Drive-A-Matic Car Rentals: Your Wheels for Wandering Antigua's 365 Beaches
Family-run island mobility since way before the rebrand — pick up your keys three minutes from the airport and go chase a beach a day.
Why Go
Antigua famously has 365 beaches — one for every day of the year — and roughly zero reliable ways to reach the good ones without your own wheels. Buses are sporadic, taxis add up fast, and the best snorkel coves (Half Moon Bay, Rendezvous, Ffryes) sit at the end of unmarked lanes that reward drivers who can pull over on a whim. Drive-A-Matic (now trading as SunCars, though locals still call it Drive-A-Matic) has been putting visitors behind the wheel from its Sir George Walter Highway base for years — a three-minute hop from V.C. Bird International that turns 'we just landed' into 'we're at the beach' faster than a taxi queue.
The Experience
The Sir George Walter Highway branch is the workhorse location — a straightforward counter-and-lot operation that trades hotel-lobby polish for genuine efficiency. Staff walk you through the paperwork (including the mandatory temporary Antiguan driving permit, which they process on the spot), hand over a paper island map that's more useful than Google Maps once you're chasing goat-track shortcuts on the Atlantic side, and get you moving. The fleet is practical rather than flashy: Kia Picantos and Hyundai i10s for couples pinballing between beaches, Suzuki Jimnys and Hyundai Cretas for the pothole-braving crowd headed to Rendezvous or Devil's Bridge, and the H1 van when it's a full crew with dive gear. Free hotel and cruise-port delivery means you don't have to start your holiday at the airport if you don't want to.
What to Try
Ask for a compact SUV (Jimny or Toyota Raize) if any part of your itinerary involves the south-coast dirt roads to Rendezvous Bay, the rutted track to Half Moon Bay, or the climb up to Shirley Heights for sunset — the little economy hatchbacks technically make it, but the extra clearance is worth the upgrade. Grab the complimentary paper map at the counter; cell coverage vanishes in the interior and around Boggy Peak. And take them up on the free baby seats rather than paying to check yours through.
Insider Tip
You must have a temporary Antiguan driving permit to legally drive here — Drive-A-Matic issues it at the counter for around US$20, so you don't need to detour to a police station. More importantly: Antigua drives on the LEFT, roundabouts are British-style (yield to the right), and roads are narrow with soft shoulders and the occasional wandering goat. Take the first ten minutes slowly, and if you're arriving on a night flight, splurge on airport delivery rather than trying to navigate roundabouts jet-lagged in the dark.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Suite 373, Sir George Walter Highway, St. John's — about 3 minutes' drive from V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU). Reservations: +1-268-562-8900 (toll-free 1-800-581-8773). Rentals include unlimited mileage, 24-hour emergency roadside service, and free delivery/pick-up to hotels, guest houses, and cruise ports. Bring your home driver's license plus a credit card for the deposit; the local permit is issued in-branch. Now operating under the SunCars brand — same ownership, same fleet, same phone number.
Pair It With
- Adventure Antigua — Park the car for a day and let Eli Fuller's family-run outfit take you out on a boat charter — the one part of the island you genuinely can't reach by rental car.
- Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority — The HQ is right on the same corridor — a quick stop for official maps, event calendars, and up-to-date road-closure info before you set off exploring.
- Antigua Hikes and Tours Guide — Perfect pairing for a car-plus-guide day: drive yourself to the trailhead, then hand the navigation over to a local for Signal Hill or the Wallings Rainforest circuit.
- Boardwalk Casino Guide — A late-night option a short drive from the rental office — handy if your flight lands early and you're killing time before hotel check-in.
