seals the deal for us.  I plan on writing up a little report on it & posting it here soon.

 

5 hours ago, kstetser said:

Are people constantly pushing you to buy things on Fort James Beach?  We are looking for a relaxing beach day  where we can swim/eat/drink and relax.  My friend was just in Antigua for a Port stop and said she felt the vendors were super aggressive everywhere they went.

 

On 1/28/2020 at 11:48 PM, MKellyUtah said:

Consider Fort James beach.  We went there for the first time in December.  Short cab ride ... beach bar / restaurant (they'll serve you food and/or drink where you're sitting) ... natural shade areas & loungers/umbrellas ... nice beach & easy access in and out of the water (no large drop-off like on some of the beaches.)  Cab driver came back & picked us up at designated time as requested.  We've done Turner's and Valley Church beaches in the past, they're fine --- but this one was less crowded and the easy in-and-out of the water seals the deal for us.  I plan on writing up a little report on it & posting it here soon.

Looking forward to your report. Something else to consider for sure. It sound like what we are looking for.

[DiveVision]

On 1/28/2020 at 11:48 PM, MKellyUtah said:

Consider Fort James beach.  We went there for the first time in December.  Short cab ride ... beach bar / restaurant (they'll serve you food and/or drink where you're sitting) ... natural shade areas & loungers/umbrellas ... nice beach & easy access in and out of the water (no large drop-off like on some of the beaches.)  Cab driver came back & picked us up at designated time as requested.  We've done Turner's and Valley Church beaches in the past, they're fine --- but this one was less crowded and the easy in-and-out of the water seals the deal for us.  I plan on writing up a little report on it & posting it here soon.

You are right on the money with Fort James Beach.  We have been there several times. $6 for a short cab ride. This is also the beach where Beach Limerz is located. I have never seen it crowded and have never been accosted by vendors there. 

Edited January 30, 2020 by DiveVision

[CintiPam]

On 1/28/2020 at 9:58 PM, volk904 said:
I know Beach Limerez has some fans on here. But the idea of walking 200 yards down the road for beach access is a negative to us. Love to have some feedback. 

Volk904, what do you mean by having to walk 200 yards for beach access?  We were thinking of booking Beach Limerz for our March Antigua port day due to its several good reviews on this board.  
 

i thought Beach Limerz is located right on Fort James Beach??

 

 

[volk904]

Pam I have read Beach Limerz is at Fort James Beach. MY question was for the beach in front of  Beach Limerz in general not the whole area. There was a poster on one of these resent Beach Lemerz threads that said the beach in front of the bar was in bad shape for getting into the water because the sand has washed out. It went on to say that it happens a few time per year and then the sand comes back. The poster said they walked down a trail about 200 yards and found a great level beach access point.

The sand could be back now for all I know thus my question.

[Saphira7]

On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2020 at 9:58 PM, volk904 said:

Looking at our options for Antigua in 2 weeks.  Looks like the ship has beach extrusion to both FFryes and Dickenson Bay. We could taken them or cab it on our own. Price is not awful.  
I know Beach Limerez has some fans on here. But the idea of walking 200 yards down the road for beach access is a negative to us. Love to have some feedback. 

I was just at Beach limerez last week on Monday the 27th.  I can't say enough good things about it, we had a fantastic day!  I am getting ready to post a review on it in just a few in a new topic.

[volk904]

On 2/4/2020 at 8:10 AM, Saphira7 said:

I was just at Beach limerez last week on Monday the 27th.  I can't say enough good things about it, we had a fantastic day!  I am getting ready to post a review on it in just a few in a new topic.

How much was the cab fare?

[Saphira7]

24 minutes ago, volk904 said:

How much was the cab fare?

We set it up through beach limerez for $6 a person each way. 

[elaine5]

just returned from Ffryes beach. We walked off ship and someone in Antigua tours/tourism/taxi shirt asked if we needed a tour. We said we wanted a group shuttle to Ffryes. Group was formed in 5 minutes and we went in a nice minibus to Ffryes. $8/each way. 1/2 group wanted pick up 1 hour earlier than others, so driver said he'd send someone back to get us at the later hour also. We went to the side of Ffryes just past where cruise ships go, so access to facilities, but out of the crowds.

At Ffryes, the driver passed us to a lady who arranged chairs, umbrellas if you wanted, and no hassle if not. She also had a small bar set up. A few vendors selling beach and local items and some offering watersports. No hassling at all. I felt sorry for the watersports guy as it was an older crowd and I don't think anyone went jet skiing all day. 

We loved it and would go back again. The restaurant that the cruise uses for lunch was lovely and I would eat or get a drink there just to sit for the beautiful view. They also have bathrooms that you can use. Great day! solid A. Beach has a bit of a slope into water and there is some wave action--steeper and wavier than Magens in St Thomas. Fine for us, maybe a bit too much for young kids or very elderly (my Mum would have not been able to go into the water--vs. Magens was fine for her).

Edited March 1, 2020 by elaine5

[MKellyUtah]

Elaine 5: Thanks for the review of Ffryes Beach.  Always good to have firs-person reports on beaches.  So many to choose from in Antigua ...