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Author: Jenn Manes

Here’s What’s Currently Happening in St. John

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
It was a beautiful day at Reef Bay Monday.

Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! We are in the midst of super high season, so I thought this would be an opportune time to let you all know what’s currently happening in St. John.

The island is busy! President’s Week is one of the busiest weeks of the year here. Several towns up in New England have school vacation this week (I’m sure other areas around the country do too), so we have a ton of families visiting right now. This means that the beaches are filling up very quickly, and the restaurants are full too.

Parking at the beaches was pretty ridiculous along the North Shore Monday afternoon. It always ceases to amaze me when people park directly next to “No Parking” signs or literally in the street where they are blocking half of the lane. The National Park loves to give tickets, so just a gentle reminder if you are visiting us anytime soon – no parking truly means no parking. Click here to read a recent story that details where it’s safe to park at the beaches and where it is not.

Mind boggling
Not cool
The first three vehicles are literally block half of the lane!

If you don’t want to get up early and arrive at the beach by say 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m., just plan to take a taxi. They are plentiful and it’s so much easier, not to mention stress-free. The beaches are filling up that fast during this time of year. The key is to get there very early, or go later in the afternoon.

The restaurants are full too. We ate at Extra Virgin Bistro Sunday night (which was delicious by the way), and I was surprised to see so many families there with children. It was packed, as are most places these days.

A little reminder of the restaurants that you will need a reservation for this time of year: Morgan’s Mango, The Terrace, Extra Virgin Bistro, La Tapa, Ocean 362, and ZoZo’s. If your heart is set on 1864 and Banana Deck, I would recommend making a reservation there too.

The weather has been great over the past week, although it feels like it’s a little warmer than usual for February. I think this may be a sign of the times, so head to the beach early to ensure a shady spot. We had a lot of rain two weeks ago, so there are a fair amount of mosquitos milling about. Be sure to have some bug spray with you.

In case you missed it yesterday, the cute little wine shop and bar at Wharfside Village reopened last week. It’s a great spot to enjoy a glass of wine and some light bites in the AC. You can also buy a bottle off the wall and take it to-go. Click here to read that post in case you missed it. 

I love the wine shop.

Looking to buy a business in St. John? Well if there are any dentists out there, St. John’s only dental office just listed for sale. Click here to learn more.

I think that’s it for today. I took today off and am looking forward to spending the day over in Jost Van Dyke. If you’re watching the Soggy Dollar Bar’s webcam today, you just may catch a glimpse of us! Check out that webcam and nearly two dozen more at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Screenshot from Soggy Dollar’s webcam Monday morning

Have a great day everyone!

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Wine Bar Reopens in Cruz Bay!

Jenn Manes 4 Comments
Wine Shop VI reopened last week.

Hello everyone, and happy Monday! I have great news to share with you all today. The wine bar in Cruz Bay has finally reopened! There goes my bank account! 🙂

Wine Shop VI is one of my favorite spots to grab a nice glass of wine and a quick little bite to eat. It is located in Wharfside Village, which is just steps from the ferry dock. It is on the street side, close to Slim’s parking lot. The wine bar, which also sells bottles of wine and liquor to go, closed last August for off-season. It was forced to stay closed several months longer than expected due to ongoing construction of a hotel above it.

The wine shop received a little makeover during those months, including new paint, lighting, etc. I stopped in for a glass of wine yesterday (for research purposes for all of you, of course!), and it really looks beautiful. Check out a few pics:

Wine Shop VI is currently open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.-ish. They plan to open starting at 11 a.m. next week if all goes as planned.

Want to know where VI Wine Shop is located? Check out Explore STJ’s searchable restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Why It’s Better to Rent in St. John: Delayed Flights

Jenn Manes 2 Comments
I recommend renting a Jeep in Cruz Bay.

It’s a question that’s asked time and time again – is it better to rent a vehicle on St. John or over on St. Thomas? I understand that many of you prefer to start your vacation immediately upon landing. You’d like to hop in a Jeep at the airport and head to Red Hook, perhaps stopping for groceries along the way. Or maybe on the flip side, you’d like to hang out in St. Thomas for a few hours on departure day before flying out. One thing that you really need to consider when doing this is delayed flights. It’s happening a lot lately, which is why I strongly encourage everyone to reconsider renting a vehicle on St. Thomas.

Tomorrow’s island tour guests were scheduled to land today at 3:19 p.m. They were flying from Orlando to St. Thomas and were delayed. They finally landed at 7:49 p.m., four-and-a-half hours late. Luckily they rented a Jeep on St. John, but if they opted to rent it on St. Thomas, they would have had no way of getting it over to St. John.

The people ferry runs from Red Hook to Cruz Bay until 11 p.m. The car barge, on the other hand, runs until 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. depending on the season. This means that you really can’t land later than 6 p.m. in order to make that last barge, and that’s cutting it close in my opinion. It takes time to get off the plane and into the terminal. Some of you have to check bags, which can take 10 minutes or an hour. You just never know. Then you have to get and actually pick up your rental. And from there, it’s a good 35-40 minute drive from the airport to the car barge area.

I went to a wedding in Connecticut last weekend and was supposed to fly home Tuesday. Well a foot of snow delayed that plan, and it also delayed my original flight from JFK to STT. Rather than landing at 1:38 p.m., that flight landed at 5:43 p.m. For the folks who checked bags, they were really cutting it close if they opted to rent on St. Thomas and wanted to make that last barge.

Other island tour guests of mine flew on the Miami flight to St. Thomas last Sunday. When they arrived in the area, they were told the runway was closed, so they had to circle a bit. They circled so much that they were starting to run out of fuel, so they were diverted to San Juan to refuel. They finally landed at STT at 6:55 p.m., more than two hours late.

These are three situations over the past week that I am personally aware of. I am sure there have been more this year.

When I used to vacation here way back when, I always wanted to rent a Jeep on St. Thomas. I wanted to start my vacation immediately, so I completely get it. But it is simply not worth it. Parking is at a premium in St. Thomas. If you miss that last barge, you have to find a place where you can park overnight. (The parking garage at the dock was full this morning when my island tour guests tried to find a spot, so that’s not a guarantee.) Say you find a spot. Now you have to pay to park your car overnight and take the people ferry to St. John. Then once you arrive here, you have to take a taxi to wherever you’re staying unless it’s within walking distance of the dock. If you happen to be staying in a further location like Fish Bay, Coral Bay or beyond, it could be rather tough to even get a taxi to agree to drop you off. And then you will have to do the reverse the next day – Take a taxi to town, take the ferry to St. Thomas, get your vehicle, and then take the barge back to St. John. I don’t know about you, but that sounds completely miserable to me.

Just something to think about when you are planning your next vacation to St. John. 🙂

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

 

Where to Brunch in St. John!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
Rum Hut is the newest spot to serve brunch in St. John.

Today, it’s all about brunch!

We’ve finally made it to the weekend, and weekends are all about brunch! Or at least they should be… 🙂 How does brunch on the beach sound? You know it sounds amazing! Well today I am excited to tell you that Rum Hut is now offering brunch every Sunday. Toes in the sand and mimosa in hand…

Our friends over at Rum Hut just launched a new brunch option last Sunday, and it looks very good. It’s happening this Sunday and every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The bar will stay open until 3:30 p.m. after brunch, and then the restaurant will close for the evening. (These hours are for Sundays only.) Check out the menu and a few pics:

(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)

Looks great, doesn’t it?! Rum Hut is located in Wharfside Village, which is directly on the beach in Cruz Bay and just steps from the ferry dock.

Looking for other brunch options? Banana Deck also serves brunch every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Banana Deck offers all-you-can-drink Mimosas or a Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary bar for just $25 a person. It is located in Cruz Bay, across the street from the beach. It is located beside The Terrace and across from The Beach Bar. Check out their menu:

(Click to enlarge)

The Westin offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays too. I apologize, but I don’t have a menu for this one. But several of my friends have gone recently and said it was great.

Looking for brunch every day? Sun Dog Cafe serves brunch Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. They also have a Jazz brunch every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sun Dog’s brunch features $25 bottomless Mimosas, $8 Bloody Mary’s, and $6 Screwdrivers in addition to a full menu. Check it out:

(Click to enlarge)

Want to know where all of these restaurants are located? Check out Explore STJ’s searchable restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Win a Stay on St. John & Lovango! Raffle Ends Friday at Noon!

Jenn Manes 0 Comments

There is a great raffle happening now, but you have to act fast if you want to get in on the action!

The St. John Land Conservancy is about to conclude its annual Love for the Land fundraiser. For as little as $59, you can enter to win a stay on not one, but two different islands, plus so much more!

The St. John Land Conservancy is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community organization dedicated to the preservation of the natural and historic resources of St. John. It’s a great organization here on St. John.

There will be one grand prize winner for this raffle. Want to know what you can win? Check it out!

  • A four-night stay in a luxurious Glamping Tent at Lovango Resort & Beach Club in either May or June 2024 at a time that mutually works for all parties. This includes all resort amenities, highlighted by daily breakfast and resort shuttles to/from Cruz Bay.
  • A three-night stay at Joy of Life, a private villa in Coral Bay, St. John. This stay comes complete with a 4WD Jeep rental courtesy of Sunshine Jeep Rentals.
  • A private power boat trip for two courtesy of Ocean Runner by Low Key Watersports
  • A private boat trip for up to six guests courtesy of Salty Daze Charters USVI
  • Dinner in Cruz Bay courtesy of Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse.
  • A top shelf rum tasting for two in Cruz Bay courtesy of Bajo El Sol Gallery, Art Bar & Rum Room

One ticket is $59; two tickets are $109; three tickets are $159; five tickets are $225; and ten tickets are $400. The more you buy, the less the tickets cost individually.

Online raffle sales end Friday, February 16th at noon EST. A winner will be chosen live on Saturday morning. Don’t miss out! Buy your tickets now!

Want to enter and support the St. John Land Conservancy? You can purchase tickets securely online by clicking this link.

Want to learn more about the St. John Land Conservancy? Click here to visit www.stjohnlandconservancy.org.

Good luck everyone, and thank you for supporting the St. John Land Conservancy!

Quick Note: This raffle is not being held or sponsored by Explore STJ. Please email the St. John Land Conservancy at info@stjohnlandconservancy.org with any questions. 

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Caneel Bay Resort: The Ridiculousness Continues

Jenn Manes 1 Comment
Caneel Bay Resort, May 2016 … The good ‘ole days!

Seriously, I cannot believe that I am still writing about the debacle that is the Caneel Bay Resort. For those of you who are new to the happenings of St. John, Caneel Bay was a stunning resort located here on St. John. It opened on the same day that the Virgin Islands National Park opened in 1956. The resort was destroyed in September 2017 when Hurricane Irma barreled through the islands, and it has been closed ever since. Why? Due to corporate greed, in my humble opinion. The resort and the land it sits on were supposed to become part of the National Park last year, but that never happened.

EHI Acquisitions – the company that operated the hotel until Hurricane Irma – filed a federal lawsuit back in June 2022 that claimed the land, buildings and improvements at Caneel Bay should be theirs. The United States government thinks that’s ridiculous, as do I. So they’ve been battling it out in court ever since.

In their latest court filings, they are currently fighting over three words – offer, convey and transfer – specifically what their true meanings are. This is how ridiculous this case has become.

There is a clause in a contract that the hotel was operating under (that’s the CliffNotes way of describing it) that said if the hotel people no longer wanted to operate during their lease period (again CliffNotes version here), they could ” include an offer” … “to convey and transfer” the property, buildings and its improvements to the United States government. If the United States said no, EHI could keep it all. EHI exercised this clause and asked for a $70 million payout. The US said no way, they believe the land, etc, could only be transferred by way of a gift, so here we are.

The United States believes the phrase “offer to convey and transfer” is plain and unambiguous. EHI disagrees.

EHI believes the words offer and acceptance are ambiguous. The United States disagrees.

EHI believes that the term “an offer” has one and only one meaning: a manifestation of willingness to enter into a bargain i.e., to enter an agreement to exchange something for something else. The United States disagrees.

The United States is adamant that EHI should have gifted the land, etc. to the United States and that should not have a monetary value attached to it. EHI disagrees.

EHI is so adamant that the property is theirs that they’re arguing over nouns versus verbs. True story. It’s getting this silly, folks.

The United States pointed out in their filing that “EHI signed documents agreeing to convey and transfer the improvements to the United States at the end of the RUE (the lease agreement I mentioned) and operated under those documents for over 15 years. It was only after EHI failed to get the RUE extended and the time was approaching for EHI to transfer the improvements to the United States that, all of a sudden, EHI claimed it owned the entire 150 acres of land and all the improvements on it.”

Boom! And there you have it! Again, in my humble opinion… lol.

The United States believes that “EHI has been enriched because it has retained possession of the Improvements located on prime real estate in St. John. EHI also has retained possession of the insurance proceeds that it received to rebuild the Caneel Bay Resort after the 2017 hurricanes.”

And EHI believes that the United States can only prevail “only by demonstrating that it means only a gift and precludes a bargain.”

What. A. Mess.

A new federal judge was brought in last month from Philadelphia. We still have no clue why our local federal judge was removed from the case. I do have hope that the new judge will rule on this sooner than later. And maybe, just maybe, I can finally write a positive story about Caneel Bay. That’s been long overdue!

I’ll keep you all posted!

Want to learn more about what’s happening at Caneel Bay? Click one of the following links to learn more:

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

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

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj