It’s Hot! Here’s Where to Escape the Heat on St. John.

It hit 104 degrees yesterday, according to the thermometer on my Jeep. I snapped this pic after pulling into Skinny Legs.

It’s hot. Like most of the country, St. John is a bit hotter than usual. I’ve been consistently seeing temps in the mid to upper 90s around Coral Bay, Salt Pond, and the East End over the past several weeks. The thermometer on the Jeep has even hit 100+ a few times when I was driving along Centerline Road near Coral Bay. The temps seem to be closer to the upper 80s on the North Shore and around Cruz Bay but don’t be fooled, it’s still sweltering there too.

So where exactly can you beat the heat during times like this? The majority of our restaurants are open-air, which means they have fans, not air conditioning. Here is a list of come of the colder spots on St. John:

The Parrot Club, Wharfside Village, Cruz Bay

The Parrot Club is a small casino right on the water in Cruz Bay. It has a full bar and drink specials daily. The Parrot Club is fully enclosed with air conditioning. It is a great place to cool down on a hot day, and you may even win a bit of cash while you’re there. There are a few dozen slot machines and a large roulette table. The Parrot Club does not have any live dealers.

The VI Wine Shop, Wharfside Village, Cruz Bay

The wine shop is a great little spot with a large bar and small tables to sit at. You can order wine by the glass or purchase a bottle off the wall. They serve a few specialty cocktails too, but they do not serve beer at this time. The wine shop is fully air-conditioned. They even offer a small menu that includes charcuterie, olives, burrata, and a few other treats.

Lovango Run Bar, Cruz Bay

Lovango Rum Bar is located across from the beach in Cruz Bay. It has a large open-air outdoor space with great views of Cruz Bay and also a large indoor space that is fully air-conditioned. Lovango Rum Bar has great pizzas, salads, and charcuterie plates too. This is one of my favorite spots on St. John.

Cafe Roma, One Block from the Ferry Dock, Cruz Bay

Cafe Roma is consistently ranked the best Italian on St. John, and my island tour guests have been raving about it lately. It is located above The Longboard, just one block from the ferry dock. This is a fully enclosed dinner restaurant with cold air conditioning. Cafe Roma is a walk-in restaurant. They do not take reservations.

Dave & Jerry’s Steakhouse, One Block from the Ferry Dock, Cruz Bay

Dave & Jerry’s is also located close to the ferry dock. They are underneath the Cruz Bay Hotel and across the street from Lime Inn. The interior dining area is fully air-conditioned. If you opt to dine outside in the bar area, there are fans and streetside views. Dave & Jerry’s accepts reservations and is open for dinner only.

The Tap Room, Mongoose Junction, Cruz Bay

The Tap Room opens daily at 11 a.m. and serves the same menu until 9 p.m. It has a large dining room and bar area that is fully air-conditioned. There is even a photo booth and two arcade games to keep the kids entertained while you’re cooling off. The Tap Room is walk-in only. They do not take reservations.

North Shore Deli, Mongoose Junction, Cruz Bay

North Shore Deli serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week. It is fully air-conditioned with a handful of tables. You can enjoy the cool air while waiting for a to-go order or dine in. Call ahead to save some time. North Shore also has a nice grab-and-go section.

Some restaurants like The Terrace and Extra Virgin, for example, are open-air but have air conditioning in the interior sections of the restaurants. The Windmill Bar usually has great breezes to cool you down, as does Salty Mongoose and Surf Club Cantina in Coral Bay.

The rest of the open-air restaurants have numerous fans throughout to keep patrons cool. They are all still great places to dine at. I just wanted you all to know today where you can find a few full air-conditioned spots because my island tour guests have been asking about this a lot lately.

Added August 14th: Cap’s Place and The Dpwnstairs at The Upstairs are also air-conditioned now.

Want to know where some of these spots are located? Please check out Explore STJ’s Restaurant Map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

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Want to see & learn more about St. John? Take an Island Tour with Explore STJ. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Learn more at www.ExploreSTJ.com/tour.

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