Celebratory Family Vacation at Carlisle Bay, Antigua

Image 1: Lush Gardens at Carlisle Bay ; Image 2: Enjoying our FORA perk welcome amenity Champagne on our terrace

Location:

This secluded resort is located on a tranquil horseshoe bay in southwest Antigua, about a 40-minute car ride from V.C. Bird International Airport. The resort’s gorgeous sliver of beach is dotted with many loungers and umbrellas and palms to shade from the Caribbean sun. The calm turquoise waters are ideal for swimming, floating in the resort's several anchored water beds, snorkeling, paddle boarding or sailing. We never worried about the kids swimming in the calm water and they made plenty of friends to keep them busy! There are also several popular beaches and restaurants within a 10 to 15-minute drive of Carlisle Bay.

Image 1: We spent our days going between the beach and the pool ; Image 2: Carlisle Bay is located on a protected bay, ensuring calm, beautiful turquoise waters

Pro tip: If you feel comfortable driving on the left side of the road, I recommend renting a car so that you can freely explore the island. We liked to mix up resort time with afternoons spent at Half Moon Bay Beach and Ffryes beach, vibing to the reggae with a view at Shirley Heights Reggae Night and swimming with the rays at Sting Ray City.

Rooms

What drew us to this property initially was that all 87 rooms across all categories were suites with either balconies or covered terraces and ocean views. Beach balcony suites and beach terrace suites, located in the family area of the resort, have two separate bedrooms and a balcony off the main bedroom with beach views. The rooms were spacious, comfortable and well-equipped with a mini fridge, a well-stocked mini bar and an espresso maker, which we used each morning for coffees on the terrace with a view.

Pro tip: Many families with young kids opt for ground-level, ocean-front suites, which allow for parents to enjoy the terrace and ocean views while their little ones nap. Families are grouped together in one area of the resort, adults in another — a win-win for everyone.

Dining

The resort features four restaurants, one adults-only and three that are appropriate for families. Water-front Indigo on the Beach, poolside Italian spot Ottimo and our family favorite, East, which serves up Asian fusion cuisine with some dark and moody interior vibes. You can opt for a bed and breakfast rate or go all-inclusive. Special Fora dining perks include a delicious afternoon tea for adults and kids. There were lots of great healthy options, a variety of options for the kids, and the rum punches were to die for!

Amenities

Carlisle Bay has fabulous amenities for everyone, including water sports, a kids club, a strong tennis program, nightly entertainment and a relaxing spa. We got some tennis in a hobie catamaran lesson. The kids loved the kids club activities and water sports. They also looked forward to the re-stocked mini bar each day so they could divide up their daily allotment of chips and mini Cadbury chocolate bars (It’s the small things, am I right?)

Highlights

The property was lush and beautiful, the staff was warm and welcoming, the food was great and the views of the ocean and bay were just impeccable. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a bottle of champagne and some dried fruit and treats for the kids and a welcome note — thanks Fora perks! A warm welcome and a glass of champagne overlooking the tranquil bay was such a nice way to start our vacation.

One of our unexpected favorite aspects of the resort was that there was a great mix of other families from all around Europe and the US. Our kids loved swimming with new friends and learning British vocabulary from their new buds from the United Kingdom. They would pass notes to kids at other tables at dinner, and we became friends with the parents, too. By the end of the week we were taking photos together, us parents were exchanging emails and hugging goodbye. We made memories to last a lifetime! Thank you, Carlisle Bay and Antigua!

I recommend Carlisle Bay for a relaxing, luxury family vacation in the sun. This is a great spot for families with young kids and teens alike. It would be a great choice for multi-generational travel as well.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Antigua. In need of further inspiration? Check out Wendy Wallace’s guide, Easy Cultural Getaway to Antigua.