What part of St. John's to stay? First time visitor

erileyappraiser · Post by **erileyappraiser** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:00 pm

My 20 something daughter and I will be visiting St. John the week of July 4th. We want to hike, snorkel, hang out at the beach, etc. We are not into crowded places and lots of tourists but also don't want to be too isolated from restaurants. We will rent a villa. What part of the island would you recommend we stay in? Appreciate any help given!

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:40 pm

Welcome!
There's no right answer for this, all just opinion...but I'll share a couple thoughts...

Folks often separate the island into "two sides"- Coral Bay or Cruz bay...there's more to it than that but that is a decent way to simplify the discussion...

Coral Bay side being quieter and more isolated with views out over the British Virgin Islands and sunrises...

Cruz side being closer to all the restaurants and shops and being more populated, with views of the sunset and/or St Thomas...

It all depends what is important to you, I'd suggest looking at some villa ads to get a feel for the different views and then hone in on the areas you like and look for the villa options and price range you want.

Take a look at the Google Maps villa map in my signature line...that might help understand the island layout and some of the villa options...
Cheers!

Caw954s · Post by **Caw954s** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:34 am

Hello erileyappraiser, yes welcome! I was a newbie until jan 2013 when we made our 1st trip to STJ. You and your daughter will have a blast! We stayed in fish bay which is more secluded from Cruz bay and is it more difficult to hop into town, but we knew that, and loved our private location.
Sherban is right, it's all opinion because you can't go wrong no matter what area you stay...you should reserve a jeep as early as you can and then it won't matter where you stay, you can drive from one end of the island to the other in about 40 minutes at 20 mph (that's the speed limit). So it's more budget related, like Sherban said, go into vrbo and input your bedroom needs and see what you can afford. Then you can get reviews on the villas you have chosen.
I'd also suggest you reserve the NPS Reef Bay hike as soon as you can...it's fun and popular. Get the book, feet, fins, and four wheel drive...great book and the national geographic map of St. John came in very handy for us. We also hired Pam Gaffin to give us a tour on our first full day in STJ and it was money well spent! She's a cool lady.
Hope this helped and have fun planning!

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:40 am

Welcome! What a fun endeavor! I just took my daughter for her first time, to St. John, in January. Here's a link to our trip report: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/v ... =1&t=24609 There are multiple pages! You're going to have a blast.
I second the recommendation of making reservations for the Reef Bay hike early. We wanted to do that, but missed out because we tried to reserve while on island.
We've only stayed on the Cruz Bay side of the island. Closer to more stores and such, but we end up spending most of our days on the other side, so I think it's personal preference. The folks on this forum will help you sort out any other questions you have. Oh yes, do make your Jeep reservation as soon as you have accomodations secured!
Have fun!

Coconuts · Post by **Coconuts** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:54 am

For a first time visitor, you've chosen a great time to arrive. That will be Festival time, and given how much is going on, and that a lot of it is in Cruz Bay, you might want to stay closer to there. Plenty of food and music, but also libations, and those aren't especially compatible with a half-hour long drive back to Coral Bay. The parking lot across from the Post Office is utterly transformed into "Festival Village" starting about five days before the climax on the 4th. To the best of my knowledge, the 2013 schedule hasn't been posted yet, but this flyer from 2012 will give you a sense of what will be going on. The beach party down at Robert Oppenheimer's old place is great, as long as you are into LOUD. Enjoy!

: Festival 2012

All the best,

Kevin

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:22 am

You asked for reccomendations on location...my personal preference for getting sweeping views and being close to atttractions I want...

Catherineberg (North Shore), but not many affordable options there! Here's one we chose on North Shore:
http://www.vacationvistas.com/Villas/cinnamon-tarn.html

I also like the views from Upper Carolina , Ajax Peak and Mamey peak....a few examples:
http://www.windspree.com/home.php/11/DeBolina/
http://www.villaixora.net/index.shtml
http://www.vrbo.com/331278
http://www.vrbo.com/249514

Lots of great places....

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:08 am

Where to stay? That's like asking Fords or Chevys, vanilla or chocolate, Maho or Hawksnest? All of that is personal preference. That is why you need to go to STJ several time and stay in a variety of places. After about ten years of that, you will know where you should stay. And it will be so much fun getting the answer.

I agree with everything said above. The quieter area is Coral Bay. The villas just west of Coral Bay area (Ajax/Mamy) on Centerline Road are in a position to get easy access to Cruz Bay restaurants, north shore beaches, Coral Bay restaurants, Salt Pond Bay, and a variety of other points.

Have a great trip and welcome to teh Forum.

JIM

erileyappraiser · Post by **erileyappraiser** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:23 pm

Thank you for these insights/suggestions! I think we belong in Coral Bay and the search has begun for the place to stay! Am counting down the days and it is what is keeping me going!!

CBama · Post by **CBama** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:02 pm

We chose Coral Bay for our first stay on island and we were not disappointed....enjoy your trip planning...

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:16 pm

Just keep in mind that when you see sweeping views, that means it's way up a mountain. The roads can be quite winding and quite dark at night and often with one lane sections. Keep an eye out for reviews mentioning the roads leading to the villa and the driveway. Look for the villa on Sherban's map to get a better feel for where is it. And, ask questions about the villa on the forum before you book, there are so many wonderfully helpful and insightful people!

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:19 pm

Tell us what kind of villa you will want to rent, and the suggestions will come rolling in.

JIM

ccinhbg · Post by **ccinhbg** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:12 am

All of the above are great suggestions. One thing I always love is exploing the island so if you want to explore, make sure you rent a vehicle. So many places to experience!!!

dreamshark · Post by **dreamshark** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:41 pm

Since you will be going at festival time AND you are interested in exploring the island, I think Coral Bay is your best choice. You should probably avoid the south side. Driving through Cruz Bay stressful at the best of times, and I would not even attempt it during Carnival. (Note that for people who are excited about spending time in Cruz Bay during the height of Carnival activity, south side is probably the best choice).

As others have said, "Coral Bay" covers a lot of different terrain. My personal favorite area is the central mountain: Ajax Peak, Mamey Peak, Upper Carolina. Fabulous views, central location and more villa for your money. Downside - driveways and access roads can be dicey.

Let us know your budget and your must-have features in a villa. As an example: the features that matter most to me and my husband are privacy and a big shady porch with a great view. Hot tub is also a must for hubby. AC matters only at low altitudes. We don't care about the pool, are flexible on location, and willing to attempt difficult driveways. Our price range is <$250 per night, which restricts our choices a bit. But you'd be surprised how many villas meet these criteria.

Capn Dan and Ruby · Post by **Capn Dan and Ruby** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:33 pm

I love this forum and the advice given. My suggestion would be Coral Bay. Nice places up Sea Grape Hill and they are not hard to get to. There are some other places that are easy, yet have great views. Coral Bay has great resturants and some laid back bars. Carnival in Cruz bay is very busy and full of people. Enjoy your visit and WELCOME!!!!

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