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Trip Report (novel): 10 days on STJ with 2 young children
Trip Report (novel): 10 days on STJ with 2 young children
THE BASICS
My wife and I (late 30's), our two girls (ages 10 months and 4 years), and my parents (late 50's) met up for a much needed vacation on STJ from May 12-22. It was the 3rd visit for my wife and I, 2nd visit for our 4 year old, and every one else's first trip to STJ. Our last trip was in 2005, just my wife and I. That trip featured several late nights out and crazy taxi rides back to the Westin. Needless to say, with the kids and parents in tow, this trip was much more tame, but still very much enjoyable.
For people who like to know what they’re getting into when they read a trip report, here’s a summary of what’s ahead:
Flights: Delta from Cincinnati via Atlanta using FF miles booked 335 days ago
Accommodations: 'Andante by the Sea' on Hart Bay/Rendezvous Bay booked through VIVA Vacations
Vehicle Rental: 2 Suzuki Grand Vitara's from Dependable Car Rental on STT
Beaches/Snorkeling: Trunk Bay, Hawksnest, Maho, Francis, Waterlemon, Hart Bay
Restaurants/Bars: Uncle Joes BBQ, Skinny Legs, Vie’s Snack Shack, Island Blues, Aqua Bistro, the Beach Bar, Quiet Mon Pub, Tap Room, Molly Malone's (in Red Hook)
New this trip: 1/2 day sail on Wayward Sailor with Capt. Phil, a trip to the Myra Keating Center, Shipwreck Landing, Aqua Bistro, Seniorita Pizza
Trip Gear: a list of stuff we used based on forum recommendations
Pictures to follow in a separate report.
ARRIVAL
The trip down was uneventful. Kid's did great, especially my 10 month who was flying for her first time. Her older sister's first time on a plane was also for a vacation to St. John in 2004. All flights were on-time and our bags made it no problem, probably because we'd packed a carry-on with the things we'd need if we our luggage got lost. There was no welcoming rum punch *GASP*, but we survived by getting a cold beer at the bar by the baggage claim. Also picked up the Cruzan variety pack - 5 oz's of 5 flavored rums.
Dependable picked us up at the airport and took us to their off-airport lot. I thought they were great, reasonable price and easy to work with. We got two Suzuki Grand Vitaras, one silver, one gold, both with about 7k miles. Enough dents and scratches on them that we didn't have to be overly concerned if we were to add a few dings of our own. I'd previously had Jeep Liberty's and liked them, but I was won over by the Vitara. Same amount of interior space, a little smaller on the road, good power, and more comfortable inside. We made it to Red Hook in good time and bought one-way fares for the car barge - good thing because we returned on a different company's ferry. Car barge process was very easy and helped us avoid having to transfer our huge amount of luggage and kids multiple times. They actually both slept the entire way over to STJ. 2-way radios helped us stay in touch with my parents car so we could warn them about any road hazards (cats, dogs, goats, donkeys, cows, deer, mongoose, chickens, iguanas, cement trucks, water trucks, coke trucks, semis with construction gear, super-fast local drivers, etc.) all of which we encountered at some point during our stay.
Arriving in St. John we were met by Nancy with Love City Villas representing VIVA who escorted us to Andante by the Sea. Chose the villa based on it meeting everyone's needs; pool, hot-tub, proximity to beach, views, a/c, at least two bedrooms opening to the interior of the house (to contain the kids), and a little privacy for my parents to escape the mayhem, all at a reasonable price. Based on compiling a spreadsheet of 500+ villas, Andante was one of three villas to meet all of our criteria and was the only one available for the time we wanted. It was perfect!!! High on the hillside with a great breeze, view of sunrise and sunset from the deck, rocky trail leading down to Hart Bay rocky beach, great supply of beach chairs, coolers, pool toys, and owner instructions and labels that covered everything in the house! Drive up to the villa was bumpy and steep, but not as bad as I'd been told to expect.
Prior to our arrival I arranged to have flowers and a welcome basket with snacks delivered to cover all the family holidays occuring during or around the trip (Mom's Bday, Mother's Day, parents Wedding Anniversary). Got the flowers from Passion Flower and the basket from East West Catering. Both were there when we arrived and were very nice. Both were paid for by sending a check in the mail that couldn't have arrived until after the delivery. Nice to see that small town life and neighborly trust still exists somewhere!
After settling in, I made a dash to Starfish to pick up provisions for the week. We'd packed most of the dry goods we'd need, but no produce or meats. Knew it was going to hurt, but still wasn't prepared for a $400 bill for one cart of groceries. Things that cost a lot: bottled water $24 a case, popsicles $12, 1/2 gal OJ $6. Things that weren't that bad: steaks. My wife just wouldn't let me forget about the $12 popsicles the whole trip. I just had to make sure that my daughter and I appeared to be having at least $1 of fun each time we had one. Given that the average cost for eating lunch out for the 5 of us was about $90, I didn't feel so bad about the grocery bill in the end. I also got back at my wife when she had under-measured the amount of baby formula we needed for the week and we had to by a $27 can from the drugstore (usually about $12 at home).
Got back from shopping and settled into the pool and hot-tub with a few Caribs and enjoyed our first evening staring at the lights on STT and basking in the glow of the 3/4 moon, listening to the tree frogs and the waves on heart bay, observing the occasional bat soar overhead and a few shooting stars. Paradise! Why did it take us 2.5 years to return?
THE WEEK
Our biggest challenge came the morning after our arrival. Our 10 month old, Annaliis, woke up with a fever north of 103, higher than she'd ever had before. Had no idea what was causing it, so we called over to the Myra Keating Center and they instructed us to bring her in. It took a while in the waiting room, but the staff was great, both on the phone and in person. Turned out to be an ear infection, so we got some amoxicillin, and managed her temperature with motrin and tylenol. Only hiccup from there was after 2 days on the meds she developed a rash. Had to go back to the center to get looked at, but it was not an allergic reaction. By the next day she was back to normal, and honestly, handled the whole thing like a trooper. A little scary, but I was impressed with how modern and professional the Myra Keating Center is. Just like home, only with a pretty good view from the top of Centerline Road.
Other than this it was smooth, unless of course you count the early wakeup times for the kids. Both of them usually get up around 7:30am. Due to sunrise being a little earlier than back home, they were getting up at 5:30! Every morning. Like clockwork. And once they were up, there was no getting them back to sleep. This meant nap time for Annaliis was around 9 every morning, which could have put a kink in our AM beach schedule. Not a problem though - our routine became to take turns going to the beach while one of us stayed at the villa for nap time. We didn't get to do as many beaches this way as we were always shuttling to and from the villa, but it worked.
The beaches were all beautiful as usual. Waterlemon was particularly spectacular with great visibility and brilliant sunlight. Saw plenty of rays, a big hermit crab in a conch shell, and a nice 4.5 ft barracuda, but no turtles. The coral there looked better than I remember seeking it on our previous visit. It was so good, we went there a second time later in the week. On our second venture there we emerged from the water to find the donkey's were checking out our beach towels. Then 30 feet down the trail we encountered a mongoose who just would not give up any ground. He wasn't being aggressive, but they just look fierce. Another good snorkel spot was at Hart Bay, at the bottom of the hill from our villa. The trail down was steep and rocky, with cacti and plants with sharp round leaves on either side. Where I got scratched I picked up a poison-ivy like rash. Strange. The snorkeling there made it worth it though. Saw two lobsters huddled together, several pufferfish, and a few big crabs. I'd only recommend snorkeling here when conditions are good. Later in the week I tried again but got bounced around by the waves.
My mom was impressed with how close you could park to the beaches. She's having hip replacement surgery next month and has only limited mobility, but found it easy to get to the beach at Trunk, Maho (obviously), and Hawksnest. Once there she'd sit herself in a chair and watch the grandkids. It was her 60th birthday while we were on island and we celebrated with decorations, a nice dinner, and a cake at the villa. I'm not sure what she would have wished for when blowing out the candles, sitting there on the deck watching the sun set over STT, seems like you have it pretty good already.
The baby loved being in the water, particularly with the rolling waves at Trunk. As observant as she is, she also noticed the fish circling us there before anyone else in our group did. Somewhere along the way we picked up a guest. I tiny 1-inch long juvenile french grunt (?) decided to follow us around. This little yellow fish could not be deterred and just hovered about 6 inches from me the whole time. Cute. My 4 year old Abby got rolled up the beach several times by the waves. Also to note, as we were coming down to Trunk (from the East End) there was a heard of cows walking along the road on the switch-back. Fun!
We ate out for lunch several times at our favorite places; Skinny's was good as always, we got one last meal at Island Blues, and managed to get the last two servings of beans and rice with curried meat sauce at Vie's. Yummy! The only slight disappointment was Shipwreck Landing, where we hadn't eaten before. The setting is beautiful, but they must have been short-staffed the day we were there. Even factoring in island time, it took a little too long to place our order and receive our food, which didn't taste good enough to validate the wait. I felt bad for the staff because there were a number of grumpy customers, but how grumpy can you really be though staring out over Coral Bay? Overall lunch ended up taking almost 2 hours. Yikes.
Most dinners we cooked at the villa. We are not the gourmets that quite a few of you on the forum are, so I'm not going to post any pictures of my half-charred steaks, soggy asparagus, or nearly-baked potato. I think the view from our deck made everything taste better - thank goodness! My wife did bust out a carne asada recipe that was fantastic. We got take-out twice; Uncle Joes - enough said, and Seniorita Pizza which we hadn't had before. Ordering the pizza was a typical island experience. We wanted one pepperoni and mushroom and another with olive and onion. 10 minutes after placing our order we were informed that they were out of onions. 10 minutes after that we were told they didn't have pepperoni. We ended up with two mushroom and black olive pizzas, ready about 20 minutes after they said it would be ready, but I have to tell you, it was awesome. New York style thin crust and I'm not sure what seasoning they added, but it was simply fantastic. And we managed to pick it up and get it back to the villa still warm. I can still close my eyes and taste it.
Our one dinner out was at Aqua Bistro, in Coral Bay by the gourmet grocery store. Hadn't been there before, but thought it was very good and reasonable. After our main course we elected not to get dessert and instead buy ice-cream bars from the grocery store and eat them on centerline road at the Coral Bay overlook. Great idea in theory, but in practice we were hit immediately by the no see-ums as soon as we got out of the cars. Needless to say we suffered from brain-freeze given how quickly we ate the ice creams and got back in the car.
We also had a lunch out at Molly Malone's in Red Hook on our way back to the airport. The menu was similar to Molly Malone's I've been to stateside, but I don't ever recall having an iguana sit under our table while we ate.
My wife, Dad, Abby, and I went aboard the Wayward Sailor for a 1/2 day snorkel/sail with Captain Phil who is quite the character. He provided great insight into island life and demonstrated a true love for the sea. It was so relaxing being under sail in the sun that Abby promptly fell asleep for half the trip. We'd tried to no avail to get her to try snorkeling in the pool trying to get her ready to see the fish, but she would have none of it so I ended up hovering with her in the water while she asked me what color fish were swimming below, asking occasionally and seemingly hopefully if I could see any sharks. After the third time of her asking, I playfully said yes there were a few sharks, at which point I learned you never tell a 4 year old who is treading water that there are sharks circling beneath her. She immediately tried to scramble onto my shoulders which submersed me snorkel and all. End of snorkel. Then she was equally enthralled by Capt. Phil relaying stories about where sand comes from and how he got his glass eye. She's still talking about it a week later.
One of the things my wife, Mom, and Abby enjoyed most was shopping. Abby particularly enjoyed shopping for pirate treasure. A number of the stores had some small trinkets (pirate coins, shells, etc.) that for a dollar here and there, we kept her occupied for several hours. She's since taken the treasure into show-and-tell at her preschool. My Dad and I and the baby enjoyed the Tap Room while they shopped. The beer at the Tap Room was really good, something I'd drink at home if it were available. During the trip Annaliis grew a fondness for Red Stripe bottles (empty), finding the contour of the bottle to be just right for soothing her gums (teething). Numerous photos ensued.
My wife and I managed to muster up the energy for one evening out in Cruz Bay. We hit our favorites, the Quiet Mon and the Beach Bar. Saw fellow forumite 'Cruzan Chris' for the 3rd time there after running into him at Starfish and Hawksnest. The forum t-shirts are a dead giveaway. We arrived one day after the BB gathering. Amazing to think of how many forumites are on island at any particular time. Having risen at 5:30am for most of the week though, we retired early.
The trip back was long but uneventful with all flights being on time and all luggage arriving. Kids were a little more boisterous, but our flight time wasn't until late afternoon, which took them off their nap and bedtime schedule.
It was a great trip overall. Proving to ourselves we could travel with the two kids. Seeing the kids interacting with my parents for a week. Sharing our idea of paradise with my folks. They're now converts and hinted that instead of returning to Hawaii next year, they'd consider a return trip to STJ. It won't take us so long to return this time. I'd stay at Andante by the Sea again in a heartbeat. The view alone from the deck would be worth it.
TRIP GEAR
Key gear recommendations leveraged from this and other forums: neat sheets, polar cooler, keen sandals, kids rafts with a window to see the fish, rash guards, power strip (used to build a charging station), ziplocks/garbage bags/clothes pins, akona backpack for snorkeling equipment, pop-up sun tent for the baby, baby b-air flight vest for baby traveling in arms, zip strips to seal luggage, small digital camera tripod to steady the camera for night shots, underwater housing for my Pentax Optio s5i, ipod w/FM transmitter set to 88.5, 2-way radios for car-to-car communication, and lots of other stuff I'm sure.
My wife and I (late 30's), our two girls (ages 10 months and 4 years), and my parents (late 50's) met up for a much needed vacation on STJ from May 12-22. It was the 3rd visit for my wife and I, 2nd visit for our 4 year old, and every one else's first trip to STJ. Our last trip was in 2005, just my wife and I. That trip featured several late nights out and crazy taxi rides back to the Westin. Needless to say, with the kids and parents in tow, this trip was much more tame, but still very much enjoyable.
For people who like to know what they’re getting into when they read a trip report, here’s a summary of what’s ahead:
Flights: Delta from Cincinnati via Atlanta using FF miles booked 335 days ago
Accommodations: 'Andante by the Sea' on Hart Bay/Rendezvous Bay booked through VIVA Vacations
Vehicle Rental: 2 Suzuki Grand Vitara's from Dependable Car Rental on STT
Beaches/Snorkeling: Trunk Bay, Hawksnest, Maho, Francis, Waterlemon, Hart Bay
Restaurants/Bars: Uncle Joes BBQ, Skinny Legs, Vie’s Snack Shack, Island Blues, Aqua Bistro, the Beach Bar, Quiet Mon Pub, Tap Room, Molly Malone's (in Red Hook)
New this trip: 1/2 day sail on Wayward Sailor with Capt. Phil, a trip to the Myra Keating Center, Shipwreck Landing, Aqua Bistro, Seniorita Pizza
Trip Gear: a list of stuff we used based on forum recommendations
Pictures to follow in a separate report.
ARRIVAL
The trip down was uneventful. Kid's did great, especially my 10 month who was flying for her first time. Her older sister's first time on a plane was also for a vacation to St. John in 2004. All flights were on-time and our bags made it no problem, probably because we'd packed a carry-on with the things we'd need if we our luggage got lost. There was no welcoming rum punch *GASP*, but we survived by getting a cold beer at the bar by the baggage claim. Also picked up the Cruzan variety pack - 5 oz's of 5 flavored rums.
Dependable picked us up at the airport and took us to their off-airport lot. I thought they were great, reasonable price and easy to work with. We got two Suzuki Grand Vitaras, one silver, one gold, both with about 7k miles. Enough dents and scratches on them that we didn't have to be overly concerned if we were to add a few dings of our own. I'd previously had Jeep Liberty's and liked them, but I was won over by the Vitara. Same amount of interior space, a little smaller on the road, good power, and more comfortable inside. We made it to Red Hook in good time and bought one-way fares for the car barge - good thing because we returned on a different company's ferry. Car barge process was very easy and helped us avoid having to transfer our huge amount of luggage and kids multiple times. They actually both slept the entire way over to STJ. 2-way radios helped us stay in touch with my parents car so we could warn them about any road hazards (cats, dogs, goats, donkeys, cows, deer, mongoose, chickens, iguanas, cement trucks, water trucks, coke trucks, semis with construction gear, super-fast local drivers, etc.) all of which we encountered at some point during our stay.
Arriving in St. John we were met by Nancy with Love City Villas representing VIVA who escorted us to Andante by the Sea. Chose the villa based on it meeting everyone's needs; pool, hot-tub, proximity to beach, views, a/c, at least two bedrooms opening to the interior of the house (to contain the kids), and a little privacy for my parents to escape the mayhem, all at a reasonable price. Based on compiling a spreadsheet of 500+ villas, Andante was one of three villas to meet all of our criteria and was the only one available for the time we wanted. It was perfect!!! High on the hillside with a great breeze, view of sunrise and sunset from the deck, rocky trail leading down to Hart Bay rocky beach, great supply of beach chairs, coolers, pool toys, and owner instructions and labels that covered everything in the house! Drive up to the villa was bumpy and steep, but not as bad as I'd been told to expect.
Prior to our arrival I arranged to have flowers and a welcome basket with snacks delivered to cover all the family holidays occuring during or around the trip (Mom's Bday, Mother's Day, parents Wedding Anniversary). Got the flowers from Passion Flower and the basket from East West Catering. Both were there when we arrived and were very nice. Both were paid for by sending a check in the mail that couldn't have arrived until after the delivery. Nice to see that small town life and neighborly trust still exists somewhere!
After settling in, I made a dash to Starfish to pick up provisions for the week. We'd packed most of the dry goods we'd need, but no produce or meats. Knew it was going to hurt, but still wasn't prepared for a $400 bill for one cart of groceries. Things that cost a lot: bottled water $24 a case, popsicles $12, 1/2 gal OJ $6. Things that weren't that bad: steaks. My wife just wouldn't let me forget about the $12 popsicles the whole trip. I just had to make sure that my daughter and I appeared to be having at least $1 of fun each time we had one. Given that the average cost for eating lunch out for the 5 of us was about $90, I didn't feel so bad about the grocery bill in the end. I also got back at my wife when she had under-measured the amount of baby formula we needed for the week and we had to by a $27 can from the drugstore (usually about $12 at home).
Got back from shopping and settled into the pool and hot-tub with a few Caribs and enjoyed our first evening staring at the lights on STT and basking in the glow of the 3/4 moon, listening to the tree frogs and the waves on heart bay, observing the occasional bat soar overhead and a few shooting stars. Paradise! Why did it take us 2.5 years to return?
THE WEEK
Our biggest challenge came the morning after our arrival. Our 10 month old, Annaliis, woke up with a fever north of 103, higher than she'd ever had before. Had no idea what was causing it, so we called over to the Myra Keating Center and they instructed us to bring her in. It took a while in the waiting room, but the staff was great, both on the phone and in person. Turned out to be an ear infection, so we got some amoxicillin, and managed her temperature with motrin and tylenol. Only hiccup from there was after 2 days on the meds she developed a rash. Had to go back to the center to get looked at, but it was not an allergic reaction. By the next day she was back to normal, and honestly, handled the whole thing like a trooper. A little scary, but I was impressed with how modern and professional the Myra Keating Center is. Just like home, only with a pretty good view from the top of Centerline Road.
Other than this it was smooth, unless of course you count the early wakeup times for the kids. Both of them usually get up around 7:30am. Due to sunrise being a little earlier than back home, they were getting up at 5:30! Every morning. Like clockwork. And once they were up, there was no getting them back to sleep. This meant nap time for Annaliis was around 9 every morning, which could have put a kink in our AM beach schedule. Not a problem though - our routine became to take turns going to the beach while one of us stayed at the villa for nap time. We didn't get to do as many beaches this way as we were always shuttling to and from the villa, but it worked.
The beaches were all beautiful as usual. Waterlemon was particularly spectacular with great visibility and brilliant sunlight. Saw plenty of rays, a big hermit crab in a conch shell, and a nice 4.5 ft barracuda, but no turtles. The coral there looked better than I remember seeking it on our previous visit. It was so good, we went there a second time later in the week. On our second venture there we emerged from the water to find the donkey's were checking out our beach towels. Then 30 feet down the trail we encountered a mongoose who just would not give up any ground. He wasn't being aggressive, but they just look fierce. Another good snorkel spot was at Hart Bay, at the bottom of the hill from our villa. The trail down was steep and rocky, with cacti and plants with sharp round leaves on either side. Where I got scratched I picked up a poison-ivy like rash. Strange. The snorkeling there made it worth it though. Saw two lobsters huddled together, several pufferfish, and a few big crabs. I'd only recommend snorkeling here when conditions are good. Later in the week I tried again but got bounced around by the waves.
My mom was impressed with how close you could park to the beaches. She's having hip replacement surgery next month and has only limited mobility, but found it easy to get to the beach at Trunk, Maho (obviously), and Hawksnest. Once there she'd sit herself in a chair and watch the grandkids. It was her 60th birthday while we were on island and we celebrated with decorations, a nice dinner, and a cake at the villa. I'm not sure what she would have wished for when blowing out the candles, sitting there on the deck watching the sun set over STT, seems like you have it pretty good already.
The baby loved being in the water, particularly with the rolling waves at Trunk. As observant as she is, she also noticed the fish circling us there before anyone else in our group did. Somewhere along the way we picked up a guest. I tiny 1-inch long juvenile french grunt (?) decided to follow us around. This little yellow fish could not be deterred and just hovered about 6 inches from me the whole time. Cute. My 4 year old Abby got rolled up the beach several times by the waves. Also to note, as we were coming down to Trunk (from the East End) there was a heard of cows walking along the road on the switch-back. Fun!
We ate out for lunch several times at our favorite places; Skinny's was good as always, we got one last meal at Island Blues, and managed to get the last two servings of beans and rice with curried meat sauce at Vie's. Yummy! The only slight disappointment was Shipwreck Landing, where we hadn't eaten before. The setting is beautiful, but they must have been short-staffed the day we were there. Even factoring in island time, it took a little too long to place our order and receive our food, which didn't taste good enough to validate the wait. I felt bad for the staff because there were a number of grumpy customers, but how grumpy can you really be though staring out over Coral Bay? Overall lunch ended up taking almost 2 hours. Yikes.
Most dinners we cooked at the villa. We are not the gourmets that quite a few of you on the forum are, so I'm not going to post any pictures of my half-charred steaks, soggy asparagus, or nearly-baked potato. I think the view from our deck made everything taste better - thank goodness! My wife did bust out a carne asada recipe that was fantastic. We got take-out twice; Uncle Joes - enough said, and Seniorita Pizza which we hadn't had before. Ordering the pizza was a typical island experience. We wanted one pepperoni and mushroom and another with olive and onion. 10 minutes after placing our order we were informed that they were out of onions. 10 minutes after that we were told they didn't have pepperoni. We ended up with two mushroom and black olive pizzas, ready about 20 minutes after they said it would be ready, but I have to tell you, it was awesome. New York style thin crust and I'm not sure what seasoning they added, but it was simply fantastic. And we managed to pick it up and get it back to the villa still warm. I can still close my eyes and taste it.
Our one dinner out was at Aqua Bistro, in Coral Bay by the gourmet grocery store. Hadn't been there before, but thought it was very good and reasonable. After our main course we elected not to get dessert and instead buy ice-cream bars from the grocery store and eat them on centerline road at the Coral Bay overlook. Great idea in theory, but in practice we were hit immediately by the no see-ums as soon as we got out of the cars. Needless to say we suffered from brain-freeze given how quickly we ate the ice creams and got back in the car.
We also had a lunch out at Molly Malone's in Red Hook on our way back to the airport. The menu was similar to Molly Malone's I've been to stateside, but I don't ever recall having an iguana sit under our table while we ate.
My wife, Dad, Abby, and I went aboard the Wayward Sailor for a 1/2 day snorkel/sail with Captain Phil who is quite the character. He provided great insight into island life and demonstrated a true love for the sea. It was so relaxing being under sail in the sun that Abby promptly fell asleep for half the trip. We'd tried to no avail to get her to try snorkeling in the pool trying to get her ready to see the fish, but she would have none of it so I ended up hovering with her in the water while she asked me what color fish were swimming below, asking occasionally and seemingly hopefully if I could see any sharks. After the third time of her asking, I playfully said yes there were a few sharks, at which point I learned you never tell a 4 year old who is treading water that there are sharks circling beneath her. She immediately tried to scramble onto my shoulders which submersed me snorkel and all. End of snorkel. Then she was equally enthralled by Capt. Phil relaying stories about where sand comes from and how he got his glass eye. She's still talking about it a week later.
One of the things my wife, Mom, and Abby enjoyed most was shopping. Abby particularly enjoyed shopping for pirate treasure. A number of the stores had some small trinkets (pirate coins, shells, etc.) that for a dollar here and there, we kept her occupied for several hours. She's since taken the treasure into show-and-tell at her preschool. My Dad and I and the baby enjoyed the Tap Room while they shopped. The beer at the Tap Room was really good, something I'd drink at home if it were available. During the trip Annaliis grew a fondness for Red Stripe bottles (empty), finding the contour of the bottle to be just right for soothing her gums (teething). Numerous photos ensued.
My wife and I managed to muster up the energy for one evening out in Cruz Bay. We hit our favorites, the Quiet Mon and the Beach Bar. Saw fellow forumite 'Cruzan Chris' for the 3rd time there after running into him at Starfish and Hawksnest. The forum t-shirts are a dead giveaway. We arrived one day after the BB gathering. Amazing to think of how many forumites are on island at any particular time. Having risen at 5:30am for most of the week though, we retired early.
The trip back was long but uneventful with all flights being on time and all luggage arriving. Kids were a little more boisterous, but our flight time wasn't until late afternoon, which took them off their nap and bedtime schedule.
It was a great trip overall. Proving to ourselves we could travel with the two kids. Seeing the kids interacting with my parents for a week. Sharing our idea of paradise with my folks. They're now converts and hinted that instead of returning to Hawaii next year, they'd consider a return trip to STJ. It won't take us so long to return this time. I'd stay at Andante by the Sea again in a heartbeat. The view alone from the deck would be worth it.
TRIP GEAR
Key gear recommendations leveraged from this and other forums: neat sheets, polar cooler, keen sandals, kids rafts with a window to see the fish, rash guards, power strip (used to build a charging station), ziplocks/garbage bags/clothes pins, akona backpack for snorkeling equipment, pop-up sun tent for the baby, baby b-air flight vest for baby traveling in arms, zip strips to seal luggage, small digital camera tripod to steady the camera for night shots, underwater housing for my Pentax Optio s5i, ipod w/FM transmitter set to 88.5, 2-way radios for car-to-car communication, and lots of other stuff I'm sure.
Great report, Drew, thank you!
Being also in the 30's with 2 little ones (currently 21 months and 3 1/2 years), I have to ask... if your parents hadn't been along to help with the kids, would you have had as good a time? Would the toll of kid-related changes to your normal vacation have been too much? Would you say your 4 year old was old enough to really get something out of it (or would she have been just as happy with, say, Florida)?
These are the things we struggle with when thinking about taking our kids to STJ.
Being also in the 30's with 2 little ones (currently 21 months and 3 1/2 years), I have to ask... if your parents hadn't been along to help with the kids, would you have had as good a time? Would the toll of kid-related changes to your normal vacation have been too much? Would you say your 4 year old was old enough to really get something out of it (or would she have been just as happy with, say, Florida)?
These are the things we struggle with when thinking about taking our kids to STJ.
Jennifer
Great questions Jennifer!
We've had a number of travel experiences when it was just one child - Abby. She's accompanied us for a long weekend in New Orleans (solo/age 3), the Disney thing (with my wife's parents/age 3), Vieques PR (with our babysitter/age 2), England (solo/age 18 mos), and STJ (solo/age 6 mos).
This was our first trip with 2 kids. It certainly was very helpful to have my parents there, but it still would have been enjoyable if it had just been us and the kids. We actually met my parents at the STT airport, so we handled the flights with the kids there and back on our own.
I tried to give my wife a break from the kids when I could so it would feel like a vacation to her (she's at home with them). For me it was about spending time with the kids.
More than anything else, the success of our trip was based on having the right expectations of what it will be like and getting into a good routine. Our kids, although challenging at times, are fairly flexible to changes in their environment, especially the baby. As long as my 4 year old has milk in the morning, access to Noggin, and an 8pm bedtime - she manages everything else in stride.
I would say thought that my daughter would probably have been equally as happy to hang out in our backyard and visit the community pool for a week, so going to St. John was more for us than her, not to say that she didn't enjoy it.
The thing to consider is how comfortable are you with the differences between traveling with kids to Florida vs. St. John; expense, travel logistics, perceived proximity to civilization, etc.? For us it came down to wanting the view from the villa, the beaches, the food, the tree frogs, and returning to a place that we love.
We've had a number of travel experiences when it was just one child - Abby. She's accompanied us for a long weekend in New Orleans (solo/age 3), the Disney thing (with my wife's parents/age 3), Vieques PR (with our babysitter/age 2), England (solo/age 18 mos), and STJ (solo/age 6 mos).
This was our first trip with 2 kids. It certainly was very helpful to have my parents there, but it still would have been enjoyable if it had just been us and the kids. We actually met my parents at the STT airport, so we handled the flights with the kids there and back on our own.
I tried to give my wife a break from the kids when I could so it would feel like a vacation to her (she's at home with them). For me it was about spending time with the kids.
More than anything else, the success of our trip was based on having the right expectations of what it will be like and getting into a good routine. Our kids, although challenging at times, are fairly flexible to changes in their environment, especially the baby. As long as my 4 year old has milk in the morning, access to Noggin, and an 8pm bedtime - she manages everything else in stride.
I would say thought that my daughter would probably have been equally as happy to hang out in our backyard and visit the community pool for a week, so going to St. John was more for us than her, not to say that she didn't enjoy it.
The thing to consider is how comfortable are you with the differences between traveling with kids to Florida vs. St. John; expense, travel logistics, perceived proximity to civilization, etc.? For us it came down to wanting the view from the villa, the beaches, the food, the tree frogs, and returning to a place that we love.
Now that is a trip report I can relate to ...
We took our then 10 month old in November and are heading back with him in August. He'll be 1.5. Spoiled boy. His sister will be logging trip #3 and she just turned 6.
I remember when our older one got an ear infection in San Fran one time while we were traveling. NIGHTMARE. I am glad to hear that the center there on STJ is modern and good. Makes me feel at ease as that is always my #1 fear.
Great great report. Can't wait for pictures!
We took our then 10 month old in November and are heading back with him in August. He'll be 1.5. Spoiled boy. His sister will be logging trip #3 and she just turned 6.
I remember when our older one got an ear infection in San Fran one time while we were traveling. NIGHTMARE. I am glad to hear that the center there on STJ is modern and good. Makes me feel at ease as that is always my #1 fear.
Great great report. Can't wait for pictures!
We also travel our little one with us. Your comments about expectations are right on. So much of the success hinges on not getting too excited about the different-ness of vacation life compared to normal life.
But then again, I am the type of mom that let her 10-month old fall asleep in her arms sitting in the sand at the Beach Bar!
But then again, I am the type of mom that let her 10-month old fall asleep in her arms sitting in the sand at the Beach Bar!
Amen to that ... at 10 months they can sleep anywhere. At least my 2 always could. I find my kids follow my lead. If I am stressed they stress. If I am mellow they are mellow. This must be why they are so chill on STJ. (Yes, I realize I probably just jinxed our August tripPA Girl wrote: But then again, I am the type of mom that let her 10-month old fall asleep in her arms sitting in the sand at the Beach Bar!
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Tracy in WI
- Posts: 1624
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:39 am
- Location: Wisconsin
Great Report Diver Drew - it sounds like you had a great vacation and I appreciate the time you took writing and sharing such a thorough report. I look forward to seeing your pictures and the tip about two way radios is one I just may use myself for our upcoming trip.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Tracy, Seaside Properties at Grande Bay
You would be surprised how much a 3 or 4 year old can get out of a trip. My daughter still talks about our trip when she was 3 (and she had JUST turned 3).
She also completely knows the diff between Atlantic beaches (Va Beach, Florida and Nags Head) and St. John. She was SO excited when I told her we were going to STJ in August instead of the Outer Banks because as she put it "They don't have beaches there only that water that's like a pool"
She could play all day long in the "surf" at maho or francis.
She also completely knows the diff between Atlantic beaches (Va Beach, Florida and Nags Head) and St. John. She was SO excited when I told her we were going to STJ in August instead of the Outer Banks because as she put it "They don't have beaches there only that water that's like a pool"
She could play all day long in the "surf" at maho or francis.
It drives my stressed-mom friends (you know, the kind that flip out if lunch is 3.5 minutes behind schedule) nuts that I am so laid back.flip-flop wrote: Amen to that ... at 10 months they can sleep anywhere. At least my 2 always could. I find my kids follow my lead. If I am stressed they stress. If I am mellow they are mellow. This must be why they are so chill on STJ. (Yes, I realize I probably just jinxed our August trip
Before I had a child, my aunt (the mother of many humans and dogs) told me kids were like dogs, they read their owner's/parent's emotions and react accordingly.
Playing beach and pirates figures big in my toddler's life right now, both learned from past trips.
I stress but usually its over big giant things ... like health scares. Life is too short. Funny thing is before I had kids I was SO much more anal! I can't imagine being that same person w/ the two I have, I would have died of a heart attack by now.
Sounds like a great family trip. It's neat that you were able to snorkle at Hart Bay. I don't think many people have had the chance to snorkel there because it is always so rough.
Thanks for your report, and I look forward to seeing your photos.
Thanks for your report, and I look forward to seeing your photos.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.