One of the best things about the US Virgin Islands are the beaches. They have some of the clearest waters I have seen which also makes it great for snorkeling. If I had to pick the top 3 things I did in these 2 islands it would be snorkeling in Trunks Bay while in St John, visiting Mermaids Chair in St Thomas, and early morning swimming at Magens Bay.
Below are some of the spots I would consider visiting while vacationing in St John or St Thomas
St Thomas
Charlotte Amelie Overlook
Our AirBnB host asked us to meet them here and we probably wouldn't have visited this spot otherwise, but I am glad we did. It is a great spot to come during sunset to get a nice glowing view of the landscape.
99 Steps
This is a cute landmark that is worth the visit because of how picturesque it is. Palm trees and colorful flowers adorn the staircase that actually has 103 steps. This stairway was built for locals to have a way to easily navigate the hills from the area.
Mermaids Chair
This was my favorite beach in St Thomas mainly because it felt isolated and was the least crowded from all other USVI beaches we visited.
It does require a hike but it isn't a challenging one. It is more like a walk through a neighborhood of private residences that are quite pretty.
You can park on the side of the road outside the gate of The Preserve at Botany Bay. You must check in and provide your info to the gatekeeper and they will proceed to allow you in. The latest I would arrive is 4 pm so that you have enough time to walk there and spend time at the
beach before making your way back by the required exit time. I did not make note of the length of the walk but others have reported it to be about 3.5 miles for the round trip. Wear comfy shoes and sun protection since there isn't much shade along the way.
Magens Bay
This is a very well known beach with an entry fee that can get very crowded so I would highly suggest arriving early so that you don't spend time in line waiting to get it.
It is a small beach area with lifeguards and bathrooms. There are chairs and snorkeling gear available for rent, as well as a restaurant (that doesn't appear to have the best reviews but can be a good spot for drinks).
I spent the morning here during my trip. We were able to find nice spots under some palm trees and enjoy the beach before it got really crowded later on in the day.
Don't miss the horizontal palm tree right between the bathroom and parking area.
St John
Honeymoon Beach
One of your first stops in St John should be Honeymoon Beach. Personally it wan't my favorite beach but it is still beautiful. It did require a short hike that is done best with proper footwear and bug spray. There is a parking area on the road right in front of the National Park sign. There are no entrance or parking fees either. I would recommend checking out All Trails for directions on what trail to take to make it to the beach.
North Shore Drive
The North Shore drive is a must on St John and a big reason why renting out a car will make your trip better. You will be able to stop at any scenic overlook and beach hop throughout the north shore. I was surprised at how many beautiful beaches there are along the coast.
Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay is the town where the Ferry stations are, so you will most likely arrive here. It is also the most populated area in the island. It has many businesses so it is a good spot to find a hotel, a restaurant for dinner or a souvenir shop
Trunks Bay
There aren't many parking spots on Trunks Bay but if you get here early and easily find a spot it will be worth your stop at this beach. It is probably one of the most popular ones on the North Shore but just as beautiful as many others.
I rented snorkel gear for $10 at this beach. They have a snorkeling trail you can follow while out in the water. I was amazed at how many things I saw underwater and I didn't even spend that much time in the ocean overall.
Maho Bay is a good location to find Sea Turtles but they can be found anywhere really. I was lucky enough to see one while in Trunks Bay.
Maho Bay
I didn't get to spend to much time on Maho Bay but when I come back to the island I would definitely spend a good amount of time here. Not only is it one of the best beaches for snorkeling but it was a very cute area. Seemed a little less packed than Trunks Bay and had beautiful mountains all around. You can't go wrong by visiting any beach on the island but this one seemed really nice. They also had places to rent beach gear and food trucks.
Restaurants in St Thomas and St John
The Longboard in St John (top left)
Was one of my favorite places I ate throughout the entire trip. It was pricy but I think it was worth it. I had a poke bowl, ceviche, and a pineapple drink.
St John Brewers The Tap Room (top middle)
This restaurant had a very limited menu when we visited. My cousin ordered a pizza and I tried some of the beers from this local brewery. The location is right by a lot of shops, so while it might not be my top pick for dinner it was worth it to try local beer and then shop around.
Barefoot Buddha in St Thomas (top right)
This was the only good spot for a quick lunch or breakfast that wasn't too expensive in St Thomas. We ordered a fruit smoothie that had passion fruit which tasted amazing and I had the Vegan Namaste Noodle bowl while my cousin had Buddha Blessing Deli sandwich. Overall great place for a healthy and delicious meal earlier in the day.
The Smoking Rooster in St Thomas (bottom left)
This was the first place we visited in the island because my cousin wanted bbq, and while the brisket was really good I would not recommend it for anything else. Overall dining bbq in St Thomas is probably not the best choice since you have a better chance of eating good sea food here instead. This place had a relaxed vibe specially late at night and even though everyone was super friendly I would skip this choice next time.
Caribbean Fish Market in St Thomas (bottom middle)
Reservations are highly recommended for dinner. I didn't get to take pictures of our food because it was too dark but I really loved this place! This is the spot I would recommend the most for a late dinner in St Thomas. It seems they also had outdoor dinning on the beach for couples (you probably have to call to make a special reservation for it) but it looked so romantic and cute. We ordered calamari to share and then the Shrimp Penne Pasta, the Seafood Hot Pot, and cake for dessert. Everything was delicious and so filling. The pricing was on the higher end but worth it, good portions and fresh food.
Maho Crossroads and Trunks Bay in St John (bottom right)
Spending a long day at the beach in St John is something I wish I could do every weekend of the summer. It is so blissful and beautiful but if you get hungry there aren't that many restaurants within reach particularly along the northwest side. Luckily Maho beach has some food trucks and Trunks Bay has a kiosk within the beach, where you can buy some food and drinks. It is probably not the best food on the island but they are good spots for a small bite before dinner.
Where to Stay in St Thomas and St John
While in St Thomas I stayed at Anna's Retreat which is an Airbnb with a glamping feel located under the owners house.
It felt safe, it was comfortable and clean. It would be best for no more than 3 people. It didn't feel completely private but it was a good price and central location to many spots like Coki Point and Red Hook.
Link to AirBnB we stayed at:
We didn't stay in St John, we just spent the day there but if we did I would stay near Cruz Bay since it is close to many restaurants and not to far from the north shore drive that has so many beautiful beaches.
Getting to St John
St John doesn't have an airport so the only way to get there is by boat. We booked a car ferry since renting out a car in St John was impossible at the last minute and it was actually a lot cheaper to just book a car ferry from St Thomas to St John.
We booked it with the Big Red Barge company. You have to arrive way ahead of time to wait in line even if you already booked the ticket to make sure you make it on the boat. It was a quick ride though and cost about $70 for the round trip.
Things to know before planning your trip to St Thomas and St John
Renting a car might be necessary. There are no Ubers available and while there are other taxi services, there isn't just one side of any island you should stick to. A car will allow you to explore further which will make your trip better by having the ability to see much more of the island.
You have to drive on the left side of the road. It was surprising to me, and I had never driven on the left side of the road, so it was a new and scary experience but I got the hang of it after a couple days.
These aren't great island for partying. Nightlife doesn't seem to exist on these islands so if that is something you are looking to have on your trip, this might not be the best location for it.
Bug repellant is highly recommended. Either buying one once you arrive or bringing one with you is a good idea because you can end up collecting a lot of bug bites, specially if you end up getting into nature which is common in these areas.
Bring hiking shoes. Good supportive shoes to walk on rocky terrains would be a plus since there are many trails in the area, but even if you don't want to hike, sometimes it is needed to access some beaches such as Honeymoon Beach on St John.
Bring your own snorkeling gear. It might be worth it to invest in your own gear and carry it if you have space, since there are opportunities to snorkel in most beaches and see so many amazing things underwater. You will save money from having to rent them out at every beach.
How to budget out your trip to St Thomas and St John
Based on how much we spent, below is a breakdown of how much to budget during a trip to either island
Daily Food Budget: $100-$130 per person minimum
Daily Beach Fees: $10-$15 snorkeling gear, $7-$15 beach chairs
Magens Bay Entry Fee: $5 per person, $2 parking fee
Car Rental: $60-$100 per day
Car Ferry St Thomas to St John: $70 roundtrip
Regular Ferry St Thomas to St John: $6-$12 roundtrip per person
Hotel/AirBnb: $150-$200 per night (for the cheaper options)
I ended up spending about $750 (after splitting hotel, car and additional fees between me and 1 travel buddy) for 3 days/nights in USVI. That total also includes my flight, bag checking feeds, food and other rental/beach fees.
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