RECOMMENDATIONS

A Few Recommendations About Coming to St John

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GETTING HERE

Getting to St John is easy if you know a few things ahead of time. Fly into St Thomas, USVI (STT). There are plenty of airlines offering flights: Delta, Jetblue, American, Spirit. You don't need a passport but it makes the process a little quicker and we have TSAPre when you leave. At the STT airport grab your bags and head outside to grab a TAXI to Redhook ferry dock ($25 per person). Tell them you want to go to REDHOOK, where you will catch a ferry to St John. The Taxi ride is about 30minutes to Redhook. The ferry leaves every hour 6am-Midnight. You can buy your ferry ticket at Redhook to CRUZ BAY or buy one online ($7.50 plus $2 per bag). The ferry ride is about 20 minutes, relax and enjoy the view, your almost there. When the ferry arrives step off on the dock and wait for them to hand you your bag if you have one. Welcome to CRUZ BAY! Walk down the short dock and there will be SAFFARIS (taxis) waiting, Tell the driver you want to go to Cinnamon Bay, if you are staying at the camp ground. Otherwise it's a short walk to GrandBay. You can walk along the beach or take the first street to the right, go to the end and walk to the right. Watch for cars - we drive on the left side of the road. Call or txt us and let us know you are on the ferry. We might have someone meet you in CRUZ BAY.

 
 

Some suggestions about coming to the island. BRING CASH. A lot of places will have lower prices for cash paying customers, taxis only take cash and we have a couple ATM machines that work most of the time. Pack light. You don't need much - a bathing suite, some casual summer clothes, flips and a hat to protect you from the sun. You can get most things you need on the island. It might be a 10minute walk to a grocery store. There is NO SALES TAX in the USVI. The price you see is what you pay. Now about that - some items will be much more expensive than you are used to. Rum is inexpensive - it's made here. Everything else is brought to the island and the price reflects how heavy it is and how far away it came from. We use ref safe sunblock. The island is mostly National Park whcih means there are a few extra rules you need to be aware of - NO GLASS ON THE BEACH. Park Rangers patrol the beaches and will quickly write you a ticket if you have bottles on the beach. We are careful not to leave trash behind where we go, and relax, things are a bit slower and chill on St John. Cell phone coverage is pretty good on island. AT&T offers a dauly $10 international plan. You can get wifi in most bars and restaurants but when you are over on Cinnamon Bay the towers from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) will pick you up and you might be on an international signal without knowing it. Best to put your phone on airplane mode if you're worried about it.

 
 

PLACES TO STAY

This can get a little tricky. We highly recommend everyone try and find accommodations in Cruz Bay on St. John. There are Airbnbs, Vrbos and Resorts on St. Thomas, but the time and cost to make it from one island to the other can be a little challenging and pricey. Cinnamon Bay Campground is where we would love to have all of you stay! The campground offers "Eco-Tents", "Family Eco-Tents", "Cottages" and "Bare sites" (probably not your first choice, but it is an option).

https://www.cinnamonbayvi.com/stay

We understand camping is not for everyone and that others require more assistance. There are some beautiful villas and apartments on island. However, if you decide to go this route, a rental car might be 100% necessary. Unfortunately, there are no ride sharing companies such as Uber, Lyft, or Bolt. We DO NOT recommend staying in Coral Bay (east end of St. John).

Grand Bay is one of the more popular spots for family when they come to visit. There are a few airBNB villas near Cruz Bay that we have been in and friends have rents: Casa Blanca, Blue Marlin, Cruz Views, Warfside Villas and a few others. Gallows is the only hotel in Cruz Bay. It's really nice, pricey, but very nice. Some places may have a minimum 3 night or 7 night stay. We can help if you get into a bind trying to find a place to stay. Some of the mult-bedroom places a suitable to share with another guest if you're open to splitting the cost of a place to stay.

 
 

GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND

Don't Rent a Car

RENTAL CARS & DRIVING IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. Renting a car can go one of two ways, 1)Rent a car on St. John OR, 2)Find a rental company on St. Thomas that allows you to take the car ferry over to St. John. It's a cool experience if you have never driven onto a car ferry, but not all rental companies on St. Thomas allow you to take their cars to St. John.
Driving in the U.S. Virgin Islands is not for the faint of heart. Everyone drives on the LEFT side of the road (ALWAYS STAY LEFT!). There are blind corners everywhere (honk your horn a couple times to be safe). There are steep hills & switchbacks that most people are not used to or have never encountered before. St. John's narrow, steep, & switchback roads are shared with Semis & Water Trucks. NEVER follow a semi, water truck, or safari taxi closely. Keep your distance in case the vehicle slides backwards. Fun fact: There are no traffic lights on St. John, but there is a roundabout. Look right, STAY LEFT!

Overall, if you decide to rent a car, take your time driving around St. John and be careful. The speed limit is 20 mph in town and 35 mph outside of town. BUT, don't be tempted to speed because the roads are steep & windy, the curves come up quickly, and you're driving on the LEFT. Additionally, unexpected obstacles in the road occur frequently, such as donkeys, goats, deer, pigs, chickens, people, school buses, cars making U-Turns or stopping to take pictures, or general traffic tie-ups.

    Car Rentals (on St. John):
  • Mr. Piper's Jeep Rentals
  • L & L's
  • Slim Man's Jeep Rentals
  • Cool Breeze Jeep Rentals
  • St. John Car Rental
  • Owen's Jeep Rental
  • Sunshine's Jeep Rental
Again, we hope you don't feel the need to rent a car but we unsertand people wanting their independence.

 
 

BEACHES & THINGS TO DO

There are too many beaches to visit during one visit to the island. Cinnamon and Oppenheimer will give you and idea of the variety we have. There is a beach right in Cruz Bay in front of the cafes, BeachBar and HighTide. Most beaches require a ride, although Hineymoon beach is a 20minute trail walk for those open for some adventure and the reward is awesome. Some spots are perfect for snorkleing and others are more suited to just floating and relaxing with soft sand and no coral.You can expect to see turtle, fish and maybe a manta ray if you're lucky. There are boat rentals, charters and options for going on a drive or sunset cruise.

St John is mostly National Park, so there are some rules on the beaches. The most important is NO GLASS, NO BTTLES. Rangers patrol the beaches and will write you a ticket if they spot any glass near you. We keep the beaches clean. Most rentals will provide chairs, umbrellas, coolers and other beach toys so you don't have to bring any with you. You will need a hat, sunglasses andreef safe sunblock.