This trip report covers our first time to St. John and St. Thomas 3/27 thru 4/4. We stayed at Estate Lindholm B&B outside of Cruz Bay and Secret Harbour near Red Hook.

First off, major props to the good folks on this board (esp Marty and Deb) and on the USVI board for their invaluable insight, tips, and advice, for both the big stuff (what’s a good airfare, where to stay, where to eat, which daysail) and the small stuff (Neat Sheet as beach blanket, toothpaste trick on snorkel mask). Time to give back. Maybe other first timers will find something useful and you long timers will enjoy the perspective.

What prompted this trip was the awful winters we’ve been having here in NJ and my desire to experience the Caribbean again (last time was 23 yrs ago for honeymoon in one of 7 hotels available in Cancun at the time – so we have our own “you shoulda seen it 20+ yrs ago” stories). Also my 12 yr old had it in her head that she wanted to go on a cruise. We really don’t think we are cruise people, but started researching anyway. Review after review said “the best day of the cruise was when we stopped at X island and day tripped/day sailed etc.” so we said why not spend the entire time on one of those islands. This led us to St. Thomas and to St. John.

Flew out of JFK Easter Sunday afternoon, flight was delayed 3 hrs because crew noticed pinhole leak in nosegear hydraulics on their walk around (!) requiring repair. My daughter was upset, but I didn’t care because we were just staying at airport Best Western in San Juan and getting American Eagle out next morning at 9am. Thought I was in some time warp in that old AA terminal at JFK which is worn and crappy looking and had Ms. PacMan video machines. My daughter read my mind when she says that she thinks of the John Lithgow gremlin segment of the Twilight Zone movie when flying at night.

Best Western at SJU is newly refurbished, rooms are small, but beds and pillows very comfy and front door is just across from AA gates – no taxis required. Nice to arrive before 10am to empty airport in St. Thomas and nobody at Budget car rent desk.

As a first timer, I had struggled with the where/what to rent/4WD questions and the various opinions on same on this board. We hadn’t done a beach vacation like this in a long time so I knew we would overpack and thought that wrestling our baggage on and off taxis and ferries to the who knows where rental agency in Cruz Bay wouldn’t be too much fun so decided to go with Budget at the airport. Have used Budget elsewhere and am signed up in their Fastbreak program.

We reserved a midsized car as we were staying first at Estate LIndholm in St. John. I thought that not having the ability to go off road wouldn’t be critical first time. After all, how hilly could the main roads be? Besides, as I explain to my brother Raymond, I’m an excellent driver. I also have a built in bias against SUVs fostered by the distressing number of them driven by knuckleheads and yahoos here in NJ who think that 4WD means “can defy laws of physics when it snows or rains so I can drive a lot faster than you puny humans in the cars” (and almost none have ever seen and dirt or gravel road).

What they forget is they also have to brake under those conditions. Always entertaining to see the preponderance of new SUVs spun out into some mess during the first snowstorms of the winter.

Anyways, I digress. Budget didn’t have the car I reserved at check in and was lucky to get upgraded to a Wrangler with 3300 miles on it for same price I had the midsize for ($189). Sweet.

It was a challenge to have to break in driving on the left with that drive from the airport to Red Hook and then to back up onto the ferry – could be a problem if you are a nervous driver. However, I was laughing and smiling like crazy as my daughter exclaimed “Is that the ocean?!? Is that the color of the water?!?” That’s something you never forget – the first time you see that Caribbean water. Also saw QEII in harbor – huge.

Regardless of what vehicle you get, would seem that good tires are ESSENTIAL so check them. Turns out the main roads on STJ have some switchbacks with pretty acute angles that caused a newbie like me to go “Whoa!” Wound up feeling I was glad I had the 4WD capability as I wouldn’t want to traverse some of those switchbacks in St. John after a light rain when all of the rubber and oil would surface on the pavement. (all you long timers can stop laughing now and dispense with the I told you so’s).

Was able to negotiate the semi-chaotic ferry scene in Red Hook and got over to St. John before noon. Checked into Estate Lindholm early for 4 nights. Very nice. Good location right up the hill from town, would be a decent hike to walk back up.

We had loft room loft "Mingo" which had a very nice view of Cruz Bay. We would have our own “happy hour” on our balcony deck while watching great sunsets over STT (you have the same view as Asolare) and then head out to dinner. This room had a queen on main level and 2 twins up in the loft. Nice shower (with the view window), good bed and pillows, average linens. Wet bar, fridge, and microwave.

Well stocked honor bar in kitchen like area near pool where breakfast fixins and big ice machine is. Beach chairs and beach coolers available. Binder of menus in lobby along with other info. Grounds are beautiful and pool is nice for a dip. Comfortable lounge chairs around pool. Sun or shade available.

Owner Lauren and friend Chris very nice and helpful sources of info, especially for newbies. Props to Chris for turning us onto Sun Dog in Mongoose for 2 great sit down lunches. Maybe I missed it but I am surprised I haven’t seen this lunch spot mentioned on this board. He also suggested Deli Grotto which we actually wound up popping down to for good coffee and great blueberry scones in the morning and good to go sandwiches on day we left STJ for STT.

Which brings me to my only “but” about Estate Lindholm – if you are expecting the breakfast part of this Bed and Breakfast to be great, it isn’t. But that’s not what we go for right? However, it was nice to use the handy zip lock bags available to throw a bunch of the sliced breakfast fruit and bags of ice in the cooler for the beach.

First beaches we went out to were Hawksnest and Cinnamon Bay. Both were good places to get our feet wet with the snorkeling. My wife started to relax right away, falling asleep at Hawksnest.

The first time you see that view of Trunk Bay is pretty amazing. We were at the overlook enjoying the view and doing some photography and one of those safari taxis pulled up full with people. Nobody even got out! And the driver barely stopped long enough for them to hurriedly take some pictures – bet some of them were blurred by the movement of the vehicle as he sped away. Maybe they were running late for one of the 17 buffets back on the ship or something (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Speaking of eats, our first night dinner was an ambitious choice we had made reservations at before we left - Tage. We had a nice table outside and met the same nice Maine couple we had met at lunch over at Sun Dog. They’ve been coming to St. John for 9 years and were good to bounce some of my board inspired research off of. We had scallops, shrimp and scallops, and mahi – all very good. We also had some kind of appetizer sampler special that was a bit disappointing and somewhat overpriced, giving our dining experience about a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.

That night I am awoken by the sound of what sounds like huge raindrops on the roof. I bolt up knowing I had left the sides and back of the jeep all “unzipped” and didn’t want a flooded vehicle. But by the time I step out, the “rain” is stopping, I look up and am startled by the brilliant moonlight and the beauty of a few clouds running past the moon and the stars and I just start laughing and go back in to sleep with a goofy grin on my face. Not a bad way to start a vacation.

Next: Salt Pond, Miss Lucys, Maho, shopping for a hook bracelet, and BVI daysail on White Wing.