So, how'd you hear about STJ?

[Diana2]

I'm a researcher like Sea-Nile. We had been doing trips with another couple for a few years and decided that we wanted to try the Caribbean. We all read several resource books describing each island and we each picked our top 3 islands. All of us had STJ somewhere on our lists and after the vote the decision was made to go to St. John and the rest is history.

We've been going down for close to 20 years and sent our daughter and son-in-law down for their honeymoon. We've been going as a family for the last 8-9 years.

We have tried other islands but keep coming back at least once a year to St. John. Nothing compares.

[IslandAddict]

My wife's client owns a Gallows unit (they use it personally and do not rent it). They gave us a week's stay for xmas about 3 years ago (gave us the airfare this past xmas ). Our daughter had just been born so we postponed the trip. Of course then we got pregnant again and had a son so we postponed the trip again. Finally, our first real vacation in over four years, just the two of us. If St. John is half of what most forumites say it is, I'm sure we will be back again and again. Thanks everyone for all the useful info, my unofficial "St. John guide" is over 42 pages long now...

[sailorgirl]

My Therapist .. She gets it too!

[waterguy]

Hi we stopped for the first time on a cruise in the 90s we were always trying to get back. When we met a couple at a party who owned 2 villas on STJ they invited us down. When my wife had a relaspe of cancer they kind of adopted us and let us use there places when they weren't rented and she was felling up to it. They are my best friends to this day.

[snorkelqueen]

We were vacationing on Virgin Gorda and took a dive trip to all the little BVI's. On the trip we meet a lovely couple who were staying on Cooper Island but told us that St John was by far the most beautiful of all the Virgin Islands. And they said...you can rent a "VILLA WITH A POOL"!! Wow - a villa!!! Well it sounded so wonderful and grand we started making plans immediately and have returned ever July for 7 years...The "villas" are of course wonderful, but we return for the beaches, the amazing water and those painkillers!

[papabou]

bride & i had a couple of cruise ship stops at sst in 70's, did a day sail to honeymoon bay while staying at frenchman's reef in late 70's and liked so we took kids on a week crewed sailboat charter in 1980 and anchored several nights at honeymoon, caneel, peter island etc and enjoyed the beautiful beaches and gin clear water. i can still recall a image of dolphins swimming in front of the boat in sir fran drake channel.

then came college for kids, weddings for daughters, grandchildren and incapacitated parents.

while at beach in fl summer of 04 a friend tells me what a wonderful time he and spouse had while visiting his brother on stj. he reminded of beaches i'd been too and the great snorkeling. thus planned and made a return fall 04 and found it better than we remembered. look fwd to 2/18 when we return for 9th visit. stj is true paradise for us but just wish she were onkly a couple of hrs drive but with a prohibition on further development and a limit to number on island at any time.

papabou

[PA Girl]

We were planning our honeymoon and knew we wanted to go the Caribbean. Because of the way we travelled when I was young (of the beaten path, never to touristy places) I already knew we weren't going to do an AI type of honeymoon.

My mom's former boss was (also a friend of the family) was an avid diver and has been to many of the islands. He gave us the pros and cons of each and St. John sounded good. My boss at the time said how his wife also wanted to stay at Caneel.

We honeymooned at Caneel and it was the perfect honeymoon for us. We still talk about the novelty of sleeping with just screens and the ceiling fans.
It felt like Fantasy Island to us.

[parafins]

Val{my wife} and I were planning our honeymoon on my dad's deck overlooking the lake.{You may have noticed that i'm a water lover.}It just so happened that my dad kept a few camping magazines around the house.Well one of the magazines featured a article about the National park on S.T.J.Once my wife and I looked at that wonderful picture of Trunk Bay,we were sold!We spent one week on S.T.J. and one week on S.T.T.I'm glad we did that,because it gave us a good idea of what both islands were like.On S.T.J. we stayed at the Hyatt,now the Westin.I still love that place!I remember all the luggage,and camera's we took with us on that trip!It was crazy!! Do you all recall the size of the video camera's back then?Ahh!,was that thing huge,and it tipped the scale around 6 pounds!Looking back I sure am glad we picked S.T.J. for our 1994 honeymoon.Parafins{Dan and Val}

[Wolfhound]

I first heard about St John from the woman who owned the knitting store I used to go to in the mid 90s in McLean, VA. She and her husband owned one place down there and eventually bought another. Then when I went to work at the Pentagon, a friend there got married on St. Thomas and had her reception at the house her parents built up in Point Rendezvous. The pictures were fabulous. And it just sounded like an idyllic place to go. So, when I finally got married in 2002, we rented the first villa the knitting store lady owned. It was out in Reef Bay and we had a wonderful time.

We’ll be back for our 7th trip in June. I am not sure I could let a year go by without a trip to St. John, even though I am disappointed with the pace of development. It is such a special place for us.

[engarom]

I was dating this amazing girl. she was ten years younger than me and at 22 she was already tired of the regular 9 to 5. I had traveled all over the world for the last 10 years and had also become bored with the regular 9 to 5 and we decide we wanted a change. We looked high and low for something but didnt know what. we considered moving to New Zealand, Hawaii, Mexico, Belize, and Panama. Finally we realized, there were these island sitting in the carribean that were still the USA. We decided to research and see if it would be feasible. We spent 2 years researching and finally flew out to do a PMV. I knew when we where on approach from PR that this was it. My soon to be wife was sitting with the pilot but I could see by her body language that she knew as well. It was as if I was coming home from a long trip!
Any way, we got married on STT and visited STJ but decided if we were going to make a life here it would have to be on STT. We bought some land and are currently planning the build of our home. It isnt easy but I know it will be worth it.
Engarom

[greyhoundmom]

About six years ago, hubby was on line and happened upon the Maho Bay Camps website. The more he looked, the more excited he became about our "next" vacation. It took us two more years to get to STJ - didn't know about the forum, anyone who'd ever been, just researching through the internet. This will be our 4th summer and we don't want to be anywhere else!

[Barb Y]

About 21 years ago my mother and step-father had taken a trip to STT. The condo they were staying at had some plumbing damage so they were upgraded to a larger place. I was going to start college in a month or so so the timing was right. They called and asked if I would fly down on my own to meet them. I was on the plane the next day. Fell in love with everything but especially the day we went over to STJ. It took my breath away. I stayed on STT on more time with a friends family again with a day trip to STJ. Since then I knew STJ was my true love. I have camped twice and May will be my 5th time at a villa. Each time I try to introduce someone else I love to paradise. Can't wait to get "home".
Engarom--Best of luck! I hope you will both be very happy!

[chrisn]

We took our kids on a Disney cruise. One of the stops was St. Thomas. I had done enough research to know that I wanted to get over to STJ on our own. As soon as the ferry dock came into my view, I had this feeling I could never desribe nor have I felt anyplace else. It hit me like a ton of bricks. We went to Trunk Bay for the day and hardly anyone was there due to northern swells. All the ships excursions had been cancelled and so we were 4 of about a dozen people on the beach. It thought it was glorious and we stayed as long as we could. I cried in the taxi going back to the dock knowing I had to get back on that ship and I made Honey promise me standing on the dock in Cruz Bay that we would return for a real vacation. Third trip this June and we love it even more. Our daughter had her graduation trip there and she calls it "my spot." Our son is 10 and has since made us promise that his graduation trip would be to STJ as well so hopefully there will be many more special trips to come. I've already envisioned taking my grandkids (when I have them). I guess you could say we all get it!

[promoguy]

My wife's client owns a Gallows unit (they use it personally and do not rent it). They gave us a week's stay for xmas about 3 years ago (gave us the airfare this past xmas ). Our daughter had just been born so we postponed the trip. Of course then we got pregnant again and had a son so we postponed the trip again. Finally, our first real vacation in over four years, just the two of us. If St. John is half of what most forumites say it is, I'm sure we will be back again and again. Thanks everyone for all the useful info, my unofficial "St. John guide" is over 42 pages long now...

Hey there IslandAddict. Just to clarify, I believe that the HOA rules only allow owners up to, I believe, either 30 or 60 days in the unit. It is no doubt rented out the rest of the year.

[Xislandgirl]

In the early 90's a close friend decided to take a year off after college and go to the islands tobe a scuba instructor. Many other friends followed and by '95 the only one left was an ex boyfriend of mine. Right after Marilyn hit, I ran into his mother and we were catching up and she told me that he was still there and that he had mentioned me so I gave him a call.
I went down for a long weekend and I was in love. with the island We decided to get back together and I would move down in a few months after my brother got married. July 2nd I was on the plane, July 8th hurrican Bertha hit and I almost went back to CT after the new-ex boyfriend came home with jello and scotch for hurrican provisions
We lasted until the following spring but my love affair with the island continued. I left in February of 2000. And have been back 4 times since.