Last year we had a friend pick us up from the airport and on the way home we told her that we had rebooked the same place we just came from for another trip in two years. She looked at us and said, “Why aren’t you going somewhere new? You like to explore new places.” She went on to tell us about a colleague that talked about how much they loved to visit St. John and how beautiful it was. Feeling slightly challenged by our friend, I started to look into visiting St. John and the Virgin Islands National Park. I had thought about Virgin Islands National Park before, but then put it on the back burner because it seemed like a logistical challenge. The more I looked and researched, the more I knew we would love it there. So here are our tips for a visit to Virgin Islands National Park.

(Note: Some links may earn us commission.)

Background

There are three islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. Two-thirds of the island of St. John is reserved as National Park. The park offers hiking, snorkeling, beaches, boating, and historical sites. You can visit the ruins of former sugar plantations, snorkel along vibrant reefs, and hike past ancient petroglyphs all in the same day.

Tip 1: Plan your transportation and rent a car.

To get to St. John and Virgin Islands National Park you will need to fly into St. Thomas, as there is no airport on St. John. Many major US airlines offer daily flights to St. Thomas. You can get to St. John from St. Thomas by either taking a passenger ferry or car ferry. For the shortest ferry ride, leave from Red Hook ferry terminal on the east end of St. Thomas. A ticket on the passenger ferry will cost you about $12 per person, while a ticket for the car ferry is around $65 per car. You can read many opinions about whether it is best to rent a car on St. Thomas or St. John. This is up to personal preference. We decided to rent a jeep on St. Thomas and take the car ferry over. We booked with Rock City Rentals and were very impressed with the service as they met us right at the airport curb and dropped off there as well.

It is important to note that not all rental companies on St. Thomas will allow you to take a car over to St. John, so be sure to check with the rental company. Also try to avoid some of the national-brand rentals companies as their reviews are not good. If you are going during the busy season, pack your patience for the car ferry. We went during the low season, so we did not have any trouble. We decided to rent on St. Thomas so that we did not have to pay for any expensive taxis on that island and we were able to stock up on groceries which are cheaper on St. Thomas. We also stayed on St. Thomas for a few days, so the car was essential on both islands.

Tip 2: Decide between a hotel or a house rental and pick an area to rent.

There are two major locations to stay on St. John – Cruz Bay or Coral Bay. Cruz Bay is on the west end of the island and is where you will arrive by ferry. It is more developed and more of a town feel, but also offers more shopping, restaurants, and services. Coral Bay is on the east side of the island and is much less developed. You will still be able to find local restaurants and a few small shops, but be ready to drive back to Cruz Bay for any major services, like gas stations. We decided to stay in Coral Bay because we wanted more of the local beach vibe and less development. We were happy with our choice, but we would have been happy staying elsewhere on the island.

There are a few nice hotels on St. John including The Westin St. John or St. John Inn. We decided to rent a house instead. This was a better fit for us because it allowed us privacy, a place to cook some meals, our own pool, and amazing views. We stayed at the Eco Haute on the East End. This villa provided everything we were looking for in a modern and eco-friendly house. We also had expansive views of the British Virgin Islands. Even though it was pretty remote, we still felt easily connected to the island and were able to explore everywhere we wanted to go.

Tip 3: Visit Different Beaches

There are many different beaches on St. John and we found them all to be unique and relaxing. A few beaches have a small entry fee, but they were worth it. We visited a different beach each day and still didn’t hit them all. Here are some of the beaches we visited.

Trunk Bay was voted one of the top beaches in the world. Not only does it have crystal clear waters, but there is also an underwater snorkel trail right off the beach. You can follow the snorkel trail to learn more about the reefs and aquatic life. The water is calm and easy to swim. We saw some amazing fish and rays. Some other visitors also saw an octopus hidden in the rocks. The beach is soft, white sand. It is wide and deep so there is plenty of room to spread out if it gets busy. There is a small entrance fee for this beach, but it also has services like a snack shack, bathrooms, and a changing room. The parking lot is small and does fill up fast in the morning.

Maho Bay Beach is easyily accessible and also has crystal clear waters. There are a few more parking options here, but it is still best to arrive early. There is also a small beach bar and equipment rentals just across the road from the west end of the beach. Both sides of the bay provide nice reefs to snorkel and because the beach is protected by the bay the waters are calm and easy to swim. The center part of the bay has grass beds which makes this a great place to see sea turtles. We saw quite a few the day we visited.

Leinster Bay and Watermelon Cay are reachable by a short hike from the parking lot of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation ruins. We visited the ruins first and toured the former sugar mill and learned about the history of the enslaved people and the early occupation of the island. From there we took the Leinster Bay Trail out to Watermelon Cay. Leinster Bay Trail is easy and flat, but be sure to have good soles as the trail can be rocky. We both wore our water shoes and were fine. You will pass several beaches and clear water. Keep an eye out for pelicans, egrets, and sea turtles in the water. Also keep an eye out for mongoose in the vegetation and make sure they do not get into your stuff.

Watermelon Cay is a small island just a short swim from the beach. It is home to some of the healthiest coral in St. John. It is important to note that the swim between the beach and the cay covers some deep water. Also, there can be some strong currents around the cay. So be mindful of how active the water is before swimming out. The strongest currents are on the western side of the cay that faces the British Virgin Islands, but this is also the side with the best coral and sea life. When we visited, we were lucky enough to swim totally around the cay. You are likely to see a variety of tropical fish (large and small), squid, sea turtles, and rays. You will also see a variety of coral so take time to enjoy the colors and structures. There were quite a few jellyfish in the water, but we were able to avoid them. We were also lucky enough to see a turtle chomp away on one for his afternoon meal. While there are some great areas for exploring in Leinster Bay, we did not find this area as crowded as some of the other beaches that we visited.

Salt Pond Beach is on the southwest part of the island, just four miles from Coral Bay. Parking for Salt Pond can be limited and there is a short hike down to the beach, but it is well worth it. The beach is a crescent shape and there are plenty of places to set up your chairs and gear in the shade. There are also a few picnic tables spread around the beach. Salt Pond Bay is a great place for snorkeling, but can get busy with tour boats. There are also two small hiking trails that begin at the beach. Snorkeling is best along the shores, particularly along eastern or more rocky side of the shore. We saw some of the largest and most vibrant coral formations here. Be sure to also spend some time exploring close to the beach as some of the small tide pools also offer great sea life.

Tip 4: Think about what you are packing

While there are grocery stores, restaurants, and other services on St. John, it is still important to be mindful of what you pack. Here are a few things that we found helpful on our trip. (Some links may earn us commission.)

1. Snorkel Gear: We snorkeled every single day. While there are places on the island that you can rent snorkel gear, we found it easier to pack our own.
2. Reef-safe Sunscreen: is required in the US Virgin Islands. Be sure to avoid any sunscreen that includes oxybenzone, octinoxate or octocrylene. Badger, Blue Lizard, and Thinksport are our go-to brands when we need mineral sunscreen.
3. Rashguards: The sun is bright in the Virgin Islands and sunscreen wears off when you are in the water. Especially when we were snorkeling we wore a rashguard. It is also an eco-friendly way to keep chemicals from sunscreen out of the water. Here are two of our favorites: Roxy Women’s Rashguard and Vissla Men’s Rashguard.
4. Beach towel: Even though most house rentals provide beach towels, we still packed two of our own. We like Sand Cloud towels because they don’t hold the sand and we are also big fans of Nomadix towels because they dry quickly. We also used our towels as seat covers to keep any sunscreen off the rental car seats. (Rental companies may charge an additional cleaning fee for sunscreen-stained seats.)
5. Packable Cooler: This was necessary not only for the beach and keeping water and drinks cold, but we also used it to buy groceries on St. Thomas and transport them to St. John. We love our Yeti Hopper because it does well on the beach, but the Hydro Flask Soft Cooler is also a great option.
6. Waterproof bag: We packed a Booe Bag because we found it to be best to swim with and kept our phones, wallets, and keys dry. We have also used the Runoff Waterproof case for only our phone.

Tip 5: Eat Local

There are so many great local restaurants on St. John. They each have their own vibe, but all of the restaurants we went to served fresh food and helped us remember our relaxed vacation mindset.

• Dazey’s Bayhouse is also in Coral Bay and is a great place to get coffee, danishes, and a sandwich. There is a nice porch to eat or enjoy your drink.

Tip 6: Know when you are going

The high season on St. John is mid-December to April. During this time you will find the highest prices and busiest beaches, but the weather will not disappoint. Shoulder season is May to June and November. Crowds and prices will be lower, but the weather will start getting warmer. Low season is July to October. We visited in July and enjoyed smaller crowds, but keep in mind that some businesses close during August through October. We also found it useful to check the St. Thomas cruise ship schedule. Some of the more popular beaches and sites get more crowded when the cruise ships are in port, so you may want to adjust your plans on those days.

We loved our visit to the St. John and the Virgin Islands National Park. It is much different than any other park we have visited. The culture, character, history, and nature of the island just add so much. We can’t wait to go back.

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