We are going to visit St. John via yacht charter next week after chartering strictly in the BVI for years. We have been on land and sea in the BVI, and the Admiral would like to squeeze in some time on St. John this trip. It will be our first time on the island. We will be clearing into Cruz Bay C&I. We will only have a couple of days and would like to get a flavor for the place in this short period of time. Would you hire a taxi and guide (there will be six of us), rent a jeep and tour, or just walk around Cruz Bay. We will be staying aboard the boat and visiting a couple of the beautiful bays at night. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Take the tour. You will then hear some of the things to do and also see which beaches you can visit by boat or dinghy.

I'm jealous! Find an online map such as www.virginislandsmap.com/stjohn/cruzbay check into customs then on foot head right staying along the shore passing ferry dock, park, wharfside village. Continue along the shore pass Beach Bar and go to Gallows Point. Thats far enough, turn around and walk back into town passing the Catholic Church and St John Car Rental. Walk to Woodys, Quiet Mon Pub then up the hill to Dolphin Market to look at provisions, then back down towards National Park dock and Mongoose Junction. The towns not that big!

You could take a taxi tour if you want to leave the driving to someone else, stop at the taxi stand by the ferry during your walk and ask about it. During your walk you'll pass several car rental places to see about available vehicles if you want to drive.

First day walking tour, 2nd day driving/taxi tour including Coral Bay and the East End, Annanberg Ruins <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Where are you going to anchor/moor in STJ? I would rent a car, much more flexible and way cheaper then 4 people taxiing all over the island.

Cruz Bay isn't as convenient for visiting boaters as places in the BVI. It's a longish dingy ride for 6 ppl to/from Salomon moorings, esp for nitelife activities. There's rarely any place to anchor in Cruz Bay and the moorings are private. If you grab a ball at Caneel there's taxi service to/from Cruz Bay so that's what I'd do.
On the other hand, St John beaches are beautiful. Our favs are Maho, Waterlemon and Lameshur.

You can get a taxi at The Resort, but you cannot leave your dingy at the Caneel bay Resort dock. So... the only way this is gonna work is if you have people staying on the boat and willing to play taxi with the Dingy. We've done just this, but the shore-party will need a way to contact the snoozers on the mother-ship. FRS radio, cell-phone, or VHF radio. If the shore party brings a hand-held VHF they have to stand in the water to legally use it! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> (though I doubt that law-enforcement will be checking and issuing tickets).

ooops! You are correct sir. I guess you just do the dingy in from Salomon.

Twanger, since everyone has to check in the the dinghy taxi could be problematic

Thanks! I appreciate the help and like the walking tour idea. From there we can get the lay of the land and plan accordingly. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

JCnNC, Leinster Bay/Waterlemon Cay is a wonderful spot to spend the day/night. The snorkeling is great there, the hillsides are undeveloped and would be very peaceful at night. It's also a short walk to the Annenberg Ruins from there along the flat shoreline trail.

If you are looking for nightlife? Cruz Bay of course and/or anchor in Coral Bay and use the dinghy dock behind Skinny Legs. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Evan - You are quite right of course! If you're doing C&I all must appear.

I was actually thinking for the day or two after check-in if they are just hanging around, what might work or not work to get crew ashore and hooked up with a taxi.

We have visited Cruz via the Caneel bay resort, but as a I said only part of the group - the rest remaining aboard.

If we're all going ashore we generally take a ball in Western Caneel and dingy south around the point. One can tie up opposite the Park Service building near the little bridge thingy (do not use their docks!!!) or alternately at the dingy docks at the ferry terminal. Either place we lock our dink and have had no issues. Western Caneel is a bit rolly due to ferry boat traffic. Ok on a cat, but a monohull can get to rockin'.

I've never tried to land crew at Trunk, Cinnamon or Maho with the intention of them catching a taxi to town, but maybe it's doable.

While it probably would be cheaper to rent a car the taxi tour offers a lot of information about the island. We took one (4 of us) with Mr.Wonderful it was technically 3 hours and $35.00 a person but he drove us around stopped at multiple stops for photo opportunities, Salt Pond for us to see that beach and get a good short hike in <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />, stopped at the ruins for us to check them out and then waited for an hour while we swam/snorkeled at Cinnamon, so the tour was really closer to 4 hours. We learned a lot that we would not have in a rental car and didn't have to worry about driving, everybody got to look out of the taxi, no one had to keep their eyes on the road, well except Mr. Wonderful of course. I recommend a taxi tour.

Kevin O'leary works in St.John?

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> Nah, it's a different Mr. Wonderful, I don't think you'd confuse them if you were looking at them!