St. John USVI Travel and Other Guest Information

St. John and Gallows Point Resort are so special and elegant - both in the scenery on the island and around the resort.

St. John is usually visited by a diverse group of travelers seeking less commercialism and more natural beauty and charm. With no airport on the island, the trip from the St. Thomas airport to Cruz Bay, St. John via taxi and ferry is a reminder that you are going to a place where its natural beauty and rich culture have remained unspoiled for centuries.

Thousands of visitors return year after year to enjoy St John’s unmatched beauty and laid back yet upscale ambience. With St. Thomas only three miles away and other US and British Virgin Islands in every view from every scenic overlook, the visual magnificence is incomparable anywhere in the Caribbean and quite possibly in the world. St John is fortunate to have over half of the island preserved as US National Parklands, further enhancing the island’s pristine and enchanting paradise ambience.

St John is a sleepy little island compared to larger islands, but it remains “well balanced”, with 5,000 full time residents, temperate year-round tropical weather, crystal blue waters, every water sport and activity imaginable, upscale shopping, local craftsman and jewelry artisans, and a great variety of dining options.

Other Good St. John Info

Passports	Concierge Services	Car Rental on St John	VI National Park
St John Beaches	Watersports	St John Day Trips	St. John Island Tours
St. John Shopping	Shopping on St. Thomas	St John Nightlife	ATM/Credit Cards
Suite Provisioning	Grocery Stores	St. John Restaurants

 

Passports: The U.S. Customs service does not require a passport to enter the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico, but airlines do require some “valid ID” such as a driver’s license with a photo at check in (confirm with your airline).

If you travel to the British Virgin Islands (or any non-US territory) from St. John, you will be required to check in at their respective customs office as well as check back in through US Customs with a valid US Passport upon your return.

Concierge Services: With Mark, all of your vacation questions, experiences, and activities should be easily accommodated.

Renting a Car on St. John is optional but recommended if you want to explore the island's pristine beaches. Blue Orchid is located close enough to town that you can walk to most restaurants. A round trip taxi fare for two to the best North Shore beaches will cost about $30. Although you may not need it, four-wheel drive is highly recommended, especially if exploring some of the out-of-the-way beaches and hiking trails. Mark will be happy to assist you with the local options.

Virgin Islands National Park Visitors Center: Located in Cruz Bay, we highly recommend you visit the Visitors Center before heading into the Park for an overview of what to expect. There is a very large topographically accurate map that you can view before adventuring into the Park, and they sell  great hiking maps there as well.

St John USVI Beaches: It won’t take long to find the beaches, but choosing your favorite might be difficult! Solomon and Honeymoon Beaches are the closest to Cruz Bay within a small hike, and Hawsknest, Gibney, Cinnamon, Maho, and Francis Beaches are within a four-mile stretch on scenic North Shore Road, and of course world famous Trunk Bay should not be missed - go early! Leinster, Waterlemon Cay, Brown Bay, Salt Pond, Lameshur Bays on other parts of our tiny little paradise are also local and St John vacationer favorites.

St John Watersport Activities: Scuba diving, ocean and eco kayak trips, day sails, sunset sails, snorkel trips, private boat charters, dinghy rentals, parasailing - St. John has it all! Ask Mark for assistance.

St John Day Trips and Island Hopping: We highly recommend you charter a boat with a captain and go island hopping for the day - it’s wonderful to have a local show you around! Some of the British Virgin Islands are in many of the spectacular views from St John and only a few minutes away, so bring your passport and explore for the day! St John has a wide variety of charter choices, from day groups to private luxury boats, any of which can be booked through Mark at no additional cost to you.

Note: Some of the best snorkeling around St John is right in front of the Resort, and should not be missed.

St John Land Activities: Nothing on or around St. John competes with our pristine beaches with the exception of the Park’s many well-kept hiking trails. There are trails for every level and age…just let Mark know if you would like more information.

Shopping in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay: There are many retail shops and jewelry stores in Cruz Bay and some eclectic and local offerings in Coral Bay. Mongoose Junction has a wonderful collection of upscale retail stores, handmade artisan jewelry and restaurants, and St John’s local artists gallery, Bajo el Sol (where some of the art in our residence was found). Wharfside Village also has some nice shops, and there are numerous smaller shops like Pink Papaya, Precious Dreams, Now and Zen and others within the 200 yards that is known as the village of Cruz Bay.

Shopping on St. Thomas: Public ferry or private boat transportation is available to take you to St Thomas’ downtown shopping area in Charlotte Amalie, the largest duty free port in the world! Mark can also introduce you to a personal shopper who will be your guide for your day of experiencing red carpet service and introductions to the designers and boutique owners for the ultimate shopping experience in the Caribbean!

ATM Machines: They are found at both banks in Cruz Bay, one in the Marketplace at Scotia Bank and one in the center of Cruz Bay at First Bank. Most retail establishments and restaurants take credit cards (but we recommend you ask first).

St John Nightlife and Entertainment: Eclectic to jazz, rock to acapella, enjoy live music on different night at different bars or restaurants around St. John. Mark can enlighten you on “dining to music” options as well as hot spots where great local and guest musicians are playing.

Suite Provisioning: Every T’ing has a nice variety of essential groceries and beverages, all at comparable prices and much more convenient than the other grocery stores on St. John, and can provision Blue Orchid so you can enjoy more of your time on vacation. Peruse their Provisioning List provided here. If you have additional, special or specific needs, please call EveryT’ing at 340-693-7730.

Grocery Stores on St John: St. John has three “major” grocery stores. Although none are as extensive as what you probably find near your home, there is ample selection for your vacation. Dolphin Market is located in Cruz Bay near the public school and Starfish Market is located in The Marketplace. Also, Starfish Wines and Gourmet Market is next to the grocery store, and has the widest selection of wines and spirits on St. John. St. John Market has recently opened on South Shore Road in the Greenleaf Commons Complex, and has the largest selection of vegetarian and organic foods on the island.

St. John Restaurants: St. John dining is as varied as your palate! Enjoy a different dining experience every night of your vacation, or ask Mark about an en-suite chef or catered meals in the privacy of Blue Orchid. Gallows Point Resort also has a gas grill for your use for a low key night grilling and enjoying the ambience of Blue Orchid and its incredible scenery!

St John Restaurant Guide

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Cruz Bay Finer Dining
Restaurant	Type	B	L	D	A/C	Location
da Livio's	Italian					Cruz Bay
Happy Fish	Japanese/Sushi					The Marketplace
Hinds	Int'l Haute Cuisine					Cruz Bay
La Plancha	Mediterranean					The Marketplace
La Tapa	Mediterranean/Spanish					Cruz Bay
Lime Inn	Seafood/American					Cruz Bay
Morgan's Mango	So. American & Caribbean					Near Mongoose Junction
Ocean Grille	California/Island					Mongoose Junction
Paradiso	Mediterranean					Mongoose Junction
Rhumb Lines	Pacific Rim					Cruz Bay
The Balcony	Contemporary					Wharfside Village
The Equator	Caribbean Fusion					Caneel Bay
Waterfront Bistro	French Caribbean					Wharfside Village
Zozo's Ristorante	Italian					Gallows Point Resort
Cruz Bay Casual Dining
Restaurant	Type	B	L	D	A/C	Location
Baked in the Sun	Deli					The Marketplace
Café Roma	Italian/Pizzas					Cruz Bay
Crazy Crackers	Varies Nightly					Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay Pizza	Pizza					Wharfside Village
Deli Grotto	Deli/Pizza					Mongoose Junction
Forward to Your Roots	Vegetarian					Cruz Bay
High Tide	American					Wharfside Village
Jake's	American					The Lumberyard
JJ's Texas Coast Cafe	Tex Mex & American					Cruz Bay Park
Lucky Pagoda	Chinese					The Lumberyard
Margarita Phil's	Mexican					Cruz Bay
Mojo Café	B,L = American, D=Indian/Caribbean					Wharfside Village
Quiet Mon	Varies Nightly					Cruz Bay
Ronnie's Pizza	Italian/Pizzas					Boulon Center
Sheila's Pot	West Indian					Cruz Bay Park
Sogo's	West Indian					Cruz Bay
Sun Dog Café	American					Mongoose Junction
Tamarind Inn	Varies Nightly					Cruz Bay
The Surly Cantina	Mexican					Wharfside Village
The Beach Bar	Seafood/American					Wharfside Village
Uncle Joe's	BBQ					Cruz Bay
Woody's Seafood Saloon	Seafood/American					Cruz Bay
Coral Bay Finer Dining
Restaurant	Type	B	L	D	A/C	Location
Sweet Plantains	East & West Indian, Caribbean					Shoreline Rt 107
Coral Bay Casual Dining
Restaurant	Type	B	L	D	A/C	Location
Aqua Bistro	Mediterranean & Italian					Shoreline Rt 107
Big Belly Deli	Deli, Burgers, Sandwiches					Shoreline Rt 107
Café Estate Concordia	Varies					Near Salt Pond
Donkey Diner	Breakfast, Lunch, Pizza Nite, BBQ Nite					Near Public School
Island Blues	Seafood/American					Shoreline Rt 107
Miss Lucy's	American & West Indian	*				Friis Bay
Miss Vie's Snack Shack						East End Rd
Shipwreck Landing	American & Seafood					Shoreline Rt 107
Skinny Legs	Burgers, Sandwiches, Seafood					Near Fire Station
The Tourist Trap	Tacos, Sandwiches, Burgers					Near Salt Pond

 

Mark will make recommendations and reservations at no additional charge to you.