the bush, but keep in mind that some of the land within the Park boundaries is privately owned. The Park strictly enforces the laws that protect the Park’s fragile environment. Take only pictures and leave only footprints.
Cruisers will find pristine anchorages and top-notch sailing when they wend their way through the Park. During the winter months, keep a lookout in Pillsbury Sound between St. John and St. Thomas for breaching whales.
To give everyone a chance to enjoy the Park’s beautiful waters, sailors are limited to 14 nights per year in the Park. You might want to stop in Cruz Bay and pick up a box lunch before visiting the Park. However, most of the time lunch, restrooms and cool showers are available at Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. Hawksnest Beach has restrooms. Francis Bay, Salt Pond and Lameshur Bay have natural rustic facilities.
Within the Park boundaries, you will find Cinnamon Bay Campground, Caneel Bay Resort and a collection of private homes for rent. While the Park is the island’s focal point, St. John has much more to offer. The main town of Cruz Bay is now a bustling port. While it doesn’t begin to rival St. Thomas for traffic, you will see cruise ships’ tenders dropping off passengers nearly every day during winter season, sail boats clearing into the territory through the U.S. Customs facility, and barges hauling construction materials. If you want to absorb the local flavor, spend an hour sitting in Cruz Bay Park, just across from the ferry terminal, and watch an entire cross-section of humanity pass by.
Stop at the local Elaine Ione Sprauve Library just up from Cruz Bay center off Route 104, called South Shore, which after Fish Bay continues as Giftt Hill up to Centerline Road.
The collection housed in the Enighed plantation great house, includes some pre-Columbian pottery and artifacts from the sugar mill. The library hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can browse its collection of books on the Caribbean. Call the library at 776-6359 for more information.
To see more of the island, rent a car at any of the handful of agencies in Cruz Bay. You can take Centerline Road, which goes straight through the island, or the North Shore Road, which is winding and passes many National Park beaches and scenic lookouts. On Centerline you may encounter truck traffic, so it’s slower, with no room to pass. Drive along Centerline Road, Route 10 from Cruz Bay, towards the east end, to the sleepy community of Coral Bay, which is ever expanding. Once out of Cruz Bay, the pace slows. Fill up on gas before you leave, since St. John has only two stations at this time, E & C and Racetrack.
Once you leave the residential and commercial area of Cruz Bay, you will find green hills and spectacular views on the 20-minute drive. When you get to Coral Bay, turn right and head down Route 107 and see one breathtaking view after another.Watch for places to stop and take pictures. Also watch out for goats and donkeys that roam the roads. They will put quite a dent in your rental car if you hit one. Also drive slowly and on the left. It is very narrow. If you are truly intrepid, follow the up-hill and down-dale road past Salt Pond to Lameshur Beach for an afternoon of snorkeling, sunning or dozing in the shade. Explore the ruins of the old Lameshur plantation that hugs the western end of Lameshur Bay beach.
Staying on the Island
St. John has a wide variety of accommodations to suit the visitor’s taste and budget. From campgrounds to luxury villas, to the gorgeous Westin Resort, with an assortment of budget guest houses in between. Most outdoor types will like the Park’s Cinnamon Bay Campground 776-6330, Concordia near Salt Pond south side) and Viers in Lameshur Bay. Caneel Bay Resort and the Westin have top amenities. The Inn at Tamarind Court offers adequate accommodations at a lower price range. Gallows Point Resort and Hillcrest Guest House are within walking distance of Cruz Bay. (Movie stars such as: John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Kevin Bacon and Denzel Washington,have been known to frequent St. John in winter.) If you want a home away from home, there are more than 500 private homes for rent, with pools, hot tubs and spectacular views. Villas and condos such as Serendip are also for rent. Call some realtors on St. John, or phone the St. John Visitor’s Bureau (Dept. of Tourism) at (340) 776-6450.
Dining Out
From native-style vegetarian to upscale dining, you can find it in St. John. Since the restaurant scene is ever-changing, ask the next person you see in the street for their favorite. For lunch try Ocean Grill at Mongoose Junction. For local flavor, try any one of the local stands selling patés, (a turnover filled with ground beef, chicken or fish), and other Caribbean delights. If you are in Coral Bay, see Shipwreck Landing for fresh fish sandwiches and a cold Carib. Try Skinny Legs Bar and Grill adjacent to the dinghy dock, for a reasonably-priced lunch, or the brand new Aqua BistroBar & Restaurant. For top- of-the line dining, Caneel Bay Resort, Asolare above Cruz Bay, and The Westin fill the bill. The staff attends to your every wish as you dine on such sumptuous delights as Caribbean lobster and prime rib.
For a more moderately priced dinner in Cruz Bay visit Lime Inn for fish and shrimp, chicken and pasta, or Morgan’s Mango. At the Fish Trap, (where they operate as a fish market on certain days) try their seared tuna which got a write up in ‘Gourmet’ magazine, followed by their warm coconut cake with caramel rum sauce featured in ‘Bon Apetit.’ Also see LaTapa in the heart of Cruz Bay, plus you can check out the newly opened Extra Virgin Bistro in town by the Police Station. The great scent of Uncle Joe’s BBQ at the center of Cruz Bay near the post office, can be smelled all the way to the ferry dock! Many restaurants are closed during the offseason (August and September), so call first.
Shopping Around
From tee shirts to top locally designed jewelry, you are sure to finish your shopping list on St. John. Shopping is centered at Wharfside Village on the beach at Cruz Bay and at the two Mongoose Shopping Centers just past the Park Office. Don’t miss the dozens of boutiques in between. As far as grocery shopping, there are several excellent grocery stores (prices are a little higher than St. Thomas). Try the Marketplace mall just south of town for one-stop shopping. Look for Starfish Market, the island’s largest grocery store; St. John Hardware; Chelsea Drugs; Kaleidescope Video and The Lumberyard.
AROUND THE ISLANDS - ST. THOMAS
Like Rome, all roads or sea lanes lead to Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, the seat of government as well as a shopper’s Mecca. The downtown district reflects the island’s Danish heritage. While many of the streets now have English names; some still bear those given by the Danes, and some carry both names. For example, Main Street is also known as Dronningen’s Gade.
A trading port almost since its beginnings in the 1600s, Charlotte Amalie continues its merchant tradition, which is a hard act to follow. A duty-free port, you will find prices below stateside. Housed in historic warehouses, the city’s brick buildings are filled to the rafters with a mind-boggling array of goods. Wind your way through narrow exotically named alleyways to find jewelry priced from a few dollars to the sky’s the limit. Every kind of liquor imaginable, including made-in-St. Croix Cruzan Rum and Captain Morgan Rum, is there for the tasting. Fine linens, designer leather goods, tropical clothing, electronics, perfume and, of course, yards of tee shirts can be found in the shops of Charlotte Amalie. For a chance to bargain, try the Vendor’s Plaza at the east end of the shopping district, where you will find an array of tee shirts, African clothing and island-wraps. Over the years, the shopping district has sprawled northward, so don’t forget to stroll the side streets to see what the merchants have to offer. For a smaller selection of the same goods, shop at Havensight Mall adjacent to the cruise ship docks. Nearby Yacht Haven Grande is a great shopping center;
