USVI-On-Line

Newbie here! I've spent a bit of time reading threads in the forum and there is some great information spread out all over the place. I'd hate to miss any gems of insight so I thought I'd make my own post.

So our first trip is being planned for late January. I think we're going to stay in Cruz Bay at Grande Bay Resort. Looks like we'll be there for 5 nights/6 days. I'm thinking we'll lay low/get prepped on our travel days and spend 1 day walking around Cruz Bay, hike to Solomon/Honeymoon Bchs, etc., rent a car for 2 days and travel around the island and spend 1 day island hopping. Is that a pretty good division of time for a first trip?

Regarding food, I think we'll eat all breakfasts in and MAYBE a couple of dinners. We won't eat a single lunch in - we'll either p/u lunch to take on a hike or (more likely) eat in restaurants. I've gathered that bringing some provisions from home (meat, condiments, etc.) is a good idea. I've read there are a couple of caterers that can provide breakfast and beverage starter provisions for about $175. The breakfast foods would last us the week, but the beverages wouldn't - is this a decent deal based on island pricing? What are some restaurant recommendations when one of us doesn't eat any seafood (we'll probably plan to do one really nice dinner)?

I'll be 5 months pregnant during the trip so mild hiking and snorkeling is about all I'm going to do activity wise. That said - where should we day trip? Is it possible to go to 2 neighboring islands in a day? I don't want to run us ragged, but I would like to see as much as we can.

Does the island have any nice spas? My husband will want to get a massage while we're there.

Is there a place to rent snorkeling gear for the length of your stay?

Thanks a bunch. Your enthusiasm for St. John is contagious!

Hi there and a warm welcome to you both.

Congratulations on your upcoming baby !!

We too are newbies to STJ,be there in April,like you, have gotten so much valuable info from here, I have tons of notes & post-its in a folder ! Will take me all winter to put it all in some sense of order !!

I do recommend either Feet,Fins & Four wheel or Off the Beaten Track as books to get, they are invaluable as to beaches,hiking,snorkeling etc. You can't go wrong with either book. I got both,each has diff. info..

We are shipping alot of our non-perishable foods and other things down ahead,and will also bring frozen/cold foods w/us on plane. Both ideas are great.

Enjoy the planning and anticipation and like you, this site has made me so anxious to get there....

Debbie

Thanks for the response and book recommendations. I'll definitely check them out.

I can't decide if shipping supplies for just the two of us makes sense?

Riley, there's a saying around here... "Take half the clothes and twice the money!" I took a cooler of food down once and it was a good thing in some ways, and not so good in other ways. The grocery stores on STJ have just about everything you have in your stores at home, but we did take some nice steaks with us! Before our last trip, I made some enchiladas and froze them once they were assembled. It was great to be able to just pop them in the oven for dinner on night!

I'm not the expert on massages, but I believe there's a spa at both Caneel Bay and the Westin. There are also masseuses the will come to your condo/villa and give massages on your deck. Couples massage, maybe?

There are several places you can go on a day trip. Many islands to see! Jost Van Dyke is the favorite of most, but you can also go to Norman Island, Tortola (Soper's Hole is a fun stop!), Cooper Island, and many others. I'd probably recommend Jost Van Dyke since it's your first trip. That place is amazing!! (Wish I was there now!) If you'd like to see my pictures from Jost last May, go here: http://www.pbase.com/thegripps/thurs43009

You could visit St. John and do absolutely nothing and you'd still have the best time ever!

We use Katiday each year to provision breakfast and beverages. ETA - you can add on additional beverages. It is sort of hard to find the link on her site.

I do it because:

• I dislike grocery shopping no matter the location
  I am lazy
  I am frugal. Doesn't make sense one might wonder? No it doesn't. Sounds strange but it is less expensive for me to order than to let Husband free in the grocery store. From experience I have learned he will spend $500 and come back with nothing to eat for breakfast.

The grocery stores do have everything you need.

We sometimes take a cooler but only for the quality and meal planning aspects.

Hi Riley,
I don't think I would ship down supplies for such a short stay. You'll be able to get everything you need at the stores in town. Answers to a couple of your questions:

Car rental: just a note to make sure you reserve in advance. I'd reserve as soon as you have your dates. Cars sell out in the on season.

Lunch recommendations...In town, I like the Banana Deck. They have burgers, salads, etc. Beach Bar is always decent--you can't beat the setting--and the sandwiches at the Deli Grotto are pretty delicious. That's a good place to pick up a picnic lunch for your beach days.

For a nice dinner, my favorites in town are Zozos and La Tapa. You can find both of their menus online.

You can rent snorkel gear for the week at Low Key Water Sports, right next to the ferry dock.

Riley,
The one thing you should be made aware. Once you have done this thing. You are hooked

Since it is your first trip I recommend spending the entire time on St. John. There are so many beaches to visit. Maybe visit another island on your second or third trip.

Have a great time!

j.

I'd suggest to try and not run yourself too ragged for this length of stay. But that's us, as others have posted, "villa gravity" sets in and relaxation is key. I'm with liamsaunt on not shipping supplies for that length stay, but if there's something you can't live without you could bring it along. And definitely don't overpack, it's a pretty casual island! Have a wonderful time planning-
Toni

I have to agree w/ jdw on staying put on St John for the first visit. There is much more to see and do than you will be able to in your 5/6 days. Personally I would rent the car for more days to have the flexibility to get all over the island and save going to other islands for a future trip.

Hi Riley!! You are going to love St. John!! If we can swing a December trip we are going to stay at Grande Bay also. Great location--the price is right too. Do you know if they have grills??

Make sure to get the books suggested. You will not regret it. One of the authors, Pam Gaffin, gives island tours. We did it on our first trip and credit her to helping us settle in and get to know the island. www.pamgaffin.com

We took a trip with Lion In Da Sun to go see the BVI's and do some snorkeling. As much as I recommend them for most people, I would not for you. I think it would be too rough for someone who is going to have a baby (congratulations by the way!!). Since was have only used them I don't have suggestions for a smoother ride.

I am not sure if your breakfast/beverages is a good deal or not. What do you get for the money? The convenience is certainly worth something! We also brought a lot of frozen meat and some of our favorites (brand loyal people).

Pack light and bring laundry soap--there is a new one that is all-in-one sheets. I think it is by Purex--we brought them on the last trip and they worked great.

riley1319 wrote:Newbie here! I've spent a bit of time reading threads in the forum and there is some great information spread out all over the place. I'd hate to miss any gems of insight so I thought I'd make my own post.

So our first trip is being planned for late January. I think we're going to stay in Cruz Bay at Grande Bay Resort. Looks like we'll be there for 5 nights/6 days. I'm thinking we'll lay low/get prepped on our travel days and spend 1 day walking around Cruz Bay, hike to Solomon/Honeymoon Bchs, etc., rent a car for 2 days and travel around the island and spend 1 day island hopping. Is that a pretty good division of time for a first trip?

Regarding food, I think we'll eat all breakfasts in and MAYBE a couple of dinners. We won't eat a single lunch in - we'll either p/u lunch to take on a hike or (more likely) eat in restaurants. I've gathered that bringing some provisions from home (meat, condiments, etc.) is a good idea. I've read there are a couple of caterers that can provide breakfast and beverage starter provisions for about $175. The breakfast foods would last us the week, but the beverages wouldn't - is this a decent deal based on island pricing? What are some restaurant recommendations when one of us doesn't eat any seafood (we'll probably plan to do one really nice dinner)?

I'll be 5 months pregnant during the trip so mild hiking and snorkeling is about all I'm going to do activity wise. That said - where should we day trip? Is it possible to go to 2 neighboring islands in a day? I don't want to run us ragged, but I would like to see as much as we can.

Does the island have any nice spas? My husband will want to get a massage while we're there.

Is there a place to rent snorkeling gear for the length of your stay?

Thanks a bunch. Your enthusiasm for St. John is contagious!

To me, $175 seems like kind of a lot since you will only have 5 breakfasts. I guess it depends on what they supply and what you like to eat for breakfast. We can eat breakfast pretty cheap in. Since you will be at Grande Bay without a car the whole time, I suggest you could provision a few simple items at Everyting which is the little store at Gallow's Point. We usually pick up bagels (they have really good onion ones), bacon, eggs, and cheese. Can't remember if they had cereal or not. Their prices are comparable to the markets and they will also let you buy 1/2 dozen eggs, half a bag of bagels etc. By no means do they have a large selection of items (it's a tiny store), but they do have the basics. You can walk up the hill there from Grande Bay.

For lunch, we liked the ones mentioned, Banana Deck, Beach Bar, Deli Grotto. Surly Cantina, walking distance from GB has great ala carte Mexican. Cruz Bay Pizza Shop has a good pizza or check out Shela's Pot for some good home cooking right by the ferry dock.

The boat day trip is kind of subjective, I think. YES, there is MORE THAN enough to see and do on St John, but, if you feel like exploring other islands, go for it. Maybe the ferry to Virgin Gorda is an option if the days fall right with the schedule. We take a day trip to The BVI's every trip, even if it is just the ferry. We did it when we went to St Lucia as well and visited The Grenadine's. It's just a matter of what is right for you .

Thanks for all the feedback! It's great to hear the suggestions.

I'm kind of the explorer type so I think we'll definitely want to travel to at least one nearby island. How rough is the travel between islands? I hadn't considered any risk to my pregnancy from traveling by boat.

Oh---I am sorry---I should have been more clear.

I think it depends on the boat and conditions. Some boats get through the waves better than others. I thought Lion in Da Sun was a little rough. We have gone with them more than once and think they are great. It was pretty rough though. We have taken sailing trips that were smooth. I think just be careful with the boat and you will be fine.

Gina

January can get the winter swells (big waves which is so funny for those of us who usually go at other times--like summer or fall when the water is smooth as a swimming pool).

If they are having winter swells when you're there, then a trip as far as Virgin Gorda could get rough. Jost Van Dyke is so close and, if you opt for the ferry--which holds lots of people, has a wide hull and is very stable, instead of a small boat that only accommodates 4-6 people, I wouldn't then worry about it being too rough.