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In November, we will take our 2nd trip to St. John at the Westin, first time with our daughter who will be ten months old then. We plan to rent a car for several days so I'm assuming we'll need a carseat. Do we bring our own or can we rent one on the island? Also, is it ok to hold onto her when we're traveling on the taxis - when we were there last I don't recall anyone with small children. Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Our last trip to St. John was so magical we'd love to make it a family tradition as she grows up.
I think you should call your car rental agent and ask them of they have carseats for 10 month olds. They probably do.
Legally, you can probably hold her in a taxi. I don't know if there is a law on that. Since most of the taxis on STJ are open air trucks, I don't know how you would buckle her in anyway. I think it's much safer to take her in your rental car with the carseat.
Bring one of those round floats with the bottom with 2 holes for her legs to go through (they are usually mae to look like a turtle or something)....it will make it more fun for you and your wife to be in the water with her and you won't have to hold her the entire time.
The family tradition idea is so nice.
My kids love the USVI so much that one year we decided to use the usual two weeks vacation time to go to Disney World instead and, after that trip, they agreed that we "should have gone to St Thomas instead!" (with long faces when they realized that we were't going to then take ANOTHER 2 weeks to go to STT). So, in this family, STT/STJ tops Disney...which makes MOM very happy.
Hello Lee,
Check with your car rental company, they likely have car seats you can rent. Car seats are required here by law.
In the taxis: I had asked a friend, who is a taxi driver on St. Thomas, about this a few months ago. She had said that yes parents could hold their small children on their lap.
I agree with Bluwater, that getting a rental car so you have a car seat is a good idea, particularly since many of the taxis on St. John are the open air type.
Tips: Get a baby/kids sun block and use it often and all over. Also get something baby friendly to keep bugs away, mosquitoes and no-see-ums... I recall some friends using Avon Skin so Soft on their baby's legs & feet. Bring adequate amounts of water/juice/milk for your little one when you go out and to the beach; its hot here, easy to get dehydrated.
Have a great time.
--Islander
