St John US Virgin Islands
St John USVI is one of three US Virgin Islands (there are the US and British Virgin Islands) are heavenly islands in the middle of the Caribbean surrounded by an assortment of other beautiful islands.
Discovering St John
I discovered St. John USVI in 1977 when my first Caribbean cruise stopped in St. Thomas. Excursion options, at the time, were all based in St. Thomas, all but a new one – a jaunt over to St. John for the afternoon. This was a relatively new stop for the ship at the time and there wasn’t a lot going on in St. John at the time. The small group with me all were in awe.
St John USVI beaches are pristine, the water is clear and a vibrant aqua filled with colorful fish, turtles, and an occasional octopus, roads to the beaches are covered by cool canopies of lush tropical trees and populated with bananaquits, mongoose, and an occasional donkey or two. Back in the 1970s, it was relatively unknown as a tourist destination and there was no one on Trunk Bay.
I have been going back ever since that first voyage in 1977. Oddly enough, when I met John, the world traveler he was, he told me about a place in the Caribbean he had just been to. It was magical. It was St. John. We shared a love for this serene island, and made it a regular stop for relaxation and communing with nature.
Old Maho Campground / Concordia – and beyond
From 1980 to 2013, I had made the trek to the now-defunct Maho Bay Campground (glamping) numerous times – which was truly the most wonderful vacation experience I’d ever had. But, Maho lost its lease in 2013 and closed its doors and thousands of us still mourn.
Alternatives over and above finding a hotel in this natural setting, were Cinnamon Bay Campgrounds, part of the US National Park system. Cinnamon Bay had areas for camping as well as tents on wooden bases and small cottages to rent.
There was also Concordia, which was Maho’s sister eco-resort. Same great feeling, very natural and unassuming. Great food, entertainment, and the people who ran it were fabulous. John and I spent a few great weeks at Concordia, listening the the bananaquits in the morning, snorkeling during the day, witnessing magnificent sunsets, as well as the darkest skies filled with thousands of white stars.
But Concordia, as with much of St. John, was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The Hurricane wiped away Cinnamon Bay Camps, as well as the posh Caneel Bay, and many private homes. All gone.
After the massive destruction and loss of life, investors and insurance money helped rebuild the small island.
Concordia is slowly being rebuilt as is Cinnamon Bay Campsites. But it’s not quite the same, sadly.
We both had loved St. John for its quiet, peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. But with the rebuilding, there’s been a loss. Now with the influx of investors coupled with the internet making vacation travel accessible, the island is not as serene but still beautiful.
Getting to St John USVI
If you are planning a stay in the USVI, you will need to plan for flights, accommodations, and ground transportation. As there is no airport on St John USVI, most people fly to St Thomas and take the ferry over to St John.
We fly into St.Thomas from US mainland, (I have flown from San Juan on a small plane years back and that may be an option if desired.) You can also come into the USVI by boat from other parts of the Caribbean which will require a passport. Please note, if you plan on doing some sailing to other islands (British Virgins are just to the east), a passport is required.
We always plan on renting a Jeep but there are taxis available if you decide not to. Jeeps are be able to climb the mountain roads which can be very slippery when it rains. You have a little more traction with a Jeep than just about anything else. You can rent one in St. Thomas or at Cruz Bay in St. John. We always just rent it in St. Thomas which makes the trip to the airport on the way home easy.
From the Airport you will drive to the eastern side of St. Thomas to Red Hook Landing where there are car ferries running on the hour. There are 2 companies running ferries and each sell round trip tickets. Make sure you ask about this when you purchase.
Where to Stay in St John USVI
There are a good variety of places to stay from the The Westin St John on the west just south of Cruz Bay, to beautiful Home Villa Rentals on any number of sites.
These places are great and we’ve enjoyed the Westin as well as luxury rentals but seem to gravitate toward a (little) simpler experience when we are there.
We recommend the East Side of the Island — over by Coral Bay. You can rent a cottage or house on the hillside with great views, sunrises, sunsets, stars at night, and little traffic. These rentals usually come complete with everything you’ll need to cook in if you like (Love City Market is a great grocery on that side of the island), including towels, linens, and snorkel equipment. Many have grills, hot tubs, and some of the more swanky places come complete with their own small pools. This is not really roughing it and gives great access to beaches and hiking trails.
Boomer Alerts:
- Renting a jeep will give you flexibility in planning your day and meals out, and the all wheel drive is useful for the steep roads and off road exploration. Well worth it.
- Note: Drive the jeep on the left side of the road (with a steering wheel on the left side.) It’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
- Some houses or cottages offer jeep rental at reasonable rates.
- There are plenty of hiking trails and some Petroglyphs, but check which ones are in your range of ability / experience (John’s knees limit his hiking these days) and wear appropriate footwear, bring water, sunscreen, etc.
Finding the Best Beaches St John
The island has a good number of white sandy beaches with crystal clear water with many of the most famous and popular ones are on the north shore.
North Shore Beaches
The North SHore beaches include Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay, Hawksnest, Gibney Beach, Caneel Bay.
For the most comprehensive guide to all the beaches on St John visit the website “The Ultimate Guide to St John Beaches”.
Due to the power of word of mouth & social media in recent years some of the well known beaches on St John have become very popular.
They can become overcrowded in peak season, we prefer the remote beaches or the quieter less visited beaches (we are Boomers after all).
Gibney Beach is one of St John’s true treasures, but it has an off-the-map location and limited parking. From Cruz Bay – take Rte 20 ( North Shore Road) approximately 2 miles – just beyond Hawksnest Beach. You’ll pass a white picket fence marking the Gibney’s property. Immediately after the fence is the gated entrance to Oppenheimer Beach and Gibney Beach. Parking is limited to just a few spots along the left side of the entrance. DO NOT BLOCK THE GATE.
Francis Bay Beach is quieter that some of the North Shore beaches. It’s long white sand beach offering plenty of space with ample shade. Shaded parking provides convenient access to the beach.
East End Beaches
Hansen Bay | Vie’s Beach Hansen Bay Beach is located on St John’s East End. Vie has closed her SnackShack and beach parking. But you can still enjoy Hansen Bay! Continue past Vie’s. Up over the little hill. And as the road flattens out there’s parking, beach access and honor bar!
South Shore Beaches
Lameshur Bay is located on the rugged south shore of St John. Its remote location, beautiful sand beach, sugar mill ruins and access to several great hiking trails. There are usually plenty of places to park close to the beach. The beach itself is soft white sand with several places to grab some shade. You’ll also find several picnic tables and BBQ grills. (Drive a 4 x 4 to get here)
Boomer Alert: When exploring the island we strongly recommend driving 4 x 4. Driving to Lameshur Bay is a good example where the road starts out OK but quickly deteriorates into a deep pot holed track.
Where is best for Snorkeling
St John is a top snorkeling destination in the Caribbean.
Lynn and I tend to snorkel off the beach we are lying on.
There are specific snorkeling locations recommended by the locals. Watermelon Cay, Henley Cay, Maho Bay, Haulover North, Trunk Bay, Salt Pond, Yawzi Point.
The best local guide to all the beaches and snorkeling on St John check out “The Ultimate Guide to St John Beaches”.
Eating and Drinking
There are plenty of places to eat and drink on St. John. Painkiller is the designated cocktail of the Virgin Islands, the drink was created in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands
Cruz Bay
The Quiet Mon Pub is a popular drinking place in central Cruz Bay.
We’ve dined on Pizza in Cafe Roma which was good. For a nice white-tablecloth dinner, Morgan’s Mango is great (make a reservation here and at just about any other of the restaurants in Cruz Bay).
Mountain Bars – Sunset Views
Up the mountain on the west side of St. John at Susannaberg is the Windmill Bar, a wonderful, if crowded place for a great sunset.
Across the way, we discovered Shambles Island Bar and Grill and visited it twice last trip to St. John. It’s a great dive bar which offers friendly staff really good food. The Mahi Fish Sandwich is really worth the trip. Also had a Reuben there which was good and a nice alternative to fish. The House Salad featuring Josephine’s Greens is wonderful (not sure who Josephine is but her salad is nice!)
East Side of Island
On the Eastern side of St. John USVI, in the Coral Bay area are some good places for food and drink, less crowded and very comfortable.
Miss Lucy’s is popular for authentic Caribbean food right past the goats and on the water’s edge. There is music some nights. It’s small and West Indian and unlike anything you’ll find anywhere on the island.
One of our favorite’s is a local hangout, Skinny Legs. Great hamburgers and the weather channel on to show you what you are missing back home. There are also a few nice retail shops there where I’ve bought some colorful t-shirts and other things I couldn’t live without.
Hiking Trails
As neither of us boomers are avid hikers, Lynn is regular walker and gym enthusiast, (my knees make it a challenge to climb a modest staircase). I provide links to fellow bloggers who provide detailed information on their online sites and with maps of trails etc
One of the most popular trails is the Reef Bay Trail where one can see the famous petroglyphs the rock art believed to be the work of the pre-Columbian Taino people.
St John Tour “One of the best ways to truly experience everything St. John and the Virgin Islands offer is by setting out on one of the many available hiking trails. These trails go through accessible boardwalks, historic ruins, bird viewing decks, salt ponds, and many more places! There are a variety of St. John, USVI, hiking trails on the island that people of all ages will enjoy, especially those who aren’t experienced hikers, as many of these trails are short and take less than an hour to see in their entirety!”
Finisterrestjohn “If you’re planning a trip to the island and looking for a beautiful and adventurous hike then you’re going to want to consider these 7 best hikes in St. John. With its lush rainforest and stunning ocean views, St. John offers plenty of amazing hiking trails for visitors of all levels of experience.”
Fueled by Wanderlust “There are hiking trails on St John of all difficulties. I’ve listed ten awesome ones below, many of which are easy for all levels and lead to gorgeous beaches. Don’t think you need to tackle them all – usually one or two hikes per trip is plenty for me!
Paintings from St John
I enjoy painting with acrylics and some of my work is based and inspired from my visits to St John USVI, because of the great memories and images they created. Check out my other art inspired by our travels.
Entering Cinnamon Bay
Arriving for the first time at Cinnamon Bay on St John USVI is an unforgettable memory
Man in the Shade on the Pier
Waiting for the ferry at Cruz Bay back to St Thomas, the pilot waited in the only shade available on the jetty.
Paintings Inspired from our Favorite Travels and Places
History of St John
Here I summarize some of the key dates and events that have happened in St John.
Taíno (Indigenous people of the Caribbean) presence on Saint John from about 700 AD to the late 15th century.
The Danish West India Company resettled Saint Thomas in 1671
An African slave market was established in 1673.
The islands were made a crown colony in 1754
The British relinquished their claims to the island to the Danish in 1762
By 1804 the slave population reached a peak of 2,604.
Denmark emancipated the slaves in 1848, and by 1850 many of the plantations were abandoned.
The United States purchased the U.S. Virgin Islands for $25 million.
In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller donated his extensive lands on the island to the United States’ National Park Service.
In September 2017, Saint John was hit by Hurricane Irma a category 5 hurricane.
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