St. John
We’ve compiled the best of the best in St. John - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Annaberg Plantation
In the 18th century, sugar plantations dotted the steep hills of this island. Enslaved people and free Danes and Dutchmen toiled to harvest the cane...
In the 18th century, sugar plantations dotted the steep hills of this island. Enslaved people and free Danes and Dutchmen toiled to harvest the cane that was used to create sugar, molasses, and rum for export. Built in the 1780s, the partially restored plantation at Leinster Bay was once an important sugar mill. Although there are no official visiting hours, the National Park Service hosts tours, and some well-informed taxi drivers can show you around. Occasionally, you may see a living-history demonstration—someone making johnnycakes or weaving baskets. For information on tours and cultural events, contact the National Park visitor center.
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2. Reef Bay Trail
This is one of the most interesting hikes on St. John, but it's only for the physically fit as the 2-mile return climb, rising 900...
This is one of the most interesting hikes on St. John, but it's only for the physically fit as the 2-mile return climb, rising 900 feet from sea level back to the trailhead, is a real workout. Along the way, one short side trail to the west takes you to a small pool where indigenous inhabitants carved petroglyphs into the rock. Another short side trail to the east leads to the plantation's greathouse, a gutted but mostly intact structure with vestiges of its former beauty. Down at sea level, walk around the sugar factory ruins. The beach here makes a great place to cool off before hiking back up. Difficult.
Rte. 10, Reef Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands340-776–6201 -
3. Trunk Bay Beach
St. John's most photographed beach is also the preferred spot for beginning snorkelers because of its underwater trail. (Cruise-ship passengers interested in snorkeling for a...
St. John's most photographed beach is also the preferred spot for beginning snorkelers because of its underwater trail. (Cruise-ship passengers interested in snorkeling for a day flock here, so if you're looking for seclusion, arrive early or later in the day.) Crowded or not, this stunning beach is one of the island's most beautiful. There are changing rooms with showers, bathrooms, a food concession, picnic tables, a gift shop, phones, lockers, and snorkeling-equipment rentals. The parking lot often overflows, but you can park along the road as long as the tires are off the pavement. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; windsurfing.
North Shore Rd., Hwy. 20, Estate Trunk Bay, Saint John, U.S. Virgin IslandsSight Details
Rate Includes: $5 -
4. Virgin Islands National Park
Covering more than two-thirds of St. John, Virgin Islands National Park preserves the island's natural environments and is a must if you're interested in bird-watching,...
Covering more than two-thirds of St. John, Virgin Islands National Park preserves the island's natural environments and is a must if you're interested in bird-watching, snorkeling, camping, history, or just strolling in beautiful environs. At Francis Bay there's a boardwalk through the mangroves, where birds may be plentiful; Trunk Bay boasts an underwater snorkel trail while Salt Pond Bay offers pleasant snorkeling too; Cinnamon Bay's campground offers bare sites, eco tents. and cottages; and you can explore plantation history at Annaberg Sugar Mill and Catherineberg Estate ruins. There are more than 20 trails on the north and south shores, with guided hikes along the most popular routes. A full-day trip to Reef Bay is a highlight; it's an easy hike through lush and dry forest, past the ruins of an old plantation, and to a sugar factory adjacent to the beach. It can be a bit arduous for young kids, however. The nonprofit Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park runs a $60 per person ranger-guided tour to Reef Bay that includes a safari bus ride to the trailhead and a boat ride back to the visitor center. The schedule changes from season to season; call for times and to make reservations, which are essential. To pick up a useful guide to St. John's hiking trails, see various large maps of the island, and find out about current Park Service programs—including guided walks and cultural demonstrations—stop by the park visitor center at the western tip of the park in Cruz Bay on North Shore Road.
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5. Bordeaux Mountain
St. John's highest peak rises to 1,277 feet. Route 10 passes near enough to the top to offer breathtaking vistas. Don't stray into the road...
St. John's highest peak rises to 1,277 feet. Route 10 passes near enough to the top to offer breathtaking vistas. Don't stray into the road here—cars whiz by at a good clip along this section. Instead, drive nearly to the end of the dirt road that heads off to Picture Point and the trailhead of the hike downhill to Lameshur. Get a trail map from the park service before you start. It's a relatively easy 2 miles (3 km) down, but the hike back up is strenuous due to the steep incline.
Rte. 10, Bordeaux, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands -
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6. Catherineberg Ruins
At this fine example of an 18th-century sugar and rum factory, there's a storage vault beneath the windmill. Across the road, look for the round...
At this fine example of an 18th-century sugar and rum factory, there's a storage vault beneath the windmill. Across the road, look for the round mill, which was later used to hold water. In the 1733 slave revolt Catherineberg served as headquarters for the Amina warriors, a tribe of Africans that had been captured into slavery.
Catherineberg Rd., St. John, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands -
7. Cinnamon Bay Beach
This long, sandy beach faces beautiful cays and abuts the National Park campground. There's excellent snorkeling off the point to the right; look for the...
This long, sandy beach faces beautiful cays and abuts the National Park campground. There's excellent snorkeling off the point to the right; look for the big angelfish and large schools of purple triggerfish. Afternoons on Cinnamon Bay can be windy—a boon for windsurfers but an annoyance for sunbathers—so arrive early to beat the gusts. The Cinnamon Bay hiking trail begins across the road from the beach parking lot; ruins mark the trailhead. There are actually two paths here: a level nature trail (with signs to identify flora) that loops through the woods and passes an old Danish cemetery and a steep trail that starts where the road bends past the ruins and heads straight up to Route 10. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking; windsurfing.
North Shore Rd., Hwy. 20, Cinnamon Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands -
8. Francis Bay Beach
Because there's little shade, this beach gets toasty in the afternoon, when the sun comes around to the west, but the rest of the day...
Because there's little shade, this beach gets toasty in the afternoon, when the sun comes around to the west, but the rest of the day it's a delightful stretch of white sand. The only facilities are a few picnic tables tucked among the trees and a portable restroom, but folks come here to watch the birds that live in the swampy area behind the beach. There's also a boardwalk here for bird-watching. In addition, the park offers weekly bird-watching hikes; sign up at the visitor center in Cruz Bay. To get here, turn left at the Annaberg intersection. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.
North Shore Rd., Hwy. 20, Francis Bay, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands -
9. Hawksnest Beach
Seagrapes and waving palm trees line this narrow beach, and there are portable toilets, cooking grills, and a covered shed for picnicking. It's the closest...
Seagrapes and waving palm trees line this narrow beach, and there are portable toilets, cooking grills, and a covered shed for picnicking. It's the closest drivable beach to Cruz Bay, so it's often crowded with locals and visitors. A patchy reef just offshore means snorkeling is an easy swim away, but the best underwater views are reserved for ambitious snorkelers who head farther to the east along the bay's fringes. Watch out for boat traffic: although a channel of buoys marks where dinghies or other small vessels can come up onto the sand to drop off or pick up passengers, the occasional boater strays into the swim area. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.
North Shore Rd., Hwy 20, Estate Hawksnest, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands -
10. Lameshur Bay Beach
This seagrape-fringed beach is toward the end of a partially paved, rut-strewn road (don't attempt it without a four-wheel-drive vehicle) on the southeast coast. The...
This seagrape-fringed beach is toward the end of a partially paved, rut-strewn road (don't attempt it without a four-wheel-drive vehicle) on the southeast coast. The reward for your bumpy drive is good snorkeling and a chance to spy on some pelicans. The beach has a couple of picnic tables, rusting barbecue grills, and a portable restroom. The ruins of the old plantation are a five-minute walk down the road past the beach. The area has good hiking trails, including a trek (nearly 2 miles [3 km]) up Bordeaux Mountain before an easy walk to Yawzi Point. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.
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11. Maho Bay Beach
This gorgeous strip of sand sits right along the North Shore Road. It's a popular place, particularly on weekends, when locals come out in droves...
This gorgeous strip of sand sits right along the North Shore Road. It's a popular place, particularly on weekends, when locals come out in droves to party at the picnic tables on the south end of the beach. The snorkeling along the rocky edges is good, but the center is mostly sea grass. If you're lucky, you'll cross paths with turtles. There are portable toilets at the end of the beach. Across the beach is Maho Crossroads, with food trucks, a bar, and a couple of shops. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.
North Shore Rd., Hwy. 20, Estate Maho Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands -
12. Peace Hill
It's worth stopping here, just past the Hawksnest Bay overlook, for great views of St. John, St. Thomas, and the BVI. On the flat promontory...
It's worth stopping here, just past the Hawksnest Bay overlook, for great views of St. John, St. Thomas, and the BVI. On the flat promontory is an old sugar mill.
Off Hwy. 20, Estate Denis Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands -
13. Salt Pond Bay Beach
If you're adventurous, this rocky beach on the scenic southeastern coast—next to rugged Drunk Bay—is worth exploring. It's a short hike down a hill from...
If you're adventurous, this rocky beach on the scenic southeastern coast—next to rugged Drunk Bay—is worth exploring. It's a short hike down a hill from the parking lot, and the only facilities are a portable toilet and a few picnic tables scattered about. Tide pools are filled with all sorts of marine creatures, and the snorkeling is good, particularly along the bay's edges. A short walk takes you to a pond where salt crystals collect around the edges. Hike farther uphill past cactus gardens to Ram Head for see-forever views. Leave nothing valuable in your car, as thefts are common. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.
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14. V.I. National Park Visitors Center
To pick up a useful guide to St. John's hiking trails, see various large maps of the island, and find out about current park service...
To pick up a useful guide to St. John's hiking trails, see various large maps of the island, and find out about current park service programs, including guided walks and cultural demonstrations, stop by the visitor center.
North Shore Rd., Cruz Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands340-776–6201Sight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 8–4:30 -
15. Elaine Ione Sprauve Library
Under RenovationOn the hill just above Cruz Bay is the Enighed Estate greathouse, built in 1757. Enighed is Danish for "concord" (unity or peace). The house...
On the hill just above Cruz Bay is the Enighed Estate greathouse, built in 1757. Enighed is Danish for "concord" (unity or peace). The house and its outbuildings (a sugar factory and horse-driven mill) were destroyed by fire and hurricanes, and the house sat in ruins until 1982. Don't miss the collection of books, paintings, newspaper clippings, and photographs that document the island's history.
Rte. 104, Cruz Bay, Saint John, 00831, U.S. Virgin Islands340-776–6359Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free
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