TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Ond day on St John

We will be on a catamaran and have one day on St John. We love beach bars, live local music, local fare, meet local people. Any suggestions on where to spend the day? Sometime between Dec 28 & Jan 5

If you are coming from the BVI, you will clear in Cruz Bay. There are a couple of bars on the beach there. Not sure if there is any live music during the day. I'm sure you know that most of St John is national park, so very little beach activity besides liming,snorkeling,etc.

Are you bareboating or on captained charter? and are you looking for a beach bar that you can walk out of and jump in the water?

Well, the Beach Bar and other bars around Wharfside are very fun but I wouldn't swim in Cruz Bay. If you wanted to just find bars and shops without swimming I would highly recommend walking around Cruz Bay, from Mongoose Junction to Gallows Point Resort and everything in between. Mongoose Junction is very close to the National Park docks, Wharfside Village is next to the Ferry Dock. There are a lot of cool shops in Cruz Bay and great restaurants and bars.

If you want swimming and amenities you could grab a ball at Trunk Bay. They have showers and a snack shack with burgers, fries etc and frozen drinks. Also a small gift shop. No live entertainment other than the life guard yelling at the knuckleheads to stop standing on the coral.

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The most reliable music schedule is at http://seestjohn.com/arts_music.html

Winter break there will be a lot going on. Hopefully the north swell won't come up. Caneel Bay mooring and a dinghy ride to Cruz Bay is going to give you the most access to "beach bars, live local music, local fare, meet local people" and access to Salomon and Honeymoon Bays for beach time. The ferries make for a rolly mooring.

Leinster Bay is the most remote spot with great snorkeling and no cell phone coverage from USVI or BVI. Francis Bay is pretty protected and adjacent Maho Bay makes for a killer stop. Sadly, Maho Bay Campground is closed, so no meals or music at the pavilion. Cinnamon Bay has a small restaurant and showers and Trunk Bay has a snack bar and showers..

Cheers, RickG