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Looking for something fun and interesting to do when you’re vacationing in St. John? The Virgin Islands National Park has a lot of great offerings, and the best part is that the majority of them are free! All of the following information was provided by the Virgin Island National Park and Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. Here is the full list of events:

Astronomy in the Park – Free 

Join a park ranger for a tour of the night sky including constellations, planets, and deep space objects like nebulae and galaxies. The program will include use of the Park’s 10″ telescope and talks on the structures that comprise our universe, as well as the impacts of human activity on our ability to see the into the cosmos from Earth.

Park in the lot for Cinnamon Bay Beach & Campground, and take the sidewalk to walk past the restaurant on your way toward the beach. Once you reach the end of the sidewalk make a left turn, and you will see the ranger on the beach with the park’s telescope.

The Park recommends that each member of your group bring a flashlight to illuminate your way to and from the parking lot. Lastly, if you are uncomfortable standing for up to one hour, you may also want to bring a chair or a blanket to spread out on the grass.

This is a free program that occurs every Wednesday through August 31st from 8:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. You do not need to make a reservation to attend this free event.

Feathers of Francis – Free
Join a park ranger for a bird-watching walk on the Francis Bay Trail. This is one of the best areas on St. John to spot both native and migratory forest, sea, and wetland birds. This event starts every Friday at 7:30 a.m. (through May 26th) and lasts approximately 90 minutes. Participants should meet at the Francis Bay Trailhead. You do not need to make a reservation to attend this free event.

Annaberg Cultural Programs – Free

At one time, Annaberg was the largest plantation on the island and is well worth a visit for anyone interested in the history and culture. Learn from a bread maker and gardener about some of the rich heritage on St. John. Both are available for discussions every Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a free, walk up event.

Annaberg History Tour – Free
Want to learn more about Annaberg? Join a guided tour by park docent Mark Mahowald, and learn about the history of the Annaberg plantation ruins, the colonial history of St John, and the process of sugar production. There will be demonstrations from the bread baker and gardener as well. This free event occurs on the second Friday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a free event, however you must register as space is limited. Click here to register.

Traditional Uses Of Plants In The VI – Free
Interested in learning more about the plants located in the Virgin Islands? Delroy “Ital” Anthony will talk about the culture and history of St. John, especially focused on the relationship between plants and culture. This event happens on the first Friday of the month (through June) from 10 a.m. to noon. This event occurs at the Friends Volunteer Camp at Cinnamon Bay. Participants can park at the Cinnamon Bay main parking lot. It is suggested that you bring water and hats. This is a free event, however you must register as space is limited. Click here to register. 

Sea Turtle Talk At Maho – Free
Stop by the sea turtle info table on the beach at Maho Bay to chat about turtles and marine life in the bay with the Virgin Islands National Park Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program Team and volunteers. This free, walk up event happens every Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The info table is located on the western side of the beach, across from Maho Crossroads.

Hike Leinster Bay with a Park Ranger – Free
Learn about the natural and historical resources of this beautiful area recently designated as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This guided hike with retired ranger Laurel Brannick showcases panoramic views, diverse flora and fauna, and three different historic sites. This free event happens on the third Friday of the month through June from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The meeting point is the Annaberg parking lot. Transportation is not provided. This is a free event, however you must register as space is limited. Click here to register. 

Hike Ram Head with a Park Ranger – Free
Ram Head is the southernmost point of St. John and one of the most unforgettable hikes in Virgin Islands National Park. Enjoy this guided hike with Friends Trails Manager Taylor White that begins and ends at Salt Pond. This free event happens on the last Friday of the month through June from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The meeting point is the Salt Pond parking lot. Transportation is not provided. This is a free event, however you must register as space is limited. Click here to register.

Cinnamon Campground Chats – Free

• Every Tuesday: Traditional Music & Crafts | 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Cinnamon Raintree Cafe
• Every Thursday: Coral Reef Protection | 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Cinnamon Raintree Cafe
• Every Friday Friday: Archaeology: Exploring The Past | 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. | Cinnamon Raintree Cafe

The two following opportunities are paid events:

Reef Bay Hike – $75
This popular three-mile guided hike of Reef Bay Trail with a boat pickup at the bottom is back! The hike takes about three and a half hours from the trailhead to the beach and ends with a 40-minute boat ride back to the Cruz Bay Visitor Center. This hike is offered every Monday and Tuesday. Participants should meet at the National Park Visitor Center at 8:30 a.m. Transportation is provided to the Reef Bay trailhead. The cost to attend this event is $75. Click here to register. 

Turtle Boat & Snorkel Experience – $90
This unique experience is hosted by a sea turtle and coral ecosystem expert. Learn about these majestic endangered species and make two stops to snorkel with sea turtles. This event happens on the second Friday of the month from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pickups and drop-offs occur both on St. John and in St. Thomas. The cost to attend this event is $90. Click here to register.

Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! I know it’s tough to get back to work following a holiday weekend, so how about an easy, breezy story about a nice little spot in Coral Bay?

For those of you who’ve been to St. John before, you’re probably familiar with Wok on the Beach in Coral Bay. Well Wok on the Beach had a little makeover a few months back, and is now being called Surf Club Cantina. The owner is the same, but the spot has a brand new look and a new menu.

Surf Club Cantina, formerly Wok on the Beach, is located across the street from Coral Bay in the Isola Shops building. Salty Mongoose is right beside it, and Aqua Bistro is located next door in the Cocolobo complex. (Click here to see our Restaurant Map, and to see the exact location of every restaurant on St. John.) Surf Club Cantina is a mostly outdoor location with great breezes and nice views of Coral Bay. Check it out:

And as I mentioned, it has a brand new menu too. Check it out:

I stopped in with my friend Leah, owner of Flyaway Charters, before the holidays, and she made sure I knew how good the salsa was. And it was! We shared that, and I ordered the ground beef tacos. Here are a couple of pics:

Surf Club Cantina is open from noon to 8 p.m. seven days a week. And if you’re looking to purchase an existing business on St. John, it happens to be for sale as well. Click here to read about all of the St. John businesses that are currently listed for sale.

Want to know exactly where Surf Club Cantina is? Click here to view Island Tidbits’ searchable Restaurant Map.

I started doing this on my old blog back in 2014, and I’m excited to be doing it here on Island Tidbits today. I hope you enjoy this St. John-version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Cruz Bay,
Smiling faces filled the streets, we love it this way!
The koozies were hung by The Beach Bar with care,
In hopes that a cold beer soon would appear.
So here in St. John, we do things our way,
We do not have reindeer or even a sleigh.
When Santa comes here, he comes in by ferry,
He strolls through the town, and always looks merry!
And as the crowds waited, we all heard a clatter,
I sprang from my barstool to see what’s the matter.
I ran past High Tide, I flew like a flash.
Arrived at The Landing when I heard a big splash!
The moon on the bay with the St. Thomas lights,
Giving a luster of midday to something in flight.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a cute little driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than mongoose, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
Let’s head out to Mongoose, I’m glad there’s no mall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!
To the top of St. John, to Bordeaux we must fly,
With a quick stop at Tony’s, we need to say hi!
Then out to the East, the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of swag, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the palm tree St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was wearing flip flops, had a drink in his hand,
He looked very happy to have swapped snow for the sand.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
Which beach should I go to, he wanted to know,
Want to see turtles? Then check out Maho!
With sunscreen in hand and a snorkel in tow,
Santa was ready. Get on with the show!
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
He grabbed his swim shorts, took a sip from his drink,
Santa picked up a map, then gave me a wink.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, as he flew toward the Bight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”