“St. John”… Tips & Tricks!
So, you have been dreaming of getting away, since I don’t know? It’s no surprise that St. John is our favorite place to visit. And believe it or not it’s not because of Kenny, in fact that is not at all what brings us back there so often. It’s the beautiful beaches, hiking, food, culture and amazing people. His music may have originally introduced us to the islands, but now it is not at all why we continue to visit. We get so many questions on the ins and outs of visiting the Virgin Islands. By the way… there is no S at the end of St. John… that is a completely different place. We aren’t the all inclusive resort type travelers, so this blog will be more of a down and dirty, non-touristy version on the way to visit St. John. And we might add… a pre-covid version. We might add that all of September the island almost shuts down… that’s when most locals do maintenance on their business and since it is the height of hurricane season they take many of their on vacations. We have been to St. John at all different times. You really can’t go wrong as they are almost always sunny and the beaches are always open! One our favorite times to visit is the end of October. Less crowded and the island is just waking up from the break.
First things First
Where to stay and how to get there. Fly into St. Thomas… American, Spirit, Delta and Jet Blue offer flights. Pack light, we promise you… all you will need is a carryon. Once you land grab a taxi. They are all right outside the terminal. You will be stuffed in with others to fill a van… it’s part of the experience and that’s how they save on gas. You can catch two different ferries to get you over to St. John. It’s all about timing. The most convenient option is the Crown Bay Ferry, it is 5 minutes from the airport and a 45 minute ferry ride. They have limited times so check out their website for details. https://www.interislandboatservices.com/ The other ferry is Red Hook and is 45 minutes from the airport, it cost more in taxi fares and is a shorter trip on the water. They have hourly trips that you might find more convenient. https://stjohnticketing.com/
We love to stay at the St. John Inn. Dave, the owner is a good friend and welcomes our tribe every visit. It’s a bed and breakfast. A plus with this is the breakfast part. It’s a continental type but that alone with a nice cup of coffee gets you started if you are on a budget. https://stjohninn.com/
Want more of a resort? We also like Gallows Point. Especially if you have to have a view! Nice pool and great location. Both places are within walking distance of the main town of Cruz Bay. This is important to us for a couple of reasons and as you read we will explain. You can always go on line and rent some amazing villas. We don’t usually do this as we are NEVER in the villa, except to sleep, as there is so much to do every day and for the cost, we would rather be out enjoying the island. Couple of things to remember… it’s an island, so limited water pressure and water in general so please be conservative on your water usage. You may picture your place to stay right on the beach or water… well that’s a rare commodity in St. John since all the best beaches are part of the National Park. The Westin is a commercialized resort type place with a beach. You can certainly look into staying there. Keep in mind it is not walking distance to anything but what is within the resort. They do offer taxi service for a charge and please always tip. .
Renting a Jeep, Walking or Taxis
Drinking and not driving. Driving on the lefts gotta be learned. Rental jeeps are expensive. Parking is horrible all over the island. For those reasons we plan accordingly. For the first few days we don’t rent a jeep. We stick close to town and hike the Lind Point Trail from Cruz Bay to two of the most beautiful beaches on the island… Solomon and Honeymoon. Start at the National Park Dock right next to the trail entrance in Cruz Bay. Pop into the offices to ask any hiking questions before you head out.
On the second day we like to charter a boat to go over to the BVIs… nothing like a painkiller at Soggy Dollar. Or we like to make our own painkillers at Gertrude’s. Our friends Jimmy and Bridget own Palm Tree Charters and they can take you out for a day that will totally embrace the songs “When I See This Bar” and “Audios To Jost”! https://palmtreecharters.com/ Remember your passport. Chartering a boat independently or with a group is also the only way you are going to get to the famous floating taco bar “Lime Out”. It’s an extremely popular attraction and definitely a must do. The tacos are the best we have ever had and the drinks go down smooth… you have to try the Hunters Passion. Unfortunately you won’t be able to do both in the same day. You will have to do two boat days to experience both the BVI”S White Bay beach bar crawl and Tacos at Lime Out in Coral Bay! It’s the equivalent of spending two days at Disney… cost wise for chartering the boat as well as the enjoyment. For Lime Out we recommend the party pontoon boat, Salt Deck. https://saltydazeusvi.com/salt-deck/ Your boat days are the adult version of Disney. We have to throw in a third recommendation for a day on the water that is a little slower paced… Kekoa. She is a beautiful sail boat with a special story. https://blacksailsvi.com/
The Hiking and Beaches
On that third or fourth day we like to rent a Jeep from Mr. Pipers… Its right next to the St. John Inn. Never rent your Jeep in St. Thomas… the car ferry is a mess. Now we can drive to the more remote beaches and Hike, check out all the ruins or just lounge on our favorite beach… Maho. Always pack a snorkel, just about every beach has some amazing snorkeling and we can pretty much guarantee you will see a sea turtle at Maho. Please do not touch the sea turtles. As you drive along there are clear signs for almost every beach. It really takes you two to three days to see them all. Favorite Hike… Peace Hill. It’s two amazing hikes in one. Where it forks off… go left up to the sugar mill with amazing views. Then, as your coming down go left on the little donkey trail. It takes you to the most private and beautiful beach called Denis Bay. Before we head out each day we like to stop at North Shore Deli in Mongoose Junction or Provisions around the corner from St. John Inn (great coffee at Provisions) and get sandwiches for beach picnics. Bring plenty of water and closed toe hiking sandals like Merrells or Keens are a must. Pack only reef safe sunscreen!
If you are not ready to tackle driving on the left yet, you can also visit almost all the beaches using the local taxis in Cruz Bay the prices vary from $10-$20 a person and you have to communicate your pick up time and place. Our favorite taxi driver is Kedja-STJ Taxi. Her number is 340-513-8562.
If you want to get the lay of the land first, we suggest our great friend Jenn from Explore St. John. explorestj.com. It’s an extra special Jeep tour experience, She will get you familiar with the island and can give you more tips and the history of St. John.
Coral Bay
We usually mark off at least one day for a drive out to Coral Bay. It is on the total other side of the island. We never trust the taxis to take us out there. This is where a rental Jeep is a must. Get out your map that comes with your jeep and head over to Salt Pond. We can almost guarantee a donkey or goat sighting. If you got it in you, hike the most difficult trail called Rams Head. The views are simply amazing! Stop at Skinny legs for a chili dog and a beer after, to reward your efforts. Hansen Bay Beach has paddle boards and kayaks to rent if that is more your style. Miss Lucy’s water views and Johnny Cakes are the best… but catching her open is always hit or miss.
Don’t Cook, Eat Out
Our idea of a great vacation is the part where we are not cooking and cleaning up the mess. Plus , by the time you buy groceries on island at double the price, eating out is cheaper. One of the best things about St. John are the restaurants, the island is a culinary delight. The food and service on the island is so good, but remember patience… you are on island time. A few of our favorites are Tap and Still… best burgers ever, Longboard… sushi is amazing, The Terrace… dinner with an awesome view, St. John Brewers… amazing pizzas and the STJ mango beer is so good. Stop at Scoops in Mongoose Junction for some Blue Chair Bay ice cream. Breakfast at Cruz Bay Landing… cinnamon swirl pancakes and a coffee bar, Breakfast or Lunch with our friend Kelly at High Tide… check out the flag of our people while your sitting at the bar. You really can’t go wrong on any of your restaurant choices. And they are all right in Cruz Bay… another reason we like to stay close to town. We can honestly say we have never had a bad meal while on the island. Woody’s is always a stop if you need your country music fix and the shark bites are a great late night snack as your walking back up to the St. John Inn or down to Gallows Point for the night.
Sunsets To Die For
Sunsets are one of our favorite times of the day. There is nothing more special than sitting at The Beach Bar in Cruz Bay Harbor drinking a Bush Whacker watching the sun sink into the horizon over St. Thomas. Another amazing way to see the sunset on St. John is at Cinnamon Bay, on the beach. The waves rolling in and watching the sky change colors. Either way you can’t go wrong and both options are special experiences.
A place that is new and has the most incredible sunsets is the Windmill Bar. The locals will tell you the sunsets there are the best on the island. Its a little bit of a drive out of Cruz Bay so plan your timing to get a good seat. At the bottom of the hill nearby is our friend Lauren’s bar called Shambles… stop in and tell him the Sandbar Girls sent you.
Animals Everywhere
You will see chickens, goats iguanas, donkeys and cats everywhere. Most of the cats have homes and just roam freely. St. John Inn has Stash and Bob, they are the coolest cats in town. Be prepared to wake up to the roosters crowing to get your day started. One of the fun things we try to do each visit is volunteer and walk the dogs at The Animal Care Center. Give Ryan a call the day before and let him know you want to come visit. We always try to donate a little something to help them out when we visit. They also have a program to take animals home with you to the states and take them to your local participating shelters. Since it helps with their limited space. They do so much for the dogs and cats on the island. Rarely do we see a stray dog and on an island that’s rare. They do an amazing job finding the island pets forever homes. https://www.stjohnanimalcarecenter.com/
The Elephant In The Room
Well… you should absolutely not be going to St. John for a chance at seeing Kenny. In fact we completely condone visiting STJ to try to find him. We atamatly protect Kenny and his privacy and so do the locals. The islands are his solace. When he is there he is just like us… on vacation. If by some crazy thin chance you happen to be on the island when he is there, which would be extremely rare, our suggestion is to just go about your business and let him enjoy his time with his friends. Remember he gives us so much with his concerts and music. The least we could do is honor his private time on island.
Well that’s it in a nutshell.
Our version of the best way to visit the island of St. John.
If you have any questions we welcome you to email us at welcometothesandbar@gmail.com
Live Life & Enjoy Every Day No Shoes Nation,
Connie & Michelle
