Gray skies, sub-zero temps, and a down jacket that hasn’t seen any closet time—man, winter can be a drag. Especially if you live in Vermont and all these epic winter storms keep hitting NYC. Screw that. It’s time escape the mid-winter doldrums and replenish your Vitamin-D in the Caribbean.
St. John in the US Virgin Islands provides just the cure for escaping the freezer. This tiny island on the northern edge of the Caribbean boasts pristine beaches, great snorkeling, and countless miles of trails. And if you’re a US citizen, you don’t even need a passport to get there.
Overview
While neighboring St. Thomas sold its soul to the cruise ships, St. John remains a gem of untouched beauty. In the ’50s, the Rockefellers bought up most of the island and donated it to the National Park Service. Virgin Islands National Park now covers over 7,000 acres of this tiny 20-square-mile island.
CAVEAT: while it is relatively undeveloped, St. John does not provide a wilderness experience. You have to come expecting other tourists and developed campsites. Don’t stress though—it’s so beautiful and tranquil you won’t care at all.
On St. John, it’s all about hiking and snorkeling. It’s such a small island, you can feasibly hike from one end of the island to the other in a day. You could even make it back again, but we recommend relaxing with a rum drink and hitching a ride back instead.
With trails going from sea level to over 1000 feet, there is a surprising amount of vert to be had. Bring your trail running shoes, and you’ll be able to cover a lot of ground—but run in the morning so you can relax on the beach during the heat of the day.
There’s also a surprising amount of history with archeological sites and plantation ruins dotting the island. Take some time to explore.
Essential Gear
- Lightweight Merino T-Shirts – The climate is hot and humid, so nothing really dries. Merino works well because it’ll keep the funk at bay – now if only they’d start making merino towels.
- Trail Running Shoes – The trails of St. John are well maintained, so they provide a perfect platform for trail running. Plus trail runners won’t take up as much room in your pack as those clunky boots.
- Rash Guard – If you snorkel, you’ll definitely want a rash guard to protect your winter hide. It’s a small investment to save yourself the pain of sunburn.
- Bug Spray & Sunscreen – You’ll be in the tropics. Do we really need to elaborate?
- Travel Sheet – No sleeping bag required. It won’t get below about 75 degrees at night.
Logistics
Maps
National Geographic Trails Illustrated #236 – Virgin Islands National Park
Virgin Island National Park Map (shown right)
Getting To The USVI
Many major US airlines fly to St.Thomas. Check your favorite travel site like Kayak or Orbitz.
Getting To St. John
Once you arrive in St. Thomas, hop in one of the extended van cabs—all fares are regulated so don’t worry about getting ripped off. It’ll cost about $20 with tip and baggage fees to get to Red Hook, where you’ll catch a ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John. The ferry runs every hour and costs around $8. Expect it to take a little over an hour from airport to Cruz Bay.
Camping / Lodging
If you have the time, we recommend finding a hotel in Cruz Bay the first night so you can do some grocery shopping and just relax and enjoy the warm air. This is a tourist town, so expect to pay at least $150/night for basic accommodation. But if you have enough rum, you won’t care.
When it comes time to explore the island, you could rub elbows with Brangelina at the mega-posh Caneel Bay Resort or find a bare site at one of a couple developed campgrounds. The most well known campground, Cinnamon Bay is one of the only places you can legally pitch a tent, so reserve your baresite well in advance. Sites are $30/night.
If Cinnamon Bay doesn’t have any baresites left, you can stay in one of their well-equipped canvas tents, which sleeps four and comes with a stove, utensils, and an icebox. Botanical Villas down the road has spots for tents as well as basic bed platforms and eco-tents, which are enclosed rooms with screens over-looking the ocean. For an even more rustic feel, swing by Vie’s Snack Shack on the other end of the island, where you can pitch a tent behind the restaurant and catch your own dinner.
Getting Around
If you have time, hike and hitch. From Cinnamon Bay on the north shore, you can hike up to the road that splits the island (takes about 1.5 hours) and then flag down a ride or pay $1 for the bus. Otherwise, you have to take taxis—which operate on a flat fare based on where you’re going. Expect to pay on average about $9 each way per person.
Gear Considerations
Cinnamon Bay Campground has stoves, pots, and pans for rent. Don’t try to bring your own stove unless you want to donate it to the TSA. We recommend bringing a well-ventilated tent, plush Therm-a-Rests, and your own cookware to cut down on costs. You can rent a stove and everything else you need from the campground.
Pick up your snorkel gear in Cruz Bay. Better yet, buy your own mask and snorkel, and then just rent fins—around $4/day or $20/week.
Food
St. John isn’t really known for its cuisine, so stock up on groceries in Cruz Bay and fend for yourself. When you’re in town, swing by Woody’s between 3-6pm for $1 beers and ridiculously good fish sandwiches, or head down to Joe’s near the post office for some tangy BBQ.
Further Reading
- Fodor’s US & British Virgin Islands
- Kindle Edition: St John Virgin Islands
- Lonely Planet: Virgin Islands
- St. John Off The Beaten Track
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Tags: camping, hiking national parks, travel
I believe Justin got it right everywhere except in the article title on then newsletter home page. It is St. John, not St. Johns. Also, currently the ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay is $6 one way. It is definitely a great place to visit.
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Hey Tommy, thanks. The $8 includes the baggage fee that none of the guide books tell you about … So it’s $8 unless you’re just traveling with a small backpack – then all the power to ya!
I guess the email peeps didn’t copy the title correctly … If you look at this page, it says St. John. oh well. The email only went out to like 1 million people. D’oh!
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I “lived” on St. John last year for vacation … best time I’ve had with my clothes on.
Best book for a trip to St. John is “St. John : Feet, Fins and Four Wheel Drive.” Written by a local, for people who want to get around like a local. Updated regularly.
First stop, first day, should be the Park Service office for information, some maps, and to register for the semi-weekly hike from the peak to Reef Bay. This “tour” is The Best Bargain on the island, as you can hike down to the old ruins, then enjoy one of the more remote beaches on the island, and then the Park Service picks you up by boat and takes you back to Cruz Bay. Also, if you want to sample all the beaches, but clean up on the way into town (see below), get the week pass (instead of the day pass) at Trunk Bay, they have the best showers. They close early (4:30) though.
One of the maps you seemingly can ONLY get on the island is a cheap looking little map by a hiker who’s spent time documenting ALL the trails in exacting detail (with GPS coords). The Park Service has it. Worth whatever it costs you. I guarantee it.
Expect to pay a lot for toiletries, so unlike a lot of places where you can “buy when you get there,” some things like OTC meds, bring a few along Just In Case.
Most important insider tip: it’s laid back there, but not a hedonist colony, so clean up and dress properly for in town. Showing up in businesses in swimsuit and sandals just doesn’t go.
Some things I couldn’t have done without on the island: rechargeable batts, a good light little flashlight, water bottle, stuff bags that crush down in my luggage, a light packable rain shell for spontaneous storms, my own mask and snorkel. If you rent a car on St. Thomas and a cottage on St. John as we did, leave time after the flight and before the ferry to shop for bulk groceries at Cost U Less on St. Thomas. Packaged goods, sodas, wine, etc are definitely cheaper there. Get your perishables and seafood in Cruz Bay after you settle.
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Can’t believe you’d write an article on “roughin’ it” in St. John and not mention the iconic eco-tent-resort of MAHO BAY CAMPS! Although not “officially “camping” MAHO is, along with Cinnamon Camp, the only lodgings that are wallet, as well as earth-friendly..
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Been to several Caribbean Island, and St. John is for sure #1 for me. I’m not a diver-just a snorkeler, and snorkelling is faboulous. My husband is a diver, and you do have to take a dive boat to dive.
We rent a faboulous villa for 4 couples, and it’s the best vacation to hang out with great friends.
Don’t go—-we’re selfish and want it to be a secret forever.
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Just returned from a spectacular trip to St John, my first and surely not my last. We stayed at Maho Bay Eco Resort in the tent cottages. The value was sky high compared to the cost. It is a must see place if not just for the view from the restaurant. Quiet hours were adhered to and sleeping was easy. The best was awaking to a zephyr in the trees and a gorgeous dawning of the day. Priceless. We did the hike to Brown Bay from Waterlemon Bay. 2 hrs total. The pristine beach and conch shells there was worth it. Try to hike early in the day if possible. Waterlemon is a must for snorkeling. We actually saw the most at Maho Bay. We swam with 6 different sea turtles and saw a beautiful spotted eagle ray. The only downside really was the hike to the bathroom but it’s camping. Best restaurant for food: Shipwreck Landing Best view: Miss Lucy’s (both near each other on Coral Bay) Oh and rent a 4 wd vehicle! You do not want to walk in the heat of the day anywhere. Agree with: bring mask n snorkel, thin body suit for snorkeling (i have darkish pigment and still got burned.) Next trip I want to rent a villa with friends but would not trade the Maho experience for anything! If you want more info. feel free to contact me at http://www.goals4golf.com!
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This is why I spend so long doing things I shouldnt be doing on the internet. Good read. Post more please – Mr. Birmingham
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Just my two cents worth having just returned from Cinnamon Bay a week ago. We were surprised that our campsite was up a “goat path” on a hillside in the jungle. There were no breezes and it was quite unpleasant. I am a seasoned camper and found the sites to be poor except for the ones near the beach which are nearly impossible to get since they are squatted on by people staying for months and are “reserved” in advance even though there is no official policy for reservations. It’s an insiders game.
Overall the campgrounds were kept clean, but lacked attention. There were signs of differed maintenance and a lack of concern by employees. The beach was nice, but beyond that it isn’t much to look at. People with mobility issues should be aware that there is a relatively steep hill leading into the beach/campground area from the parking lot.
We did switch to the cottages which were nice enough, but if we were to do it again we wold rent a cottage elsewhere.
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