Traveling to The Virgin Islands, especially if it is your first time, can present some challenges. After 30 years in these islands, we’ve tried to make it easier by providing some helpful information below which should give you a head start, and hopefully save you a few hours on Google.
St. John is serviced by St.Thomas International Airport (STT). Daily flights are available from several major domestic carriers including American Airlines, Delta, Spirit, and US Airways. United Airlines offers connecting service via San Juan aboard Cape Air.
Yes and no. The bottom line is that US Citizens do not need their passport to enter The US Virgin Islands. However, it is highly recommended, mainly because of the proximity of The British Virgin Islands, which require a passport for entry. The BVI is a beautiful destination and many visitors choose to take one or many day trips to the BVI during their stay. International visitors must present their passport for entry into the US or British Virgin Islands.
It depends. If you are staying at The Westin St. John or Caneel Bay, these hotels offer transfers to and from the airport. Reservations are recommended in advance and each of the hotels has a reception area in the baggage area of the airport where their staff will greet you and escort you to St. John via shuttle and then ferry boat to their docks. For guests who are staying in private villas or other accommodations, the best way to get to St. John is via the Redhook Ferry Dock. Your journey begins at the baggage area of St. Thomas airport where a uniformed taxi dispatcher is eagerly ushering arriving guests into awaiting taxi vans. From there, you’re taken to The Redhook Ferry Dock to board a ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John. These ferries run at the top of every hour from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. The fee for the taxi is $15 per person and $7 per person for the ferry boat. There is also an additional $1 per bag fee aboard the ferries.
St. John is home to only two major resorts. The largest and most popular is The Westin St. John Resort & Villas located just minutes from Downtown Cruz Bay. The Westin offers beautiful rooms, the largest pool in The Virgin Islands and is homeport for Cruz Bay Watersports. From here, you can embark on your favorite trip from The Westin’s private dock and avoid the crowds and confusion of downtown Cruz Bay.
Caneel Bay, the other resort, is famous for its luxury grounds and rooms. Caneel Bay was at one time the private estate of Laurence Rockefeller and maintains a unique level of beauty and service for it’s clientele. Home to some of the most beautiful beaches on St. John, Caneel Bay is highly sought-after as a wedding destination, or for guests looking for the privacy and seclusion Caneel Bay has to offer.
In addition to the two major resorts on island, many visitors to St. John take the opportunity to rent one of the many private villas available on the island. A quick Google search will turn up results for many villa brokers who will be able to pair you with the villa of your needs.
We’ve composed a handy list of some of our favorite spots and their contact information below. There is too much to write about each of them, but rest assured that the food on St. John is even better than you imagine.
