If you haven't already done so, I would look them both up on line and read the info and reviews. We stayed at Maho on our first stay on St. John. We very much enjoyed, but we decided that on future trips we wanted our own bathroom. We also stayed in their condos on the 2nd trip and that was fine also. Then we started staying in villas. There are about 70 to 100 steps down to the small beach at Maho, but their tents are fully screened in. From what I have read about Cinnamon, the tents may not close up tightly. We met a couple one time with 2 kids who were checking into a hotel because they had seen scorpions in their tent at Cinnamon, but Maho warns you to check your shoes and bedding before getting into bed for scorpions also. Cinnamon beach is really beautiful and maybe my favorite so I guess I take the chance of one crawling across my towel when I am there. Also, I risk scorpions when I visit my sister and friends at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. So, I am not trying to discourage you.

A few of the Maho tents have good views of the ocean. Some of the tents at Cinnamon are basically right on the beach, and the thought of stepping right out onto the beach seems good when I am there, but I have gotten used to villas with big views of the ocean and BVI's. The few villas on the beach are more than I want to pay at this time. You really might want to check out some small villas. You might try www.vrbo. Further back on this message board someone recommended specific villas on that website that were very reasonable and that I might want to use when my husband and I come without another couple. I think some were about 1,000 for a week, and I think that some of them have the 8% USVI tax already in the cost--check carefully. By the time you pay for campground plus taxes, it might not be that different. Of course, both campgrounds have restauarants. At other places you would more likely need a car.

I don't know about taxis out of the campgrounds. Cinnamon likely has more going in and out due to many people taking one to the beach there.

We liked the food at Maho, also. Of course, this was 20 years ago.

I'd say that you are about right at 25 to 30 per person to get to St. John. After, that I think the additional taxi on St. John would add to that, but I don't know how much because after our first trip we started renting cars.

For food we like Shipweck, Skinny Legs, Island Blues and Miss Lucy's in Coral Bay. Make sure you try a "painkiller" at Skinny Legs. I think they have the best ones on the island.

Have a great time. We will also be there in May. In fact, four weeks from today we will be arriving for I believe our 8th stay.

Ok, I looked up that previous message I spoke about. It is "sherban dated Jan 17, 2010".

You might want to rent a Jeep for a day or two to do a couple things that might need the use of a jeep. Or, you can hop on the bus from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay for $1! There is also hitch hiking which has worked out for us when we parked our Jeep on one end and hiked 2 different trails and ended up on the opposite end from our Jeep! :$) woopsy!

I am not a camper and not a fan of public showers so I would probably try and rent a cheap villa. I have seen many for around $1000/ week.

Good Luck!

I can only tell you that we go to Maho for breakfast and dinner when we are in the area on our boat, but we avoid the Cinnamon Bay restaurant like the plague!

thank you everyone for all the info! 😀