Your best day on St John

LifeInParadise · Post by **LifeInParadise** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:39 am

I am looking for feedback: From all age groups.... what is your favorite memory from St John....
Kids: what did you do or see that blew you away?
Teens: What did you do or see here that you will tell your friends about?
Twenty somethings: was it the night life? The hiking? swimming?
Thirty to Fifty group: what did you do that you would like to repeat?
Six- onward: Tell us what was the best day you had down here....

Thanks in advance

MNTroy · Post by **MNTroy** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 12:23 pm

My best day on St. John starts the same as most every other day of the year. In this case, I am woken early by roosters and struggle to the coffe machine, make some coffee while trying to stay awake, and then pour a cup and walk outside and BANG! The view and realization of where I am hits me, and for that ten minutes each morning it is my best day on St. John. I know it sounds corny, but the rest of the day doesn't matter, because I am already there. Hopefully I can do it again next year.

mnfun2bme · Post by **mnfun2bme** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 4:36 pm

Although I agree with MNTroy about how any day on St John is the best day on St. John, I will NEVER forget my first "real" visit to the island. Sure, I had visited with cruise stops on St Thomas but it wasn't until my friends and I decided to ditch Mexico vacations forever and stay on St. Thomas one year that I was fortunate enough to discover a place that moved me to tears.
We pondered what it would be like taking our car rental over to STJ so...... off we went. We packed our peanut butter sandwiches at our rental on Sapphire Beach, St. Thomas and drove onto the car ferry. We drove all over the island. Visiting several beaches and talking with everyone we met. The first time we visited the Annaberg Ruins there was a demonstration by the national park going on. They were making bread above an open fire. I had done enough research on the slaves and history of the island that I was just moved to tears as I stood near the ruins looking below at Leinser Bay. The colors... the beauty.... how could this magical place have caused so much pain to people long ago?
Standing there overlooking the beauty, I felt such a deep connection to the history of this special place and a great sadness for those who were forced to the island to work. I was thankful to be standing there at a place where most people will never be fortunate enough to see....all because I wanted to be there.

DonnaM · Post by **DonnaM** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 5:02 pm

The easy answer is last November ( mid 40's ) when we moved into our own piece of the rock! Nothing is better than Mine!
The next answer is May 1989 ( early 20's ), when we came over for a day trip from our honeymoon in STT. We took the taxi tour and were blown away. We have to come back here some day.
FF to July 2008, 2009 and 2011 when we brought our boys here. No specific day stands out but the fact that they unplug, play King of the Pool with Dad, actually talk to us, tease each other without it turning into a fight. Subsequent trips bring back funny stories of previous trips. We are on island today and I am soaking up every second with my 19 and 22 year olds. They really appreciate what it took to get us here but at the same time are conniving to come back with friends!

DonnaM · Post by **DonnaM** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 5:23 pm

I just realized that is the beauty of STJ. There are so many amazing things that no one thing has to stand out ( though as a maniac trip planner, I would totally plan days around awesome beaches and activities ). Even rainy days when we play cards, do Indian leg wrestling, make "unusual" cocktails, watch bad DVD's because the satellite is out are great days. STJ will always be here and you WILL come back.
Today, I was fortunate enough to meet a pants wearing, one-eyed rooster and where else would I do that? Btw, if you have never eaten at the Tourist Trap, get there ASAP!

suzanna945 · Post by **suzanna945** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:24 pm

My best days on St. John are like this; awaken in the big king sized bed with the view out to the blue Caribbean; have iced coffee sitting under the pergola on the deck, with the sound of the occasional rooster, waves breaking in Hart Bay below me, and the rustle of the leaves on the Banana Palm tree next to the deck the only sounds that break the quiet; morning at Maho or Gibney with swimming, sunning, reading, and interesting rum/fruit juice concoctions in the cooler; jeep ride over the hills to some favorite island haunt for a smoothie with free rum or an interestingly named rum drink; back to the villa around 2 pm for pool time, shower, afternoon "siesta;" Dinner out, then maybe some strolling, shopping, people watching in Cruz Bay; back to the villa for night pool swim under the starry sky.....and then sleep like a log and look forward to doing it all over again the next day!

GidgetPicklebrain · Post by **GidgetPicklebrain** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:12 am

My best day was my very first day - it was the day I "got it." It started at sunrise watching the first ferry chug into Cruz Bay and the town slowly awaken while I sat on my balcony with morning coffee, roosters crowing, frigate bird circling over to bay... what an utter sense of peace and well-being I felt. It was the awakening.

Later that morning, rented snorkel gear and sandwiches from Baked in the Sun in hand, we ventured forth on North Shore Road. Oh! the view at the first overlook! Oh!! The view at the second!! Oh!!! The third view!!! All the way to Francis and back. Where to stop?

Parked in the lot just above Asolare/Estate Lindholm and took the trail down the hill to Honeymoon Beach, which was totally deserted. Donned mask and fins for our very first experience snorkeling. OMG! Look at this! Look at that!! I started talleying species. Within a half hour I stopped counting after hitting 30 species of fish. Amazing variety, one more colorful than the next. I was hooked.

Returned to Francis, also deserted - walked to the far end of the beach and found the tracks of a turtle leading from a depression close to the vegetation line to the water's edge - a tutle nest!!! Oh, yeah, hooked for sure.

Every day that followed was just as exciting as the first with one new and amazing experience after another. Rarely do my husband and I travel to a place that his us both. He's all about mountains, I'm all about beaches. He'a all about arid and raises cactus, I'm all about lush and green, I raise orchids. He's all about hiking, I'm all about swimming. St. John has it all. For both of us.

sherban · Post by **sherban** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:12 pm

Not sure I have a best day (they're all good there) but I can offer a few comments on "favorite things"...

I go for a villa with an awesome view so that every day is spectacular to look at! I love waking up, or coming home to a million dollar view...it makes every day awesome!

My kids loved snorkeling and seeing cool stuff like turtles and rays...

It's all good in STJ...

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:28 am

I can't pick a best day. They are all best days, because I am where I long to be on all the OTHER days of the year...

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:34 pm

The last day of my wifes last trip to the island.

MNTroy · Post by **MNTroy** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:45 pm

Waterguy ?????????????????

StJohnbum · Post by **StJohnbum** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 10:34 pm

My best day was the 1st day of our most recent visit in May. This was our 15th trip but on this one we brought my wife's sister and her husband. They have 4 great kids, he is a cop and she has stayed home with them as they were growing up and they could just never afford a trip to a place like STJ. We have been fortunate and were in a position to treat them to a great trip. We wanted this to be a special memory so We flew 1st class to STT. Private land and water taxi to STJ. Then on to the best villa we have ever stayed at, Wings Over Water. The look of absolute joy on their faces as we stood on the porch, looked out to sea and listened to the waves just made my heart warm. Nothing is better than being in a place you love, STJ, with people you love. A great day indeed.

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:41 am

Her last trip was May 2006 she had battled breast cancer for 10 years . She died Aug.1st 2006 her ashes were spread at Hawksnest my first stop when I get on Island.

Cecile · Post by **Cecile** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 10:58 am

Hi Tom,
even if I do not know you, your story made me cray.

This is what my husband and I always said, our ashes will stay there , where we are so happy,we are Afrikalovers

and now we will have the oppertunity to come to the VI. We love to read in this Forum, because it makes us so happy to come. All the inputs of you all, WOW.
We will sure also tell you after we were there if we will come back there.
best regards

michigan girls · Post by **michigan girls** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:58 pm

mindehankins wrote:I can't pick a best day. They are all best days, because I am where I long to be on all the OTHER days of the year...

yep, what she said

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