This visitor put up is written by Theresa McKinney, a USVI fanatic and journey blogger:

Are you headed to St. John USVI, aka one of the vital magical locations on earth? This slice of paradise is the second smallest island in the US Virgin Islands, with 60 p.c of it being coated by Virgin Islands Nationwide Park. The nationwide park’s safety means this island stays the untouched paradise that guests treasure.

A visit to St. John will ship good white-sand seashores, distinctive hikes previous colonial ruins, and unforgettable surroundings in a pristine setting. Because the island solely has one chain lodge, the Westin, most individuals keep in small villas or cottages that dot this mountainous island. Thanks to their elevation, many of those leases supply unimaginable views of the turquoise Caribbean Sea.

The under one-week itinerary will present you the very best of St. John. From lovely seashores to the very best eating places, you might be assured to have a dreamy getaway.

The Excellent 7-Day St. John USVI Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive at St. John USVI

The primary day of your journey will principally encompass journey, because it takes a full day to attain St. John from most locations. As there isn’t a airport on the island, you will need to first fly into St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport (STT).

Seize a taxi proper outdoors the airport in order to cross the island to the Pink Hook ferry dock, the place you should buy tickets for the 20-minute experience to St. John. Tickets value $8.15, plus a further $Four for baggage; the ferry departs as soon as per hour (see the schedule right here). 

The ferry will drop you off in Cruz Bay on St. John. Relying on once you arrive, the next move might be grabbing meals or selecting up your rental automobile.

Word: A rental automobile is just not required on St. John, particularly when staying in Cruz Bay, however it’s a lot more durable to discover with out one. Reserve your rental automobile ideally six months in advance, or as quickly as attainable. Many villas require a Jeep for entry, so double-check should you’ll want one; they get booked up rapidly. St John Automotive Rental and Mr. Piper’s Jeeps are two of the very best firms.

For an off-the-cuff first meal, I like to recommend heading straight to Excessive Tide in Cruz Bay. This bar and grille is situated waterside, proper subsequent to the ferry dock. It’s frequent to see individuals at Excessive Tide with their baggage, as that is typically their first or final cease of the journey.

Subsequent, drive to your lodging. Most probably you’ll be headed to a trip rental in both Cruz Bay or Coral Bay (on the east aspect of the island). If that is your first time on St. John, you might have considered trying to keep nearer to Cruz Bay, because it’s an even bigger city with extra retailers and eating places.

Tip: Reserve your rental automobile ideally six months in advance, or as quickly as attainable. Many villas require a Jeep for entry, so double examine should you want one; they get booked up rapidly. St John Automotive Rental and Mr. Piper’s Jeeps are two of the very best firms to use.

Day 2: Sea Turtles at Maho Bay

Begin your journey at Maho Bay Seaside, which has a few of St. John’s prettiest water and many facilities. That is the final seaside alongside North Shore Highway from Cruz Bay, so there’s loads of coastal surroundings to take pleasure in through the 17-minute drive.

Earlier than arriving on the seaside, you’ll see the Maho Bay Overlook. Pull off the street and make a fast picture cease earlier than persevering with onto the seaside.  Right here, you possibly can take in the fantastic thing about the multihued turquoise water surrounding the boats anchored under.

Subsequent, head down to Maho Bay Seaside, the place there’s each a small car parking zone and road parking. As soon as you compromise in, benefit from the light water whereas searching for the various sea turtles that frequent this seaside. Snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding gear might be rented at Reef2Peak, which is a brief stroll throughout the road.

In the event you get hungry or need to peruse some retailers, try the beachy stalls at Maho Crossroads proper subsequent to Reef2Peak.

Tip: As a normal rule for all North Shore seashores, intention to arrive earlier than 10 am. They have a tendency to get very crowded, and parking is restricted. Plus, all the very best shade spots get swooped up rapidly.

Later, after resting up out of your seaside day, seize dinner again in Cruz Bay at The Longboard. Its menu options mouthwatering poke bowls and ceviche.

Day 3: America Hill Ruins and Cinnamon Bay

Begin your morning with a hike to the America Hill property home ruins. A mixture of the Cinnamon Bay and America Hill trails, this uphill hike is roughly three-quarters of a mile in size and requires some exertion. However the distinctive pink ruins on the high and consider out to the British Virgin Islands make it completely value it.

After your hike, a swim on the seaside in all probability gained’t sound half unhealthy. Happily, Cinnamon Bay Seaside is simply a simple stroll throughout the street from the trailhead. This seaside is without doubt one of the longest alongside the North Shore, and you may admire the mansions of Peter Bay perched up on a hill to the west.

Deal with your self after your hike to lunch at Skinny Legs, which is fifteen minutes away in Coral Bay. This can be a fashionable hang-out for locals and guests alike who search a no-frills seaside bar with good sandwiches, burgers, and drinks. In the event you nonetheless have room, seize a bit of the tremendous tart key lime pie for dessert — it’s the very best on the island!

Afterwards, take a break at your lodging earlier than heading to the Cruz Bay overlook to watch the sundown over St. Thomas. The solar usually units simply in supper time, so subsequent, head over to Rum Hut to dine proper on the water. You might additionally merely select to watch the sundown right here as a substitute, whereas snacking on calamari and sliders.

Day 4: Snorkeling & Floating Taco Bar

At this time is the day to get out on the blue-green Caribbean Sea by becoming a member of a full-day boat tour. There are numerous constitution firms that do each non-public and group excursions.

If you’d like to go to the well-known floating taco bar, Lime Out, I extremely suggest a tour with Dangerous Kitty. It makes a pair snorkel stops in crystal-clear, distant waters earlier than taking you to Lime Out for lunch. The day ends with a cease at one among St. John’s good seashores.

A cease at Lime Out is completely value it for its high-quality meals, among the tastiest being the brief rib and contemporary tuna tacos. Plus, all its containers are both reusable or biodegradable, and it runs fully on photo voltaic power — a win for the surroundings!

Within the night, take a 25-minute drive to Coral Bay for dinner at Aqua Bistro. This open-air restaurant typically has dwell music and is broadly believed to have the very best conch fritters on the island.

Day 5: Hike to a Seaside

Try one other of St. John’s finest mountaineering trails as we speak. Your selection will rely upon the time you need to commit and your potential.

Possibility 1: Reef Bay Path

The Reef Bay Path is without doubt one of the most well-known and effectively beloved on St. John USVI. It’s an out-and-back hike that totals about 5 miles. It’s finest to put aside a couple of hours to full it and benefit from the many sights alongside the best way. It’s a bit simpler firstly as you descend right into a valley, however the climb again up is more difficult on the return leg.

Alongside this hike, you’ll go Danish plantation ruins (the US purchased the island from Denmark in 1917) in varied levels of intactness. There’s additionally the choice to veer off onto the quarter- mile Petroglyph Path to see historic rock carvings.

The path ends in beautiful Reef Bay, which is a small, distant seaside with a wonderful view out to sea.

Possibility 2: Salt Pond & Ram Head

The second possibility is to hike a reasonably flat three-quarter-mile path to Salt Pond Seaside. That is one among St. John’s most underrated seashores, and it has among the stillest, clearest water on the island. From right here, you possibly can:

• Benefit from the seaside for some time
• Do one other quarter-mile hike to Drunk Bay, a windy, rock seaside the place you’ll see among the roughest waters on St. John.
• Proceed on to the Ram Head Path. This two-mile out-and-back path is dry, rocky, and dotted with small cacti. The surroundings is jaw-dropping, with sapphire blue water contrasting brilliantly in opposition to the sunshine rocks. On the finish level of the path earlier than turning again, you’ll discover panoramic sea views, with the silhouette of St. Croix in the gap.

Later in the day, head again into Cruz Bay for blissful hour at The Seaside Bar for $Four painkillers. Keep till sundown to be rewarded with wonderful views proper out of your seat. The Seaside Bar has a full menu, so you possibly can dine right here or head someplace rather less informal with much more atmosphere for dinner, like Morgan’s Mango.

Day 6: Peace Hill Windmill & Secluded Seashores

Begin your sixth day on the island with a small morning hike up to the Peace Hill Windmill. It’s a little bit of a climb, however solely 100 meters lengthy and doable for many ability ranges. On the high, you’ll discover the wreck of an outdated windmill, in addition to lovely 180-degree views of the encompassing seashores.

Whenever you’ve completed taking in the surroundings, select from one among these two quiet but attractive North Shore seashores which can be close to one another:

• Oppenheimer: To nab one of many three parking spots in the driveway, you will need to arrive by 8:30am on the newest. In the event you succeed in getting a spot, you’ll be rewarded with a spacious, shady seaside with no crowds.
• Jumbie Bay: Park in the small lot throughout the road from the seaside. Then observe the quarter-mile path down to the water. Jumbie additionally doesn’t get crowded, and it options turquoise water that pops in opposition to the encompassing black volcanic rock.

Within the night, deal with your self to one of many nicest eating institutions on St. John USVI. There’s ZoZo’s, which is uniquely located on the Caneel Bay Resort alongside North Shore Highway. Additional Virgin Bistro is one other elegant possibility proper in downtown Cruz Bay.

Day 7: Final Day on St. John USVI

In your final day, be sure to hit all the scenic overlooks alongside North Shore Highway should you haven’t already. The Trunk Bay Overlook, about 11 minutes down the street from Cruz Bay, is probably the most well-known view on St. John, so that you undoubtedly don’t need to miss it.

Subsequent, proceed on to Trunk Bay, the place you possibly can park both in the adjoining paved lot or alongside the street. Arrive by 10 am, otherwise you may not discover a parking spot at this tremendous fashionable seaside.

Going through the water at Trunk Bay, there’s extra solar to the fitting and extra shade to the left. You possibly can spend the day having fun with arguably among the finest surroundings on St. John, snorkeling the coral reefs on the underwater path round Trunk Cay, and grabbing small bites on the snack shack.

Later in the day, head to the retailers in Cruz Bay’s Mongoose Junction earlier than dinner. This can be a good spot to seize any last-minute souvenirs.

Lastly, it’s time to your final dinner out in St. John. Head to one among your favourite spots from earlier in the week, or try the Lime Inn in Cruz Bay. This can be a sister restaurant to Lime Out, with nearly the identical drink menu. Though it has an informal vibe, the Lime Inn makes for a festive night out, with entrees that includes Caribbean lobster and contemporary tuna.

Departing St. John USVI

The subsequent morning, you’ll make your return journey on the ferry to St. Thomas, with maybe one final breakfast at Excessive Tide or The Touchdown earlier than you allow. From the ferry dock in Pink Hook, it is going to be very straightforward to rapidly seize a taxi again to the Cyril E. King Airport.

Your adventures have come to an finish — for now. St. John makes a long-lasting impression on everybody who visits, and also you’ll undoubtedly be plotting your journey again earlier than you even fly house.

You at the moment are set to spend the right seven days in St. John USVI. Put together to be shocked by among the most lovely seashores in the world in this protected tropical wonderland. Simply keep in mind to convey some reef-safe sunscreen, and also you’re good to go!

Pin me for later: