Hi Everyone,
Just today I saw another message like this: “Hey Mike, I am coming to St. John in a few weeks with so-and-so. Do you have any suggestions on restaurants, activities, bars, etc.?” Since I seem to get this fairly often and also like to share this info with friends and family who are coming to visit, here you go!
Things to do in St. John, US Virgin Islands
(*Note – this list focuses on Cruz Bay since that is where I live. I mention some things in Coral Bay but I have simply not spent nearly as much time out there)
Bars: Happy Hour – Alisa and I are big happy hour fans and you can’t go wrong with $1 Happy Hour (well drinks and certain domestic beers) from 3-6pm at Woody’s or Castaways. Both also have pretty good bar food (try the nachos at Castways – it’s a huge plate; and the blackened fish aka Sharkbites and boneless Buffalo Wings at Woody’s). I’d also recommend The Lime Inn which offers 1/2 off the entire bar from 3-6p. Not as cheap as $1 drinks but you can get an awesome specialty drink (Lime & Coconut, Painkiller, Bushwacker, Pina Colada, etc.) for $4 and top shelf liquor for around $5. Joe’s Rum Hut offers $3 you-call-its from 4-6pm, meaning anything you order is 3 bucks…so be creative (think Patron Margarita). This town is definitely a drinking town!
Bars: Late Night – Head to Beach Bar to see what band is playing. Then stop by Castaways which also has nightly events ranging from live music to Karaoke to DJs. Lastly, round out the night at The Quiet Mon to chill out with a bucket of beer or pint of Newcastle.
Bars: Misc – Across the street from Uncle Joe’s and the Post Office you can grab a fresh Coconut filled with Rum for $6 during the day…delicious. Sunday Brunch at Rhumb Lines is amazing. Besides fantastic food, they offer an all-u-can drink serve yourself Bloody Mary and Rum Punch bar…just don’t plan anything too intense for afterwards. Lastly, no trip to St. John is complete without a visit to The Tap Room. The flagship brewpub of St. John Brewers, this is the place on-island to get a cold draft beer. Whether it’s one of their own signature brews (in addition to homemade Root Beer – try a rum and root beer – and Green Flash energy drink) or any number of other delicious craft beers, you will not leave disappointed. The owners/brewers are also building a brew-trailer in the back parking lot so visitors will have a first hand look into the brewing process.
Restaurants – Ocean Grill, Zozo’s (try the Papardelle and Pork Chop), Rhumb Lines and Lime Inn (famous for fresh fish and lobster) are all fantastic (I bartend at Lime Inn and Alisa is a server and hostess at Ocean Grill). You can’t miss BBQ Ribs at Uncle Joe’s. It’s right near the Customs Building and across from the post office…small restaurant with BBQ Ribs and Chicken. Donkey Diner in Coral Bay is fantastic for breakfast if you want to make the trek out to the East End…and while you’re there plan a hike then come back to Skinny Legs for a well-deserved burger and (several) ice cold drinks.
Beaches and Snorkeling – You really can’t go wrong with any of the North Shore beaches. Hawksnest and Honeymoon are great for relaxing, Trunk Bay is great for its big beach and world-famous snorkeling trail (just don’t go on heavy cruise ship days…the cruise ship schedule is posted in the local newspaper), at Cinnamon you can rent a Standup Paddleboard at the watersports shop there…very fun way to explore and relatively inexpensive, and Maho is also very relaxing and lately there has been sightings of huge Manta Rays (Alisa and I both swam with a 15′ Manta at Maho and Francis).
Hiking – We also love to hike and I highly recommend the Caneel Hill trail. There is an observation deck at the top with 360 views of the island, as well as Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, St. Thomas, and even St. Croix on a clear day. A great loop (and a long hike) is to take the trail from town right next to Mongoose Junction shopping mall, up to the top of Caneel, over to Margaret, down to Caneel Bay Resort, through the resort to Honeymoon Beach, then Upper Lind trail back into town. One of my favorite trails is Reef Bay. It’s all downhill through lush forest to the beach, with a side trail at the bottom to ancient petroglyphs (like hieroglyphics) and a small fresh-water waterfall. Then you get your exercise hiking all the way back uphill! I recommend reading (or borrowing) “St. John: Off the Beaten Track” by Gerald Singer for details on all the trails and beaches (as well as some great history too).
Other Activities - I have to mention Kekoa, the catamaran that Alisa works on. It’s a custom-built wooden boat, built by the Captain and his brother. Every time I have been out on Kekoa it has been amazing. They do trips around St. John and to the British Virgin Islands. Also, you can check out Annaberg. This was a fully functional sugar plantation, run by slaves in the 1700s. The ruins are still in incredible shape.
Renting a Car – It is always nice to have your own car if you plan to do a lot of exploring (and driving on the left side of the road is easy). You can get by with taxis and hitching (yes it’s safe here), but again, much more convenient with your own truck. The only downside is parking in town at night…definitely cab it if you plan to have a night out in town.
I hope this helps you plan your trip and please let me know if I missed anything!
Until next time…
Mike
