The island is starting to wake up after slow season!
Hello everyone, happy Tuesday and happy October 1st! Several businesses are reopening today after being closed several weeks or even months for slow season, which is a such a great sight! I have to admit, places to eat were rather scarce on St. John last week, but a few more just reopened. Here is a quick rundown of updates:
High Tide reopens for breakfast, lunch and dinner today. High Tide is located directly on the sand in Cruz Bay, right beside the ferry dock.
STJ Speakeasy (formerly called STJ Hideaway) reopens today. STJ Speakeasy is located in the Lumberyard parking lot in Cruz Bay. It is owned by Chef Vincent Alterio and serves dinner only.
Jolly Dog, a great retail shop located in Coral Bay, reopens today. It is located right beside Sharky’s By the Water and Surf Club Cantina.
Sam & Jack’s reopens tomorrow. Sam & Jack’s is a great deli that offers a few grab and go items too. It’s located on the third floor of the Marketplace.
Sharky’s By the Water reopened yesterday. Sharky’s is a new restaurant in Coral Bay. It’s located in the former Salty Mongoose location.
For those of you who plan to enjoy a day on the water, Pirate’s Bite reopens in the British Virgin Islands today. This is a great little waterfront bar and restaurant located in Norman Island, over near the Willy T.
Looking ahead…
Dave & Jerry’s will reopen on October 7th.
1864 will reopen October 7th.
The Tap Room will reopen October 10th.
Ocean 362 will reopen October 10th.
Lime Inn will reopen on October 14th.
Johnny Lime will reopen on October 14th.
Lime Out will reopen on October 20th.
Drink will reopen on Halloween.
Skinny Legs will reopen on Halloween.
Businesses that closed by have since reopened:
The Terrace
North Shore Deli
The Beach Bar
Lovango Rum Bar
Woody’s
Greengo’s
Cafe Roma
Shambles
Want to know where all of these restaurants are located? Check out Explore STJ’s Restaurant Map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a 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 new ferry dock is finished, and it looks great!
Hello everyone, and happy Monday! For those of you who have been following the renovations at the ferry dock, it is finally finished, and, I have to say, it looks great!
My parents have been visiting the past week, but, sadly, they had to fly back to Connecticut yesterday afternoon. Mike, Dalton and I walked them to the ferry dock – that all too familiar walk of woe. While I was there, I took several pictures to share with all of you. Take a look!
The covered area at the ferry dock is now much larger than before.There is much more room for passengers waiting to get onto the ferry.Brand new restrooms – one for men and one for women – at the ferry dock!
I was so sad to see them go, but I still made my dad pose for a picture! haha
Current ferry prices
The Cruz Bay dock is named after Captain Loredon Lorence Boynes Sr. Captain Boynes was born on April 2, 1919, in St. Thomas. According to the VI Port Authority, he “was a descendant of a line of seafarers and inherited a love for the sea at an early age. During his lifetime, he served as a pilot for a deep sea fishing company, the National Park Service, and operated a ferry between St. Thomas, St. John, and Tortola, British Virgin Islands. He partnered with fellow seafarer Victor Sewer to form the first ferry service connecting St. John and St. Thomas named the Jolly Roger. Boynes eventually streamlined the ferry operation. He formed Transportation Services in 1965 and provided scheduled ferry service between the two islands.”
Captain Boynes. Image credit: VI Port Authority
Transportation Services is one of the two ferry companies that provide transportation between this dock and Red Hook. Varlack Ventures is the other.
A little island update. A little history. Have a great day everyone!
Pre-Order Your Trunk Bay Puzzle Today!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a 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.
I know how much you all love having a little St. John hanging in your homes and offices. Well, three of our favorite St. John calendars are now available to pre-order or purchase.
Elaine Estern – Coconut Coast Studios
Elaine’s 2025 calendar is titled Corals and Florals. It features 12 handprinted watercolor scenes that depict life above and below our beautiful Caribbean waters. Elaine is an amzingly talented watercolor artist who has been living in St. John since 1975. Elaine owns Coconut Coast Studios, a quaint and colorful studio and retail shop in Frank Bay. For those of you who’ve visited the shop or Frank Bay, you may have been treated to a visit from Elaine’s adorable Chocolate Lab Dove.
Looking for a stunning photograph showing scenes around St. John each month of the year? Then look no further than Christian Wheatley’s 2025 St. John calendar. Start the year with a beautiful scene from Cinnamon Bay and end the year with a gorgeous aerial photograph from St. John’s North Shore. Christian is a St. John-based photographer, who specializes in commercial beach lifestyle photography.
And last, but certainly not least is Steve Simonsen’s annual St. John calendar. Steve’s calendar is not available for sale currently, but it will be soon. So check back often. Steve’s calendar features some of the island’s most popular residents on the calendar – our beloved donkeys! The calendar also features Steve’s beautiful photography, including images from below and above our turquoise waters.
The Westin resort is located on the water of Great Cruz Bay.
Hello everyone, and happy Tuesday! I know a lot of you have been planning your next St. John vacation, and chances are, you’ve looked at the Westin as one of the places you might stay. The Westin is a great waterfront property, and it’s located just minutes from Cruz Bay. And even better? It’s a quick ride to all of the best beaches.
Did you know that you can own a week at the Westin? I know, you may be thinking, why should I buy a week when I can just rent one? Well, truthfully, it’s not that easy. The Westin is a very hard property to get into, so it’s beneficial to own a deeded week. I looked to reserve a week for many of the weeks available for sale, and the Westin is sold out. Or, if it is available, the price is usually much higher than what your annual fees would be.
Beachfront… Yes, please!
The properties listed below are all deeded weeks, so you own that unit for that specific week. Can’t use it? Not a problem! You can let friends or family stay there; you can rent it out; or you can convert it to points and use those points to vacation at another property within the network. It’s kinda a win-win!
I have the following properties listed for sale. All units include full use of all of the Westin’s amenities, including additional pools, hot tub, waterfront restaurant, poolside bar, gym, market, private ferry service, and more. If there is a week you are looking for that is not listed, please email me at jenn@explorestj.com, and I can help.
Spend early March (Week 10) in your very own two-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse. This unit is located on the hillside, so the views are great! Next year’s dates are March 8-15, 2025. This unit is listed for $8,000. The annual dues are $3,290.
I wasn’t kidding… sold out!
Spend Labor Day 2025 (August 31-Sept. 7, 2025) in St. John! Enjoy Week 35 annually in this three bedroom, three bathroom villa in the Bay Vista section of the Westin Resort. This unit is located just steps from the beach, main pool, restaurant, and more. This unit is listed for $8,000. The annual dues are $2,988.96.
Get a jumpstart on your summer vacation – Week 22, first week of June – in this beautiful three bedroom, three bathroom villa located on the beachside of the Westin Resort. Just steps to the beach and all of the resort’s amenities. This unit is listed for $11,000. The annual dues are $2,988.96.
This week is available for rent, but the cost is more than double what your annual fees would be.
Spend the first week of March (Week 9) in a two-bedroom townhouse. Enjoy the gorgeous sunset views from your private balcony in this hillside unit. This unit is listed for $12,000. The annual dues are $3,489.41.
Enjoy week 18 (May 10-17, 2025) in unit 4313, a three bedroom, three bathroom townhouse that has its own private pool and hot tub. This unit is listed for $15,000. The annual dues are $4,775.02.
Enjoy week 19 (May 17-24, 2025) in unit 4313, a three bedroom, three bathroom townhouse that has its own private pool and hot tub. This unit is listed for $15,000. The annual dues are $4,775.02.
Weeks 18 and 19 in unit 4313 can be purchased together.
Spend an entire month in St. John! Unit 3422 is a one bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse that’s located in the highest part of the Westin resort, which means it has some of the best views on property! You can enjoy an entire month here – August 21st through September 21st annually. Escape the high season crowds and enjoy some downtime on the island during the quietest time of the year. And even better, this unit is scheduled to get a complete upgrade next year! This unit is listed for $19,000. The annual dues are $13,528.86.
A rainbow was captured from Unit 3422!
For Rent
March 8-15, 2025: Hillside unit. Two bedrooms,. Three bathrooms. Asking price: $4,500 for the week. This week is also listed for sale for $8,000. Please contact me at jenn@explorestj.com for more details.
If you are interested in learning more about any of these properties, please email me at jenn@explorestj.com or 203-376-3786. Are you interested in buying or selling a different property? I would love to help you! I am a licensed realtor with 340 Real Estate Co. and I am happy to help you with all of your real estate needs. Thanks everyone!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
See the island of St. John with a 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.
We have hit the weather lottery over the past week. The skies have been bright blue and crystal clear, and the water has been like glass! I was out and about on an Explore STJ Island Tour yesterday, and I took several pics to share with all of you. Enjoy!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a 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.
I am super excited to tell you all about this today! For years, I’ve been toying with the idea of creating an amazing puzzle for all of you St. John lovers out there. Well, I have finally done it, and I am excited to share that it is now available to pre-order! How exciting is that??!
This is a custom-made puzzle created by me, Jenn Manes! My parents are graciously shipping puzzles for me from Connecticut, so they get to you all much faster! Thanks mom and dad!
The next batch of orders will be shipped on December 17th. Order yours no later than December 16th for Christmas delivery. Puzzles are shipping via USPS Ground Advantage to save on your shipping costs. USPS says all orders shipped by December 18th will arrive in time for Christmas. We’re shipping a day early to be safe!
The price is $45, plus $9 shipping. Thank you for supporting a small business!
