Virgin Islands National Park – The Best of Saint John in Two Days
Virgin Islands National Park is located on the island of Saint John, which is the smallest of three main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s been a week since we left Saint John and I don’t think I’ve gone a day without dreaming about going back one day. Because of time constraints, my husband and I were only able to spend two nights on the island but in those couple days, Saint John has completely stolen our hearts. It’d be a lie if I told you that I haven’t considered checking job postings in St. John. Surely they need a speech therapist on the island.
If you are even slightly considering going to Saint John, I urge you to GO. This island is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. A real paradise. The U.S. Virgin Islands are a U.S. territory in the Caribbean, meaning that U.S. Citizens do not require a passport to visit. This means that if you are American, you have no excuse.
The History of Saint John
Natives to the island of Saint John were known as the Taino people. Petroglyphs from these people can be found on the Reef Bay Trail (see more info below).
In 1671, the Danish West India Company settled on St. Thomas and then on St. John in 1717, bringing with them African slaves. On the island of St. John, Danish planters began growing sugar cane, cotton, and other crops.
In 1733, a small group of slaves began revolting but the slave population was not emancipated until 1848 after the slave population on St. John had grown to over 2,600 people. Two years after the emancipation many of the plantations had been abandoned and the population of the island began to decrease rapidly. The last sugar factory ceased operation in 1908.
In 1917, the United States purchased the U.S. Virgin islands from the Danish government for $25 million. The U.S. intended to use the islands for a naval base. Over the 20th century, much of the island was developed into vacation resorts and St. John and St. Thomas became more and more popular among tourists.
In September of 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the island of St. John and caused much devastation and destruction. About 1,500 of Saint John’s residents were displaced and decided to relocated from the U.S.V.I. after the storm.
Much of the island has recovered since the hurricane but a few businesses have yet to re-open.
What is Virgin Islands National Park?
The national park encompasses over 60% of the island of St. John, making the national park the #1 thing to see & do on the island.
Virgin Islands National Park is known for its pristine white sand beaches, spectacular snorkeling, and amazing hikes all over the island.
Because the national park and the waters surrounding the park are all protected, St. John has the CLEANEST beaches and water I have ever seen.
Transportation
How to Get to Virgin Islands National Park
There are no airports on the island of St. John, so all visitors must fly to the neighboring island of St. Thomas and then take a ferry to St. John. After flying into Cyril E. King International Airport (STT), take a taxi to the ferry terminal (Red Hook Ferry Dock).
We were informed by a local to not pay more than $15/one-way between the airport and the ferry.
All taxi rates in the U.S.V.I. are per person not per ride. Something to keep in mind.
The ferry fare per person was $8.50/one-way and $4.00 per luggage item (not including purses & backpacks). The ferry to and from St. John leaves every hour on the hour from 6AM till midnight each day. You can check out the ferry schedule here.
How to Get Around on St. John
There are three main ways to get around the island: rent a car, taxi services, or the less-predictable public bus system.
Rental Car
Easily the most convenient way to get around the island, renting a car will allow you to get to parts of the island that the bus or taxi service will not. St. John has many steep hills that can be quite strenuous to climb on foot – with a car you won’t need to walk up and down the hills as much.
Things to keep in mind when considering renting a car:
- Driving on the left is a thing in the U.S.V.I.
- There are many very steep hills and blind turns on St. John
- Make sure you rent a car with 4-wheel drive
- Parking can be a challenge in town and at many of the popular sites
There are two options for renting a car while in St. John. The first and best option is to rent from car rental agencies in St. John. There are only a couple rental companies on the island and they’re all small businesses (not your typical car rental names). Minimum rental length is 4 or 5 days during peak season.
The second option is to rent a car from the St. Thomas airport and take the car barge to St. John. I do not have a lot of information on this option so I can’t recommend one way or the other.
Taxi Services
Taxis are abundant on St. John and can be a reliable mode of transportation. Depending on where you are trying to go.
Things to know about taxis on St. John:
- Taxi fares are per person – which can add up quickly
- Taxis are cash-only
- Most taxis have posted fare rates but make sure to check with the driver before getting in the vehicle to avoid any confusion
- Taxi drivers can refuse to take you somewhere that they do not want to go
- Many of the popular beaches have taxi stands where you can easily catch a ride
- Cell phone service on the island is very limited so it can be difficult to catch a taxi from remote areas – planning ahead is necessary
- Do not expect taxis to take you to the doorstep of your accommodation if you’re staying in Cruz Bay – most taxis will drop you off at the ferry terminal and you will have to walk the rest of the way
Entry Fees for Virgin Islands National Park
Entry into the national park is free. A few of the popular beaches require a day-fee of ~$5 which can be waived if you have a National Park Interagency Annual Pass.
Where to Stay on St. John
Accommodations on St. John can be quite pricey. Most hotel rooms will cost you upwards of $200/night.
There are a few AirBnb options available in the $100-150 range (but many of the cheaper options are only private rooms in a host’s home).
As of January 2020, the national park campgrounds are still closed due to hurricane damage. I do not know when they plan to reopen.
Important note: If you are NOT planning to rent a car then I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you consider staying within walking distance of Cruz Bay, allowing you easier access to taxi services and local restaurants.
What to do in Virgin Islands National Park
Hike
Virgin Islands National Park has many awesome hiking options available. But if you only have time for one, hike the Reef Bay Trail.
Reef Bay Trail
Reef Bay Trail is a 4.4 mile round trip trail that passes sugar mill ruins, pre-Columbian petroglyphs, and ends at Reef Bay Beach. This trail provides a taste of nature, history, and beautiful beaches.
The trail head can be found off of Centerline Road a few miles from Cruz Bay. Most taxi drivers will know exactly where to find it. Keep in mind that it can be difficult to get a taxi from the trail head back to town. Schedule a pick-up time with the taxi service prior to leaving town because you will not have any cell service. For another option for getting back to town (only if you’re the adventurous type) check out my comments on the Maria Hope trail below.
From the trail head, the trail descends 2.2 miles through a heavily wooded rain forest until reaching the abandoned sugar mill located near the beach. Along the trail, there’s a turn off to the petroglyphs located at the base of a waterfall.
Keep your eyes out for hermit crabs as you get closer to the beach – they are everywhere! We thoroughly enjoyed taking a quick dip in the ocean at Reef Bay Beach. We had the entire beach to ourselves for about 30 minutes before others showed up!
Keep in mind that the trail is entirely downhill on the way to the beach, meaning that it is entirely uphill on the way back. Bring more water than you think you’ll need, the trail is very hot and humid.
A local organization, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park offers a Reef Bay Guided Hike that will pick up hikers at Reef Bay Beach and transport them via boat back to the Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay. Check their schedule because they do not run tours every day. This would be a great way to avoid the steep 2.2 mile climb back up to the trail head.
Maria Hope Trail
Let me be clear, I am only recommending this hike as an option to get from Reef Bay Trail Head to Maho Bay (for beach or a taxi ride). Do not attempt this hike if you are not in good physical condition.
As we were planning transportation for our Reef Bay hike, I noticed a trail on the national park map that leads from the Reef Bay Trail Head to Maho Bay. Knowing that it would be difficult to catch a taxi after our hike and not knowing ahead of time what time to order a taxi, we decided that we would attempt to find the Maria Hope Trail (not knowing anything about it).
Maria Hope Trail is the most difficult trail in the national park. At only 0.7 miles long, the trail descends over 700 feet. This trail has not been well-maintained. I’m not sure if there was significant damage done during Hurricane Irma, or there’s been no maintenance done on the trail in YEARS. Expect lots of overgrown foliage and downed trees.
The trail head can be difficult to find. It is not marked and is across the street from Reef Bay Trail. I was able to spot the trail because of a few iron rods sticking out of the ground from some demolished steps leading down from the road. We decided to give it a try. It was either that or sit on the side of the road and wait for a taxi to drive by.
It took us just under an hour to reach Maho Bay – which is about the same amount of time that it would have taken us to ride back to town and then catch another taxi to Maho Bay.
Best Beaches on Saint John & Where to Snorkel
Virgin Islands National Park has AMAZING beaches. Unfortunately, we were not able to see more than two beaches during our stay. But after LOTS AND LOTS of research, I am convinced that we saw the very best two beaches on the island. Maho Bay and Trunk Bay will not disappoint!
Maho Bay
Words cannot describe the perfection of this beach. Maho Bay has the clearest water of any beach that I have ever seen. With very calm waters, Maho Bay is a very peaceful place to spend an afteroon or the entire day. Many boats anchor at Maho Bay because of how calm the water is. You won’t want to leave.
Don’t forget to bring snorkeling gear if you want to see sea turtles or a possible sting-ray. Maho Bay is THE place to go for sea turtle sightings. You are almost guaranteed an opportunity to see sea turtles while there. The best place to see them is on the east side of the beach or the side of the beach furthest from the bar/food trucks.
Drinks and food are available at the food truck or bar located on the west side of the beach. I wouldn’t recommend the food here, but in case of emergency it’ll do the job. The $11 grilled cheese was nothing more than a slice of american cheese between two pieces of bread but after a 5 hour hike and no breakfast, it did the job.
Make sure this beach is at the top of your list of things to see on St. John.
Trunk Bay
If snorkeling’s what you’re into, you gotta check out Trunk Bay. Not only does Virgin Islands National Park have amazing hiking trails, they also have an underwater snorkeling trail at Trunk Bay. The trail includes many informational signs that are visible under the water.
Day passes at Trunk Bay are $5/each. However, there are two ways to get free entry to the beach. Either arrive before opening time (8AM) and you can walk straight past the ticket booth or bring your National Park’s Interagency Annual Pass for free entry. Snorkeling rentals are available for $10 (mask & fins).
Where to Eat on St. John
Food on the islands can be very expensive. Purchasing your own groceries will not cut down on costs while on the island of St. John because of the cost of importing goods to the island. There are more budget friendly grocery options available on the island of St. Thomas. If you are renting a car from St. Thomas, you could easily stock up on before taking the ferry to St. John.
We did find two restaurants that were decently priced and delicious:
Tap and Still
Tap and Still is your typical burger joint and bar with prices very similar to those found stateside. A burger here was only $7 – this is just about the cheapest meal you will find on the island. Tap and Still is very popular with the locals.
Make sure you try a Painkiller – the cocktail of the U.S.V.I. A mix of pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut cream, and rum.
North Shore Deli
A great place to grab a few sandwiches for the trail or a day at the beach. They roast all their meats in house and every ingredient is super fresh. North Shore Deli is local favorite but is a little bit more on the pricey side for a sandwich.
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