Lovango is hosting Friends’ annual gala this weekend.
Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! It’s gala season here in St. John! We held the Animal Care Center’s annual fundraising gala last Saturday, and the turnout was great! Thank you to everyone who came and supported St. John’s cats and dogs. The ACC’s online auction continues through Friday. Click here to get in on the action and to see what’s up for bid!
But wait! There’s another gala and auction happening! Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park is holding its annual fundraising gala at Lovango Resort + Beach Club this Saturday. The event itself is sold out, but you can still participate in its raffle and silent auction.
Friends has more than 50 amazing items available through its silent auction. Friends’ silent auction ends Friday, February 2nd at 3 p.m. EST. Items include artwork created by local artists including Elaine Estern and Jane Cook-Rutnik, boat trips, jewelry, and more. You must register to bid before viewing the 50 available items. Click here for more information.
Friends is also holding a raffle that includes restaurant gift certificates, boat trips, jewelry, and more. Tickets are just $25. Click here to purchase a raffle ticket.
And lastly, you can purchase a raffle ticket for a Lovango Resort + Beach Club experience. For $50, you can enter to bid on a cabana for the day at Lovango’s Beach Club for up to six people. This prize includes roundtrip ferry transportation and a bottle of Prosecco. Click here to purchase a raffle ticket.
The pool at Lovango’s Beach Club
That’s all I have for you today! It’s super busy on island, so it’s time for me to head out and pick up more island tour guests! It’s never too early to book! Please visit www.explorestj.com/tour for more information or email me at jenn@explorestj.com. Have a a great day everyone!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tourFull & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
I am so happy to share that a new restaurant just reopened at Concordia. This is the first time that a restaurant has been operating at the popular eco-resort since Hurricane Irma forced it to close in 2017. I popped in Sunday morning with some of my repeat tour guests, and we all agreed that the place looked incredible! (Thanks Amy & Steve for checking it out with me!)
Let’s start with the location. Concordia is located near Salt Pond which is in the southeast corner of St. John. Coming from Cruz Bay, you will drive down Route 10 (Centerline Road) and then you’ll take a right when you reach the Coral Bay Triangle. From there, the entrance to Concordia is almost four miles down the road and on your left-hand side.
Concordia is located in the southeast corner of St. John.
The new restaurant is called The Lookout at Concordia. It wasn’t open when I stopped by Sunday morning, so I can’t share too many details about the actual food (although I’m excited to try it!), but what I can tell you is that it has an incredible view and great breezes. The restaurant is very spacious. There is a large, covered bar, ample seating on the deck, and even barstools on a rail that overlooks Salt Pond Bay and Ram Head.
Looking south toward Salt Pond BayThere is ample seating on the deck.Beautiful views of Ram Head tooThere is a large covered bar area with TVs in case there is a game you’d like to watch.
The Lookout at Concordia is currently open Friday through Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. They plan to open for lunch and Sunday brunch soon. Check out their current dinner and drinks menus:
(Click to enlarge)(Click to enlarge)
Want to get a better view? Check out this quick video I took Sunday morning:
Want to know exactly where The Lookout at Concordia is located? Please visit www.ExploreSTJ.com/restaurantmap to find its location and to search for all of the restaurants located in St. John.
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tourFull & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Hello everyone, and happy Friday! It’s been an extremely windy week here on St. John, and the waves have been pretty big at some of our more popular beaches because of it. Today I am going to tell you how to best navigate these blustery days.
First, I suggest downloading the Windy app or visit Windy.com. You can zoom into our location here in the US Virgin Islands. (This app shows you winds from around the world. It’s pretty cool.) You can choose to look at knots or miles per hour, and you can even see what the wind gusts are. I looked this morning, and the winds are blowing consistently at around 20-25 mph and the gusts are around 30-35mph. That’s a pretty windy beach day.
Today’s winds – Jan. 24, 2024
Winds typically come out of the East, which is what’s happening today. When they are strong out of the East, you can guarantee that there will be big waves at Cinnamon, Trunk, and Hawksnest. The right side at Trunk will be better (if looking at the water) because it is protected a bit by the hillside. I spent a few hours at Maho yesterday, and it was even breezy there.
The East End beaches are better on days like these. Saltwell Bottom and Hansen are both located near the end of Centerline Road, which is Route 10 on the map. Both are pay to park beaches because the land beside them is privately owned, so please plan accordingly. Salt Pond will also be calm and Lameshur should be good too.
Saltwell Bottom & Hansen are located on the East End.
On the flip side, if you like waves, head out to Cinnamon today. That is going to be the best spot to either sit back and watch the waves, or grab a boogie board and play in them.
Waves at Cinnamon Bay
And here is a comment that a friend who owns a boat charter company asked me to share with you all – if your captain cancels your trip due to wind, they’re doing it for safety purposes. She said she routinely gets calls from potential customers asking for a trip after another trip gets cancelled due to wind. It’s a safety thing. Trust me, they all wish they could take you out. 🙂
Looking ahead, it seems that the winds will calm down by Monday afternoon, but the winds will switch to the south then. So the south side beaches – Hansen, Saltwell, Salt Pond, and Lameshur, for example – will likely be pretty wavy. And if the weather holds true, the North Shore beaches – Hawksnest, Trunk, Cinnamon, and Maho, for example – should be super calm early next week.
That’s all I have for you today, folks! Back on the road for another island tour today! February is nearly full and March is filling up quickly. I even have December bookings! It’s never too early to reserve your island tour. Learn more at www.explorestj.com/tour or email me at jenn@explorestj.com.
Have a great day!
Explore STJ would like to introduce our newest advertiser – Ardisia villa. Ardisia is a stunning, five-bedroom, luxury waterfront rental on Great Cruz Bay. It has its own private beach, so you can hop in the water and snorkel or kayak right from your back door. It has a large infinity-edge pool, beautiful furnishings and so much more. Please click here to learn more.
Picaroon’s Parlay is the newest boat to join the Flyaway Charters fleet!
Who loves a day on the water? I know I do! I am super excited to tell you all about an amazing new boat that’s available for boat trips both here in US waters and over in the British Virgin Islands too.
Picaroon’s Parlay is a brand-new, dual-console World Cat that splashed down into our waters just last month. It’s the newest boat in Flyaway Charters’ fleet, and she is an absolute beauty. Flyaway Charters is one of the longest-running charter boat companies in St. John, and its owners Colin and Leah Hanson happen to be good friends of mine. Flyaway Charters is based out of Coral Bay. Their fleet also includes three 27-foot Glacier Bay power catamarans, which are available for both US and BVI charters, and a Molly Cove Harbor Tender, which is used as its Lime Out shuttle boat.
At 32-feet long, Picaroon’s Parlay can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests. I’ve been on a lot of charter boats over the years, and I have to say, this one is designed perfectly! It’s not only spacious, but it’s extremely comfortable too. I took a quick trip on it a few weeks ago, and I was beyond impressed!
Dalton and Thatch loved our trip on Picaroon’s Parlay! Thatch is the son of Leah and Colin who own Flyaway Charters.
From the moment you step onto Picaroon’s Parlay, you can immediately see how it was designed with comfort in mind. Its deck is made by SeaDek, which is a non-slip, skid-resistant, padded floor. It’s cushy and comfy, and I just loved it. When it comes to seating, there is a ton. There is a comfortable and shaded, l-shaped seating area across from the captain in addition to two comfortable bench seats up in the bow. You can add a third cushion up front to make one large comfy seat too. It’s a pretty nice touch.
Even the floor is comfy!Ample shaded seatingComfortable seating on the bowThis is a great place to spend the day! So comfortable!
For those of you looking to get into the water, there is a door on the side of the boat, as well as a large deck on the stern which makes getting into and out of the water that much easier. It even has a freshwater rinse for people like me who don’t enjoy the stickiness of the salt water after a dip in the ocean. And lastly, there is even a sink, refrigerator, and a small restroom on board.
The side door opens for easy access into the water.And then there is a large deck when hopping back onto the boat.Sink & fridge… yes, please!
Picaroon’s Parlay is available for half-day and full-day USVI trips, as well as trips to the British Virgin Islands. Because it’s a faster boat, you can easily take it up to Virgin Gorda for the day. If you are unfamiliar with this island in the BVI, it’s home to the Baths, which are very cool rock formations that you can climb up, over, and around. The Baths are a beautiful spot and even hosted a Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot years ago. You can even visit Necker Island, which is Richard Branson’s private island. This is an amazing spot where you can take a private nature tour that allows you to interact with lemurs, large tortoises, and more.
Foxy’s is a great bar located in Jost van Dyke in the BVI.Jenga in the Caribbean? Yes, please!Jost days are the best days!Pulling up to the Willy T, the BVI’s only floating bar.Meet a lemur at Necker Island! (Pictured with Leah Hanson, owner of Flyaway Charters)
Half-day USVI trips on Picaroon’s Parlay are $945 and a full-day USVI trip is $1,495. A full-day BVI Jost trip is $2,2025 and a BVI trip to Virgin Gorda is $2,215. The Necker Island trip costs $2,875, plus the cost of the Necker Island tour which is paid directly to Gumption, the tour operator. All of Flyaway Charters’ prices include fuel. BVI trip prices do not include BVI customs fees, which is $85 per person. Customs is paid directly to the BVI government.
Love City Wing Spot is located at the gravel lot in Cruz Bay.
There is a new place to get breakfast in Cruz Bay, and it debuts today!
Love City Wing Spot, a great little food truck that’s located at the gravel lot in Cruz Bay, is now serving breakfast. And it not only looks good, but it’s affordable! Check out the menu:
A johnny cake for only $2? Yes, please!
Love City Wing Spot is serving breakfast Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. It serves lunch and dinner (same menu) until 7 p.m. It opens a bit later on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and is closed on Sundays.
Lunch & dinner menu
Want to know exactly where Love City Wing Spot is located? Check out our searchable restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.
I took this pic on a walk out to Waterlemon last week. Gorgeous!
Hello everyone, and happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. There’s a lot that’s new on St. John, so I thought I would share a little update today.
First, let’s start with restaurants. Unfortunately, Salty Mongoose closed out in Coral Bay last month, but a new spot is working to open in its place. According to a Facebook post, the new restaurant will be called Sharky’s By the Water, and it is expected to open sometime in mid-February. (Click here to follow them on Instagram.) According to the Coconut Telegraph, Salty Mongoose was working to open at the old mini golf spot near Cruz Bay, but I haven’t heard anything definitive on that. If I hear anything, you’ll all be the first to know.
Looking for somewhere new to watch a game? Our friends over at the Sweet Shack on Centerline Road now have a projector screen at its rooftop bar. You can watch the game outdoors – with sound – while enjoying a nice view, drinks, and even some ice cream if you’d like! You can even bring over to-go food from Shambles, which happens to be its sister restaurant directly across the street. I have been meaning to tell you more about this new spot for a while now. I promise that I will get over there this week, so I can share more details and pics!
Now onto the island itself… We are definitely busy. It’s not crazy busy where it’s unbearable, but the island is full. It seems that the colder you all are, the busier we are. And my goodness, it sure looks chilly up there! Parking at the beaches is somewhat easy in the mornings – say up to about 10:30 a.m. or so – but it’s definitely more problematic in the afternoons from what I’ve been seeing as I cruise around during my Explore STJ Island Tours. And I know I have said this multiple times, but it is worth repeating: No parking really does mean no parking. I see tickets at the North Shore beaches on almost a daily basis. Let’s use that cash at the restaurants or the shops, not on parking tickets.
And lastly, the Animal Care Center is hosting its largest fundraising event this Saturday. Please consider attending the gala, which will be held at The Last Resort in Chocolate Hole. Think party, not gala. It’s island-fancy, not formal. Tickets are $175 in advance. You can buy them at the Animal Care Center, Connections, or St. John Hardware. Or you can email me at jenn@explorestj.com and I will help you purchase them.
Not on island this weekend? No problem! You can still support the Animal Care Center by bidding on one of 24 auction items. Click here to learn more.
Explore STJ would like to thank our newest advertiser – The Tap Room & St. John Brewers! I don’t know about you, but I love every moment I spend over at The Tap Room in Mongoose Junctions. They make their own beers, sodas, hard seltzers and more. And even better? Pizzas are $5 off during happy hour seven days a week! And lastly, they have arcade games and a photo booth for the kids, plus air conditioning. You really can’t beat that.
Want to advertise on ExploreSTJ.com, St. John’s most-read blog? Just contact me at jenn@explorestj.com & I can share all of the details. 🙂
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tourFull & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
