Hi. I won a vacation up to a certain amount. I'm between staying at Crystal Cove/Sapphire Beach or at Gallows Point on STJ. I'm on a very limited budget. If I stay at Sapphire I dont' have to pay anything for air or hotel. If I stay at Gallows I have to put in an extra $250. I'm concerned about how much money I'm going to need for food, taxis, etc. so I'm not sure spending another $250 is worth it. I definitely can't afford to rent a car for the week-maybe 1 or 2 days is possible. If I won't have a car, which place is better to stay at? Can I walk into town at both places and are the towns similar or does Cruz Bay have more restaurants, grocery stores, etc? I thought I could get away with the $1 buses but it sounds like they aren't the most dependable and may not go to the places I would want to go to. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm having a hard time deciding between the 2. Thanks!

My next vacation will be St John and Gallows Point. What I have learned it that it is within easy walking distance to Cruz Bay if you want to try to go without a car. There are a few markets to buy supplies. Gallows Point has a small market for basic provisions and there is a place called Starfish Deli or something like that. I have looked at several websites and the food can get a little pricey in Cruz Bay if you are on a very strict budget. I found from a website the name of a guy that does Taxi island tours of St John. Wesley Easley, (340)693-8177.From what I have read, the dollar busses only go to lilmited areas and are not that reliable. Can't help you at all with Sapphire Beach

We stayed at Crystal Cove 3 years ago and spent some of our days on St. John. Biggest plus for CC is that it's on a nice beach. GP is on the water - you can snorkel there - but no beach.

HOWEVER - most people consider STJ the more desirable island - less developed, less crowded (except maybe Trunk Bay when the cruisers are there!), many gorgeous beaches, excellent snorkeling from shore, 2/3 National Park land.

If you're at CC you can walk to Red Hook and the passenger ferry from there to St. John is cheap (is it still $3 one way?).

If you stay at GP you'll need either a car or taxi to get to the beaches. Neither is cheap on STJ. I believe rentals are almost always at least $50/day there; you can view taxi fares at vinow.com or usvi-on-line.com.

There is okay snorkeling at Sapphire Beach. Car rentals on STT are quite a bit less than STJ.

Hope that helps.


Both places are condo complexes rather than full-service resorts. We were very happy with our 1-bedroom unit at Crystal Cove.

Can you really walk into Red Hook? I heard it wasn't safe. And is there much in Red Hook compared to Cruz Bay?
I'm not into kids too much-would CC have more or less kids than the Westin?

The walk from Crystal Cove to Red Hook is short (less than a mile, I think) but St. Thomas drivers don't seem to respect pedestrians very much. You also need to watch out for trash on the shoulders.

Walking it in the daytime is fine. After dark, questionable.

There were quite a few kids at CC when we were there (including ours), but it was Christmas week - other times might be different. It is adjacent to Sapphire Beach Resort, which has always been promoted as a family resort.

Red Hook has several restaurants and bars, a grocery store, other retailers, a large marina which is the base for several daysails, and of course the ferry dock. Not much personality, though, in my opinion.

Gallows Point is terrific in the ways that it's terrific-- we'ved stayed there 4 times (split time between Gallows and Caneel Bay). Many many restaurants in all price ranges within easy walking distance (Cruz Bay) The pool is only so-so, and there's no beach-- just a kind of cement "platform" with chairs when one can read or sunbathe. The snorkeling is fair off the rocky shore-- but absolutely spectacular in many other parts of St John (the main reason we keep going backto that island). The grounds at Gallows are very nice, the accommodations-- especially the second floor accommodations-- are very nice indeed. If you have specific questions about Gallows Point, I'll try to answer. Just remember: if you're looking for a beach vacation in the sense of a beach being right there at the resort, Gallows isn't it (but it's great for what many folks like best).