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What to Do on a Rainy Day in St. John?

Look for the rainbows in the upcoming days!

Well folks, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that is looks like the island is about to receive some much-needed rain. The bad news is that some of you may have a few soggy vacation days later this week if the current forecast holds true.

This week’s forecast per Wunderground.com

For those of you who have visited St. John in recent weeks, you have seen how dry the island is. What should be beautiful green rolling hills is actually brown and quite crunchy looking in numerous spots across the island. Driving has been a tad trickier than normal too, as the water trucks have been quite busy keeping up with the demand.

So you may be wondering, “what the heck do I do in a place where nearly everything is outdoors?” Well here are my suggestions. 🙂

The Cruz Bay 500 

This one is for all of the adults out there. Act like a resident and try your luck with the infamous Cruz Bay 500. Start at one bar and restaurant, and see how far you make it during the day… drinking responsibly along the way, of course. The Beach Bar and High Tide are two great spots to spend a rainy day at if you’re looking for a waterfront spot in Cruz Bay, and The Tap Room is another great spot over in Mongoose Junction. A bonus is that it is mostly indoors, so you can stay nice and dry over there. Remember, most of our restaurants are open air, so you will definitely want to bring a rain jacket, an umbrella and perhaps even a hat. It can get a tad chilly too on rainy days (the dreaded 70s… ha!), so you may want to pack a hoodie too.

The Upstairs, Cruz Bay’s newest bar, is bringing back “Rain Shots” made popular during that location’s Crazy Crackers days. They’re offering $3 shots of Jamo, Jager, Milagro and Bombs whenever it’s raining out.

Not sure where these restaurants are located? Check out Explore STJ’s Restaurant Map.

Not feeling the Cruz Bay 500? Then check out our fantastic shops that are located around Cruz Bay. Mongoose Junction is always a beautiful spot in the rain, and if it rains hard enough, a small river will form in the gut that flows underneath it.

Coral Bay

Skinny Legs will definitely be a great spot to spend a few hours on a rainy day. It has a large covered dining area and Mumbo Jumbo, the retail shop beside Skinny’s is one of my favorites. You can also check out my friend Leah’s new shop, The Pirate’s Cove, which is right across the street. Jolly Dog, which is located beside Salty Mongoose, is another great place to visit for some rainy day retail therapy.

Hike to a Waterfall

If it really does rain as forecasted, a waterfall will form at Reef Bay. This is definitely a sneaker or sandals with straps kind of hike, as it will definitely be slippery. The trailhead for the Reef Bay trail is about five miles outside of Cruz Bay and about three miles outside of Coral Bay on Route 10, also known as Centerline Road. The trail is 2.1 miles in each direction if you are going from the road to the ocean, and it is quite steep. There is a spur trail on the right that will lead you to the petroglyphs where the waterfall will form. Pack a bag, bring snacks and plenty of water for this hike.

This is a pretty old pic, but how beautiful is this??! Image credit: Steve Simonsen Photography

Explore St. John’s History

There are so many interesting historical sites to check out around the island. Spend some time over at Catherineberg, the site of a very interesting and unusual windmill. Catherineberg is located three miles outside of Cruz Bay, just off of Centerline Road. Click here to read a recent article I wrote about Catherineberg.

The windmill at Catherineberg

You can also check out the Cinnamon Bay Sugar Factory on Route 20 or North Shore Road. There is even a little nature trail behind the sugar factory that is a pretty cool thing to check out. You will definitely want to bring a rain jacket, hat and umbrella for this excursion.

The boiling house at Cinnamon Bay.

And if none of these activities sound fun to you, curl up at home with a good book. There is a bookstore at The Marketplace in Cruz Bay, just outside of Starfish Market.

Not on St. John, but you want to see what’s happening this week or at anytime? Check out my webcam page at www.explorestj.com/webcams. I have more than 20 live streaming webcams to watch.

That’s all for today, folks. Have a great one!


Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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