Newbie, going to the islands

[LittleReni]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum but have been reading your stories and reports for the last few days. So.. Hi!

My husband and I are going to the island for our honeymoon (it only took a year haha!)in ...oh my gosh....2 days!

We will be traveling with my mom and step dad as they go to the island every year, this year just happens to be their one year anniversary. We are going to be staying at the concordia eco resort, I was wondering if anyone had any experiances there? Are there any places that we MUST vist?

We have been packed for a week and I went shopping for sandwich meats to deep freeze. I am just so excited to go.

Thank you all and its nice to meet you all!

[loria]

Concordia is lovely-- the cafe there is great--so be sure to eat there -- the tourist trap is just at the head of the road to concordia, so check them out too-- great food and drinks--
i would definitely do the rams head hike (if you like to hike) and spend a day or at least a mornign at salt pond bay, little lamesure is a great beach and if you like to snorkel the snorkel out around yawzi point is nice

shipwreck landing and aqua bistro are both great places to eat-- if you want great ribs try Reggies near cases by the sea--
there is so much great stuff all around that you will have a hard time making the 'wrong ' choice~
have fun!!!

[Joppa]

Concordia has an open Mic on Monday afternoons. It's really a good time with some great musicians. The Tourist Trap is right at the bottom of the drive to Concordia and we love it there. Salt Pond beach is one of our favorite and it's the closest to Concordia. You really can't go wrong no matter what beach you go to or where you stop along the way. Have fun!

[54b]

Congrats on the belated honeymoon...can't think of a better place to spend it than on STJ...based on where you're staying, here would be some Must Visit Places nearby...

1) Salt Pond Bay - Great beach for limin', snorkelin' and hikin' - the very popular Ram Head Hike (2 mile round trip) starts from this beach as well as quick hike over to Drunk Bay (not good for swimming, but neat scenery including the sculptures people have made out of the coral.

2) Tourist Trap - Spend an afternoon shooting the bull and playing Rock'em Sock'em Robots with Larry and Cheryl at the Tourist Trap...quick, appetizer-style food (pulled pork nachos and lobster rolls) and frosty beverages ("Drink Right, Keep Left")

3) Vie's Beach - On the other side of Coral Bay from you on the far East end is Vie's Snack Shack and Vie's beach...she's old school and cooks out of small 8 x 8 shack and makes awesome garlic fried chicken and conch fritters...the beach across the street is private, but she only charges like a $1 or $2 to hang out as long as you like.

4) Little and Great Lameshur - Need a good jeep to get there, but these are some most isolated bays on the South Shore, but only about 3 or 4 miles from where you're staying...Little Lameshur is a sandy beach good for limin and also has a neat ruin you can walk around...Great Lamsure is a cobblestone beach, good for beachcombing for sea glass and snorkeling.

5) Skinny Legs - It's a dive, but a lot of fun and my favorite place to get big, juicy hamburger and a cold beer...also have good drink called a Coconut Swizzle that's easier to suck down than juice box.

As then of course, there are all the North Shore beaches, Cruz Bay, and the rest of the island! It's all a must in my book.

Have a blast.

[LittleReni]

Thank you all so much!

A little about us, My Husband is 28 and Im 25, we live up in New England. We got married on May 26th 2012, the week after my Mom married my step Dad on the island. We have two of the most spoilt cats you have ever seen in your lives, and as winter JUST got done up here, we are craving sunshine in the worst way. (Of course now that Im typing that, the week we are gone its going to be beautiful here) My little brother is going to be living in my house so I dont have the stress of worrying about anything back home..

Im getting a little gittery with excitement! I wrote down all of the suggestions, and will try to get in as much as possible, we are going to be there for 9 days so Im sure I can get to alot of it.

We are flying down in a straight shot on Jet blue, and on the way home we are taking American airlines with a stop in Miami. My husband has never been on a plane before, so I am very excited to see how he handles the experiance. We are each taking a back pack as a carry on, Im bringing a tote, and we are bringing one roller suitcase holding our snorkeling gear, towels and food. My husband, even though he doesnt show it, is so excited hes about to jump out of his shoes! Which would be something because he bought those toe shoes...ha!

Thanks again for the advice If anyone is going to be on the island and you see a woman with bright blond bangs with a man in bright green toe shoes, feel free to come and introduce yourself.

[54b]

That's awesome, LittleReni...and the great thing about STJ, as folks around here can truly attest, those pre-trip jitters never go away whether it's your first trip or your 21st.

One other piece of advice I like to give newbies who have a fervor to go see and do it all is on your first full day, simply get up and drive the island...jump in the jeep and drive back Centerline (10) over to Cruz Bay and stop in some place like Deli Groto in Mongoose Junction for a breakfast sandwich...then proceed on out the North Shore road stopping at the overlooks of the various beaches. If one of these beaches (Hawksnest, Trunk Cinnamon, Maho, etc.) strikes your fancy, and they will, stop there and go get in the water (when your feet hit the water is usually when you feel like you've "really" arrived). Hang out, soak it up. No rush.

Then jump back in the jeep and stay on the North Shore road as it veers right to the Leinster/Annaberg area and then back up to the central part of the island where it reconnects with Centerline road. Take a left and head back to the Coral Bay area, maybe stop at Skinny's or Vie's or Pink Ekeates for lunch. Then head back to Concordia to chill out and make some plans for dinner at a place like Shipwreck Landing that's close by.

With that, you'll have a real good feel for the island, where things are and what's involved in getting to various places on your list of Must Dos.

Or just get up and go where the wind blows you...either way, you'll have a great time.

Best regards.

[dreamshark]

How wonderful for all of you! I envy your mom - I've been trying to get my daughter and her husband to join us on the island but can't seem to talk them into it.

If you're just dying to get into that turquoise water, you'll probably want to start with one of the close-by sandy beaches on your first day - Salt Pond or Little Lameshur. If this happens to be in the heat of the day, I'd choose Lameshur. You can drive right up to the beach and there's lots of shade.

If you want to explore, @54b's first-day driving tour sounds like a great place to start. I would just add to it to stop at the Annaberg Ruins before heading back up the hill - endless photo ops!

My favorite tip (which took me 4 trips to figure out) - get up at dawn. The days are short and the middle of the day is blazing hot, so don't waste the precious morning hours.

Have a wonderful honeymoon!

[54b]

My favorite tip (which took me 4 trips to figure out) - get up at dawn. The days are short and the middle of the day is blazing hot, so don't waste the precious morning hours.

Concur, good tip...I never thought about it because we're always up with the sun anyway (due to the fact that STJ turns me into 6-year old on Christmas Eve), but I think our favorite time on the beach is usually between 9am and Noon...especially on the North Shore beaches, it's not as hot, the sun seems less direct as it's coming from the other side of the island and the water seems like it's calmer in the morning than in the afternoon...plus you're usually one of the few out there as the late sleepers haven't arrive yet.

Trunk is fun early, early in the morning when you're one of the very first ones there.

[dreamshark]

In tropical climes
There are certain times
Of day
When all the citizens retire
To take their clothes off and perspire.
It's one of those rules
That the greatest fools
Obey,
Because the sun is far too sultry
And one must avoid its ultry
Violet ray.
...
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday
Out in the midday sun!

Listen to Noel Coward. Don't be an "Englishman."

[mindehankins]

Awwww! Your excitement comes right through. Wish I could be there when you get to actually see it and feel it Enjoy!

[CallmeT]

Congrats! I hope you enjoy STJ as much as the rest of us do. Enjoy you trip!

[Lindy]

All I can say is get ready to fall hopelessly in love with the place and be aware the you will forever have a unexplainable need to go back over and over. I only wish that I had discovered STJ in MY 20's instead of my 50's!!!!

[LittleReni]

Thank you all for taking the time out to read my post and give thoughtfull replies. I woke up this morning jittery because Im so excited (we have to be at my moms house at 230am tomorrow morning) so tecnically we are leaving tonight! I dont know how Im going to sleep..to steal someones line I feel like a 6year old on christmas eve..

We have an extra special trip planned while we are down there. My husbands family friend (we call him his uncle) LIVES down in USVI and owns a charter ship. He offered to take us for a sail for my moms' anniversary- and to see Mike of course. I dont know if any of you have been on the H.B. Welch out of St.Thomas, but that would be Capt. Tom.

Im starting to feel the trip anxiety set in, but Im sure once I look out the plane window and see the water Ill be fine. Im keeping a "journal" of our time there, so I will make sure to come back on and give my trip report. You have all made me feel so welcome. Thank you.