looking at sometime May-July. Never been, any recent experiences?

We are going to St John in June… also our first time so I'm no help but I'll definitely be checking back for recommendations.

My wife and I went to St John a few years back and it was great. I saw enough of St Thomas on the taxi ride from the airport to the ferry to have no desire to stay on that island. We stayed at Gallows Point which was great and right near the action. Definitely rent a jeep as you'll need it to hit all the beaches. We also had some great meals at Morgan's Mango, Lime Inn, and Extra Virgin. Longboards was a great spot for happy hour beers. You'll probably want to get a fishing guide one day and also hit up BVI/soggy dollar bar.

Do a Catamaran with captain and chef. The best.

St. John is awesome. There are resorts, but they don't have good beaches. Would recommend renting a villa with a pool. You will need a Jeep for exploring the amazing beaches. In terms of location, we prefer to stay near Cruz Bay for easier access to restaurants and other amenities. Coral Bay has some really nice villas but it's a bit of drive on very hilly and winding roads.

As far as beaches, Maho used to be great, but they commercialized it after the hurricane. Now you can get food and drinks there but it sort of ruined the vibe. Hawksnest is our favorite but there are no food/beverage options so you have to pack your own. Trunk Bay is great also, but can get a little crowded, particularly on days when cruise ships dock in St. Thomas. There are many other terrific beaches. If you want a break from beaches and snorkeling, Ram Head is a pretty neat hike.

If you can, do an day charter to White Bay and the Soggy Dollar. There is also a ferry, but it's slow. With a charter, you can add in some other stops as well. Other cool things to consider doing in BVI are the Willey T, The Caves, The Indians and The Baths for a few. The Baths are cool, but a long boat ride so I don't think it's worth it.

You can take the passenger ferry over and rent a Jeep on St. John or rent one on St. Thomas and take the car ferry over. We've done both and I prefer the latter.

Agree with the above restaurant recommendations. Extra Virgin Bistro was probably my favorite. I'd also add Lime Out, Skinny Legs and Miss Lucy's are a few others that come to mind.

https://limeoutvi.com/

Probably more info than you wanted, but there are so many things to do there. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me if you'd like.

Did St. John many years ago and one of my favorite trips. We rented a house, don't limit your search to just 1 bedroom if there's 2 of you- sometimes houses with more space were the same price back then. Had a pool but really only used it in the evenings.

Rented a Jeep and beach hopped. Did two beaches a day and one day went on a catamaran snorkel tour to The Baths and Soggy Dollar.

Next trip will be stay on BVI for next May- so if anyone has a recommendation for there, please send!

We did not really enjoy St. Croix. The beaches were decent but not spectacular, with very few amenities - no restrooms, no beach chairs and umbrellas, and any food places shut down at weird times. I know islands are run down because of the weather and lack of infrastructure, but St. Croix seemed even more beaten down than other tropical places I've been. When we interacted with the locals while out and about, they were friendly but not overly happy or welcoming (muted is the word that comes to mind). Someone described it as the Walmart of the Caribbean and I thought that was a decent fit... it's not the worst experience I've had, but not great either.

I would like to give St. John a try at some point to see if it has a different vibe.

We've stayed at Alfresco Villa and Sans Souci Villa on Tortola and would do either of them again. Driving to either villa is not for the faint of heart though as the access to both is very steep. I'd definitely rent a 4WD. Sans Souchi has views of St. John while Alfresco has views of Jost Van Dyke. The restaurants are more scattered than St. John which for us meant a lot more driving at night on roads that were notably worse than St. John.

Agree with St. John.
We went prior to the hurricane and some of the places we enjoyed were destroyed.
Agree with renting a jeep and beach hopping.
Definitely get a villa with a great view.

We were married on St John and go back every few years. Get off the plane in St Thomas, rent a jeep, pick up some groceries (they're cheaper in St Thomas). Get on the car ferry to St John. Hit the beaches for a few days and rent a boat (try Big Blue Excursions) to hit a few islands in the BVI. Bring your passport. Jost Van Dyke is always fun.

I have been to all 3 islands multiple times.

St John is more expensive and worth every penny. It doesn't make sense that it is so much nicer, given its proximity to St Thomas, but it is.

The high prices on the island keep out the riff raff.

Definitely hit the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke(BVI). You will need a passport if you don't have one. I could stay there forever drinking painkillers and playing ring on a string.

TXAG 05 said:

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Definitely hit the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke(BVI). You will need a passport if you don't have one. I could stay there forever drinking painkillers and playing ring on a string.

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Did an AirBnb on Jos a few years ago and had a great time. Agree Soggy Dollar is great. Also had a few fun dinners at Foxys