So the weather up there looks pretty terrible over the next several days. I keep seeing lots of snow, ice and frigid temperatures throughout a good chunk of the country. I know many of you would prefer to be here and need a little warm up, so I wanted to remind you today about all of the webcams that are located around St. John.
St. John has more than 20 live streaming webcams throughout the island. You can see all of them 24/7 at www.explorestj.com/webcams. Here are a few of our favorites:
The Original – St. John Spice Cam
This is just a screenshot while IT works on this.
The Spice Cam was the island’s very first webcam. It was installed above the Cruz Bay ferry dock back in 2006. This is a great one if you want to see who is coming and going, including the ferries. They’re working on some IT issues today, but this one should be back up and running very soon.
The Beach Bar
Who doesn’t want to be at an island bar that happens to be located on a beautiful beach? You can see who is hanging out and perhaps who is overindulging at The Beach Bar, which is located on Cruz Bay beach near the ferry dock. The Beach Bar also has a beach cam and a stage cam that’s up when live bands are playing.
The Windmill Bar
Want to see one of the best views in St. John? Then check out The Windmill Bar’s webcam. You can see beautiful daytime views, plus incredible sunset views at night. Tonight’s sunset is at 6:07 p.m. if you want to check it out.
The Blind Donkey’s Street Cam
This one has gotten quite popular recently. You can see who is walking around town or perhaps passing by. This camera faces the area near Woody’s and Tap & Still.
Soggy Dollar Bar – Our Favorite Off-Island Webcam
Want to see what’s happening at one of the most popular bars in the world? Soggy Dollar is located on one of the prettiest beaches in the world – White Bay, Jost van Dyke.
See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Ronnie’s is located on the bottom right of Palm Plaza (left).
Today’s post is short, sweet and to the point. Ronnie’s Pizza will now be open for lunch. This starts tomorrow, January 20th, and I am super excited for it!
Ronnie’s Pizza is located in Palm Plaza in Cruz Bay, which is next to the Westin Resort and across the street from Dolphin Market. (This is not the Dolphin Market that is at the roundabout. This Dolphin Market was formerly called St. John Market. Confusing, I know.)
Lunch will be available at Ronnie’s Tuesday through Friday starting at noon. They will continue opening at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Ronnie’s is open until 8 p.m. nightly. Delivery is available from 6-ish to 8-ish Tuesday through Saturday. Ronnie’s is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Ronnie’s has more than just pizza. Check out their menu:
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
A humpback whale was spotted near Thatch Cay today. Image credit: St. Thomas Magazine
I LIVE for this time of year! The whales are officially back!
Why the Whales are Here
Humpback whales migrate through our waters every year. It typically happens between January and March, but they’ve been spotted as late as April over the years. The humpbacks migrate through the Caribbean during the winters months to mate and give birth to their calves in our warm and protected waters. Our warm waters make it easier for the calves to build up a nice layer of blubber before heading north to colder water. It’s pretty common to see mothers and calves frolicking in our waters, as the calves learn to surface and swim, breach and other important whale things. 🙂
Where to See Them
St. Thomas Magazine saw whales inside of Thatch Cay earlier today, pretty close to Coki beach in St. Thomas. Thatch Cay can be seen from several spots around the Cruz Bay side of the island, so maybe some of you were lucky enough to see them too! These whales can be seen just about anywhere around St. John, St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands, so keep a look out!
Over the years, I have seen whales off of the ferries and barges, from Honeymoon Beach, out near Tektite on St. John’s south shore and more. If you are on a beach or a boat, hanging out at an overlook, or even casually sitting at your villa, keep an eye out. 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.
Happy whale watching!
Another pic from today’s whale sighting! Image credit: St. Thomas Magazine
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
The Last Resort is hosting the 2026 Animal Care Center gala.
The Animal Care Center is hosting its annual gala next Saturday, January 24th, and tickets are selling fast, so go out and get yours today!
This gala is the Animal Care Center’s largest annual fundraiser, so it would really mean a lot to us if you attend. I am proud to say that I am a board member of the Animal Care Center. This is a cause near and dear to my heart.
This year’s gala will be hosted by The Last Resort, a palatial and newly-remodeled, six-bedroom villa that overlooks the ocean in Chocolate Hole. The gala will feature live music by Pam & Broheem, as well as DJ Adonis. The food is great and plentiful, and the drinks will be flowing! We will have a great silent auction, in addition to an onsite raffle.
Tickets for the gala cost $200 in advance or $225 at the door. How to Purchase Tickets:
– Animal Care Center Office: Stop by Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:00 PM. They accept cash, check, Visa, and Mastercard.
– Phone: Call the Animal Care Center at 340-774-1625 to purchase tickets; they will be held for “will call” at the door.
– STJ Hardware: Tickets can also be purchased at STJ Hardware during their business hours (cash or check only).
This is just after the Trunk Bay overlook heading toward the Trunk Bay parking lot.
This may be the understatement of the day, but we have major parking issues at the beaches. And it is costing a lot of people a lot of money when they do not follow the rules.
Beach Basics
St. John’s North Shore is where the majority of the island’s most popular beaches are located. This area is also largely National Park. Beaches on the North Shore include Caneel, Hawksnest, Oppenheimer/Gibney, Denis, Jumbie, Trunk Bay, Cinnamon, Maho and Francis. There is limited parking at all of those beaches except Caneel, which has several parking lots within the Caneel Bay property. If you plan to visit any of these beaches (with the exception of Caneel), you either have to get there very early – at or before 9 a.m. is recommended – or you should take a taxi. Taxis here are plentiful and are the easiest and best way to ensure that you visit whichever beach you’d like on any given day.
Quick Rules to Follow
Park in a designated parking spot.
If parking along the roadway all tires and mirrors need to be completely off the road and behind the white line (when there is a white line).
If there is a no parking or tow away sign, they mean it. You will get ticketed and/or towed.
Do not push back any trees or break any branches when trying to find a parking spot.
Never push a stone with your vehicle that is being used to make a boundary.
Do not park on or too close to the sand, because these are sea turtle nesting beaches.
Never park in front of a gate or an entrance.
Tickets
Parking tickets start at $125. They can be higher depending on the violation, a ranger told me last year. The ranger also stated that some car rental companies often charge the renter double the fine, especially when a vehicle is towed. I believe tow fees are around $250, and I am pretty certain this is cash only.
Tips for Specific Beaches
Soloman/Honeymoon
There is no parking at either of the beaches. You can either walk in via the Lind Point Trail, or take the $6 shuttle provided by the Caneel Bay Beach Club. If you park behind the National Park Visitor Center, you need to get a handwritten pass from the Visitor Center (if they are open). They will ask that you back into the designated spot for permit holders and display your parking permit on your dashboard. You can also park at the top of the hill near the Virgin Islands National Park sign and walk down the Lind Point Trail. You do not need a permit to park there. If you opt to take the shuttle, you can park on the grounds of the former Caneel Bay Resort.
Hawksnest
There is a decent amount of parking at Hawksnest. You can park before and after the parking area on the beach side, as long as your tires and mirrors are completely off the road. It is not suggested that you park anywhere across the street as you may damage the trees, a ranger told me earlier this year.
FYI: This is a hotspot for towing.
Towing at Hawksnest earlier this month.Lots of ticketing at Hawksnest this monthHawksnest
Oppenheimer/Gibney
There are only three parking spots, so this is a beach to get to early. Park on the left side when facing the gate.
Denis Bay
You can park in the small lot for Peace Hill to access Denis Bay. If you try to park near the road (Route 20), do not park on the pavement.
Jumbie
There is a small parking area across the street from the trailhead. It is not recommended that you park on the beach side, as there is a driveway there and you can also damage trees, a ranger told me.
Trunk Bay
This is definitely one of the busier beaches, so you want to get to Trunk Bay early. When parking in the main lot, be sure not to take a spot designated for the taxis. They park along the back of the lot, beside the entry booth, facing the street. There is a small patch of grass to the right of where the taxis park (if your back is to the road.) Do not park on this grassy patch unless you’d like to leave with a ticket or possibly get towed.
You are allowed to park across the street near the plantation building as long as your tires and mirrors are off the road. You will see there are no parking and no parking beyond this point signs in that area. I have seen numerous vehicles ticketed here for ignoring those signs, so keep an eye out and look for arrows.
Also, there isn’t any parking along the roadway on the beach side before of after the Trunk Bay parking lot. I see people create spots, and those vehicles routinely get ticketed and towed too. There are a few no parking signs up the switchbacks too. Trunk is pretty well marked when it comes to where you can and where you cannot park. If you do not want to deal with Trunk’s notorious parking issues, you can always take a taxi. That is my recommendation when visiting Trunk Bay. The taxis are plentiful and reliable.
Please do not park right next to a no parking sign like this yellow Jeep. The vehicles on the right are fine per Park rules. (Image taken last year.)
Cinnamon Bay
There are two large parking lots, so this is an easier place to find a spot. You can also park along the roadway a bit, but again, all tires and mirrors off the road, and please do not park in a way that you can damage a tree. There are a handful of spots where you can park along the road inside of Cinnamon Bay (near the parking areas) too.
You cannot park over a white line.
This pic is from last year, but the rules still hold true this year.
Maho Bay
Maho is also busy, and parking is tricky. On the Maho Crossroads side of the beach (closer to Cruz Bay), there are several designated parking spots along the beach. Once you pass the final shade structure, you can no longer park on the beach side. This is a sea turtle nesting beach, and there are also small plantings along the beach that cannot be harmed.
There are also some parking spots across the street in between large boulders along the roadway. Then there is a decent-sized lot at the turtle side of the beach (the opposite side from where the tiki bar is). You can also park along the roadway near the parking lot as long as your tires and mirrors are off the road. This is tricky because there isn’t a ton of space, so there is only room for a handful of cars to do this. There is also a sign that indicates you can no longer park on the side of the road, so please be mindful to that.
Maho Bay
Francis Bay
Francis Bay has a small parking lot at the beach that can fit about a dozen or so cars. You can also park along the left side of the road when you are driving toward the beach. Within that area, there is a no parking area that is clearly marked. I saw a ranger out there ticket a vehicle last week that was parked in that no parking area.
Annaberg
Annaberg also has a decent size parking lot. There are a few spaces that you can park off of the road too. I have seen several cars ticketed here lately. These are cars that are parking on the pavement near the stone wall and also across from the bathrooms. You, under no circumstance, can park on the road at Annaberg.
These vehicles are all parked in spots that will get you a ticket.
I understand that it’s frustrating that there are more people visiting the island than there are parking spots at the beach. Luckily we have an abundance of taxis who drive between Cruz Bay and Maho, and everywhere in between, all day, every day. Take a taxi if you can. It’s a lot less stressful in my opinion. If you are concerned about where to leave your rental Jeep, you can always park for free at Caneel Bay and hop in a taxi from there.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Espresso Martinis. Some of the best ones, in my opinion, are at The Parrot Cub at Wharfside Village and also at 1864 at Mongoose Junction. Well I am super excited to tell you that another of my favorite spots is now offering an Espresso Martini mix to go!
I was perusing social media earlier this week when I saw a post from St. John Brewers. They announced that they are now bottling Espresso Martinis, which means you can enjoy them at The Tap Room and several other spots here on island, and you can even take it to go!
St. John Brewers’ Espresso Martini is island-made, bar-quality and crafted right here in the Virgin Islands. They’re selling two sizes. There is a smaller 8 oz size that’s available for $8, and a larger, one liter bottle for $40. I tried one last night, and I have to say, it was quite good!
They just launched this week, so as of today (Tuesday, January 13th), they are being sold at The Tap Room, Trunk Bay, Shambles and The Upstairs Bar. I am sure they will be available at several other spots very soon.
Be sure to try one when you can! Cheers!
Thank you St. John Brewers for letting me be one of the first to try these!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
