trip report 12/1 to 12/7
Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:00 pm
This is a little late, but better late than...
After landing in STT, taking the 45 minute ride to Red Hook and then the ferry to STJ, "we arrived" only to find out that power was down on the island. When the electricity came back on, one hour later, we were able to contact our host and eventually were picked up from the ferry landing, yes!!
The ride through STT assured us that staying on STJ was the right decision. Aside from bumper to bumper traffic in CA, hordes of cruise ship passengers & their shops, we did not want to see KFC, Pizza Hut or McD's.
We stayed at Estate Lindholm. For us this was perfect. Thank you TA!! We did not rent a car and it was an easy walk to Cruz Bay. Estate Lindholm(EL) is a beautiful property. The landscaping is lush, our room was very clean and the views were outstanding.
Inside the room, there was a small fridge, microwave and coffee maker. The balcony was large and private. The pool was a nice touch to finish up our days. Because there are only 10 rooms, we often felt like we were the only ones there. We did meet some of the other guests at breakfast where our hosts offered their advice in helping us plan our days. Regarding breakfast, a nice continental style breakfast including fresh fruit and juices was available. If you want a cooked breakfast, then a short walk to the Deli or Chilly Billy's is necessary.
We planned to explore a lot, but found ourselves slowing down to island time.Some of our trip highlights were: Hiking from EL down to Honeymoon Beach. Nice quiet beach, with good snorkeling by the rocks to the left. From there, we walked to Caneel Bay and had lunch at the resort. On the way back, we made a wrong turn on the trail and would up in Cruz Bay. Has this ever happened to any of you?
Went to Trunk Bay one morning. Very picturesque on the way. Our driver stopped so we could take some pic's. My advice - get there early. We were there before 9 AM and were done snorkeling by 10:30. It looked like a zoo by 11. Taxis for the ride back were plentiful.
Spent a day cruising the BVI with Josh of Lion in Da Sun. Great day. This trip was booked in advance and we actually ran into Josh at Woody's a couple of days before our trip. After customs, the first stop was the Caves, saw a huge barracuda. Then hit the Indians(gorgeous reefs), Sandy Spit, lunch at Foxy's and finally the Soggy Dollar. Whew did that day go by quickly. Thanks Josh!
Took the Reef Bay Trail with a national park ranger. It was nice to get an explanation and learn about the local flora & fauna. Saw the ruins, deer, bats and those huge millipedes. Reserve this in advance. There were several that did not and the trip filled up.
There was a music festival going on when we arrived. The parade through town was a nice touch, especially the high school pan band.
In terms of restaurants, we liked Rhumblines - very good food, great atmosphere and not that expensive. Cafe Roma was very good. We split a pasta and still took some home. Tried West Indian night at the Inn at Tamarind Court. Etta cooked some great home style dishes. You can forget about watching your cholesterol for this one, but it was delicious. Don't miss the sweet potato stuffing. Lobster tacos for lunch at Ocean Grill were also a hit as well as grilled fish sandwiches at Woody's.
We are not really bar people, but we hit Woody's for happy hour (only once, OK twice), the Beach Bar for painkillers (had to try them) and half price margaritas at Morgan's Mango.
Overall, it was a great trip. The people were very friendly. The weather was great. It only rained in brief spurts one day. And we did it without renting a car. For the STJ purists and their rental jeeps, we probably missed a lot, like most of the island. That's what next time is for.
After landing in STT, taking the 45 minute ride to Red Hook and then the ferry to STJ, "we arrived" only to find out that power was down on the island. When the electricity came back on, one hour later, we were able to contact our host and eventually were picked up from the ferry landing, yes!!
The ride through STT assured us that staying on STJ was the right decision. Aside from bumper to bumper traffic in CA, hordes of cruise ship passengers & their shops, we did not want to see KFC, Pizza Hut or McD's.
We stayed at Estate Lindholm. For us this was perfect. Thank you TA!! We did not rent a car and it was an easy walk to Cruz Bay. Estate Lindholm(EL) is a beautiful property. The landscaping is lush, our room was very clean and the views were outstanding.
Inside the room, there was a small fridge, microwave and coffee maker. The balcony was large and private. The pool was a nice touch to finish up our days. Because there are only 10 rooms, we often felt like we were the only ones there. We did meet some of the other guests at breakfast where our hosts offered their advice in helping us plan our days. Regarding breakfast, a nice continental style breakfast including fresh fruit and juices was available. If you want a cooked breakfast, then a short walk to the Deli or Chilly Billy's is necessary.
We planned to explore a lot, but found ourselves slowing down to island time.Some of our trip highlights were: Hiking from EL down to Honeymoon Beach. Nice quiet beach, with good snorkeling by the rocks to the left. From there, we walked to Caneel Bay and had lunch at the resort. On the way back, we made a wrong turn on the trail and would up in Cruz Bay. Has this ever happened to any of you?
Went to Trunk Bay one morning. Very picturesque on the way. Our driver stopped so we could take some pic's. My advice - get there early. We were there before 9 AM and were done snorkeling by 10:30. It looked like a zoo by 11. Taxis for the ride back were plentiful.
Spent a day cruising the BVI with Josh of Lion in Da Sun. Great day. This trip was booked in advance and we actually ran into Josh at Woody's a couple of days before our trip. After customs, the first stop was the Caves, saw a huge barracuda. Then hit the Indians(gorgeous reefs), Sandy Spit, lunch at Foxy's and finally the Soggy Dollar. Whew did that day go by quickly. Thanks Josh!
Took the Reef Bay Trail with a national park ranger. It was nice to get an explanation and learn about the local flora & fauna. Saw the ruins, deer, bats and those huge millipedes. Reserve this in advance. There were several that did not and the trip filled up.
There was a music festival going on when we arrived. The parade through town was a nice touch, especially the high school pan band.
In terms of restaurants, we liked Rhumblines - very good food, great atmosphere and not that expensive. Cafe Roma was very good. We split a pasta and still took some home. Tried West Indian night at the Inn at Tamarind Court. Etta cooked some great home style dishes. You can forget about watching your cholesterol for this one, but it was delicious. Don't miss the sweet potato stuffing. Lobster tacos for lunch at Ocean Grill were also a hit as well as grilled fish sandwiches at Woody's.
We are not really bar people, but we hit Woody's for happy hour (only once, OK twice), the Beach Bar for painkillers (had to try them) and half price margaritas at Morgan's Mango.
Overall, it was a great trip. The people were very friendly. The weather was great. It only rained in brief spurts one day. And we did it without renting a car. For the STJ purists and their rental jeeps, we probably missed a lot, like most of the island. That's what next time is for.