St. John, USVI in March 2020
With everything we’ve been through in 2020, it never felt quite right to share these photos from our trip to St. John, USVI in March 2020. This trip was special in so many ways. For starters, I got engaged on this trip. 🎉💍 (you can read my engagement story here). And my whole family came on this trip (even my little brother’s girlfriend!❤️ ). It’s also the last standing memory I have of when life was normal… So as you can probably imagine, looking back, this trip feels even more special. We literally came back to what felt like a “new world” on March 17th.
Since I’ve done so many blog posts on St. John, USVI, this post will be photo heavy – with a few recommendations sprinkled throughout. I recommend checking out my past St. John, USVI blog posts here, here, and here. I hope you enjoy these photos and consider traveling there one day! 🌴 It’s truly my little heaven on earth!
St. John, USVI March 2020
The biggest question people ask me about St. John, USVI is where to stay. St. John is very different from Turks & Caicos and other Caribbean destinations in that there are little to no large resorts that you might used to – to be honest, I see this as part of St. John’s charm since the majority of the island is unspoiled and National Park land! But… it does mean you have less options and more expensive accommodations.
The Westin is the largest resort on St. John since Caneel Bay Resort is no longer open (long story… you can read the latest about it here). BUT… if you’re staying on St. John a full week (and you should!) the cost of The Westin is often comparable to a villa… so my recommendation is to book the villa if you’re able!
Where to Stay on St. John, USVI
Villa through Catered To
Where we book through when we go each year. We’ve had the best experiences!
Villa through St. John Villa Rentals
Highly rated/regarded among locals.
Estate Lindholm
Where Geoff and I stayed for the first two nights of our trip! It’s cute – very much like a bed and breakfast and has an honor bar by the pool.
Gallows Point Resort
My parents have stayed here and loved it! A great option for couples or if you don’t have a large party who could fill a villa.
Lovango Resort & Beach Club
Brand new resort on neighboring island, Lovango Cay, which is part of St. John, USVI. It officially opened for guests on December 23, 2020. We actually went there for dinner on this trip in March 2020 as the restaurant was open and it was such a great time!
Where to Eat
Breakfast
High Tide
High tide is usually our first and last breakfast on island!
North Shore Deli
Great breakfast sandwiches and iced coffee! We like stopping here on our way to the North Shore beaches.
Lunch
Sam & Jack’s Deli
The best sandwiches to take to the beach.
The Longboard
For a late lunch with drinks/apps – they open at 4pm!
Skinny Legs
You must go for a burger!
Lime Out
Floating taco bar – a must!
Dinner
Extra Virgin Bistro
The BEST dinner restaurant on the island, hands down. Dinner portions are huge (I warned you!).
Morgan’s Mango
I literally dream of their mojitos and their Coconut Grouper.
Drinks/Appetizers
The Longboard
Arguably the best drinks on St. John! Get the frozen painkiller with a rum floater (the floater helps cut the sweetness).
Wine Shop VI (formerly Káti Lígo + Island Cork)
Cute wine bar if you’re looking for a break from all of the sugary drinks!
Beach Bar
The Beach Bar is a St. John staple. Fun for drinks before/after dinner since they have live music frequently.
Sun Dog Café
Fun for drinks before/after dinner since they have live music. They make a strong drink.
What do Do on St. John, USVI
Beach it daily!
Duh! St. John has some of the best beaches in the world. My favorites are Cinnamon Bay (skip Trunk as it’s similar to Cinnamon but more crowded/touristy), Hawksnest, Jumbie (only a few parking spots so we like to get there around 3pm), Maho (best beach for spotting turtles, although be warned, this beach has turned very touristy over the past couple years), Honeymoon, and Salt Pond Bay (great snorkeling).
Go to Lime Out
A floating taco bar – this is an absolute must! Located on the Coral Bay side of the island. They have boat taxis that can take you out for a small fee.
Pizza PI VI
A floating pizza bar – are you noticing a trend?! Also a must! This is located in Christmas Cove near the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas. This is a bit more difficult to get to compared to Lime Out. You’ll need someone with a boat to take you.
Get a popsicle at Irie Pops
Delish!
Go sailing with Salty Dog Day Sails
My family has been sailing with Kelly and Stephen on Off Cay since we started going to St. John and not only are they the best in the business, they’re also incredible people! You won’t meet anyone more professional and fun. They know their stuff. Definitely book with them – you won’t be disappointed!
Hike Ram’s Head Trail
This is a fun hike off of Salt Pond Bay with incredible views once you get to the top. Wear good shoes (the views alone are worth packing your sneakers, trust me!) get there early, and pack water.
Go deep sea fishing
We went last year and it was so much fun. Our captain gutted/cleaned the fish we caught/bagged it up for us. We made fresh ceviche with it that night.
Have dinner at Lovango Resort & Beach Club
On our trip in March 2020 they had just opened for dinner (the resort officially opened on 12/23/20). At the time, the restaurant Zozo’s had operated at Lovango Resort & Beach Club which is no longer the case. since COVID. Their new restaurant menu looks delish! You can sign up for a dinner time and then get picked up by their ferry. So much fun to do something different!
Experience live music at The Beach Bar and open mic night at Sun Dog Café.
Island hop!
Pending COVID restrictions (the BVIs currently have pretty extreme travel restrictions that make it next to impossible to visit if you’re staying in the USVIs), going to the BVIs is a great time! We love Soggy Dollar Bar, Foxy’s, and have also gone to the Baths in Virgin Gorda.
Is St. John on your travel bucket list? Let me know in the comments! I’m always happy to help with travel recommendations. 🌴
