Fort James
Fort James
4
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British fort built in the 17th century to protect the entrance of St. John's harbor.
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4.0
265 reviews
Excellent
69
Very good
104
Average
68
Poor
20
Terrible
4
wwwGlobeTrekker
Sydney, Australia45 contributions
Mar 2020
We dropped in to see the fort on a day trip driving around the island; I'm glad we didn't make a special trip to go there. It's a crumbling ruin with a few rusty cannons pointed out to see. There is no onsite information - no boards, no signs, just the sorry-looking fort. Sad to see but also reflective of what has been happening in Antigua outside the expensive tourist areas. There is a surprisingly good bar & restaurant called Russell's nearby that saved the hour or so we spent there, although when looking at it from the fort side, we thought it was an abandoned house. But it's good inside and has a great view to sea with reasonably priced drinks and food.
Written 21 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JCW703
Jerusalem District, Israel3,145 contributions
Mar 2022
This is an old fort that has a lot of potential that is currently wasted. Some of the walls and buildings are in great shape, but have no signage or interpretation. Also there are substantial amounts of garbage and some human waste inside of the buildings the are falling down. With some investment and upkeep, the local government could turn this into a very worthwhile experience.
Written 25 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charles S
Northamptonshire, UK1,039 contributions
Apr 2022
On our visit to the lovely island of Antigua my wife and I arranged a bespoke island tour and Fort James was one of the many places our guide showed us. The fort was build to guard the entrance to St John's harbour with it's great vantagepoint. Unfortunately the fort is in poor repair and requires investment by the local government to refurbish and create a visitor attraction, hopefully this will happen for more visitors to St John's to enjoy this important landmark.
Written 10 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen B
Bridgewater, NJ1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Couples
The closest beach to the cruise ships, quick $5 pp taxi ride, ask to be dropped off at Millers. Here you will find lounge chairs for rent (we paid $10 each), wooden umbrellas for shade, bathrooms with showers, and a bar and grill for snacks or lunch. The beach is beautiful powdery sand and the water is clear and tranquil. No crowds, no vendors, ideal for anyone looking for a relaxing day.
Written 20 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David S
Middlesbrough, UK2,381 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Fort James sits at the entrance of the St. John’s harbour and was built by the British to help protect against invasion by the French. Today it is valued for the amazing view of the harbour and its well maintained foundation. Many old cannons remain at the site. My wife and I took in a visit as part of an island tour and really enjoyed the short stop off
Written 12 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bsmedmedphd
Pennsylvania1,538 contributions
Jan 2020
Hubby and I found Fort James while driving around in January 2020 during our second visit to Antigua. You can drive right up to it and there is a parking area available. It was neat to explore the overgrown ruins and see the old cannons. It’s fairly clean of garbage. Our dog enjoyed exploring and walking on the old walls (be sure to check out Goliath’s pics)! You can see Fort Barrington (reviewed separately) on the other side of the bay. A couple got engaged while we were there – so cute! On our way out, it began to rain and we saw a huge rainbow right in front of us! I hope you enjoy the photos I posted, especially the rainbow!
*Thank you for reading my review! Please click the “thumbs-up” below. :)
*Thank you for reading my review! Please click the “thumbs-up” below. :)
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JulesbSouthLondon
Coulsdon, UK270 contributions
May 2023
Interesting place for a short visit. You have to ask the security guard for the key and then it's about a 7 minute walk uphill to the top. The place isn't very well looked after. The views are ok but much views from Fort Barrington.
Written 13 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean Challenger
1 contribution
Nov 2022
The beach is totally awesome. It is an easy walk. closest beach to St. Johns. Awesome views. Mostly quiet. beach not flooded with visitors like a lot of other beaches. The Fort has great views but is run down. A bit of history and great beach in one. Restaurants also available. and Beach chairs and umbrellas available.
Written 21 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve R
Temecula, CA2,186 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
This is right next to fort James beach and easy to access. It is weird as there is no signage. Completely on your own to explore around. While we’re we’re there, there were a couple cars by the entrance with some strange activity. One man got out of his van with his pants down and just stared at us making us feel very uncomfortable. The canons are real cool though. I wouldn’t go out of your way to go here and after our experience, I wouldn’t go here alone either.
Written 22 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JerryAscione
Coral Springs, FL1,119 contributions
May 2021 • Solo
Lovely place with a cool story. Old cannons are still up and it’s in pretty decent shape being as old as it is. Took a horseback ride up there and watched the sunset. Jason is the best local for horseback.
Written 2 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Can anyone provide the hours of operation for Fort James?
Thanks!
Written 10 February 2020
It's open 24/7 but you probably want to go during daylight hours in order to see the sights.
Written 11 February 2020
Would it be safe/interesting to snorkel from the beach here or does it have too many crashing waves?
Written 18 January 2019
c'è una spiaggia qui? si può raggiungere a piedei dal terminal crociera?
grazie a tutti..
Written 15 January 2015
Si c'e una spiaggia piccola viccino al Fort James ma c'e una piu grande prima di arrivare alla fortalezza. Non si puo raggiungere a piede e troppo lontano dal terminal crociera, deve arrivare in macchina o in tassi.
Written 20 July 2016
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