St. John Island Tour

[Ashley24]

Has anyone been on this tour lately? Is it worth it? I am thinking for my parents who are in their 60's. I have been to St. John and know that they would love how beautiful it is but they are not beach people. Was the tour too long? Was it informative? Any opinions would be appreciated!
Ann

 

[Ashley24]

I would really be interested in any positives or negatives about this tour. My parents are already within the 60 day mark and should make their ressies ASAP. If not this excursion, then what would you recommend in St. Thomas or St. John???
Ann

 

[SQUIGGLE]

Just bumping this up because I was wondering about this excursion too.

 

[BethC]

Hi Ann!

I did this tour with my Mom, who's 58, in October and it was very nice. It wasn't my first choice, but it was something that we could do together since Mom was not interested in going to the beach or snorkeling.

When you arrive on the island, they split you up into many different safari jeep/buses, you can fit maybe 20 people per bus. I think the tour is as good as your guide. We had a fantastic guide who really showed us all of the beauty of the island, including many out of the way spots. He also shared a lot of interesting tidbits of information and was quite humorous. He would take the time to stop and let us dip our feet in the water or to discover hidden beaches. We got back with about half an hour to spare before the ferry took us back to St. Thomas, and we used the time to hit some of the shops. We didn't think the tour was too long at all, and there's very little walking involved.

On the way back, we talked to another couple who had done the tour, and while they enjoyed seeing the island as well, they felt their guide had rushed through the tour. They had arrived back at the ferry one and a half hours early. But we spoke with others who had really great guides like we did too, so I guess it's just the luck of the draw.

 

[Ashley24]

Thanks, Beth!
Anyone else have an opinion? How long is the ride over and how often does the shuttle go back and forth? Is it very humid there in April? I can't imagine my mom enjoying an hour and a half wait in high humidity!
Ann

 

[Samsma]

Did you have any time at all to see St. Thomas after this excursion? I really want to see Drake's Seat, Magens Bay, Coral World too.

 

[jel0511]

There is VERY high humidity on St. John down near sea leavel, where the ferry is. During the tour, up in the moutains, it's actually very cool, with lower humidity due to the altitude. There is a shaded area by the ferry terminal to wait, also the shops downtown are usually airconditioned, which aren't a far walk from the terminal. If they have a long wait, they could browse the shops for awhile to avoid waiting in the scorching Caribbean sun.

 

[Moosysmom]

I am signed up on this tour on March 12. I will let you know how it goes when I return on the 15th.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

I am a disabled 35 year-old (I can walk short distances with a cane for longer distances I have to use a wheelchair) so my body thinks I am in my sixties or even seventies depending on the day! We had a great time on this tour. Short distance from the ferry terminal to the jeeps. There is a decent step up into the jeep but it is doable. The ride if memory serves was pretty smooth and the scenery was unbelievable! I would go again in a heartbeat. In addition to the shops is a small park and visitor's center.

 

[Ashley24]

Moosysmom,
I would really appreciate it if you did let us know how you liked the tour! Have a great vacation!
Ann