Below are STAY & PLAY, ON THE LAND, ON THE SEA, and INFORMATION frequently asked questions. If you would like to add additional information to enhance everyone’s experience on island, please contact us at saintjohnislandguide@gmail.com.
STAY & PLAY FAQ’S
- It’s not St. John’s, it’s St. John
- Be patient, you’re on island time!
- Extend a greeting of Good Morning, Good Day, or Good Night before you ask a question or begin a conversation
- Men should wear a shirt, and women should wear a cover-up over your swimsuit when walking in town, or entering any establishment
- If you are driving really slow, please pull over and let the local residents or others pass you
- No smoking or glass on the beaches
- Be respectful of your volume of music at the beach
- Leave the donkeys alone and do not feed them, or any wildlife
- Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen ONLY, it’s the law!
- Drive on the left side of the road
- Conserve water — If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down
- Pack in, Pack out all of your trash and belongings at the beach
- Don’t stand on the Coral or touch the sealife
- Don’t chase the Turtles
- Please be courteous of residents after 10:00 PM. Reduce your noise/music/lights, thank you!
It’s true, some restaurants are more kid-friendly than others. High Tide, Banana Deck, Cafe’ Roma, Ronnie’s Pizza, Cruz Bay Landing, Tap & Still, Greengo’s in Cruz Bay. Shambles and Windmill Bar at Mid Way. Skinny Legs and Surfside Cantina in Coral Bay. Those are not all, but definitely a good start.
If you are looking to make sure you have lunch with you at the beach and don’t want to run away needlessly if your beach does not provide such amenities, we suggest calling ahead and order from following restaurants/delis for early morning lunch pickup.
CRUZ BAY:
SAM & JACK’S — (340) 714-3354
NORTH SHORE DELI — (340) 777-3061
ST. JOHN PROVISIONS — (340) 690-4131
CORAL BAY:
LOVE CITY CAFE — (340) 642-4786
Starfish Market in Marketplace carries pre-made birthday cakes, as well as makes birthday cakes. Order ahead. (340) 779-4949
- Eat, Drink, and be Merry (You are on Saint John ya know)
- Read a book
- Take a nap
- Play cards or a game
- Put together a puzzle
- Bar Hop
- Walk in the rain
- Go out to eat
- Shop at Mongoose
- Go Sightseeing around the island
- and many love to Snorkel in the rain.
Most of the restaurants will close for private Wedding Reception events with enough notice. Below are a few locations for large group Wedding Receptions.
Oppenheimer Beach — (340) 776-6531
The Hills Saint John — (844) 643-6132
The Westin — (340) 693-8000
Miss Lucy’s — (340) 693-5244
Some local restaurants serve conch fritters such as Cruz Bay Landing, High Tide or the Beach Bar. The best conch is cooked by Caribbean Flair restaurants including P and P’s by the Sea right outside Cruz Bay, and Heading East Bar & Grill at Mid Way.
Woody’s Seafood Saloon offers Hook & Cook. Get it three ways, Grilled, Blackened or Fried. Fees Apply. (340) 779-4625
ON THE LAND FAQ’S
AT&T in the USVI was purchased by Liberty in 2019-2020 and is the best provider although AT&T and Cricket phone service should work just fine. Verizon and T-Mobile are unreliable and quite often their phones will pickup signals from the BVI on the North Shore of St. John and you will incur roaming charges. For assurance, sometimes it is best to purchase an international package from your carrier during your vacation time frame. Just know, cell phone signals on the North Shore of St. John are very spotty.
If you were in USVI and picked up a BVI tower and incurred roaming charges, call your provider and ask them to reverse international charges which they will do if you tell them you did not travel to the BVI.
Many Visitors rely on Wi-Fi service where they are staying to make calls, or you can make phone calls through Messenger/Whats App or Online.
Honeymoon, Salomon, Scott, Turtle, Little Cinnamon, Reef, and Salt Pond Bay all require some sort of short hike or walk in.
Most all of the popular beaches (i.e., Hawksnest, Trunk or Maho) start filling up around 9:30 AM. If you get there by then, you are usually pretty safe to find parking. Some beaches have very limited parking, so first come first serve when it comes to Gibney/Oppenheimer or Jumbie beaches. Rule of thumb is to be flexible. If your #1 option doesn’t work out, move along to another beach a little more off-the-beaten path like Hansen, Salt Pond or Francis. Sometimes it is best to come back to the really popular beaches in the afternoon after the first arrivers have left.
Yes, you can harvest salt in the shallow waters of Salt Pond. Some prefer rinsing the salt first to get the smell off of it before drying. You do lose some, but many feel it is worth it. Most recommend drying it out by placing it in a shallow dish, plate, or pan and setting it out in the sun to help evaporate the moisture. The color of the salt only appears pink during drought conditions and can be the best time to harvest.
ON THE SEA FAQ’S
Honeymoon, Cinnamon, Maho, Hansen, and Saltwell Bottom Beaches all provide kayak rentals. These beaches are very popular snorkeling destinations as well.
Absolutely, especially kids over 4 years of age. Some kids are a little pickier eaters than others, and the Lime Out VI will definitely accommodate those kids. They offer cheese & chicken quesadillas. For the most part, the kids love the tacos just as much as the adults!
Most of the sharks you will see around island are Lemon or Nurse sharks, and fortunately they are harmless! Black tip reef sharks are spotted near points. Bull sharks can be more aggressive, but not as common in these waters. For the most part, the sharks have plenty to feed on around here.
We are proud to partner with Saint John Boat Charters for all of our trip offerings.
INFORMATION FAQ’S
On the hour every hour from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
FAVORITE ST. JOHN BOAT TRIPS!
