St. John/St. Thomas questions

[bsnyder]

For those of you who have been to this part of the Carribean....

We're leaving Sunday, for a long-awaited vacation to St. John. We're going with 4 other couples (no kids - woohoo!)

Usually I do extensive research when I'm going somewhere new (part of the fun, IMO!) but one of the couples we're going with has been there twice before, so I've literally left all the planning and arrangments to them.

I started packing tonight, and getting very excited about the trip. So I'm wondering, what are the things that are "do not miss"?

 

[Patrick IL.]

Bet, I will anxiously await your report when you come back! Enjoy!

 

[bsnyder]

Thanks, Patrick. I meant to add that to your thread, that I can give you first hand knowledge of these places in about 10 days!! I'll take good notes!

 

[debster812]

My folks have rented villas on St. John for many years. I will email Mom, and ask her opinion. It might be a day or two, but will be before you leave.

 

[Crush]

Don't miss a cab ride to Magen's Bay. I will never forget going up and down those hills in a truck/car/taxi sortof thing that was about 30 years old with questionable brakes!

If you are planning to go down there, be sure and check the weather before going. It isn't just a whole lot of fun when the winds are up because you can't snorkel.

 

[Towncrier]

If you are in the vicinity of Magen's Bay, as your taxi driver to stop at Udder Delights. They have the best milkshakes. If you want, they'll even throw in a splash of rum.

 

[NHAnn]

Trunk Bay on ST John was THE most beautiful beach I had ever seen in my life when I went there 20 years ago. We were staying on St Thomas and took a ferry trip over and rented a jeep and went to this beach. It was just so breathtakingly picture-postcard perfect. I understand it is much busier and probably not as unspoiled now, but there are lots of unspoled little beaches on St John.
Magen's Bay is on St Thomas I think. St John is less commercially developed than St Thomas. You will have a wonderful time I'm sure, particularly with peoplewho have been there before!
I would suggest even if you are not a "water person: that you make sure you go snorkeling! That was such a memorable experience for me that I recall vividly after 20 years!!

Have a great trip!!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Ask my mom, we lived in St.Croix. I don't remember much.

 

[jamsmom]

I think you should take me Then, I am a "not to be missed" something. LOL

 

[bsnyder]

Thanks for the info. I'm taking notes of the places you guys mentioned.

Ask my mom, we lived in St.Croix. I don't remember much.

I didn't know this! How cool!

NHAnn, we love boating, and being out on the water. We're renting a boat for at least two of the days, to go to some of the smaller islands, and we're definitely going to do some snorkeling!

 

[Towncrier]

You might try asking figmentvi. She still lives in the USVI.

 

[bsnyder]

I knew that but forgot, Towncrier! Thanks!

 

[MerryPoppins]

In St. Thomas we went to Coral World. It was nothing like Sea World, but it was fun.

We also went snuba diving from that beach. It was wonderful. If you aren't familiar with snuba, it's like scuba only your tank isn't on our back. Instead it floats above you on a raft. My kids had a blast. The snuba folks took great underwater digital photos. We bought a CD of them after we got back home.

Have fun. It's such a beautiful place.

 

[TwinMom7]

DH and I were there in November.

We stayed at the Frenchman's Reef on St. Thomas - which was fantastic! We did a day trip to St. John, toured around the island and spent a couple of hours at Trunk Bay. This is such a beautiful - unspoiled island!!!

Our best day was spent with two other couples on a day sail aboard the Winifred. We left early morning and got back mid-afternoon - sailing, snorkeling, meals and drinks included. It was FANTASTIC and so relaxing. I'd recommend it in a minute!

Our favorite evening was spent at a restaurant in Charlotte Amalie - Cuzzin's. It's a Caribbean restaurant/bar - small and tucked away on a little side street, but the food and the service was excellent!

The rest of our trip was spent lounging around our resort and shopping in Charlotte Amalie.

Have fun!!! It's a beautiful island!

 

[figmentvi]

Well I guess I'm the resident expert on the U.S.V.I.

Bet, you're gonna love St. John it is very beautiful. 75% of the island is a National Park, so needless to say that it's very under-developed.

Cruz Bay is the main center of activities for restaurants and bars. There's also a shopping area just outside of Cruz Bay called Mongoose Junction and it has lots of lovely little shops and some excellent restaurants. Another fun area is Wharfside Village.

Most definitely go to Trunk Bay, one of the prettiest beaches in the world.

Now for a "local" sailors hang out, you MUST go over to Coral Bay and go to Skinny Legs. Great place and really fun. If you do go there and you run into a large, bald man named George, tell him you know Chuck and Linda Baxter over on St. Croix. George is a very cool guy that has one of the best junior sailing programs in the Caribbean.

If you're in the mood for an elegant, yet still casual brunch, Caneel Bay Resort has a great one. DH and I have been there many times and love it.

If you have the time and the inclination, take a ferry from Red Hook Dock on St. Thomas and go to Jost Van **** in the British Virgin Islands. They have regular ferry service there. This place is a trip, they just got electricity about 3 years ago, and is nothing but bars lining the beach. The most famous of which is a place called Foxy's. You can't get more Caribbean than Foxy's. Great drinks and hammocks on the beach. Really, really great place and a must stop for anyone sailing in the Caribbean.

Whew that's about all that I can come up with for now !!!

PM me if you have any questions, I'd be glad to help.

Linda

 

[figmentvi]

Bet....I just noticed that you're renting a boat for a couple of days. Then you MUST, MUST, MUST go to Jost Van **** and you MUST, MUST, MUST go over to Norman Island. There's an old, wooden ship anchored in the bay (small island, can't miss it), called the William T. Thornton, but affectionately called by all of us sailors as The Willie T. You can either anchor close by or if your boat is small enough you can tie up to it. The Willie T has the BEST drinks known as "Painkillers" and trust me, they do just as the name says. They have a terrific lunch menu. You can actually call the Willie T on channel 16 on the radio and place your order for lunch before you get there.

If you do go to the Willie T, there is a TERRIFIC place to snorkel, called The Indians. They have mooring balls you can pick up to moor your boat on and trust me, you will be blown away with the snorkeling there. The Indians is a group of large rock formations that has a ton of fish in and around them. Very, very cool.

 

[figmentvi]

Geesh......I can't believe I got censored for writing the name of an island.....

The name of the island is Jost Van......D-Y-K-E.

Let's see if I fooled the automatic censor.

 

[debster812]

Linda,

Do you know if Foxy's is still out on Jost van D Y K E? Lots of fond memories of sipping pina coladas and Painkillers there. That would be another don't miss spot for me. And Foxy is (was?) a hoot and a half.

Debbie

 

[autochick]

yes Deb Foxies is still there. I think Many poeple have found memories there. I have been there several times with my mom.

As My mom was saying the Willie T is a great place to eat. I opted to swim over to the Willie T from our boat and when I arrived I realized I had been swimming with something that looked to much like a shark for my taste( mom help me out what is the name of the fish with the sneaker print on it's head?). So needless to say i didnt swim back.

The snorkeling area that my mom was talking about was amazing there were so many fish. It was breath taking

 

[figmentvi]

Hey Debbie !!!

Yup.....'ol Foxy is still there and still singing his Calypso songs. He is a piece of work. His place has gotten so popular, that on New Years Eve 1999, he took reservations for a Millenium New Year's Eve party and was actually getting $500.00 per person. There were all kinds of movie stars and personalities there (I was not, LOL).

We ran into him in February when were last there. His wife Tessa has a really cute shop right next to the bar and has some of the best island clothing around. Really nice stuff.

Meg....the name of the fish is called a Ramora. They do look like a small shark, but they're completely harmless. The sneaker print on their heads is how they attach themselves to larger fish and hitch rides and eat leftovers.