St. John? - Why it IS different (and better)than the others
- elleno1962
- 13 hours ago
- 7 min read
The Caribbean - so varied in many ways, yet so much the same. When four of us bridge buddies decided to do a “bridge and beach” girls getaway in January 2026, we jumped on Joanna’s idea to stay on St. John. The island, a short ferry ride from St. Thomas, is known for its stunning beaches, gorgeous natural habitat, and less touristy vibe. During the planning, I sure hoped the island would live up to its hype.
First we had to get there—--
Travelers Tip: If traveling during the winter, I find it helpful (especially to those with high blood pressure) to build in an extra day prior to any expensive, non refundable stay. Since we planned to fly out of Philadelphia in January, my girlfriends agreed to arrive in St. Thomas the day before our VRBO would begin. It turned out to be a very good decision.
Little did we know, we left on the cusp of what would be one of the worst winter storms in Philadelphia in years. We encountered several travelers who lost a day trying to fly out of the crippling weather that hit much of the east coast that week.
Traveler’s Tip: There are two ferry ports on St. Thomas. Red Hook on the most eastern shore has a shorter (and less expensive) ferry ride to St. John and Charlotte Amelie; closer to the airport and more expensive (but not much). My tip: Go in and out of the Charlotte Amalie ferry port and save big bucks if the ferry times fit your schedule.
Traveler’s Tip: The US Virgin Islands uses US dollars for currency.
St. John offers several options for accommodations and transportation. First, you can stay in Cruz Bay; no need for a Jeep. There are communal taxis you are welcome to hop on and off for minimal dollars that take you to most of the popular beaches. The taxis looked fun but you do lose autonomy waiting for a pick up.
Second, you can stay at the Westin Resort and have all your transportation needs met easily. The resort has its own ferry boat to take you to and from St. Thomas. But that’s a whole different vacation experience, seemingly best for families and the less adventurous. We visited the resort’s beach (everyone on the island is welcome to use their beach) and enjoyed a delightful afternoon. Despite it being January, we were amazed by the number of children present at the resort. We may not have noticed them except for the sand ball fight that broke out near our chairs. Traveler’s Tip: If visiting the Westin’s beach from elsewhere, it’s best to bring your own chairs. Guests know to grab them early and keep them for the day.
Third (and best for us): Renting an Airbnb or VRBO. Joanna found a lovely place complete with four bedrooms, a pool, a fabulous lanai overlooking the water, and plenty of space to relax. Called Serenity, I can’t say enough great things about the sprawling property except please note: you will need a car to stay at the home (also, rental time may be a one week minimum).
For the rest of the post, please note that all activities and recommendations were mostly possible because we had use of a 4 wheel drive.
Traveler’s Tip: St. John is extremely hilly with tortuous curvy roads. When deciding on a vehicle, it’s highly advisable to rent a 4 wheel drive. And most importantly, keep in mind at all times, that despite St. John being a US Virgin Island, you drive on the left.
Figuring out where and how to rent a vehicle can be mind boggling. I spent hours trying to figure out the best company and my research paid off. I highly recommend renting on the island of St. John. Be sure to look at your rental agreement carefully to make sure you are picking up on St. John, not St. Thomas. If you have issues with your car, you probably don’t want to have to return to St. Thomas by ferry to resolve the issue.
Traveler’s Tip: Read reviews carefully! They are your best indicator of how reputable the car rental place is among travelers. While some companies were cheaper, I noted reviews which included phrases like: “Got charged for having too much sand in the car”, "Terrible customer service when we had a small accident”, “Car wasn’t in great shape”.
We went with Lionel and wow! - what a great experience. We were picked up at the ferry port, dropped off when we returned our Jeep, and our Wrangler drove great!. Best of all, the price was very reasonable.
There are many wonderful beaches on St. John to explore and it would take more than one week to experience many of them. Our highlights included seeing:
Hanson’s Beach - a funky little spot where you are encouraged to donate any amount for the upkeep of the basic potty facilities, onsite chairs, and rather raggedy beach floats. The sign said the beach was closed, but we parked anyway and discovered it to be very open; with the caveat of a suggested donation. We had a delightful time at this very quiet beach.
Honeymoon Beach - Before Hurricane Maria and Irma blew away the stunning Caneel Resort in 2017, Honeymoon must have been the ultimate for pampered guests who traveled around the property via golf carts. Today, Honeymoon is still absolutely lovely. To reach it, you must take a taxi or park at the head of what used to be the resort’s main entrance. For a fee, you ride a shuttle to the fairly secluded beach area.
Traveler’s Tip: Honeymoon does have free restrooms but bring your own chair unless you want to pay for rentals. The food truck offers a variety of food and drink and is reasonably priced (credit cards are accepted).
Was the $18 shuttle fee worth it? Absolutely. Being a mystery and history buff, I became fascinated with the part of the resort that is still barely visible from Honeymoon. In the distance, outlines of broken cottages can still be seen. You can ask your driver for the history lesson on the once opulent Caneel Resort and why it hasn’t been refurbished (there are LOTS of reasons). Our shuttle driver said that his mother worked for the resort for years until the hurricanes. The resort’s closure cost the island hundreds of jobs.
Traveler’s Tip: Parking is free at most of the beaches but the spaces fill fast during high season. If you have your heart set on visiting a certain beach, plan on arriving no later than 8:30 am. We had no luck finding a parking spot at Trunk Bay or Cinnamon despite arriving at 8:45 am.
Fortunately, we found parking at the recently reopened Caneel Beach. This turned out to be a fabulous find, if a bit rustic. Carrying our chairs, we passed by more of the ruined Caneel Resort; remains of the main buildings still standing in all kinds of condition. It felt a bit unworldly strolling past the huge circular dining hall where the rich and famous once met for breakfast.
After taking the paths, we alighted upon the very beach I had gazed upon while lounging on Honeymoon Beach - complete with the ghostly ruins of once beautiful beach side cabins. Caneel turned out to be a fantastic excursion, complete with starfish and a ray, which apparently has a name and won’t hurt a soul. We spent hours in and out of the water but please note: there are no bathroom facilities at Caneel.
Our last beach was Hawks Nest. Unlike the others, the water was too rough for us to enter far and the shade was limited. We read our books and admired the surf but no swimming that day. Note: there are public restrooms here.
One last word about Caneel. Although we didn’t go, there is a restaurant that has opened on the site of the old resort called Zozos. We walked by it and it looked pretty cool. Next time.
Of course, there are plenty of hiking opportunities on St. John. On our first day, we drove to the Ram Head trail head for a bit of exploring.
Traveler’s Tip: A lot of St. John is rocky! If you plan on hiking, you may want to consider bringing expandable walking sticks. Paths are littered with all sizes of rocks/boulders. By the end of our hike, most everyone had fashioned their own walking stick out of a piece of wood found among the bushes and small trees.
Fortunately, we came back to our Jeep in one piece (though a fellow passenger on my flight home didn’t fare so well and was looking forward to surgery to repair a broken ankle after her return).
St. John roads are a myriad of signs, sharp turns, and extremely steep hills.
Traveler’s Tip: Be sure to ask before you leave the Jeep rental place how to engage the four wheel drive and how to operate the headlights. We learned “on the job” which made for a couple of challenging moments.
The following are a few recommended eateries you should try (most can only be reached by personal vehicle):
Skinny Legs - Fantastic and fun bar where everyone feels 22 again.
Snorkels at the Westin - Parking is free and you don’t need to be a guest to enjoy their great food- try their fish tacos!
Sun Dog Cafe - located in town; I had the best quesadilla ever (filled with jerk chicken)
Ocean 362 - fantastic food and a stunning view of the water.
Beach Bar - Very good bar food (I’d stick to dining on the patio. We got attacked by sand critters at the picnic table)
Traveler's Tip: After I was told that food is crazy expensive on St. John, we made a trip to Cost.U.Less on St. Thomas via cab before getting on the ferry. Totally unnecessary. We found the prices mostly reasonable and the food quality great at the Dolphin Market near the Westin Resort. Save yourself a lot of trouble - shop on St. John.
What a great vacation! Yes, St. John is expensive to visit but what you’ll find is so different from other Caribbean islands which seem to cater to the rowdy youth or cruisers invading for the day. It’s probably the only island I'll consider returning to. There is a mystique about St. John. I’m lucky enough to be able to say, “I know why”.