for a 1 week trip to USVI, would it be a good idea to stay at caneel bay the first 4 days, then st. thomas the last two (this is because we would have to leave from STT anyway, plus could see a little of both islands, plus would keep the cost down of staying at caneel bay resort the whole time). did i see on one of these postings there are no tv's in the room at caneel? of course we won't spend much time watching tv but a little news or whatever here or there might be good to know. where to stay on st. thomas, renaissance, morning star, or somewhere else? we're thinking of going in may because of our work/grad school schedule or would it be better to pay the higher prices and go next year early january when the weather is bad here instead of decent weather here in may?

You can easily split your stay between St Thomas and St. John and Caneel would be my first choice on St John for your 4 day there. It's a spectacular property. I would caution you though that if having a television in your room is important to you then Caneel may disappoint. There are no tv's and no room phones. They will however loan you a cel phone for the length of your stay if you request it. <BR>For a couple of days on St Thomas the Marriott Morningstar would be nice as would Secret Harbour.

thanks for the quick reply MaryBeth, do you think the 4 days on St. John and less time on St. Thomas is the right ratio of time to spend on each? I have heard raves about Caneel and not good about Westin so we'll stay at Caneel even though no tv's in the room, i'm sure we can look at a newspaper. Also, i'll check out secret harbour, is it right on the beach? should we rent a car on each island? we like to explore some but it sounds a little scary to drive on each island, is it safe? if it is stressful, that conflicts with trying to have a relaxing vacation! first trip to caribbean, i hope usvi is a good choice. unfortunately, it does not look easy to see st. croix while we are there, too far away. good restaurants to recommend on st. thomas and st. john? i've heard it is a little scary to go out at night in st. thomas, is that true? also, one last question, when we are snorkeling or swimming at the beach, is our stuff safe on the beach? thanks a lot!

We go to stt frequently. driving is on the left hand side, but not that difficult. The only hassle is in the downtown area. Roads are not that great and very hilly, but we never go over 25 mph and the island is really small.there can be gridlock during cruise docking times if you're down town. We don't go into the downtown area at night or walk around there when it's dark. Otherwise, I don't think there's a problem. I love to drive on St Johns it is so beautiful and you have an opportunity to get all over the island. The ferry between the 2 islands is inexpensive and fast. <BR>

I agree with k about driving on the islands. It's really not a big deal and certainly doesn't stress me out! You just need to be aware of what you're doing and concentrate on staying left. It's not scary at all driving on St Thomas. I've been going to the USVI for years and never had a bad or scary experience.<BR>If it were me I'd probably do 5 days on St John and 3 on St Thomas if you could do 8 nights. <BR>Definitely check out Secret Harbour. It's my favorite on St Thomas. It's a small very well run resort, right on the beach, very clean etc. Also one of the best restaurants on the island the Blue Moon Cafe is at Secret Harbour. Plus they have excellent snorkeling right off the beach. <BR>You can definitely drive at night on St Thomas or St John. Feel free to go out for dinner, or out for some dancing. I wouldn't explore unknown areas at night, I mean use your common sense but there's no need to sit in your resort afraid to go out. As I said, I've NEVER had a bad or even remotely scary experience.<BR>Enjoy!

thanks again MaryBeth, your comments are helpful and from my research today, Secret Harbour looks great. so, are you saying your recommendation is to rent a car on each island? so, now we get into things to do and restaurants! also, the question about keeping your stuff safe on the beach while you are snorkeling...or are there waterproof packs you wear for your driver's license, car keys, etc. in case someone decides to take off with your stuff? don't mean to sound paranoid, just trying to be smart about these things. thanks again.

You're not paranoid in the least, I don't think it's a good idea to leave money and id and credit cards on the beach. I have a small waterproof case that is worn around the neck that's just large enough to hold keys, your license and a credit card and some cash. You can get them at dive shops or also at www.fishcards.com. They cost $6 or $7 and they really do keep your stuff dry and safe. <BR>Since you want to stay on both islands, I would recommend renting a car on St Thomas from an agency (Budget, Dependable etc) that will allow you to take the car to St John on the car barge. Much easier than trying to rent two separate cars on two separate islands and probably less costly too.<BR>There are so many great restaurants on both islands, it's hard to know where to begin. Let me give it some thought and I'll post again tomorrow. I'm sure someone else will have some info for you too.<BR>Remember all this is my opinion, based on my experiences. Others may have different ideas that are equally valid. I just don't want to come across as a know it all. Just trying to help.

MaryBeth, you do not come across as a know it all, your tips are great! it would be much easier to just stay in one place but i gathered it's worth it to stay on each island, is that right? we could always commute back and forth but it seemed to make more sense to stay on each?<BR>thanks for the tip about the waterproof &quot;necklace&quot;, i'll definitely get one. i've never snorkeled, have heard about buying your own stuff vs. renting, any thoughts on this? <BR>really getting excited about our trip! hoping we get plans made soon, afraid places may start getting booked up. already noticed some of our dates not available. thanks again. sounds like you have been to the USVI a lot, have you been other places, how do they compare? i am bigger on beach vacations than my husband, hope he really likes this so we can go back to other places in the Caribbean. last year, we spent $3500 on a miserable trip to Florida, the weather was horrible, 65 year record lows at the time of year we went, so i'm thinking this trip should make up for that!

Hi, <BR>I thought maybe I'd jump in here with my 2 cents! I agree with what MaryBeth has been saying and yes I think it's worth it to spend time on both islands. St John is gorgeous and undeveloped and St Thomas is lovely, some beautiful beaches with lots of great shopping and some fabulous restaurants.<BR>Here are my favorite restaurants on each island.<BR>St John-ZoZo's, Banana Deck, Paradiso, Chateau Bordeaux, Lime Inn, Shipwreck Landing, Woody's Seafood Saloon, Miss Lucy's, Skinny Legs and Uncle Joe's Barbecue for takeout.<BR>St Thomas-Greenhouse Cafe, Craig and Sally's, Agave Terrace, Room with a View, Hook Line and Sinker, The Sugar Mill, Banana Tree and don't miss Cuzzin's and Glady's for real local food!<BR>If your husband is not as enthused about beach vacations as you are there are some other things for him to do. St John has some great hiking trails and historical ruins to explore. You can get more info at the National Park Headquarters in Cruz Bay. You can also do one of the many daysails or daytrips to the nearby British Virgin Islands.<BR>One thing you won't have to worry about in the Virgin Islands is a week of 65 degree weather, even in January or February. You might occasionally find 65 degrees at night but not as a daytime high.<BR>Personally I've been to St Lucia, Antigua, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. St Thomas/St John is where I keep coming back over and over! I will continue to travel to other islands but when I want a trip I know I can depend on I head to the USVI!

Thanks Mermaid, I keep printing out all of these and making a little &quot;notebook&quot; of travel tips. (by the way, we didn't have 65 degree weather last year in Florida, that would have been good!, they had record lows they had not seen in 65 years...we were there late Feb. and it was cold and windy, we wore our jeans, sweaters, and coats we left from st. louis with most of the week!)

I'd rent a car from dependable. They'll pick you up at the airport, and they're 5-10 min from there between charlotte A and the airport. You can take the car right over to St john on the ferry, and back again. When you are ready to go home, drop the car off at dependable and they'll take you back to the airport. I do know that all or most of the car rental agencies are right around there. Remember it is a very small island and things aren't that far apart.

pecug,<BR>Just to make a suggestion, we have been to St.John, ST. Thomas, Virgin Gorda, Cooper Island, and Jost Van Dyke and if you can fit it in your time frame and budget, please,please take a day sail trip to another island or a power boat trip/snorkeling trip to several of the other islands. It is truly a day from heaven and if you are down that way a trip you should not pass up, beautiful scenery, wonderful water color, fantastic snorkeling, beautiful beaches, a day you will remember and try to duplicate again and again. Safe Travel and wonderful memories, and to the reference to the t.v. at Caneel, trust me you will not miss it, nor the telephone, it is such a great place to relax and enjoy their many beaches to snorkel.

Blue Moon is good dining for sure. Also check out The Toad and Tart English Pub which is in the area and is a very unique place with excellent home-cooked food at excellent prices. And Patrick's at Compass Point (formerly Raffles but now under the ownership of Chef Patrick who was the Raffles chef for three years) for a fine dining experience. Check the www.usvi-on-line website for reviews and forums which are most helpful. Enjoy your trip!