If you are riding or just driving around the St'John's area, a visit to Fort Barrington guarding the Southern Side of the St John's bay is well worth the effort. It is only a few kilometers away. The whole peninsula is famous for its turquoise waters and, white beaches and luxury resorts- and the surf is suppose to be quite good here at times.
The road to the fort and the peninsula starts off just beyond the market, turning to the right with your back to town. The road leaves St John's through one of the poorest and seediest neighbourhoods of town- spot the brothely night club on the right hand side with the caged in window, and spare a kind thought for the modern day slaves probably toiling here.
You will come to a roundabout where a right turn will take you to Fort Barrington. Just go straight past the slowly decaying Royal Antigua Hotel. Park the car or bicycles by the small bridge spanning the murky lagoon in front of the same hotel and scramble up the hill to the fort complex. The views from the top are great, and the fairly well preserved buildings make the visit interesting ... And deep bay beach bellow is very inviting.
Return towards the roundabout and take the road to five Island village, a shanty town for resort workers. A little further along you will reach the Galley Bay resort, one of the most impressive in Antigua- definitively not for the anonymous or budget conscious traveller. The beach on which the resort is built is a popular surf spot (all beaches in Antigua are open to the public).
The road continues to Hawksbill resort, where a stretch of the fine white sand beach can also be used by non residents.