St. John--how much should we try to see?
 

Have been researching St. John, where we will have three and a half days during an upcoming trip. I know it is not a huge island, and we will have a Jeep.. Aside from snorkeling at various beaches, how much time would it take to drive around the island just to see the sights? Would a trip to St. Croix be packing too much into the time that we have?

St. John isn't a really big island, but the roads are pretty windy and hilly, so it takes longer than you might think to get around. It's a beautiful island, with lots of beaches to explore. You could spend a nice leisurely day doing that.

My vote would be to skip St. Croix -- with only a few days, it's probably not worth the travel time on either end to pack in another island. Instead, I would use that time for a kayak and snorkel excursion with Hidden Reef tours. And the Reef Bay trail that leads you along the beach in Fish Bay and up to the petroglyphs is another wonderful way to see an enchanted part of St. John.

It's difficult and time consuming to get to St. Croix from St. John so with only 3 1/2 days you should spend it on St. John.

As for driving around the island, you can do that easily in one day and "see" many of the main points of interest. Of course, how long you stay at each point will determine the actual length of your "trip" but in 3 1/2 days you should be able to "see and do' quite a lot.

I would just stick with St. John, for the reasons mentioned above.

Also, are the 3 1/2 days all on St John, or do you arrive and leave from St Thomas? If you are leaving from the airport in St Thomas, you will cut a huge chunk into the 1/2 day. Check out the National Park website: http://www.nps.gov/viis/index.htm for ideas about what to see. There is an information center in Cruz Bay where you can get maps, ask questions, etc. The ranger-guided Reef Bay trek is one of their most popular activities.

To go to St Croix, you have to ferry to St Thomas, take a taxi to the sea plane terminal, fly to St Croix...Way too much involved!

I agree with others, just stay on STJ with so little time. St Croix is nice, but IMO, STJ blows it away.

Get yourself a good map of the island and one of the beach guide books, and just relax. Don't try and do too much or you will forget why you went in the first place....to chill.

OK thanks, everyone. St. Croix is out!

Bassguy 66-- absolutely right about not trying to do too much. It's just hard to imagine when you have not been before.

aldmllr and eastenderusvi-- The description of the Reef Bay trail makes me wonder if it might too strenuous for some in our group. Do you have to hike all the way in to get to the petroglyphs?
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We do have three full days plus the half day, when we arrive from St. Thomas in early afternoon. I did not count our return day at all.

My friend wants to check out Maho Bay to practice snorkeling and look for sea turtles. Like Trunk Bay, reviews suggest going later in the day (4 p.m.) to avoid crowds. Any suggestions for beaches to visit earlier in the day that will not be too crowded? We are staying at the Westin.

Check out this website: http://stjohnbeachguide.com/

Some of my favorite snorkels:

Francis Beach - To the far right side of the beach you will see rocks....if the pelicans are diving into the water, go snorkel right in the middle of them. I found myself surrounded by millions of tiny baitfish, being eaten by 6 foot tarpon swimming everywhere...it was awesome.

Waterlemon Caye - You will want to walk as far as you can along the path from the sugar ruins parking lot. You will have to swim at least 100+ yards out to the island, but the back side of that island is magical with soft coral and sea-life. This area has some current, not recommended for weak swimmers.

Maho Bay - I'm throwing this in here since you mentioned it. Easy parking, easy entry, and easy snorkeling. Stay to the right by the rocks. I saw the big tarpon here as well, along with a small nurse shark.

Trunk - Very popular, and a gorgeous beach. Not my favorite as it's the most crowded, and the coral is somewhat bleached here, and frankly not that interesting. I'd go to this beach to hang out...not snorkel.

My best advice is do your homework, and learn the lay of the island and where the beaches are before your trip so you can spend time on the beach and not trying to find them. The link I provided should give you a good idea.

I believe the National Park Service runs a guided trip to the Reef Bay Trail and petroglyphs that involves only hiking down from the top of the trail, and a boat ride back to the park headquarters, so definitely check them out.

Some of the best snorkeling we did on St. John was at Hawksnest Beach, right from the shore. It's easy to get to, and there's easy parking in the lot.

Here is the info on the ranger-led tour: http://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisi...=319784-245777
It is downhill with a boat ride back to Cruz Bay. You do need to be able to walk/hike on a trail. They will pick up non-swimmers on the beach, or you can swim to the boat. It is very popular, so make reservations in advance.

Wow Bassguy66, that is an excellent beach resource and is going to help us a lot. One of our group had mentioned Francis Beach--thanks for your personal suggestions. I figure that with a car we can check out a lot of different places in three days.

Easternderuvi--thanks for the link to the trail information. We will see what everyone thinks on that one. They are so cautionary in the description and warn that you might have to walk back uphill depending on sea conditions. It must be a fantastic hike. Have you done it?

If you're looking to fill the 3 days with more than just the beaches of St. John, you should do a BVI day trip. It's typically $150pp plus customs. You leave St. John in the morning and go to Virgin Gorda for the Baths, a snorkel stop, lunch at a beach bar and to Jost Van Dyke for the Soggy Dollar Bar. Easiest way to see most of the British Virgin Islands in one day and a ton of fun.

Thank you lburke--that sounds lovely. Leaving in a few days!

jayne: Yes, I have done the Reef Bay hike more than once. I guess it might be possible that the seas could be too rough to take the boat back, but I think you would know that before you left. There are folks that do the hike as a fitness exercise, but the rangers make it an incredible learning experience.

Thank you, eastenderusvi. Always good to hear from people who have actually experienced something for themselves. My friend with knee trouble is back peddling on Reef Bay, but looks like there are plenty of other less challenging hikes we can take, including some we can combine with snorkels.

I truly appreciate everyone who took time to answer my questions.

Packed and ready for takeoff!

Just checking in to say St. John was fabulous, from the painkillers and shrimp at Beach Bar to the mesmerizing snorkeling-- I am spoiled having my first real snorkels at this incredible location. Thanks again to everyone for all your help!