St. John is home to the Virgin Islands National Park which protects over 7000 acres of the 12,500 acre island. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful natural resources of the island. You can stay in an eco-friendly cabin or at a campground. At a beautiful resort or in villas and vacation rentals that range from quaint to super luxurious.
The resorts, vacation villas and homes for the 4000+ residents are found largely in and close to Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. Cruz Bay is the main town on St. John. It is the location of the ferry dock which connects St. John to St. Thomas. Cruz Bay has shops, grocery stores, a post office, schools, and so on. The second largest developed area Coral Bay also has restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses that cater to residents and visitors.
The Virgin Islands National Park on St. John includes beaches that can be rated on a scale where 1 equals beautiful and 10 is totally awesome. It includes hiking trails in forests, past historical sugar plantation ruins, around salt ponds, over hills and through valleys. Park rangers offer programs and talks including bird watching, hikes and cultural demonstrations.
Many visitors to St. John report getting hooked. Some comment that while still on vacation they are already figuring out when they can come back! They are hooked on the relaxing pace of things on St. John, on the opportunities for snorkeling, island hopping, windsurfing, sailing, shopping, dining, and on the beauty of the National Park.
St. Thomas is the gateway to St. John which does not have an airport. Regular ferry service connects the two islands. St. John is an easy day trip for visitors staying on St. Thomas.
VIRGIN ISLANDS VACATION PLANNING PACKET
This material covers where to stay, fun things to do, culture, local events, beach guides, how to get around, plants and animals, history, tips, things to see, art galleries, shopping and so much more.
