Thinking of going in December. Already booked a reservation at The Westin St. John Resort & Villas. Will have to fly into St. Thomas, so may spend one night there as well.

Any advice for things to do and see? Should I spend four nights or six nights? (I booked two reservations that can be canceled if needed.)

5/22/2011 10:13:04 PM

get in contact with jt3bucky

He has been two or three times, most recently about a month ago

5/22/2011 10:20:52 PM

six nights

ive been twice, last time was March of this year.

Go see all the beaches...you'll want to rent either a car or a scooter. depends on your style.

Trunk Bay is the prettiest but Waterlemon and all are cool too. Be sure to snorkel everywhereeeee. All the beaches are beautiful so spend a good day or even two doing that.

Go to the Baths in the BVI and Soggy Dollar Bar. you can take the ferry or charter a boat

Go to Woodys for its legendary happy hour.

St. John Brewery is cool.

St. John Spice is pretty neat to see as well.

The old sugar plantation is a good hike if you are into that.

The Westin is a really good spot to be as well...make SURE you get a ride though because walking into town sucks. Jacobs ladder is no joke.

Food is really expensive there at different grills so i would go to the dolphin mart and get some food for snacks and breakfast or lunch, otherwise you will spend the most on food by far.

sunblock...the sun down there is NO joke.

If you go to st. thomas ask for the dollar taxi...its one dollar to anywhere on the island.

Find a local and inquire about spearfishing if you are into that. Really fun and somewhat difficult.

Will you be going alone or with someone else? that adds a lot to it really and the possibility of saving you money if you dont want to spend $texas at the westin.

Id be glad to go again with you and be a guide hahaha...jk but lemme know. it will help.

[Edited on May 22, 2011 at 10:27 PM. Reason : g]

5/22/2011 10:23:11 PM

I'm going there next Spring, and have friends that are currently on vacation there. They've been a couple times and have done the Westin Resort every time. I'll get some information from them and let you know.

5/22/2011 10:23:58 PM

OOOH! Spearfishing sounds awesome. We love beach/watersports and were planning to snorkel and sail, but weren't sure what else. How much does it cost to spearfish? And what type of fish?

Any other excursions? It's a very special occasion, so we definitely want to make the most of the excursion. Will def try the brewery ... sounds awesome!

I'm traveling with the bf. We have a discount at the Westin, so the hotel is the least of our expenses. Should we book 4 nights or 6?

^ Are you going for the honeymoon, Kirk?

[Edited on May 22, 2011 at 10:32 PM. Reason : k]

5/22/2011 10:30:15 PM

def 6...4 is too short to do everything...we went for 4 in march and felt like it was wayyyy too short especially if you are at the westin. they just re-did their pool because of water that was up to the lobby and it looks BEAUTIFUL.

I was there a week and a half at one point and felt like that was the best length of time.

you can rent a dinghy or sail boat or whatever from the westin and go out on your own which is pretty cool for snorkeling and spearfishing on your own to some of the more remote spots off of the beaches.


the westin has activities all throughout the week so be sure to hit those up like:
crab races with the crab man, diving for beers, iguana feeding etc...
the crab man gives away excursions if your crab wins so good luck!!! easy way to save $300 that way.

There is a guy that may be able to hook you up with spearfishing...he is at mongoose junction and has a hard accent. He is south african but I cannot remember his name, when I do I will update. Spearfishing is basically whatever fish you can get...its alot tougher than you would imagine but a TON of fun. you can only do it on st, thomas though because the fish are protected around st. john.
(you'll learn the town is very small and you will meet everyone basically...and everything is centrally located within walking distance) except for the other bay on the other side of the island.

Go to Skinny Legs and check that place out.

OH I FORGOT!!! the BEST food on the island is Uncle Joes BBQ. It is far and away the BEST food I have ever had...go to woodys or somewhere, get a $1 beer then go to Joes and eat a combo chicken and ribs. Best BBQ chicken EVER, I swear by it.

walk up jacobs ladder once just so you can say you did it...its not easy but worth doing it.

if you have to hitch hike which you can pretty easily, everyone is really nice, dont thumb...its not the local symbol...pointer finger to the side point towards the road is the way to go.

Go to Soggy Dollar bars website and become a member of the pain killer club.

By staying 6 days you can check out stuff on st thomas too which i recommend.

Im not sure when you are going but check out websites that are st. john based because they have random festivals all the time.

EAT LOTS OF SEAFOOD...its great there.

they have a post office on the island so be sure to send postcards...which you can buy 3 or $1 in some places so dont get ripped off.

you have to be 25 to even consider renting a car on the island.

st. john spice has a web cam...go draw in the sand and get a friend to screen capture it.

phone calls through sprint are normal rates...verizon are $texas a minute.

ATMs charge a service fee on every spot on the island...get used to it.

Dunno if you are scuba certified or not but there are some fantastic diving spots around as well.

I advise bringing your own snorkel and fins...its like 10 a day to rent and you have a 50 damage fee or something, way cheaper and better to get your own stuff from Sams club or somewhere.

most importantly...make sure you are used to walking and have good comfy shoes...you do a lot of walking down there and when you do drive...its on the OTHER side of the road.

Im sure i will think of more stuff but its late for me...I will let you know if i remember anything else.

[Edited on May 23, 2011 at 12:31 AM. Reason : f]

5/23/2011 12:28:59 AM

i was sad to hear duffy's love shack shut down

5/23/2011 11:54:49 AM

Nope - Honeymoon is this fall at the Maui Westin. Next spring is just because we have some friends that like to go every year and we've decided to join them. There's going to be about 10 of us going, can't wait.

5/23/2011 11:56:20 AM

Westin Maui is fab. Love Starwood properties. Will miss my discounts.

5/23/2011 11:58:49 AM

I went out and got a Starwood Amex a while back and it's great for us because we like to travel a lot. We're doing points + cash in Maui, so paying $90/night but racking up 360 points/night based on status/bonsues/etc. It's also nice for getting upgrades. My friends that just went to St. John got upgraded from a two-br to a three-br because one of them is a Gold member.

5/23/2011 12:17:49 PM

^ NICE! Some of the 3-br villas have private plunge pools. Those are SWEET!

Wish we could stay in one bc of the plunge pool, but it wouldn't be practical for a romantic getaway for a couple.

I talk to a lot of Platinum SPG members who simply make tons of company purchases on their SPG card so they can reach Platinum status. The Platinum perks are nuts!

[Edited on May 23, 2011 at 12:59 PM. Reason : f]

5/23/2011 12:54:47 PM

Those private pools are just up on the hill between the Villas... you can walk up to them at any time lol.

We went to those most every day and the big main pool just for the events and what not.

They arent off limits to everyone or even gated.

5/23/2011 2:18:56 PM

6 nights because 4 will seem way too short.

I really liked Little Lameshur Bay but you will need a vehicle with some ground clearance to travel the dirt road there (that or just park and walk). We saw wild mongoose stealing food from people's bags there. A day trip on a catamaran to Jost Van Dyke to see Foxy's and the Soggy Dollar Bar can be booked and departs from the Westin. The Baths is the most amazing site I've seen in the virgin islands but I visited it from Tortola so I'm not sure how easy it is to visit from St John. Sunday brunch at Miss Lucy's (Coral Bay) was nice and relaxing. Skinny Legs was good food at a reasonable price.

A co-worker from St Thomas tells me it is illegal to drink and drive there.....unless you have it in a plastic cup!

5/23/2011 8:30:37 PM

Plastic cups ... No wine glasses permitted in the car? LOL

This is very helpful. I think we'll do 6 or 7 days. Much needed this December. The more I research, the more I want to do. Spear fishing sounds great and I love being in the water. Great advice to bring my own snorkel. Will def do that.

Will prob want to charter a sailboat or catamaran ... a group charter is fine. Any recommendations?



Finally, should we explore any of the other USVI? I know we have to fly into St. Thomas.

5/23/2011 11:37:36 PM

Definitely hit up Magens Bay in St. Thomas...Blackbeard's Castle was neat...I was 13 at the time so I can't recall the names of other places off the top of my head.


Coco Joe's at Frenchman's Reef has great food and awesome atmosphere. The bar scene looked cool from what I can remember.

5/24/2011 12:01:11 AM

Cruz Bay Watersports (http://www.divestjohn.com) is the company that does a day sail to Jost Van Dyke from the Westin. Everyone in my family had a good time on that trip. Once you leave the Westin you stop to snorkel Hawksnest Bay before heading to Jost for lunch at Foxy's. After that you go to White Bay where you swim ashore at the Soggy Dollar Bar before returning to St John.

We saw a few smaller sailboats that did day sails to the BVI's or around St John/other USVI's but decided to go with Cruz Bay Watersports because the Westin was close to the house we rented.

I HIGHLY recommend a day trip to see the Baths on Virgin Gorda over any other island in the VI's if you can make it.

5/24/2011 8:36:08 PM

a sailboat wont make that trip fast enough...captain rusty has the fastest sailboat on the island and it wont even make it to Jost in a day trip and back with any time to do anything.

you need a motorized boat or the ferry to tortola.

5/24/2011 9:35:19 PM

They are presently out of fashion, but you can get a classic hook/clasp USVI bracelet, recognized worldwide as a souvenir unique to the Virgin Islands.

You might get sold on picking one up, that or the windmill iconography in jewelry or artwork representative of their colonial history.

Either way, browse the jewelry selection online to prepare yourself for a little gift shop inculturation to ensure you're prepared for a strong sales pitch http://www.sonyaltd.com/ in case they make you really really want to buy something special.

I know that I bought my hook/clasp bracelet down there, and they do have cool stuff although you could just as easily order all of it online. Make sure you refer to America as the mainland, not America. I have been to St. Croix 4-5 times. St. John's is the least populated and most natural yet arguably the most expensive because that's where all the huge estates are. Also do a foursquare checkin because it'll be awesome and cell phone rates to mainland are surprisingly standard for domestic calling.

5/24/2011 10:33:43 PM

^ Good point! I'll also get 250 Starpoints for checking into The Westin St. John Resort & Villas via foursquare.

5/25/2011 9:57:33 AM

Is this offseason? My parents went to some sailboat venture thing at the BVIs at a time it was off season and said that nearly everything was closed because of that.

5/25/2011 10:38:26 AM

Off-season is during the hottest summer months. It's a great place to escape the cold during the winter, so it's very popular in December. I have a discount bc of a corporate hookup.

5/25/2011 1:29:22 PM

Oh, and the pool villas at WSJ do have private plunge pools that other guests aren't supposed to use. See map:

http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/site-map

5/25/2011 2:00:01 PM

I'm not very familiar with Jost Van Dyke. Is this a must-do? What's the added benefit of going there when already in St. John?

5/26/2011 9:03:58 AM

The only reason to go anywhere other than STJ is for the Baths. Thats all I can say is really worth it. I went to just about everywhere else...the Baths and soggy dollar bar/foxy's are the only thing not on STJ and STT worth venturing to see.

Plus its kinda nice to get a look at the other side of the islands from the water and not on the shore.

If you dont wanna do it, thats cool too...save it for another trip.

Like I said make sure you have a chance to do the crab races...you'll probably win a trip or excursion if you do well.

5/26/2011 11:30:04 AM

Just curious but do for those of you who have gone multiple times, what do ya'll budget for a trip like this for airfare, rooms, eating, spending money, etc? We are about a year and a half out from our 10 year anniversary and looking to do something major like this, as we have never been to the tropics or on a cruise. Trying to decide which would be more fun. Our anniversary is right around Valentines Day, so I'm sure that it will still be pretty cold in NC and a welcome retreat.

5/26/2011 11:44:24 AM

^^ The Baths are BVI, right? So I'll need a passport, right? Is it tricky to travel btwn USVI and BVI?

^ I'm estimating about 3k for two people for a 6-day, 5-night trip

$500 for accommodations at the Westin
$500 for ferry transfers and transportation on the island
$2,000 for food and fun while there

We're flying on points, otherwise it would be a 4k trip.



If you're on a budget and want a tropical getaway, Cozumel or a cruise are your best options.

[Edited on May 26, 2011 at 12:34 PM. Reason : d]

5/26/2011 12:33:10 PM

$1500 is about right. that should be your cieling. I spent that this time but that was me buying most of the food and stuff for the two of us.

she probably spent 800 total.

for the BVIs it CLAIMS you need a passport, yes, but I used my birth certificate when I was there and got along just fine. You do need one of those two to re-enter the St. Thomas airport, so bring it along anyways.

and as for the ferry...remember that the Westin has their own seperate Ferry service thats free if you are staying there...you save quite a bit that way. and in addition when on St. thomas dont forget the $1 taxi. The Westin rents jeeps and stuff but you need to put in a reservation way early if its Westin or any other rental place. They get reserved and gone pretty fast.

You can easily spend $1500 a person if you dont care and just spend whatever...if you want to budget and know your way around the island you could probably do it for $800 or less per person. There are a few places to stay on the island that arent really advertised as well but cheap and fairly nice. nothing compared to the westin but a lot less price wise.

5/26/2011 12:37:46 PM

With my discount, accommodations at the Westin are approx $500 total for 5 nights. That also comes with a 50% discount on food & bev, spa, and Westin equipment rentals, so that may help us save a bit. Not sure how that will factor in, as we're playing by ear at this point.

Definitely looking forward to a spa treatment ... and those can easily add up on vaca.

[Edited on May 26, 2011 at 12:46 PM. Reason : s]

5/26/2011 12:44:54 PM

that is one heck of a bargain.

take that to the house and run with it. seriously. thats impressive lol.

5/26/2011 12:46:15 PM

Starwood employees get stellar hotel discounts. That's the one sad thing about taking a new job. Bummed that I'll eventually lose my discount.

Contemplating renting a villa though. It doubles the cost, but the villas are all newly renovated and they have kitchens/kitchenettes. Have you stayed in a villa or just in the rooms?

[Edited on May 26, 2011 at 12:48 PM. Reason : s]

5/26/2011 12:48:00 PM

Everything from the Lobby down towards the beach is renovated. They had water come in really far and then the mud slide that came down from the hills really messed up the pool and some of the lower villas. Even the outdated stuff is still super nice. Theres nothing old at the Westin.

and yea, i need to get on that employee list. dern.

5/26/2011 12:50:31 PM

Wow I am getting fucked somehow. I tried to do a reservation and the cheapest I got at the Westin was $514/night, for $3k on rooms alone!

5/26/2011 12:51:11 PM

^ You aren't getting screwed. It's a corporate benefit for employees. That's the typical rate for the Westin. There are deals to be had if you look hard enough, but it's highly unlikely that you'll find anything that compares to their employee discount. Sorry!

But seriously, a great option if you want to see beautiful islands and stay within a reasonable budget is to take a cruise.

[Edited on May 26, 2011 at 12:56 PM. Reason : h]

5/26/2011 12:52:41 PM

for a lot less of a price, the inn at tamarind court is where I stay. its cheap, nice, good food and quaint.

St. John Inn is another good one.

they are all listed here. http://www.stjohnisland.com/stjohnisland_accomodations.htm

if you have enough people...renting a house for a week is the cheaper and best alternative.

5/26/2011 12:57:51 PM

St. John Inn looks super cute!

5/26/2011 1:00:46 PM

I've been to STT and STJ about 4 or 5 times. I have family that lives there. For a couple of years one of my cousins was a concierge at the Ritz so we got some pretty good hook ups and always had a great time. My favorite thing to do was to charter a boat and just go island hopping and diving. Soggy Dollar is cool. Foxy's is OK. Woody's happy hour is a staple. The Willie T was always a good time. Go there and earn your t-shirt. It's off Norman Island. There's a really good restaurant at the top of St. John with awesome views called Le Chateau de Bordeaux. Old Stone Farmhouse in St. Thomas is pretty good, too. It's on an old sugar plantation. There's this bar in Red Hook called Poor Man's where you order a drink, say a gin and tonic, and the bartender hands you a bottle of gin and a bottle of tonic and you pour it yourself. $3. But then, you can tell him you'll roll him for it and you roll dice for a free drink. Obviously if you lose the drink is $6. Its a place to get really drunk for really cheap.

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 7:12 AM. Reason : a]

5/27/2011 7:07:39 AM

I stayed at Maho Bay once. Pretty awesome.

We hiked trails in the National Park. Great views, reasonably solitary. Saw some petroglyphs and a shit ton of hermit crabs.

I've also stayed at Tamarind Court. Basic, but clean.

[Edited on May 27, 2011 at 8:41 AM. Reason : ]

5/27/2011 8:27:30 AM

BTTT

How does St. John compare to Jost Van Dyke? I ask because people in this thread have mentioned it and Living Social is running a killer deal: 5-night stay for two, 5-night jeep rental, 2 pints of rum and 2 sets of snorkeling equipment, all for just $921. Sounds like a decent deal.

http://livingsocial.com/escapes/95017-5-nights-in-the-british-virgin-islands

I can still cancel my reservation at the Westin St. John. We have a 6-night stay, which will run around $650 with my discount. But it doesn't come with any extras.

8/8/2011 9:20:34 AM

did anyone ask Grant Haze?

8/8/2011 9:32:39 AM

^^ I can tell you zero about either place, however my friends love the Westin and that's where we're planning to go next spring. I figure I can charge everything to my Starwood Amex and get another freen night tacked on by the end of it.

8/8/2011 10:35:33 AM

Jost is smaller...its a good place too. A lot of people only go to Jost for the Baths and then come back to St John later. Its not far from St. John at all.

that is a damn good deal actually...depends on where you are staying on Jost because the Westin is top notch.

Id say thats a toss up.

8/8/2011 1:46:54 PM

^Baths on Jost van Dyke?

Unless all you want to do is drink and lay on the beach, I would take the Westin on St John because Jost van Dyke would get boring after 3 days.

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 7:47 PM. Reason : jost]

8/8/2011 7:42:29 PM

its Virgin Gorda but close enough to count.

Soggy Dollar bar is about the best thing at Jost.

8/8/2011 7:44:20 PM

if you do St. John definitely visit the east side of the island to check out Skinny Legs for a burger and beers

that's actually my favorite side of the island - i usually provision up in Cruz Bay and then head east to a villa or to the Concordia ecotents on the Coral Bay side

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 7:49 PM. Reason : s]

8/8/2011 7:48:16 PM

^^Virgin Gorda is I think 2 ferry rides from Jost van Dyke, not very close in my book.

8/8/2011 7:50:14 PM

probably easier to get to virgin gorda from st. john than from jost

8/8/2011 7:51:39 PM

^^^Speaking of the east side of St John, I'll be renting a house there in a few months. Have you ever tried Vie's Snack Shack or her family beach? Any other must see/do things on that side of the island?

8/8/2011 7:57:58 PM

Okay, I'm sticking with the Westin st john, as the other place doesn't have a/c and the bf wouldn't be okay with that.

8/8/2011 8:10:39 PM