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I have been reviewing messages on this board for a couple months and since my fiance' and I will be leaving for St. John in less than a month for our honeymoon (Whoo hooo!) I wanted to thank you all for the valuable information I have obtained from your various posts.
One question I had, deals with parking. I understand parking in Cruz Bay can be a little tough and we have prepared for that (hopefully) through the car rental company we are using. However, I have never really seen anyone mention much about parking for the beaches or the trails to beaches. I read Trunk Bay has a parking lot, and the Reef Bay Trail has a parking area that can accommodate a few cars but what about the others? Do many of the other beaches/trails to beaches have parking lots or do you just park on the shoulder of the road (if there is one) or wherever else available and legal? Just curious. Any info is appreciated. Thanks!
Gatorfan
Hello Gatorfan,
Beaches: Hawksnest, Trunk, Cinnamon, Caneel have a parking lot. Jumbie has a small off the road area people park in, enough for 3-4 cars. Gibney/Oppenheimer has enough off-road for again like 3-4 cars just in front of the gate. Maho it’s side of the road parking. Salt Pond has a parking area. Lameshur has sufficient parking along the road. Haulover - last time I was there someone had put in big rocks to block people from parking road-side on the beach side of the road, but folks were pulling in where they could. Leinster/Waterlemon there is a some space for parking at the beginning of the trail or along the road. So basically parking isn't really a problem at beaches.
At trails: some trails are located close to beaches like Cinnamon Bay, Salt Pond Bay, Lameshur - so you park at the beach spots. Reef Bay has a small off the road area people park in.
So parking lots in some places and in others it is side of the road as far off the road as you can get. (You don't want to block the road or stick to far into the road.)
Also it’s off season, parking at beaches/trails with limited parking shouldn't be to bad since there are fewer visitors.
--Islander
The parking lot at Hawksnest is under repair and will not open until Oct. Which by island schedule could mean November. However the beach is open and it is possible to park alongside the road if you get there early enough. Trunk Bay parking can be difficult if you get there too late as taxis take up a lot of space if it is a large cruise ship day. The attendants there are pretty good about finding you parking space.
Thank you for the replies! I have found such a great deal of useful information here. I can't wait to get down to St. John and actually see and do everything first hand! Both my fiance's parents and mine honeymooned in the USVI so we're keeping up the tradition. Of course the information they had was about 35-40 years old so they were not the best source for what to do, where to go etc!
I know we were planning on hitting Trunk, Cinnamon, Salt Pond Waterlemon and Ram Head. I particularly appreciate the info on Lameshur. I have been dying to go there based on every description I have read. My fiance' is kind of dreading the drive as she is sure I will get us stuck there. (She and the great outdoors are not always in perfect harmony so I need to find a way to put her mind at ease!)
I am looking forward to it all and am glad to know it should be a little slower than normal. I checked the cruise schedule at cruisecal.com and it looks like there will be one or two ships in port each day we are there with the exception of Friday and the days we arrive and depart. Hopefully that will keep the crowds down even further. I guess we'll see.
Again I appreciate the information!
Gatorfan
Gatorfan,
As one of the previous responders wrote that Hawksnest is under repair. There are still a few spots around the side of the road by hawksnest. The work crew was moving quite well for island time as of a week ago. It actually looked to be on schedule. We will see.
Here it is if you want a spot in cruz bay, never fails - pay attention. You need to walk about a 1/4 of a mile to some things but it's a nice walk and very pleasureable by shops and after a great dinner so we don't mind. Exercise is good as well. Down by mongoose Junction outside of Hurricane Alley there are always spots available. Not in front of mongoose junction but on the side. If coming from the north such as Asolare - down the hill; it will be your 2nd left. The dept. of public works or something of the sort is your first left and then there is a little parking lot. If coming down after 9:00, I usually park at the Lumberyard, Cruz bay watersports, bakery, Chilly Billys. I am assuming you will support these shops at some point but some of them are not open late so works out fine for dinner.
Sometimes you can find a spot between Zoe Zoes and the beach bar/stone terrace but they are becomming less available because of the stand still construction going on in that area.
Enjoy and congrats
Thanks for the info and the well wishes. I will certainly keep an eye out for the hidden secret spots!
Gatorfan
