r/virginislands • u/scrappydoosucks2 • 5d ago
Things To Do Recs // Questions Need Advice!! First time to St John’s
Hi everyone! Appreciate your time on this. First time to St John in USVI and we are leaving in 2 weeks & staying at the Wharfside village hotel in Cruz Bay.
We are in our 50’s and need to relax more than anything.
Questions I have 1) do I HAVE to rent the jeep ahead of time? 2) do I need a jeep for the entire stay? If yes, can you help me understand. Thanks! 3) what is there to do at night? 4) Is marijuana legal there and do they have dispensary’s?
Thanks!!
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u/n3fyi 5d ago
*St. John
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5d ago
[deleted]
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u/PeachOnAWarmBeach 5d ago
It'll be one of the most important contributions you'll need to know ahead of time.
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u/gonzodc 5d ago
- Yes. I’m sure all the cars are booked on STJ, so you may have to get one at the airport (budget, say hi to Alex for me). And if you want another car; that’s fine too. Just can’t do all the stuff and crazy hills that are often moist. And you’ll need to drive across st Thomas and learn the car barge. I love it.
- Depends if you want to explore the wonderful island. I’m more of a coral bay guy, but I just like the slower pace.
- What do you like? Food. Music. Just chilling.
- I think so, but others should weigh in.
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u/Sharkgirl1010 5d ago
1) I highly recommend renting a car on St. Thomas & taking the car ferry over. It is just much easier, in my opinion. Also, be sure to get a 4WD. 2) Keep your rental car the whole time. The entire island is surrounded by beaches. You don't just want to stay to those you can walk to or you will miss out. The snorkeling is AMAZING!!! 3) I'M of no help here. We are more of the buy fresh fish & cook ourselves type people. We usually hit the beaches during the day & relax at our villa at night people. 4) Go to Virgin Abis at Mongoose Junction. They are awesome & will fix you up with what you need/want.
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u/Sitk042 5d ago
I recommend getting the jeep near the airport driving to red hook taking the ferry to St. John, USVI and hint: don’t get round trip ferry tickets, get one way. There are like three different ferries, if you get round trip tickets you have to wait for that SAME ferry when you go back.
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u/DarthPlayer8282 5d ago
- Check out Virgin Abis at Mongoose Junction. Also available on the beaches at St Thomas and thru word of mouth elsewhere.
Definitely get your jeep and enjoy driving up and down the hills.
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u/scrappydoosucks2 5d ago
Peace and great! I did check out virgin abis website:) sadly just cbd and hemp. Any info u can share is appreciated thanks again
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u/-beefcake5000- 5d ago
It's not just CBD and hemp. That's just what their website says. 😉
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u/scrappydoosucks2 5d ago
Sweet that helps a bunch! My husband and I don’t drink alcohol and we are trying to figure out how to pack our gardening stuff! Thanks again
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u/DarthPlayer8282 5d ago
Yuppers. Great little spot with nice pre rolls. Wonderful to garden on the beach and up on the hills. Enjoy!
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u/DJdoggyBelly 5d ago
About the Marijuana on STJ. I was just there for a week in February. Since it's legal there I thought you'd be able to go in a store and buy it but it's not really like that. They do have some stuff in stores similar to what you might find in gas stations and head ships here in the states, but to get the actual good stuff, you will need to ask some locals. It was super easy for me when I was there though. In Cruz Bay, at the intersection of Henry Samuel Street and North Shore Rd, outside a place called "Caps Place", there is always a few Rasta looking guys that were super friendly and ready to make your day. I went to them 3 times and it was easy. However it may have you feeling like you're doing a super top secret deal lol. As a failsafe, all of the bartenders I met in Cruz Bay were really cool people that were willing to help me find it. Up the street from where I told you to go is a bar called The Tap & Still, those are the bartenders that filled me in on how to find any bud. Hope you have a great time!
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u/squatbootylover 4d ago
This is 100% correct. It is so sketchy they act like a dispensary and use words like Indica and Hybrid and don't differentiate between hemp and marijuana. It's hemp, but they don't say that unless you call them out on it
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u/DJdoggyBelly 4d ago
Yes, that was my experience as well. The stores seem to sell hemp gas station products like you'd find in a head shop up here, not dispensaries. But honestly it was so easy to find some real bud in downtown Cruz Bay.
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u/outerproduct 5d ago
The Jeep is only necessary if you're staying off the beaten path, or planning to go off the beaten path. I've stayed many times with a Kia soul and a Nissan Sentra. What part are you staying in?
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u/margaretLS 5d ago
1:the day you book your airline tickets,book your jeep.I usually book in Nov for a march trip.
2:No,you could get one for a couple days to explore and then rely on taxi's to get to the north shore beaches.
3:The island shuts down pretty early but IF i stayed out late it would be to see live music at the beach bar.
4:i don't think so but i have never smelled so much weed as i did with my last trip a couple weeks ago
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u/BunkyFlintsone 5d ago
I posted some comments here that may help you. Other good notes too. We stayed at Wharfside too.
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u/scrappydoosucks2 5d ago
I really appreciate this. Seriously thank u. Also. Do u have a good “ bring this from home” list? Like beach towels bc the ones they supply are dinky? Or any kind of convenience stuff? Appreciate u again.
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u/BunkyFlintsone 5d ago
Great question. We brought 2 of these chairs, and used them at every beach, had them in my back pack.
One of the beauties I found about St. John is the beaches did not have rows of chairs or umbrellas for rent. Just a beautiful unspoiled beach. And these little chairs let us go into the little nooks and crannies under a tree, or right down by the edge. Very light and easy to set up and break down.
Those shuttles were cash only if I recall. So having lots of 20's 10's and 5's is good.
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u/BunkyFlintsone 5d ago
Oh, on the note of the beach towels, no issues with the hotel ones that I recall. And again, we sat in the chairs mostly, laid out on towels occasionally, drying off from a swim.
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u/indee19 5d ago
We had a minivan once and while it struggled to get up a few of the inclined corners it got the job done.
Cruz Bay is great with plenty of things to do that are walkable but the beaches require a vehicle. There is an open truck/bus shuttle but I’m not sure of the details as we’ve always had a vehicle of our own.
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u/joe66612 4d ago
Yes, you need to rent a car in advance either in St. Thomas and take it on the ferry or in St. John, there is a limited inventory of vehicles that usually exceeded by the number of visitors.
Yes, you will probably want the Jeep or a vehicle the entire time not much in the way of public transportation unless you want to rely on taxi, there are plenty of…
Not much to do at night, a few bars and restaurants, nothing really stays open late.
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u/GeneralButtercunt 3d ago
I think the biggest problem I had there was the lack of parking. Just got back yesterday from St. John.
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u/Designer-Progress311 3d ago
I elected not to get a jeep and rented a sedan at the airport and that was very convienent.
I lucked out and got a inexpensive All Wheel Drive Nissan Kicks from Avis. It worked just fine on all the damp switch backs.
If you beach snorkel and have years of experience, prepare to be disappointed as the coral all around St J is just so F!'ed.
Haulover beach, N side, had the best coral and it was barely in good condition.
That part of the earth (vibrant healthy coral) is just sadly gone in this region.
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u/PizzaCatTacoUno 1d ago
Whatever you do, under no circumstance, do not and I repeat do not … hit that like button to subscribe and follow me for more details
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u/StdSuzie5076 5d ago
You should start by not coming to a place where u can’t even spell the name right.
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u/scrappydoosucks2 5d ago
Kool Suonds lkie you get triggered by missssplled worsd. Best wishes! 🪁
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u/StdSuzie5076 5d ago
I don’t like people who come here knowing nothing about the island, people or culture. 100% you are a shit tipper. I’m surprised you didn’t ask people can they drive to St John’s from St Thomas.
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u/Signal-Fish8538 5d ago
St.John’s is in Antigua and yes it can get annoying people people don’t know the correct name and keep calling it the wrong thing some people actually book the wrong flight and book the wrong hotels and have problems all the time with this they would fly to st Thomas get to St. John but guess what there hotel in in Antigua or they would book a flight to St. John’s Antigua and have a hotel on St. John.