usvi-on-line
Virgin Islands Virgin - Advice please...
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
Congratulations on planning a vacation to pure PARADISE!!
St Thomas is too crowded for our taste, and St Croix too far away. The natural beauty of the land and beaches on St John are perfect for us, along with the laid back living.
I vote for St John, and all the above villa and condo rentals! You have enough info to keep you busy I won't throw in anymore! The big decision between a condo and a villa, in my opinion, is privacy. We like it, and love a pool/hot tub to ourselves. Also, how important is A/C to you?? You can get good deals on villas without A/C, just another thing for you to think about.
Happy Planning!
This forum is a wealth of information from a really good group of folk!! Keep us posted.
Jan (akaCharlie)
St Thomas is too crowded for our taste, and St Croix too far away. The natural beauty of the land and beaches on St John are perfect for us, along with the laid back living.
I vote for St John, and all the above villa and condo rentals! You have enough info to keep you busy I won't throw in anymore! The big decision between a condo and a villa, in my opinion, is privacy. We like it, and love a pool/hot tub to ourselves. Also, how important is A/C to you?? You can get good deals on villas without A/C, just another thing for you to think about.
Happy Planning!
This forum is a wealth of information from a really good group of folk!! Keep us posted.Jan (akaCharlie)
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islandboots
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Windwardside
I saw your post and scrolled down waiting for someone to suggest Windwardside and then it was YOU who found it! First a disclaimer: the owners are very good friends of mine and I used to work at the villa. However, I highly recommend it because they only own that and another cottage. It is not a giant rental company. It would be ideal for you to rent the entire Windwardside, including the little cottage...so I am not sure if that is over your price range. Also, I do NOT recommend you staying within easy access to Cruz Bay for your young guests! You would NOT have a fun trip, you would be constantly worried and for good reason! (I am a 15 year resident of St. John) There is plenty to do in Coral Bay and it is safer. Island Blues has great live music and there are lots of new, good restaurants. The road to Windwardside is a bit steep, but most people end up just having fun with it. Good luck!
Wow! Thanks again for the great info! I booked our flights this morning, so we're committed! I guess i can officially put a countdown in my signature 
So... to catch up a bit...
LiamsAunt... We've decided to spend the few extra bucks and get a car for the whole time. I'm just a tad worried about driving on the "wrong" side of the road!
Thanks for the additional links! if we do stay closer to Coral Bay, how long it the drive to Cruz Bay? I'm sure we'll want to go there at least once.
California Girl... Thanks for the link to Over The Rainbow. It looks great and is available, but now we're pushing $3000! I'm not sure if we can swing that (The college expenses will hit us before we know it!). We're thinking about it...
Jan (Charlie?)... Thanks for you thoughts on the other islands. I think we've decided on St. John (unless my wife wants more shopping . A day trip to St. Thomas might cure that!. How important is AC? I don't care about it during the day since we'll either be gone or outside, but what about at night? My wife doesn't like to sleep with the window open (sinus issues), so maybe we want AC?
islandboots... Thanks for the info on Windwardside. It is still at the top of our list. My daughter has it as her number 1, but I think that's because she can stick my wife and I into the separate MBR and get us out of the way! We are tossing the whole Cruz Bay vs. Coral Bay decision around quite a bit. I appreciate your thoughts on the temptation. So for, both my daughter and her friend are vocally against drinking (unlike her parents) but ya never know! It would be nice to be close to the action, but the peace and quiet of the other end of the island is tempting, too!
So, as you can see, about the only thing that we've decided is that we're going
Any other advice on villas or location or what to pack, etc. would be great!
So... to catch up a bit...
LiamsAunt... We've decided to spend the few extra bucks and get a car for the whole time. I'm just a tad worried about driving on the "wrong" side of the road!
Thanks for the additional links! if we do stay closer to Coral Bay, how long it the drive to Cruz Bay? I'm sure we'll want to go there at least once.California Girl... Thanks for the link to Over The Rainbow. It looks great and is available, but now we're pushing $3000! I'm not sure if we can swing that (The college expenses will hit us before we know it!). We're thinking about it...
Jan (Charlie?)... Thanks for you thoughts on the other islands. I think we've decided on St. John (unless my wife wants more shopping
. A day trip to St. Thomas might cure that!. How important is AC? I don't care about it during the day since we'll either be gone or outside, but what about at night? My wife doesn't like to sleep with the window open (sinus issues), so maybe we want AC?islandboots... Thanks for the info on Windwardside. It is still at the top of our list. My daughter has it as her number 1, but I think that's because she can stick my wife and I into the separate MBR and get us out of the way! We are tossing the whole Cruz Bay vs. Coral Bay decision around quite a bit. I appreciate your thoughts on the temptation. So for, both my daughter and her friend are vocally against drinking (unlike her parents
) but ya never know! It would be nice to be close to the action, but the peace and quiet of the other end of the island is tempting, too!So, as you can see, about the only thing that we've decided is that we're going
Any other advice on villas or location or what to pack, etc. would be great!...ron
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
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California Girl
If you want to save a little money and your going to rent a car for the week you might consider doing it in St Thomas and taking the car barge across. We found the car rental prices to be a lot cheaper in St Thomas, almost half. People on the boards are split on this subject, you do not have anybody on St John to help you out with your rental if you have a flat or engine trouble is the con. You also have the advantage then to stop at Walmart or a market in St Thomas and stock up on food at a more reduced price. I think they have a warehouse club on St Thomas too. I totally relate to what your going through, those college bills are going to be coming too fast. Our daughter has still not decided where she is going yet and we are not putting pressure on the choice but secretly 
I am pulling for one of the less expensive schools 
. Means another trip to St John next year 
I am pulling for one of the less expensive schools . Means another trip to St John next year Spring break is the week of March 26th. We'll be on St. John from March 25th through April 1st.
Don't worry about the suggestion. It's a good one! We just have to decide how much we want to spend. It's probably our last vacation as a family, so we may splurge a bit. I should know about my year-end bonus a a few days, so that may help (or hurt...).
Don't worry about the suggestion. It's a good one! We just have to decide how much we want to spend. It's probably our last vacation as a family, so we may splurge a bit. I should know about my year-end bonus a a few days, so that may help (or hurt...).
...ron
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Don't worry about the driving--all the rental cars have a big sign on the inside of the windshield that says "Keep Left" with a big arrow!
I'd estimate Coral Bay to Cruz Bay is a 20-30 minute drive, depending on how far out your villa is.
I'd estimate Coral Bay to Cruz Bay is a 20-30 minute drive, depending on how far out your villa is.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
OK... I think we're down to three villas in three different locations. I would love to hear you opinions on both the villas and the locations.
In no particular order...
Moonsong - Chocolate Hole area. Moonsong appeals to us because of easy access to Hart Bay Beach. It's also far enough from Cruz Bay so that the girls won't be walking there on their own to get into trouble.
Windwardside - Coral Bay. Windwardside Appeals to us because it is on the quieter side of the island. Also, from all reports it has great views and is in great shape. The road leading o the villa is apparently a challenge, so that is a downside.
Creolla - Mt. Ajax. Creolla appeals to us for the privacy and beauty. it is also closer to Maho, Cinnamon Bay and Frances Bay. It is equally close (or far) to both towns.
Pricing on all three is close, with Windwardside being cheaper by $200 or so.
Thanks in advance!
...ron
In no particular order...
Moonsong - Chocolate Hole area. Moonsong appeals to us because of easy access to Hart Bay Beach. It's also far enough from Cruz Bay so that the girls won't be walking there on their own to get into trouble.
Windwardside - Coral Bay. Windwardside Appeals to us because it is on the quieter side of the island. Also, from all reports it has great views and is in great shape. The road leading o the villa is apparently a challenge, so that is a downside.
Creolla - Mt. Ajax. Creolla appeals to us for the privacy and beauty. it is also closer to Maho, Cinnamon Bay and Frances Bay. It is equally close (or far) to both towns.
Pricing on all three is close, with Windwardside being cheaper by $200 or so.
Thanks in advance!
...ron
...ron
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
moonsong
ron,
to the bride and me, stj is paradise. our ist stay was in oct 04 next door to moonsong at sundance (same owners). followed up with trip dec 04 with just the bride and me at moonsong.
you should find moonsong to be comfortable for a family of four (suggest you put the girls downstairs so they came sleep in). she has a fairly small living area and only inside dining area is at kitchen bar but we loved dining on the covered porch and her views. as you know there's a hot tub but no pool and bath on main level is very small. there's washer and dryer but in a remote basement area the bride didn't like but she sure used. that said let's go to positives.
ms is clean, well cared for and well equipped. the company is small, marcy appel, the manager is excellent and attentive to your questions and needs. the owners of all c9 villas, linda and allen, are usually in resident on stj (except summers) so you have great support if needed. we've stayed in a c9 villa four times and are staying again at c9 on gifft hill beg 1/19 and would have stayed at moonsong but not available on our arrival date.
the bride and i loved the views from ms; the sunsets, stt thomas lights at nite, seeing the ships leave stt and hearing the surf from hart bay. the walk down to hart is not easy and the beach is mostly rocks, but i made several trips for a good snorkle. the drive is very easy (car from stt via barge each trip) but there a steep left hairpin 1 lane curve on your final approach to ms that you find easy after a couple of trips up.
we found ms's location convenient since you go by star fish market on returns from the n shore beaches and cruz bay. ms feels very private eventhough there are other villas close by so you feel secure. the web site pics are understatements if anything with the exception of the size. bride and i also enjoyed ac for sleeping but not really needed in dec but maybe more important in april.
can't speak to other villas mentioned, but once you've enjoyed the evenings from a west facing villa, you won't want to stay anywhere else on stj (and we haven't eventhough we had to use another rental agency, dest st john, twice when c9 didn't have anything to fit our schedule).
papabou
to the bride and me, stj is paradise. our ist stay was in oct 04 next door to moonsong at sundance (same owners). followed up with trip dec 04 with just the bride and me at moonsong.
you should find moonsong to be comfortable for a family of four (suggest you put the girls downstairs so they came sleep in). she has a fairly small living area and only inside dining area is at kitchen bar but we loved dining on the covered porch and her views. as you know there's a hot tub but no pool and bath on main level is very small. there's washer and dryer but in a remote basement area the bride didn't like but she sure used. that said let's go to positives.
ms is clean, well cared for and well equipped. the company is small, marcy appel, the manager is excellent and attentive to your questions and needs. the owners of all c9 villas, linda and allen, are usually in resident on stj (except summers) so you have great support if needed. we've stayed in a c9 villa four times and are staying again at c9 on gifft hill beg 1/19 and would have stayed at moonsong but not available on our arrival date.
the bride and i loved the views from ms; the sunsets, stt thomas lights at nite, seeing the ships leave stt and hearing the surf from hart bay. the walk down to hart is not easy and the beach is mostly rocks, but i made several trips for a good snorkle. the drive is very easy (car from stt via barge each trip) but there a steep left hairpin 1 lane curve on your final approach to ms that you find easy after a couple of trips up.
we found ms's location convenient since you go by star fish market on returns from the n shore beaches and cruz bay. ms feels very private eventhough there are other villas close by so you feel secure. the web site pics are understatements if anything with the exception of the size. bride and i also enjoyed ac for sleeping but not really needed in dec but maybe more important in april.
can't speak to other villas mentioned, but once you've enjoyed the evenings from a west facing villa, you won't want to stay anywhere else on stj (and we haven't eventhough we had to use another rental agency, dest st john, twice when c9 didn't have anything to fit our schedule).
papabou
Thanks to everyone for the advice! We went with Moonsong and I just got off the phone with Marcy at Cloud9 to set up the rental car, so we're all set!
Now we just have to figure out what we want to do while we're there! I'd like to go on a snorkeling cruise, and I know that my wife will want to spend some time in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay looking at the shops, etc. I've read through a lot of the posts here and on the other USVI forums and i have an idea of the most popular beaches. For a first time visitor, which would you folks say are the beaches we shouldn't miss?
Edit - I should mention that my wife and two two girls (18) are novice snorkelers if that makes a difference, and I am a big guy, so extremely strenuous hikes are probably not a good idea (or I need to allow extra time for rest stops).
Also, is it worth it to take a day trip to St. Thomas for shopping?
Thanks! I'm sure I'll have many more questions over the next couple of months! I'll try not to be too much of a pest
Now we just have to figure out what we want to do while we're there! I'd like to go on a snorkeling cruise, and I know that my wife will want to spend some time in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay looking at the shops, etc. I've read through a lot of the posts here and on the other USVI forums and i have an idea of the most popular beaches. For a first time visitor, which would you folks say are the beaches we shouldn't miss?
Edit - I should mention that my wife and two two girls (18) are novice snorkelers if that makes a difference, and I am a big guy, so extremely strenuous hikes are probably not a good idea (or I need to allow extra time for rest stops).
Also, is it worth it to take a day trip to St. Thomas for shopping?
Thanks! I'm sure I'll have many more questions over the next couple of months! I'll try not to be too much of a pest
...ron
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
Time to start working on convincing the wife that we have to go back soon!
we were first timers last October and I did my fair share of research but as for the beaches we just stopped the car when we liked what we saw! on our first full day with a car we headed to Coral Bay to get the lay of the island. when we were heading back we saw a beach that looked great so we stopped and spent the afternoon. had to walk up to someone on the beach and ask "what beach is this?" turned out to be Maho
Another day I had to pop on the forum and ask "what is the beach with the stairs going down from the road" (Jumbie) and "the one behind the iron gate" (Gibney).
you will figure it out while you're there!
Another day I had to pop on the forum and ask "what is the beach with the stairs going down from the road" (Jumbie) and "the one behind the iron gate" (Gibney).
you will figure it out while you're there!
Congrats Ron, I know how much time you have put into researching this vacation, your girls are going to have the vacation of a lifetime.
Regarding shopping in St Thomas, the first time to St John a friend of mine and I went shopping in St Thomas while our husbands played golf in ST. I have never been back shopping in St Thom since, I love all the little shops in Cruz Bay and found the merchandise to be of better quality and better priced. I would not waste a minute of my vacation in St Thomas again, this is just my opinion.
A fun thing to do is to rent a dinghy from Noahs Little Arks
http://www.bookitvi.com/nla.htm
$95 a half day $175 a full day. Fun way to see and snorkel the beaches that you dont want to hike to. I would rent the 14 ft 30hp dinghy for your group.
Snorkeling is very easy in St John because you can snorkel from the beaches, try a beginner snorkel tour. They have snuba at the state park and that may be fun for your girls too. I purchased my snorkel when I was just learning how, from
http://www.herringtoncatalog.com/fs161.html
best purchase I have ever made, well next to my prescription mask. It will make learning to snorkel much easier. If you dont want to invest in snorkel equipment and are going to rent, I would still buy the dry snorkel.
Regarding shopping in St Thomas, the first time to St John a friend of mine and I went shopping in St Thomas while our husbands played golf in ST. I have never been back shopping in St Thom since, I love all the little shops in Cruz Bay and found the merchandise to be of better quality and better priced. I would not waste a minute of my vacation in St Thomas again, this is just my opinion.
A fun thing to do is to rent a dinghy from Noahs Little Arks
http://www.bookitvi.com/nla.htm
$95 a half day $175 a full day. Fun way to see and snorkel the beaches that you dont want to hike to. I would rent the 14 ft 30hp dinghy for your group.
Snorkeling is very easy in St John because you can snorkel from the beaches, try a beginner snorkel tour. They have snuba at the state park and that may be fun for your girls too. I purchased my snorkel when I was just learning how, from
http://www.herringtoncatalog.com/fs161.html
best purchase I have ever made, well next to my prescription mask. It will make learning to snorkel much easier. If you dont want to invest in snorkel equipment and are going to rent, I would still buy the dry snorkel.
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islandboots
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
activities
A fun thing I used to take all my visitors on was the Nat. Park-sponsored Reef Bay Trail Hike....but you only hike DOWN hill, and then a snorkle boat picks you up and you get a boat ride back to Cruz Bay. Just go to or call the Nat. Park Headquarters for reservations.
stj & moonsong
ron,
i believe you and girls will like moonsong and i know you will love stj. if you haven't been there look at info on http://www.vinow.com they have a chat board too but i personally find this one friendlier. that site has couple of books that lots of visitors rave about (don't own), ferry & cruise ship schedules (best to avoid trunk bay on days when a lot of ships in stt) and related info.
bride and i just up and went to stj with minimal prep. when we saw views from sundance we knew we had found our paradise (knew about beaches from sailing charter for several days around the islands when our girls were preteens (1980 i believe).
there will be a notebook at moonsong with a world of ist hand info about what to do and info about the beaches. the best are the n shores including our favs, hawksnest, jumbie, cinnamon, maho and francis. many love trunk, lampshure is good if you have 4 wheel dr and many rave about honeymoon but you have a good walk to. one point about he n shore beaches from early fall to early summer, there is shade from those who can't stand the sun all day but enjoy seeing the water.
don't try and do everything in your one week because you will be back unless you are just not a paradise person. we still have a list of many things we plan to do, but haven't yet gotten around to in our past 6 trips. it just takes longer to do things on stj and you'll catch yourself stopping everso often to just take in the view.
enjoy the planning and the visit.
papabou
i believe you and girls will like moonsong and i know you will love stj. if you haven't been there look at info on http://www.vinow.com they have a chat board too but i personally find this one friendlier. that site has couple of books that lots of visitors rave about (don't own), ferry & cruise ship schedules (best to avoid trunk bay on days when a lot of ships in stt) and related info.
bride and i just up and went to stj with minimal prep. when we saw views from sundance we knew we had found our paradise (knew about beaches from sailing charter for several days around the islands when our girls were preteens (1980 i believe).
there will be a notebook at moonsong with a world of ist hand info about what to do and info about the beaches. the best are the n shores including our favs, hawksnest, jumbie, cinnamon, maho and francis. many love trunk, lampshure is good if you have 4 wheel dr and many rave about honeymoon but you have a good walk to. one point about he n shore beaches from early fall to early summer, there is shade from those who can't stand the sun all day but enjoy seeing the water.
don't try and do everything in your one week because you will be back unless you are just not a paradise person. we still have a list of many things we plan to do, but haven't yet gotten around to in our past 6 trips. it just takes longer to do things on stj and you'll catch yourself stopping everso often to just take in the view.
enjoy the planning and the visit.
papabou
We stayed off Hart Bay our first trip. The sound of the waves is wonderful! I have heard that there is good snorkeling off Hart--the surf was too rough when we were there. If you want to snorkle there (or many of the South Shore beaches, really), I would get some water shoes for your group. The entry is rocky, and can be slippery. Water shoes will give you the purchase you need to get out there and start snorkeling. Just remember they won't protect you from urchins!
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.