WHAT TO DO
About
St John
The US Virgin Islands and particular the
largest ones, St. Thomas,
St. Croix, and
St. John, were known collectively as
the Danish West Indies until the United States
bought the territory in 1917 during World War I.
Of the USVI,
St John’s is the most beautiful with
over 60% of the land as national parks territory and much of that national park
underwater. It might take no more than an hour to cross the island which is only
9 miles by 5 miles in measure. The
current population is roughly 11,000 people.
For
Beach Bunnies
If
you just want to lay out with a cocktail, beach chair and get a good tan, you
can check out the beaches around Cruz Bay, including the Westin St John Resort
Beach and go inside for a spa treatment or two. At some of the beach front
resorts, hammocks and beach-side dining are available. However, since
St
John
is known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the
Caribbean,
go explore the stunning National Park beaches such as
Trunk
Bay,
Hawksnest
Bay,
Cinnamon
Bay
and
Maho
Bay
for starters Click here for information about St John beaches.
For
Adventurers
There’s over 5,000 acre of Nat’l Park land and 20 hiking
trails! There’s east access by car
and even bike and the Virgin Islands
National Park and its Rangers offer
hikes, seashore walks, historic, cultural and snorkeling tours, bird watching
and informal evening lectures to visitors.
On St. John, water sports
abound: scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, power boating, beach lounging and
swimming. Leaving the town area means. There are other historical monuments to
explore, including the Windberg Estate, the Frederikdal ruins, and the restored
Annaberg Plantation. Visit St
John Adventures (www.stjohnadventures.com) among others for options.
See also J&J Activities at
For Power
Shoppers
On
St
John’s
there’s more sightseeing than shops, but the town of
Cruz
Bay offers great options and many unique markets and gifts. You can check out
Wharfside
Village
and Mongoose Junction,
St.
John's
island-style malls, plus many other shops and galleries. But if you really want to shop,
visit
the most popular cruise ship dock in the
Caribbean,
only 5 miles away by public ferry,
St
Thomas. The island offers endless options for
duty-free shopping ranging from discount to designer; crafty to couture. While you’re there, for something
different check out the Native Arts and
Crafts
Center with work from traditional
artists.
