golden

My husband and I are in the early stages of planning our first trip to the US Virgin Islands. We would like to find a nice villa on St. John's but I am looking for advice regarding best location. In what area would we be closest to resteraunts, shops, etc.. It sounds like we would need to rent a car but have heard the roads are not too good. Is parking also an issue? Having never been to the Caribbean so any advice has we start our planning would be very much appreciated.

virginislandtraveler

I've traveled to St John for over 20 years..I practiced law and lived on St Thomas In 2007/2008..You will not regret your choice to go to St John..It might be one of the most beautiful places on earth..2/3 is a national park..
There are a multitude of Villas on St John..But for just two people consider a nice resort condo..not sure what your budget is but check with St John Properties,Catered To..Gallows Point is a very nice condo close to Cruz Bay/nice pool/private..Basically on St John you have Cruz bay ..a small tropical town with some nice restaurants,,car rental companies,shopping and beach bars..The villas are scattered over the islands outside the park primarily in the hills.(on the beach at night is not good-nats....day never a problem)...and the many lovely beaches and nature trails...Parking is usually not a major problem and the roads are fine, but hilly.(drive on the left).You do need a vehicle, as you want to tour most of the island,especially the north shores..Conrad Sutton has been renting cars in Cruz Bay for 30 yrs..He has a lot in Cruz bay ..close to the ferry dock and will meet you when the ferry arrives..Also,you can park in his lot when Cruz Bay is crowded.(tell him,burlison,the lawyer said hi).For some insider tips on the Virgin Islands..check out my website:
http://www.travelaskthelocals.yolasite.com
You will have a great trip..

virginislandtraveler

I'm sorry, I really did not answer your main question..The best location..There are a number of Villas on the south shore.and very nice..but you will actually spend most of your time traveling the north shore and as such..try to rent close to Cruz bay and the north shore and consider that you will be heading to the north shore most days..and some days to Cruz Bay for groceries,shopping.restaurants,etc.Some may disagree..

vicnroy

Since you listed proximity to restaurants and shops as important, then Cruz Bay might be your best choice, since that holds the highest concentration of both. I agree that you should check into Gallows Point, which is a very short walk (i.e., 2 blocks?) to town.

However, from Cruz Bay, it's a drive to the better beaches and remote areas, which you'll likely want to visit.

There are places up near Coral Bay, which has some places to eat, but really no shops (as far as I can recall).

Bottom line: I don't think you're going to find that perfect location with good access to everything. The good news is that the island is small and driving is relatively easy (the roads are fine; a bit hilly and twisty, but not dangerous), as long as driving on the left doesn't bother you.

We rented in Chocolate Hole, which, in my opinion, is not the best if you want to reduce your driving. From there, almost any trip meant a drive through Cruz Bay. True, Cruz Bay is small, but driving to or through it several times per day made us a little weary after our 10 days.

Regardless of location, absolutely, positively, ask if there is active construction going on nearby your villa, and how close. There is a lot of building, and our recent vacation was very much impacted by construction noise right next door, starting every morning (saturday and sunday included) at 7:00am.

We rented from Courtesy. Like most rental places, they allow you to use their lot for parking. While their lot is small, it's not much smaller than most other places, and we were able to take advantage of it on several occasions.

Our second choice for parking in Cruz Bay was the public lot right behind Denzil's, and we usually had good luck there.

I think St. John is a good choice for your first Caribbean trip. Have fun!

SSypniewski

For recent reviews on villas on St. John, check out:
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.co...ws/index.shtml

LaSalle61

My husband and I stayed at Island Time, a villa available through Caribbean Villas and
Rsorts management company. It's five minutes from town, groceries and not a long drive to the northshore beaches, has a pool and hot tub and is very charming. The drive through town isn't so bad and you pick up the local vibe as you go.
I also concur with Gallows Point as a good house/villa alternative.
Have fun!