USVI-On-Line

Joined: 29 May 2007
Posts: 184
Location: california
Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject: I I posted this as a reply to another post but decided it would be a good topic to explore on its own!



Because of my schedule we HAVE to vacation in St. John in July - way off season. We know, of course, we are there during hurricane season but Thank Heaven it has never been a problem. In July the water is CALM AND WARM, beaches wide and beautiful. And the trade winds keep the heat and humidy down. I don't understand what the draw of HIGH SEASON is!! Big waves, no beaches, lots of people, higher prices...... Can someone explain?

I have traveled to St. John in January, February, March, May, June, July and November. I've enjoyed every trip (except, perhaps, the trip with 21 inches of rain in November 2003, but we went another time in November and it was perfect). If you lived through an Iowa winter you would understand why its fun to go to St. John in January through March!

I would have to think a less than perfect St. John is better than a winter in the North East, Mid West and Canada.

The draw is to get away from cold weather. It sure would be nice to escape the winter cold, but I’d rather save money and avoid the crowds by going in the off-season.

Our first trip to STJ in August of 2003, my husband and I were on our honeymoon and the island was quite a bit cooler than my hometown in central Illinois. The day we got married it was around 105 degrees F with the heat index, so honeymooning on STJ was actually a relief.

A couple months ago Vicki_H posted that the crowd is different in January…a snobbier bunch…which just confirmed to me that I’d rather keep going in the off-season

1. To get away from the cold.
2. It's hard to get away in the summer if you own a seasonal business

Believe me, I'd love to go when the prices are lower and the airports are less crowded!

Snorkelqueen

I go in the winter to escape the cold weather. There is nothing like sitting on a beach in St. John knowing that it is freezing at home.

kat

This is the first time I really felt the beaches were waaaay too crowded. My family likes the north shore beaches and don't care to hike too far to get to a remote beach. We had people putting their stuff so close to ours we had to move their stuff to get to ours. And everytime we found a nice quiet spot, some family with 3 screaming kids would park right next to us. I think I'll skip high season from now on and take my chances with a hurricane. STJ is great any time of year, but too many people have found our slice of heaven.

I agree that it's nice to get away in the middle of winter but I'm an off season girl all the way! Water is warmer, calmer, villas are more affordable and the kids are out of school. We've only been to STJ in February and in June and for me, there was no comparison. June is so much nicer, and well the crowds and affordability factor is just the icing on the cake. C'mon June!!!

I forget (as I look outside at an 80 degree day here in Newport Beach California) that I'm lucky to live where I do and not have to "escape' in the winter. I'm usually not this stupid but it is Monday!

I'll go when ever I can but to get out in the winter and have the hot humid air hit you when you step off the plane is great. It was 1 degree this morning and they are predicting 3 to 6 inches of snow for tonight. Only 12 days to go

quote="snorkelqueen"]I forget (as I look outside at an 80 degree day here in Newport Beach California) that I'm lucky to live where I do and not have to "escape' in the winter. I'm usually not this stupid but it is Monday! [/quote]

Well, I'm always afraid that the "on" and "off" seasons are going to meld into just one "on" season! I hope not! The winters here in Texas are pretty reasonable, but the summers can be unbearable! So we go in July when it is 1oo+ degrees here, and nice and 85 degrees on St. John with trade winds blowing. So, in reality, the "off" season is our "on" season....only with better prices, and less crowds! HURRY JULY!!!!!

-Bert

If I lived up north where it gets as cold as it does for you guys, I would DEFINITELY want to go somewhere tropical just to get away from the cold and the dreary colors.

I am with bert in that summers here are hot as blazes and you can swim in the humidity so getting to STJ with the tradewinds and the cooler temps is a nice break for us.

As for when we go in the summer, we pick late June early July so as to avoid hurricanes but not the ones in the VIs. I don't want the people watching my dog to have to worry about evacuating with him if another one comes this way.

nothintolose

Ummm, let's see...
sixty inches of snow this winter in Chicago.
Tenth coldest winter on record.

No sun from
November till March unless the temp is around
20 degrees.

Our sailboat is only in the water
from May 15 to Oct. 1...am I forgetting something?

Captain Vic

Our favorite trip was in July. We even did it without AC. The hot breezy 90 temps were far better than the humid hot that we experience at home.

Why do we go in high season? Like everyone else, to escape the cold.

I prefer the off-season as well, but I live in Atlanta, so our winters are fairly mild.

A couple of interesting things I've noted:
1. I've heard more than one person say during the last week in response to the swells: "wow, now THAT is why I don't travel to the Carib. during hurricane season!" Actually, the water in general is much flatter in the "off" months than during Jan-March. The exception is, of course, a hurricane, but the odds are very slim.

2. We were in St. Martin in January 2007. While I must admit that the air temperature was incredible, the water was quite cold. Also, many beaches were so windy (Christmas winds) or rough that I simply didn't want to get in.

I'd never turn down a trip in high season if it were free, but I'd have to have a pretty compelling reason to pay 35%-50% more to travel Jan-March. It's the off season for me unless and until something forces me to move to a cold climate.