Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
We had an excellent time. We left Louisville on Thursday, July 7, spent the night in Miami (trade-off for free plane tickets, but definitely a bummer) and got to St. Thomas the next morning. It was the third trip for me and my husband, but we took the kids (8- and 12-year-old girls) for the first time. Wandered around Charlotte Amalie for a while before catching the ferry to St. John. Our rental agency person was there to meet us, She took our luggage in her car for us while we got our rental jeep and rented snorkels. Then we met up at a grocery store and we followed her to our house. (Carefree Getaways, very efficient; Perelandra in Cruz Bay, great 2-bedroom house.)
We hit Trunk Bay at about 4;30 that afternoon, then went to Polli's for an excellent (and cheap) dinner. Home to bed, and up and out early the next morning. We went to Cinnamon Bay and Salt Pond Bay and Skinny Legs. Stopped off at Trunk Bay again on the way back (again, after there was no charge). My husband and daughter saw a 4 1/2-foot barracuda. Then we went to an Italian restaurant in Wharfside Village that was very good and accommodating for the kids.
My older daughter had snorkeled before, but I wasn't very sure about the 8-year-old. No need to worry, though. Once she tried it, we couldn't get her to stop.
OK, so now it's Sunday. We didn't do much that day because my husband was sunburned. (My tan, however, was proceeding excellently.) Went to Maho later that day, and I think Cinnamon again. (I get kind of confused on where we went when.)
On Monday, the 12-year-old has an ear infection. Off to the doctor, who says it's swimmer's ear and she can't go under water for the rest of the trip. Major bummer. She was a trooper, though, and the self-pity was minimal.
So, off we went to Leinster Bay (not sure of the spelling). This was probably our favorite bay. The beach isn't as pretty as the others, but the snorkeling was great. We took the trail around to where a bunch of starfish were, and the swimmer's ear girl was able to wade in and pick them up. That was great because everybody kept talking about the starfish and she wasn't very happy. They also met some other kids, and a couple of donkeys showed up too. We went to Maho Bay that day too (or maybe it was another day). Very easy beach, right on the road. Snorkeling isn't much, though, at least where we were. That evening, I got my hook bracelet, and the girls began the whining that they wanted one too.
Tuesday was probably the highlight of the trip. We went on the New Horizons day trip. The staff were very nice, helpful and knowledgeable. My husband and I had been to Virgin Gorda, but the girls loved it. The rest of it was new for all of us, and each stop was better than the last. Especially liked White Beach (I think that's what it's called) on Jost Van Dyke. Of course by then, the painkillers had been flowing freely, so we were easy to please. But the kids liked it too. When we got back to Cruz Bay, I exchanged my bracelet for a different size, and we gave into the girls' whining for their own bracelets. (Again, the painkillers played a role in that.) Had a so-so dinner at J.J.'s (the kids' choice) then home early.
Wednesday was our last full day. We went back to Cinnamon, but it was very windy. We thought about trying to figure out how to get to Francis Bay, but then decided to take the wimpy way out and just go to Maho. But we had a really good, laid-back time there. Our last stop, again, was at Trunk Bay. It was our anniversary, and the kids cooked us dinner.
Thursday was spent wrapping things up and taking a 4:30 flight to Miami, where we spent the night again.
I'm not sure this reflects what a great time we had. The girls loved all the lizards and other wildlife (except the dead scorpion in the girls' shower). They didn't once complain that there wasn't putt-putt or Hard Rock Cafe or any of that other crap. (Although the 8-year-old kept wanting to go fishing.) It's a different experience with kids, not quite as fun in many ways, but definitely better than most trips we take with them!
Hey cg...great report!! Loved the part about how well the painkillers helped for a more memorable vacation!!! Too funny!
I'm thinking that we need one more trip without the kids before we will whare St. Thomas with them!! Oh...wait...they all will be moved out by then!!! Oh well!
Nice trip report - so glad you had a great time but just for your info there is putt-putt on STJ - Pastory Gardens - been open a few years now so I guess you'll just have to go back next week to check it out 🙂
Hello cg, Nice report. Glad your family had a good time. Thanks for sharing.
--Islander
Am interested in possibly getting one & am not sure where the best place is to get one and what they run pricewise????
There's a store in the back of Wharfside that carrys the Caribbean Bracelets. It's by the St. John Spice shop. Go to www.caribbeanbracelet.com/caribbean_hook_bracelet.html and check out what they refer to as the Lover's Loop. That is known on St. John as the St. John hook bracelet. I have one and got it there and I love it. My daughters have the traditional hook.
I don't know that you can say the Lover's Loop is known as the St. John hook bracelet. I think what distinguishes the St. John hook from the Cruzian hook is that the hook is in the form of a "J", instead of a "C".
I've purchased two hook bracelets from the following store: http://www.stjohnjewelers.com/Hook.htm There you can see examples of what's known as the St. John hook - among other creations.
The store is called Coral Bay Jewelers and they're located straight ahead as you walk off the Cruz Bay Dock - next to JJ's Texas Cafe.
Thanks CG. Nice trip report. I'm sorry to hear of the swimmer's ear. That's a good reason to return, so she can make up for what she missed underwater...and to try Pastory Gardens and their lovely putt-putt course.
