Trip Planning
The St. John Guide
Beaches, Cruz Bay, ferries, snorkel reefs, and the rhythm of island days — from someone who lives above the harbor.
Start here
The five guides
Guide · Beaches
The Beaches of St. John, USVI: A Complete Guide
Every beach on St. John worth your time — from the world-famous Trunk Bay snorkel trail to the quiet south-shore coves only locals visit. Maps, parking, snorkeling, and what each beach is best for.
Guide · Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay, St. John: A Complete Guide to the Town
Cruz Bay is St. John's only real town — and the most fun small town in the Caribbean. Where to eat, where to drink, where to park, and how to spend a half-day exploring.
Guide · Getting There
Getting to St. John, USVI: The Complete Guide
There's no airport on St. John — and that's part of why it stays the way it is. Here's exactly how to get from your flight to your villa, including ferry timing, taxi rates, and rental car advice.
Guide · Things to Do
Things to Do in St. John, USVI: The Insider's Guide
St. John is small but it punches above its weight. Snorkeling, hiking, sailing, ruins, food trucks, and a few quietly weird local rituals — here's what to do with your time.
Guide · Plan Your Trip
Plan Your St. John Trip: When to Go, What to Pack, What to Know
The practical planning guide for a St. John vacation — best time to visit by month, packing list, honeymoon planning, and St. John vs St. Thomas.
Browse
All articles
28 stories about St. John — search by topic, beach, or question.
Showing 28 of 28
Plan Your Trip
Packing List for a St. John Villa Stay (What to Bring, What to Skip)
An honest packing list for a St. John villa stay — including the four things first-timers always forget and the three things you should absolutely not pack.
5 min read →
Plan Your Trip
The St. John Honeymoon Guide: 7 Days of Beach, Boat, and Quiet
A full honeymoon itinerary for St. John, USVI: where to stay, the right mix of beach days and boat days, romantic dinners, and how to actually be alone in the Caribbean.
8 min read →
Land & Sea
BVI Day Sail from St. John: Where to Go and What It Costs
A practical guide to taking a British Virgin Islands day sail from St. John, USVI — the Baths, Norman Island, Jost Van Dyke, and Cooper Island, plus customs, timing, and what the day actually looks like.
7 min read →
Land & Sea
Villa + Yacht: The Best Way to See the Virgin Islands
Why pairing a St. John villa with a private day-charter catamaran beats either format alone — costs, logistics, and a sample week-long itinerary.
7 min read →
Plan Your Trip
Best Time to Visit St. John, USVI: A Month-by-Month Guide
Weather, crowds, prices, and trade winds — when to go to St. John and what to expect every month of the year. Our honest recommendations from someone who lives here.
7 min read →
Things to Do
St. John Snorkeling: The 8 Best Spots (And What You'll See)
A snorkeler's tour of St. John's eight best reefs — from Trunk Bay's marked underwater trail to the wild boat-only spots, with what to expect at each.
8 min read →
Things to Do
A Rainy Day in St. John: What to Actually Do (It Won't Last Long)
What to do on a rainy day in St. John, USVI — the surprisingly fun town options, the snorkeling that's still great in the rain, and why a tropical shower is almost never a lost day.
6 min read →
Getting There
Getting Around St. John Without a Car: A Practical Guide
You can absolutely do St. John without a rental car — if you plan it right. Here's how to use safari taxis, the public bus, water taxis, and your two feet.
5 min read →
Things to Do
Kayak & Paddleboard St. John: Maho Bay and Hurricane Hole
Where to kayak and paddleboard on St. John, USVI — the calm protected water at Maho Bay, the mangrove channels of Hurricane Hole, rental shops, and what to expect from each.
6 min read →
Cruz Bay
A 2-Hour Walking Tour of Cruz Bay, St. John (From the Ferry Dock)
A self-guided 2-hour walking loop through Cruz Bay, St. John — from the ferry dock through Mongoose Junction, the National Park Visitor Center, the back streets, and ending at sunset on the beach.
7 min read →
Getting There
Red Hook vs Charlotte Amalie Ferry to St. John: Which Is Faster?
Two ferries connect St. Thomas to St. John — Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie. Here's which one to take based on your flight time, group size, and tolerance for taxi traffic.
4 min read →
Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay Shopping & Galleries: Where to Actually Spend Your Money
A local's guide to shopping and art galleries in Cruz Bay, St. John — Mongoose Junction, Wharfside Village, the working artists' studios, and the small shops worth the detour.
6 min read →
Getting There
How to Get to St. John, USVI: Airport, Ferry, and Taxi (2026)
A step-by-step guide to getting from your flight into STT (Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas) to your villa on St. John — taxi, ferry options, timing, and what it costs.
7 min read →
Plan Your Trip
Eloping & Small Weddings on St. John, USVI: The Real Logistics
A practical guide to eloping or hosting a small wedding on St. John — the marriage license (no US passport needed), beach permits in the National Park, officiants, and how a villa makes it simple.
7 min read →
Cruz Bay
The Best Sunset Bars in Cruz Bay, St. John
Where to be at golden hour in Cruz Bay — six bars with a clear view of the sun dropping behind St. Thomas, ranked from rowdy to romantic.
4 min read →
Plan Your Trip
St. John vs St. Thomas: Which Island Is Right for Your Trip?
An honest comparison of St. John and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands — beaches, vibe, getting around, costs, and which island fits which kind of traveler.
7 min read →
Things to Do
St. John with Kids: A Sample 5-Day Family Itinerary
A relaxed 5-day St. John itinerary for families — the easiest beaches, kid-friendly snorkeling, the short hikes, the rainy-day plan, and how to handle the inevitable afternoon meltdown.
8 min read →
Cruz Bay
Where to Park in Cruz Bay, St. John (Every Lot, Every Trick)
Parking in Cruz Bay is famously tight. Here's every public lot, the unofficial spots locals use, and how to avoid getting towed during your St. John villa stay.
5 min read →
Things to Do
Hiking Virgin Islands National Park: The 5 Trails Worth Your Morning
A practical guide to the best hikes in Virgin Islands National Park on St. John — Reef Bay, Ram Head, Lind Point, Cinnamon Bay loop, and Bordeaux Mountain. Length, difficulty, what to bring, and which trail to pick.
7 min read →
Things to Do
Private Sailing & Day Charters from St. John, USVI
How private sailing charters from St. John work — pricing, what's included, where you'll go (BVI, Christmas Cove, Norman Island), and how to pair a villa stay with a private day aboard a 50' catamaran.
7 min read →
Beaches
The Best Beaches in St. John, USVI — By What You Actually Want
Picking a beach on St. John by mood, not by name. The best beaches for snorkeling, families, sunset, quiet, sea turtles, and the iconic photo — with honest tradeoffs for each.
6 min read →
Cruz Bay
Where to Eat in Cruz Bay, St. John: A Local's Guide (2026)
A real local's guide to the best restaurants in Cruz Bay, St. John — from waterfront grills and Caribbean BBQ to date-night spots and where to get the best painkiller on the island.
9 min read →
Beaches
Waterlemon Cay: The Best Snorkel on St. John (And How to Get There)
A practical guide to snorkeling Waterlemon Cay on St. John's north shore: the Leinster Bay trail, the swim out, what you'll see on the reef, and how to time the current.
7 min read →
Beaches
Hawksnest Beach, St. John: The Closest National Park Beach to Cruz Bay
Hawksnest Beach is the first National Park beach you reach driving from Cruz Bay — and our pick for a fast morning swim. Snorkeling, parking, and what to know.
4 min read →
Beaches
Salt Pond Bay, St. John: The Quiet South-Shore Beach Locals Love
A complete guide to Salt Pond Bay on St. John's south shore — how to get there, the short hike down, the snorkeling, and how it pairs with the Ram Head trail for a half-day in Virgin Islands National Park.
7 min read →
Beaches
Maho Bay, St. John: The Sea Turtle Beach (And Why Families Love It)
Maho Bay on St. John is the easiest place in the USVI to swim with sea turtles. A complete guide: parking, the food trucks, snorkeling tips, and how it compares to Trunk Bay.
5 min read →
Beaches
Honeymoon Beach, St. John: How to Get There (Hike or Water Taxi)
A complete guide to Honeymoon Beach on St. John, USVI — the Lind Point Trail hike from Cruz Bay, water taxi options, what's there, and why it's our pick for a calm-water afternoon.
6 min read →
Beaches
Trunk Bay, St. John: The Complete Guide (Snorkel Trail, Fees, Parking)
Everything you need to know about Trunk Bay on St. John, USVI: the underwater snorkel trail, National Park fees, parking tips, what to bring, and the best time to arrive.
8 min read →
Ready when you are
Ready to watch the sunset from Sunset Villa?
Choose your dates, review availability, and start planning your St. John stay above Cruz Bay.