Hello everyone, and happy Friday! I apologize that I have been absent for a couple of days. I was out and about enjoying island life. But I’m back today, and I have something good to share!
The island really looks fantastic right now. Can’t be here to see it in person? No worries! I can bring the island to you!
I strapped the good ‘ole GoPro to the Jeep last week, and filmed the ride from Hurricane Hole along Route 10 to the end of the road on St. John’s East End. This GoPro is pretty amazing, and it even films in 4k as you will see in the video below. If you’d like to purchase one, here’s the link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Chf9Wy
Crank the heat. Turn on some Kenny Chesney. And enjoy the ride.
Steve Simonsen captured this amazing image a few years ago off of St. Thomas.
This is my absolute favorite time of year on St. John. It’s whale season, and they’ve made their annual debut!
I was perusing Facebook the other day when I saw a few conversations about possible whale sightings in the area. Naturally, I got very excited. I checked in with a couple of boat captain friends who confirmed that whales have been spotted in our waters recently. How exciting is that?! And even better? One even shared a few videos with me. They’re quick, but you can see that they are here. I had to pull the sound because they were pretty excited when they saw the whales, and this is a family friendly blog. 🙂 Check it out:
The whales seen in the video we’re spotted near Dog Island, which is located southwest of St. John and beside Little St. James. Here’s a little map:
The whales in the video were spotted near Dog Island.
A big thanks to the folks on Maverick for sharing those videos with me!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with this annual occurrence, humpback whales routinely visit our waters each year. They are typically here between January and March, although they have been spotted as late as April over the years. The humpback whales migrate through the Caribbean to our warm waters in the winter months to mate and give birth to their calves. We often see mothers and babies frolicking around St. John. It’s a pretty amazing sight to see!
Another great image taken a few years ago by Steve Simonsen Photography
The whales have been spotted all over, so there isn’t a specific spot to look for them. If you are on a beach or a boat, or even casually sitting at your villa, keep an eye out. I have seen them playing off of Honeymoon Beach. I saw one breach near Tektite on the island’s south side. I even saw a few playing off of the car barge several years back. They can literally be spotted anywhere.
We do not have whale watch cruises here like some spots up north, but if you happen to be on a boat trip over the next couple of months, you may get lucky and see some. And if you do, please email the pics to me! My email is jenn@explorestj.com. Thank you in advance!
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Island Tidbits would like to welcome our newest advertiser Seagate Villa.
Seagate Villa is a spacious, five bedroom villa that boats six bathrooms. It’s a modern, recently updated villa that is located in Chocolate Hole. Guests renting this luxury villa are treated to a delicious first breakfast made by a private chef. There is ocean access, so you can snorkel right outside of the property. It’s furnished beautifully, and it is located close to Cruz Bay. You will definitely want to check this one out!
Hello everyone, and happy Monday! Who wants to own a business in paradise? Well a brand new one just listed for sale over the weekend, and I have all of the details!
St. John Provisions is a successful bakery in Cruz Bay. It’s located just beyond the roundabout and beside the Inn at Tamarind Court. St. John Provisions is open for breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. It serves everything from freshly baked doughnuts, muffins and quiche to fresh-pressed juices, coffees and full lunch offerings. Check out a few pics:
Want to know what other businesses are listed for sale on St. John? Click this link to read a story I posted last month that gives details on several other businesses that are currently listed for sale on St. John.
Hello everyone, and happy Sunday! I was sitting at Maho Bay with friends yesterday, and we watched a rainbow form over the water! I did my best to get it on video for all of you, and here it is. Hopefully this quick videos makes you smile today. Enjoy!
Wine Shop VI opened in Wharfside Village last month.
Anyone who knows me know how much I enjoy a nice glass of wine. So I am extra excited to share today’s story with all of you!
For those of you who have visited St. John, you’re probably familiar with Island Cork/Kati Lago, the wine shop that was located over in Wharfside Village. Paul Tsakere opened it back in 2016. He remodeled the space about three or so years later, and ultimately rebranded it as Kati Lago, an homage to his Greek heritage. Well Paul decided to sell the wine shop last year, and from what I’ve heard, he is now living in Greece. There is a new owner now, and I think you are all going to love what she’s done with the space.
Victoria Theriault opened Wine Shop VI in the former Island Cork/Kati Lago space last month. Victoria is originally from Canada and recently moved to the island. She’s been connected to St. John for roughly two decades, as she has family who lives here. Victoria has ample experience in the wine industry, as she managed government-run liquor stores when living in Canada.
When you walk into Wine Shop VI, it just feels different these days. The space is warm and inviting, and there is a stellar wine selection. You can purchase wines by the glass, or you can opt to open any bottle available in the shop. (There aren’t any corkage fees, which is a lovely change.) Bottles are, of course, available to-go as well.
Victoria is offering small, shareable bites too. She has simple items like locally-baked bread and butter, charcuterie plates and more. She plans to introduce new items soon like chicken, liver and pork pâtés. There is a large deli case that also offers a variety of meats and cheeses to go.
Here are a few images that I took earlier this week:
And one thing I appreciate about the new layout is that the wines are now sorted by body and style, rather than by region, which makes it easier to shop for the style you like. And regarding price point, you can purchase a bottle for $33, or you can purchase a bottle for $1,000. Clearly that’s one that’s reserved for super special occasions! Most of the bottles are priced affordably, but there are some big boys for those of you who enjoy fine wines. Some of the more well-known brands include Shafer, Caymus, Opus and Sassicaia.
Wine Shop VI is open from 11 a.m. until about 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is open on Sundays from 5 p.m. to 9-ish p.m. It is currently cash or Venmo only, as she awaits getting her credit card processing set up. Want to know exactly where Wine Shop VI is located? Click here to check out our Restaurant Map.
I’m all about saving money, and I’m pretty certain many of you are too. Airfare has been pretty pricey over the past few months. Well I have good news to share with you all today. Airfare has started to come down! Of course some airports have much better deals than others, but there are deals out there!
Now you may be thinking, sure Jenn, but what about a place to stay? Well as I mentioned to you last month, St. John is slower so far this season than the past two years. I have seen numerous villas and condos offering last-minute discounted rates. So there are deals to be had, folks!
I asked my followers over on my Explore STJ Island Tours Facebook page what their home airport is. I received nearly 100 responses. I jotted down their answers, and then I got to work! I used the Explore function on Google Flights. (Go to google.com/flights -> Then click the Explore button in the left sidebar on a laptop/computer. If you’re using a cell phone or iPad, the Explore button is in the top menu. I chose a 1-week trip in the next 6 months.) Here is what I found…
And after you book your airfare, don’t forget to book an island tour with me!
Atlanta – The most inexpensive time for you all is coming up soon! If you are willing to fly Spirit, you can fly for $233 roundtrip! Delta is more expensive (as always it seems) at a whopping $947 roundtrip for those same dates! I don’t know about you, but I can suck it up on Spirit for a few hours to save over $700.
Boston – How does $308 roundtrip sound Boston friends? This fare is good from January 16th through January 23rd on both United and Delta.
Chicago Midway – You all have a little more time to plan. You can fly on Delta for $676 roundtrip from February 25th through March 7th.
Chicago O’Hare – You can save some money for those same exact dates if you fly through O’Hare (and forgive me for not knowing the distance between the two airports). You can fly from February 26th through March 7th for only $455 roundtrip. Want to fly nonstop? That’s a little more, but still a good price. You can do so for only $637 roundtrip on United.
Cleveland – Time to travel soon! You can fly for just $281 roundtrip on Spirit from January 21st through the 28th. Want a better airline? American isn’t too expensive. Their fare for those dates is only $476 roundtrip.
Dallas – How about a mid-month vacation? Your best time to travel is February 11th through there 18th. You can fly for as little as $314 on spirit or direct on American for $775 roundtrip.
Fort Wayne, Indiana – It looks like Spirit is the airline of choice in your area. You can fly for as little as $287 roundtrip from February 2nd though the 8th. If you prefer a different airline, American will cost you $486 roundtrip for those same dates.
Grand Rapids, Michigan – Looking to get out of Michigan for a bit? You can fly January 30th through February 5th for just $557 roundtrip on American.
Greenville, South Carolina – It looks like American is the airline of choice from your area. You can fly from February 27th through March 8th for just $502 roundtrip.
Hartford, Connecticut – Where are my Connecticut friends? (Hello mom and dad!) You all can fly here from February 5th through the 14th for $294 roundtrip on United or only $407 roundtrip on Delta.
Houston – Unfortunately it looks like Spirit is the best airline for you all too. You can fly for only $225 roundtrip from January 23rd through February 1st. Prefer Delta? Well that will cause a whopping $847 roundtrip.
Indianapolis – You can fly from January 27th through February 3rd for only $289 on Spirit. Want to spend a bit more for a better airline? You can fly those same dates on American for $486 roundtrip.
Knoxville, Tennessee – I wish I had better news for you all. The best I can find is $746 roundtrip on American from February 24th through March 3rd.
Little Rock, Arkansas – You can fly down on the east Saturday of the month and stay with us until February 3rd for just $558 roundtrip on American. Not too shabby from Arkansas!
Louisville – I’m actually surprised how inexpensive flights are from your area! You can fly for just $355 on Spirit or $580 roundtrip on American from February 20th through March 1st.
Miami – It’s worth it for you all to take a little drive and fly out of Ft. Lauderdale. You can fly direct, roundtrip on Spirit for just $182 roundtrip from January 19th through the 25th.
Minneapolis – You all have the most time to plan thus far. The cheapest dates for you is April 9th through the 16th. You can fly for $684 roundtrip, and direct, on Sun Country Airlines. Want to stay a little longer? You can save more than $200!
Nashville – Looking for a spring trip? The best dates for you are April 29th through ay 8th, which is typically pretty quiet time on island. You can fly those dates for just $336 roundtrip on United.
New Orleans – Where are my New Orleans friends? You can visit us soon! If you travel from January 26th through February 4th, it will only cost you $297 on Spirit or $434 on American.
New York – JFK is always one of the cheapest places to travel from, and this year is no exception. You can fly for only $317 roundtrip and direct on Delta from March 27th through April 5th.
Newark – This is also an inexpensive spot to fly from. You can pay just $281 roundtrip on United from February 23rd through March 1st.
Norfolk, Virginia – I fond pretty good airfare for you all, but it’s a few months out. You can fly for just $417 roundtrip on Spirit from May 6th through the 15th. You can American for $596 roundtrip for those same dates.
Oklahoma City – How does $558 roundtrip sound? American is offering this fare from January 28th through February 3rd. Pretty good if you ask me!
Orlando – Time to take a trip this month! If you fly January 21st through the 27th, it will cost you $232 roundtrip (nonstop) on Spirit or $333 roundtrip on JetBlue.
Pensacola – You can fly February 20th through March 1st for just $444 roundtrip on American. Spirit is less expensive for those dates, but there is a crazy layover time.
Philadelphia – I hate to tell you, but Spirit is the only realistic option unless you want to pay a ton. You can fly for just $215 roundtrip from January 28th through March 4th. American is charging $934 for those same dates. Ouch.
Phoenix – I can get you all here for cheap, but it won’t be pretty. haha You can fly from February 4th through the 11th for just $270 roundtrip on Spirit. Yes, that will be a long and uncomfortable flight, but it’s so cheap! Want a little more comfort? United and American are both charging over $700 for those same dates.
Pittsburg – You all can travel here from February 3rd through the 10th for just $285 roundtrip. That’s the price on Spirit, bit if you want a better airline, American is charging $508 roundtrip for those same dates.
Quad Cities (Moline) – Illinois – This is a new-to-me airport. The price isn’t amazing, but it’s not completely terrible too. You can fly February 25th through March 3rd for $746 roundtrip on American.
Raleigh-Durham – Wow, I am actually surprised by these fares! You can fly for just $297 roundtrip on United from February 12th through the 21st. Go book that flight!
San Diego – No wonder I’ve had so many West Coast guests lately… these fares are amazing! You can fly for as little as $324 roundtrip on United and Delta from January 28th through February 3rd. Wow!
St. Louis, Missouri – Not the cheapest, but also not terrible. You can fly for $523 roundtrip on American or United from February 25th through March 6th. Tampa – Spirit and JetBlue are your two go-to airlines. You can fly on Spirit with one stop for $230 roundtrip or stop in San Juan for a bit for $250 roundtrip. These fares are good for travel February 2nd through the 9th.
Washington DC – And last but not least are our friends in Washington, DC. It’s the cheapest to fly out of DCA for just $318 roundtrip on JetBlue. The travel dates for that fare is February 26th through March 7th. You can fly out of BWI on those dates for $438 roundtrip on Spirit.
Phew! Now that was a lot of work! I am just so happy to see that the airlines are coming back to earth and offering more affordable fares once again. I hope you are able to take advantage of some and are able to visit us soon! And if you aren’t able to, you can pretend to be here. 🙂 Check out our webcam page at www.IslandTidbits.com/webcams to see more than two dozen live streaming webcams. You can also check out our video page at www.IslandTidbits.com/videos to see our beaches up close, take rides around the island and more.
