In need of a little relaxation? St. John is the perfect island destination to get you on island time. Check out my St. John, USVI Travel Guide and continue reading to find out the best of the best to eat, see, and do on the island of St. John!

Hi guys! I hope you had a great weekend. I’ve been sitting on so many photos from my trip to St. John back in March and have received quite a few DMs and emails from those of you hoping to plan a trip, so I figured I needed to get around to posting these! I have a past St. John, USVI Travel Guide from 2016 and another post here from last year, but it was time to update the St. John, USVI Travel Guide! The island of St. John, USVI has changed a bit since Hurricane Irma and Maria so I thought it was best to provide an update and share some new photos. I also have a post from last year which was 6 months after Hurricane Irma and Maria that you can read here.

Oh, St. John… where to begin?! My love affair with this island started roughly 5 or so years ago when I made my first trip to the island. Not only is it beautiful, but it has soul. Do you know what I mean? There’s culture, there’s history, and there’s beauty; and it’s all in less than 20 square miles. There’s lush forest, stunning beaches and water so crystal clear you might mistake it for heaven. Sixty percent of the island on St. John is Virgin Islands National Park land; meaning the island is preserved and is sure to keep its beauty for centuries to come.

Continue reading my St. John, USVI Travel Guide below!

St. John, USVI Travel Guide 2019

What’s It Like on St. John?!

St. John is pure heaven if you’re looking for a destination where you can relax and truly get away from it all. It’s a small island – only 20 square miles and is the smallest of the three US Virgin Islands. Many would consider it the least touristy destination of the USVIs. Sixty percent of the island is National Park land, making it virtually untouched compared to other destinations.

Those who are looking for a true escape would love St. John. Cell phone service is spotty – it’s actually been much better since Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, but for me with Verizon Wireless service, I get little to no cell phone service while on St. John. Instead of getting frustrated, why not embrace it and get off the grid for a bit?!

But what else is it like? It has beauty, it has community; pristine beaches, delicious food, friendly faces, wild donkeys, and crystal clear water to name just a few. It’s been through Hell and back and has come out stronger – and is just as beautiful. Knowing what it has been through almost makes it more beautiful in my eyes. Sit back, relax, and book your trip so you too can find yourself on island time! 🌴

How to Get to St. John, USVI

First things first, there’s no airport on St. John, USVI so keep that in mind when planning your travel! In my opinion, some of the best places in the world are the ones that are more difficult to get to. Your trek will be worth it – trust me!   You have to fly into St. Thomas (STT) in order to get to St. John. From there, depending on your preference, there are a few different ways to get to St. John, USVI. Here’s what my typical travel to St. John has looked like from Boston, Massachusetts:

• Take the latest flight possible from Boston to St. Thomas (STT). Every time I’ve been to St. John it has given us a layover in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU). Just keep that in mind when booking. Obviously if you can book a non-stop flight to St. Thomas and it’s within your price range, that’s ideal, but I haven’t ever been able to find it as an option from Boston within my available dates.  I like a late night flight because I’m not missing any time on the island. PTO is sacred, right?! 😂 In the past I’ve done a 11:59 PM flight which I prefer, but this year, only 9 PM was available. It’s fine, it just means a longer layover in San Juan. Everyone I’m traveling with is young so we don’t mind napping in the airport for 4-5 hours if it means we’re not having to take an extra day off work for travel purposes and we’re not missing any time we’d be doing things. If you are traveling with older people or young children, I wouldn’t recommend this, but obviously use your best judgment – you know who you’re traveling with best 😁.
• After the layover, take a morning flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) to Saint Thomas, USVI (STT). I try to take the earliest possible flight to reduce the layover. I believe 7 AM is usually the earliest, but completely depends on scheduling. This year our flight was around 9 AM.
• Take a taxi from the St. Thomas airport to Red Hook ferry terminal. The taxi area can easily be found by going out the doors at baggage claim. If you just say you’re going to Red Hook all of the taxi drivers will know exactly what you’re talking about. Keep in mind that they usually pair you with other travelers in a large van depending on how many people are in your party. You may make other stops before your stop, so just keep that in mind. If the taxi driver doesn’t announce the stop, simply ask. You don’t want to accidentally get out at the wrong stop. Also keep in mind that the taxi fees are per person and also factor in a price per bag. Make sure to have cash on you!
• Take the ferry from Red Hook to St. John, USVI! It’s about 15-20 minutes. The ferry leaves every hour, on the hour. If you just miss it, don’t worry. There’s a bar at the Red Hook ferry terminal which always makes it fun to relax before heading to St. John! 😉

Important Note: Please don’t accidentally make the mistake of booking a flight to St. John’s (it’s in Anguilla). 😜 They are two completely different places! St. John, USVI DOES NOT have an airport.

Where to Stay on St. John, USVI

Since Hurricane Irma and Maria, there aren’t quite as many options for where to stay on St. John, USVI. Those who live on the island have been working their butts off on the daily to rebuild, but as you can probably imagine, that takes time and you don’t want to sacrifice quality when doing so. Caneel Bay Resort is one of the more well known resorts on the island which actually JUST started rebuilding so they are currently not open for guests and likely won’t be for quite a while. There’s actually quite a bit more that goes into their rebuild and dates back to the 1950s. You can read more about it here if you’re curious!

• Book a villa through Catered To
  This is my top recommendation and what my family has done on all five of the trips I’ve been on. The properties are insanely beautiful and the people that work for Catered To are so organized and friendly. They also take you to your property when you arrive on the island so that you don’t have to navigate that on your own. My family has stayed (here, here, here last year, and here this year in each of the five years we’ve been.We’ve NEVER been disappointed. The first villa we stayed in was called Colibri and we LOVED it, but unfortunately, it was horribly damaged in Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria (the entire roof flew off) and I’m not sure if the owners are planning on rebuilding, so I can’t link that one for you guys.It’s nice to have a villa because you truly feel like you’re home on the island. It’s great for a large group, and if you want to do some of your meals at your villa, it’s also a way to save a little bit of money. We did breakfast at home pretty much every day. And honestly, by the time you book a week at a hotel on St. John, the price of a villa is pretty comparable. Also, it’s REALLY nice to have a washer and dryer. I washed all of my clothes before I came home to reduce my anxiety of life back in the “real world” 😂.
• Stay at the Gallows Point Resort
  My parents stayed here on a solo trip together last spring! They didn’t need the space of a villa since it was just the two of them so this was a great option. They loved it and the ease of being able to walk into town.
• Stay at the Westin
  The Westin recently reopened again in 2019 after many renovations following Hurricane Irma and Maria. Most of the Westin is now timeshare properties, however, you can still book it like a hotel. That being said, it’s the same, if not more expensive than booking a villa, which is why my top recommendation will always be to book a villa on St. John. But, ff you’re more of a resort type of person, then you’ll love it here. It really just depends on what you’re looking for. If you stay at the Westin, they provide taxi service so you may not need a rental car, however, it would be best to contact the resort to determine if their taxi service would fulfill your needs.
  
  
  
  
  Helpful Hints for Booking a Villa On St. John, USVI
• If getting to town/restaurants frequently is important to you (it was to us), I recommend staying in the Cruz Bay, Great Cruz Bay, or Chocolate Hole area, but not further than Chocolate Hole if you can help it. The roads on St. John are extremely steep and windy and if you don’t feel 100% comfortable driving, you’ll want to stay as close to town as you can. I do recommend getting a rental car. If you’re staying at the Westin, you may not need a rental car because they provide taxis, but if you’d like to explore more of the island, you still may decide to get a rental car. If staying at the Westin, it would be best to contact them and see if their taxi service would meet your needs! I do know that they provide drop offs at the beaches because I’ve seen them doing so.
• Many people like the Coral Bay area, but this area has been much slower to recover compared to the rest of the island. It’s fun to drive over and have lunch or dinner at Skinny Leg’s or Aqua Bistro, but personally, I like staying closer to the Northshore beaches rather than the Eastern side of the island.
• If you book a villa close to the water, it will be extremely buggy so keep that in mind (as opposed to being up on a cliff). Most villas already have bug spray in them (and other essentials provided by the villa owner/property manager/or the last travelers to visit) but you can also bring our own or purchase when you’re on the island. I got many bug bites this trip which made me a bit uncomfortable trying to sleep at night. I recommend also spraying yourself down before dinner because most restaurants have outside seating and once the sun goes down, the bugs come out!

Where to Eat on St. John, USVI

I’m only including places I ate at on this past trip, but if you want other recommendations, you can find my past travel guides here & here!

The Longboard
If you’ve read any of my other St. John Travel Guides in the past (last year’s here and 2016’s is here), then you know I have raved about The Longboard for years. Kudos to the owners because they literally thought of EVERYTHING when they opened this place. Everything from the logo and design of the restaurant (it’s super Instagrammable) to the food presentation, to the menu items was thought out in great detail.

For me, when I come to The Longboard, it’s an experience. The restaurant is open air, the vibe is super laid back; it’s a place you can be yourself and enjoy a really delicious meal and/or cocktail. Even just watching the bartenders make their ultra-unique cocktails (they have coconut foam – think sort of like coconut whipped cream 😱 that they add to some cocktails) is something I enjoy.

This is a spot we usually hit up after a beach day since they open at 3PM daily. Just keep in mind that they don’t take reservations. We usually like to just pull up to the bar since it’s fun to talk to the bartenders (one of them in particular named Karina- not sure if I’m spelling it right, is from Maine so it’s always a lot of fun getting to talk to another New Englander). A couple of my favorites on the menu are the Frozen Painkillers (get the rum floater because it balances out the sweetness of the drink), the Mellow Mule (with house made ginger beer), their Shishitos are incredible, Queso (or the trio), any of their Ceviche, and Pork Belly Tacos. You can’t go wrong because everything is incredible.

Also, The Longboard played a huge role in feeding the locals in the midst of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, so if you’re able to have a few drinks and/or a couple meals here to give back, I encourage you to do so! 😊

Extra Virgin Bistro
Forever my favorite restaurant on St. John. This place is incredible. It’s expensive, but I can tell you that it’s worth it. Almost every single item is made in house and they have their own garden where they grow almost all (if not all) of the produce they serve. Extra Virgin is only open for dinner. Last year, we went without my parents and just did dinner with my brother and his girlfriend, but this year we went with the entire family and my parents really loved it. We like going here near the end of our trip as a “save the best for last” type of meal.

Everything on the menu is incredible but a few of my favorites are the mussels (the tomato broth is so delicious you’ll want to drink it, which I basically did with my spoon 😂), the cioppino, and the scallops.

The Coconut Panko Encrusted Grouper at Morgan’s Mango

Morgan’s Mango
Morgan’s Mango is such a great restaurant that we’ve been coming to for years. They suffered pretty significant damage during Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria but are back and better than ever. The food is really delicious here and the restaurant is open air (but covered). My dad raves about the coconut shrimp and the fish is super fresh here. On this trip I got the Coconut Panko Encrusted Fresh Grouper and it was one of the best meals of the entire trip. If you like mojitos, they’re really good here!

The Terrace
The Terrace was a first for me on this trip! I have to say this place was really delicious. Service was on the slow side but we didn’t mind because it was just Geoff and I and we actually prefer a more slow-paced dinner anyways because we find we enjoy it more and just overall, relax more at these types of dinners. Plus, it’s nice to have a break in between courses. I’m always someone who has to chow down on bread (lol).

Cruz Bay Landing
We love coming here for breakfast either right when we arrive on the island or before we leave the island because it’s conveniently located just steps from the St. John ferry. This is definitely no frills but they have pretty good drinks/food!

The Lime Inn
A great lunch spot although the reviews on dinner are really great too. We sat at the bar and had fish tacos here that were super delicious.

High Tide
We ate hear a few times, mostly for lunch after the beach, but we also had breakfast here before our ferry back on our last day. They have good drinks and good food and are located right on the water near the ferry landing.

Other restaurants we ate & drank at: Lunch at Aqua Bistro (Coral Bay), The Tap Room for a casual lunch/early dinner, Margarita Phil’s for tasty margaritas and Mexican, The Banana Deck (great steaks and dessert), drinks at Sun Dog Café before dinner (they make really strong drinks 😁😜 and it’s so fun going here for live music on Wednesdays, Sundays, and Fridays. Kenny Chesney has been known to show up! 😱), Beach Bar for drinks from 6PM-10ish on the beach (cash bar only and no food since they’re not technically open yet), and Café Roma (upstairs from The Longboard and has yummy pizza).

Grocery Stores/Miscellaneous

• Dolphin Market
• Starfish Market
  Larger of the two grocery stores but we shopped at both! As a heads up, groceries are very expensive on St. John given what it takes to get items to the island. You’ll pay at least anywhere from 25%-50% more on items here.
• Sam & Jack’s Deli
  Have really delicious sandwiches that you can grab before heading to the beach.
• North Shore Deli
  This spot was a new one for us on this trip! This deli is located in Mongoose Junction and is really conveniently located if you’re heading to the beach. We got breakfast sandwiches here a couple times as well as iced coffee and snacks/drinks. Service is quick and the food is delicious. There’s also inside seating if you’d prefer to eat there.
• Irie Pops
  A new spot on St. John that’s located next to Morgan’s Mano. They sell their popsicles in Sam and Jack’s Deli, but now they have their own shop in Cruz Bay. Really cute shop and the owners are super sweet. It’s Instagrammable and has really cute wallpaper inside which is always fun 😍

What to Do on St. John, USVI

• Hit up the beaches
  This should be a no brainer, but just incase it wasn’t, I’m here to remind you again. The beaches are incredible on STJ. Some of my favorites are Cinnamon Bay, Hawksnest, Maho Bay, Jumbie Bay, and Oppenheimer/Gibney (used interchangeably for the same beach). Trunk Bay is another great beach but it’s more touristy than the others (it’s where the cruise ships drop people off) and Cinnamon Bay is just after it and much better in my opinion! I go into a bit more detail about the beaches in this Instagram post.
• Take a day trip to Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke
  If you only go to the beach and do one other thing from my list – it has to be going to Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke. It truly lives up to the hype. Have a Painkiller or two and relax! I recommend that you go there with Kelly & Stephen of Salty Dog Sails (see below). They are the best! They can also customize itineraries so keep that in mind. Make sure to pack your passport for the Jost Van Dyke and the BVIs.
• Go snorkeling
  Maho Beach is one of the best beaches for snorkeling. Christmas Cove is another great spot!
• Go sailing with Kelly and Stephen of Salty Dog Sails. They are incredible people who are the best in class and you will leave with a couple new friends!
• Eat (and drink! 😏)
• Check out Pizza Pi VI – a boat that serves NY style pizza!
  I got pizza from Pizza Pi VI last year and it was so delicious (you can see photos in this post) – plus HOW COOL is it to get pizza from a boat?!
• Go to the NEW floating taco bar called Lime Out (from the same owners as The Lime Inn… get it 😉😂)
  I was super sad to not hit up this new floating taco bar while on STJ. It’s been receiving a TON of media attention as of late (and rightfully so!). Lime Out is located in Hansen Bay on St. John and is open from 11:30-5 Tuesday through Sundays. They have bar seats that are in the water, but it seems like most people drop anchor near Lime Out and either float on floats or stay on their boat. Lime Out does not recommend swimming out to them from the shore at Hansen Bay – you should take a boat to get there! Will definitely be checking it out next time I’m on St. John.
• Go to the Baths in Virgin Gorda. 100% worth it to do once!!! You can check out my post here for more info.

Soggy Dollar Bar!

FAQs

Do I need a rental car?
It depends on your personal preference, but I would recommend getting a rental car because then you have the freedom to explore the entire island without having to depend on taxis. There are taxis on St. John (no Uber), and you pay per person. Keep in mind that these aren’t normal car taxis, but instead, you are essentially sitting in the bed of a truck that’s converted to have rows of seating (although open air). I have never felt unsafe and the taxi drivers are experienced at driving on St. John’s steep and windy roads.

If you’re staying at the Westin, you may choose to not get a rental car because they provide this service, however, I recommend calling and asking them what the schedule is and where you would be able to get taxi service to.

We have been booking our car rentals through Mr. Piper’s Jeeps for years and have had a great experience! Also, you should definitely rent a car on St. John, NOT St. Thomas, USVI if for some reason you were thinking of going that route.

What should I pack?
St. John, USVI is a very casual island. No need to pack heels or really dressy outfits here. Most people wear t-shirts and shorts during the day, sundresses, etc. Keep in mind that it’s very frowned upon to wear your bathing suit in town on St. John (with nothing covering it). Locals are quite modest and it’s expected that people wear cover ups and tops (male or female) at every place that isn’t the beach.

Is it hard to drive on St. John?
Personally, I am too afraid to drive here but luckily I’ve traveled with people who have felt comfortable doing so. You drive on the left side of the road here and to get to the beaches, there are very steep hills with blind turns. It’s recommended that you beep your horn when going around a blind turn so if someone is coming the other direction, they know that you’re there. The rental vehicles are Jeeps and other SUVs as they can handle the tough terrain.

What is the time zone?
The time zone on St. John is Atlantic Standard Time. During the spring and summer months, St. John is in the same time zone as Eastern Standard Time (NY), however, during the fall and winter months, St. John is one hour ahead because they don’t follow the “fall back” schedule.

Is it expensive?
St. John is definitely not cheap to visit – especially now that there are less hotel options. Food is expensive as well as gas. Airbnb has options which may save you a bit of money on a hotel/villa!

Convinced to visit St. John, USVI yet?! Get yourself on island time and you’ll thank me later 😎🌴