There are two great events happening in Coral Bay on Labor Day!
The Love City Car Show opens at 10 a.m. at the Coral Bay ball field. The show will feature a variety of cars and hot rods, as well as food, vendors, and music. There will be a giveaway for children at 1 p.m. The event continues until 5 p.m., according to their website.
Admission for the car show is $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. All children will receive a free Hot Wheels car with their admission. All proceeds will be donated to a St. John youth organization. Click here to learn more about the Love City Car Show.
The annual Coral Bay Labor Day parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Monday morning. The parade starts near Love City Mini Mart, and I am fairly certain that it will head toward the ball field. It’s a relatively short parade, but it’s big on fun!
I hope to see you all there!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
I’m back on island & so excited to get back to work!
Get to know St. John. Visit beautiful beaches & centuries-old plantations. Perhaps stop at a tiki bar or two. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. 2023 & 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Winner. Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
Cruz Bay is getting a brand new ferry terminal in Cruz Bay, and it is starting to look great!
Work has been happening at the ferry dock for several months now, but a lot of big changes have happened over the past month. For starters, the building that will house two new restrooms looks to be complete, although it is not operational yet. The framing for the new canopy is currently being installed, which means there will be more shade for people coming and going. That is much-needed, as it is sweltering here right now!
The ferry dock may look closed in the image above, but it is very much open. There is a new temporary entrance right behind that beautiful stone wall, which is the bathroom area.
Looking good!The new, temporary entranceThe restrooms are located right near the counter.This is what the ferry dock will look like upon completion.
An emergency backup generator is also being installed, which means it will be easier to accept credit cards during a power outage.
Missing Cruz Bay? Check out this quick video I took yesterday. Have a great day everyone!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Get to know St. John. Visit beautiful beaches & centuries-old plantations. Perhaps stop at a tiki bar or two. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. 2023 & 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Winner. Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
Hello everyone, and happy Thursday! I am finally back in St. John! Dalton and I flew home Tuesday after spending a month in Connecticut. We had a great time, but I’m happy to be home once again. And I am super happy to start working on our new house!
For those of you who follow Explore STJ on Facebook, you probably read my frantic post about Dalton’s lost stuffed animals Tuesday afternoon. For those of you who missed it, Dalton left two of his favorite stuffed animals on Delta Flight 1950 on Tuesday afternoon. I didn’t realize it until we got home, and Dalton was heartbroken. I immediately posted about it on Explore STJ’s Facebook page and the St. John Travel & Life Facebook page, hoping that someone onboard the Delta flight would see it.
My frantic post on Facebook
The problem with flying with a five-year-old is they simply will not sit still, and Dalton usually ends up setting up camp on the floor at some point mid-flight. The problem this time was that Dalton left his two favorite stuffed animals – Gizmo and Sheldon – under the seat in front of him. Luckily they were tucked away safely in their lunchbox.
How the day started… His idea, not mine. He basically sets up a mini apartment on the floor every time.
Ok, so back to the Facebook post. I knew someone from St. John or someone who reads our Facebook pages had to be on that flight, and I was right! Shay Brittingham and his wife Caleigh are St. John residents, and both were on the flight heading to Atlanta. Shay asked the flight attendants about Dalton’s buddies, and was able to confirm that they were taken off the plane in St. Thomas. Phew!
Soon after, I received a call from Barry Gordon. Barry is a Delta pilot who vacations on St. John quite frequently. He’s known Dalton’s father Mike for years. Barry said he was able to get in touch with Mohamad and Jevon, who work for Delta at the St. Thomas airport and said that they would help us reunite Dalton with Gizmo and Sheldon. As many of you know, you can’t simply call the Delta desk at any airport, so this was an invaluable help. Within minutes, Barry called back and said the lunchbox was found. Phew times two!
I stopped by our new house Wednesday morning to check on its progress (we’re making a few aesthetic changes), and then I hopped on the barge to St. Thomas. After a quick stop at Price Mart and Home Depot, I headed to the airport.
The women working at the Delta counter could not have been kinder. They went into the back and grabbed the lunchbox, and showed me that Gizmo and Sheldon were inside. Thank goodness! Crisis averted!
Ms. George found Gizmo & Sheldon. I cannot thank her enough!
Delta, if you are reading this, Ms. George, who is a passenger service agent at STT, deserves a bonus! Mohamed and Jevon do too! Or maybe an extra paid day off! Thank you so much for finding these guys and keeping them safe overnight too!
I don’t know about you all, but it makes me so darn happy to know how much kindness remains in this world. A big thank you to everyone who helped!
Thank You!
Thank you to Teri Wine for approving my post on the St. John Travel & Life page so quickly! It’s a great page that also provides concierge services. Click here to check it out!
Thank you to Shay and Caleigh for checking on the plane for us!
Thank you to Catherine and Eric Fales for also checking on the plane for us!
Thank you to Lindsey Banks for offering to bring it back to us on St. John!
Thank you to Denise Lake for also offering to bring it back to St. John!
And if there is anyone I missed, I apologize!
Thank you everyone. I will be back with more St. John stories tomorrow. Have a great day!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Get to know St. John. Visit beautiful beaches & centuries-old plantations. Perhaps stop at a tiki bar or two. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. 2023 & 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Winner. Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
Well folks, this is something that I never ever thought I would write… We bought a house in St. John! Grab the Sancerre! Pop the champagne! This island blogger is a St. John homeowner! 🥳
Ever since I moved to St. John nearly 10 years ago, I’ve been pretty convinced that I would be a lifelong renter. I’ve been fortunate in that I have lived in some pretty great spots over the years and had wonderful landlords, but I always longed to have a place of my own. Like many of you, I peruse the St. John real estate listings almost daily and have been quite discouraged by the prices. Home prices in St. John are typically close to a million dollars or more, which is a tad over my budget. And by a tad, I mean a lot!
But then a unicorn popped up in late May. “A charming Caribbean cottage with ample room to expand,” the listing read. “A nature lover’s dream, this partially fenced-in flat land is ideal for gardening. This is a perfect starter home for any STJ resident.” The asking price was $450,000, and as I read a bit further, I saw three magical words:
Owner financing available
Oh. My. Goodness.
Could this be real, I wondered. I immediately reached out to my friend Tammy Donnelly who owns 340 Real Estate Co. to see what she thought. She responded immediately and said we should take a look. I made the appointment for the following day at 10 a.m. I then super casually told my other half that we had an appointment to look at a house in Fish Bay.
You see, I never thought he would ever be on board with buying a house on St. John. So I sort of had to casually dance around the subject. But he agreed to go. Basically just going along with another one of my crazy ideas… 😎
I loved the home from the moment I pulled up. There was something about it that just seemed so calming to me. But it was tiny – 622 feet to be exact. The yard, however, was amazing. It’s a quarter acre of flat land, something that’s almost unheard of in St. John.
As many of you probably know, Mike (Mr. Other Half) and I have a five-year-old son Dalton. To say Dalton has a lot of energy is the understatement of the year. The kid simply never stops. So the idea of having a flat yard for him to run around in seemed heavenly.
At that moment, my wheels started turning. I needed to make this work, I just had no idea how. So Mike and I went to 1864 for lunch and drank more wine than we should have as I tried to figure it out. (No need to worry… Dalton was in school and his sitter who we love more than life itself brought him home afterward. Thanks Kiki! Safety first!)
Long story short: With a little help from family, we figured it out. We closed Wednesday afternoon, and I could not be happier. Let the fun begin!
Well folks, it pays to have friends over at The Beach Bar. Kenny Chesney just did a quick pop-up performance at The Beach Bar in Cruz Bay! A big thanks to my other half, The Mike Hedy, for filming this video for all of you. Enjoy!
Looking to take a St. John island tour?
Get to know St. John. Visit beautiful beaches & centuries-old plantations. Perhaps stop at a tiki bar or two. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. 2023 & 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Winner. Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
Boat days are the best days. We know there are a lot of options out there when booking a day on the sea, so today I’d like to introduce you to a family-owned company that’s truly rooted in the sea – Island Roots Boat Charters.
Island Roots is owned by Jason and Jill Siska, and their adorable four-year-old son Finn. Captain Jason knows the Virgin Islands and its waters well, as he was born and raised on St. John through his early childhood. He returned to the island after college and soon met Jill, a 20+ year island resident.
Jill, Finn & Jason Siska
Jason and Jill purchased Island Roots from the late Captain John Stewart in 2012. Together they built Island Roots into one of the island’s top charter companies. Island Roots is consistently ranked one of the top ten outdoor activities in the US Virgin Islands.
“We are truly a family-owned business,” Jill told me recently. “It’s just me and Jason doing this. Island Roots was built over years and years of hard work. Over that time, we’ve been educators, firefighters, first responders, and involved community members. We are choosing to raise our family here, and we care about St. John.”
The Island Roots fleet consists of three 32′ World Cat power catamarans. Each is built for maximum comfort, and a smooth, stable ride. Island Roots offers full-day trips in both the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, as well as local sunset trips. Extended trips are offered to those who want a little extra time over in the BVI.
Island Roots’ New Offerings
As you all likely know, numerous restaurants close for the off-season, including many of our water-based spots like Lime Out and Pizza Pi. As a result, Island Roots will focus exclusively on snorkeling and exploring the island’s outlying cays, bays, and beaches that are only accessible by boat. In doing so, they are now offering two four-hour, USVI boat charters. Whether you opt for the morning (8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) or the afternoon (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) session, you’ll have time to make three to five distinct stops during your trip. Despite the shorter trip, you will still have plenty of time to swim, snorkel, sightsee, cocktail, cruise, and explore!
Explore lesser-known spots with Island Roots Boat Charters.Island Roots’ fleet is spacious & comfortable.Island Roots can accommodate up to 24 guests on tandem trips.
Discounted Rates through October 15th
Island Roots will continue offering its full-day USVI and BVI trips, as well as its extended BVI trips and USVI sunset sails throughout the off-season. All trips will be discounted 10 percent from August 27th through October 15th.
All of Island Roots’ private boat charters are unique and customized to the interests of their guests – from birdwatchers to sunbathers, snorkelers, photographers, free-divers, cocktail connoisseurs, food enthusiasts, and folks seeking the ‘best of’ the islands to casual-fun-boaters looking to just enjoy the breeze and some time on the water.
Snorkel St. John’s beautiful mangroves on a US trip.Explore the Baths on Virgin Gorda on a BVI trip.Grab some friends & jump off the Willy T in Norman Island.Visit the Caribbean’s only floating taco bar in Coral Bay.
Island Roots provides its guests with professional-grade snorkeling equipment, as well as snorkel belts, pool noodles, mask defogger, fish identification books, and other water toys. Each boat has a freshwater rinse and comes with a cooler stocked with ice and water.
