USVI-On-Line

One of the girls traveling with us is arriving a couple of hours before the rest of the group. She thought she might take advantage of the time to poke around STT and see what she could see before we all got there and went on to STJ.

Any sights near the airport that you could recommend (Keep in mind that this is my first trip and I have no idea what's near the airport, just in case the answer is "nothing.") Also, any place that will store her bags while she's out looking along.

Would it make more sense for her to just take a cab to Red Hook and meet up with us a the ferry dock when we get there?

By the time she gets her bags, she'll probably only have around a 2-hour wait (assuming her plane lands on time) before I get there, and 3 hours before the rest of the group arrives.

The first problem will be what to do with the bags. I have no suggestions on that. Perhaps someone else has an idea.

My suggestion would be to go downtown and browse the shops on Main Street or get something to eat. It will be a $5-8 cab ride each way.

After that she could catch a ride back to the airport (waste of cab fare? ) or catch a ride to Red Hook when you call to tell her you have arrived and meet you at the ferry.

The other choice is to get a head start on getting on "Island Time" by pulling up a bar stool at the airport, tossing down a couple of her favorite drinks and watching the "floor show" while she waits for you.

Have a great trip.

JIM

Maybe you could figure out what time you'll be getting over to STJ via Red Hook & she can take the ferry from Charlotte Amalie instead and you can hook up on St. John.

We have often had time to kill after we get in until the next ferry & the ferry guys were great about letting us drop our bags there & shop/lunch in CA before heading to STJ.

Originally, she was going to just meet us in Cruz Bay, but now she's decided she wants to take advantage of a few hours on STT to look around. I just don't know anything about STT. The rest of us will be pushing it to get to STJ before the car rental place closes.

If I had a couple hours to kill I'd do it in Charlotte Amalie shopping & snacking. There is not much to see at the airport from CA is only about a 5-10 minute taxi away.

She could always just take a taxi back to the Airport around your arrival time and meet you there to go to Red Hook. Cheaper than her taking a cab by herself to Red Hook. I am sure her driver (from the airport to CA) would be happy to hold her stuff and pick her up and return her to the airport.

I think Flop has the right idea. If she is alright with taking the CA ferry herself, she should time it to meet you in ST. John. Hate to see her already on island time having to hook up with her friends hurrying off the plane and rushing over to Red Hook. Set up a meeting place at Wharfside where you or she can hang if one of you miss a ferry. Make sure you bring your cell phones. (sorry to have to use the "c" word)

Good luck.

Is the Charlotte Amalie ferry back to running all the time now?

I'd hate to tell her to do that and then have the ferry not running...

Is your friend comfortable getting around by herself? (I have friends that would be scared sh_tless at the thought of doing this on their own)

If I had time to kill, I would do what the other posters mentioned suggested - peak around at the harbour awhile to get the STT fix/preview then take the CA ferry and arrange a meeting place on STJ.

I'm not sure if she'll be OK with it.

I'm going to suggest that and see. It sounds like she could get the CA ferry and arrive at Cruz Bay about the same time as we will on the Red Hook ferry.

If she is a first timer, I would suggest she wait at the bar at the airport. It's safe, and they have food and drink and bathrooms. We waited 1.5 hrs for my sis to arrive and it went by really fast. We got our bags, got a little table, changed clothes in the bathroom, got a bite to eat and a couple of drinks. Next think I knew she was standing behind me! We then jumped in a van and headed for Red Hook!

Ksea - I was thinking the same thing if the friend ends up not terribly excited over the going out on her own idea.

I could easily whittle away 2 hours between luggage, bathroom, rum punch drinking, people watching, brochere gathering, and sitting at the bar having a drink activities.

There's a little outdoor restaurant near the entrance to the airport parking lot where we had lunch and a couple of cold ones last week. Don't know what it's called, but it's where the taxi drivers hang out before they are dispatched to pick up airport passengers. It's a pleasant little place with decent local food and a small bar. Better ambiance than the baggage area IMHO and a very short walk.

I'll just see what she wants to do. By the time the rest of the group gets situated, she'll have been at the airport a very long time if she goes that route.

Depends on the girl. I know as a newbie I would have been very anxious about getting my bags, a taxi, a ferry, finding the meeting place etc...all on my own. However if she is adventure-girl...then she will most likely do just fine!

One thing you might look into is to arrange in advance for a taxi to take her in town and then back to the airport when everone has arrived to take the group to the ferry. It would be less hastle for everyone and would work well for her if it isn't too expensive.