Hello everyone, and happy Monday. I apologize for posting super late today, but I am in the States recovering from a weekend-long family reunion. There are a few things going on that I wanted to share with all of you, so here we go!
Slow season has officially arrived! The beaches are quiet, and several restaurants have begun to close. The Tap Room, one of my favorite spots over at Mongoose Junction, just announced that its summer hours are officially in effect. They will now open at noon and will serve food until 8:30 p.m. The bar will stay open until 9:30 p.m.
Cool down with my Papa ExploreSTJ’s favorite beer at The Tap Room!
Our friends at North Shore Deli, another one of my favorite spots over in Mongoose Junction, have also decided to close this year, but just for a week. They will be closed between September 23rd and October 1st.
It is H-O-T on island from what I hear! The Virgin Islands National Park has been posting online that the Virgin Islands continues to be under an excessive heat warning. Luckily, we have two new air-conditioned spots on island to help beat the heat.
Cap’s Place, the bar that’s located across from the Post Office and Uncle Joe’s BBQ in Cruz Bay, is now air-conditioned. Another random fact: Cap’s Place has some of the coldest beers on island. So do yourself a favor and swing by to cool down. Don’t forget to grab a lotto ticket while you’re there.
Speaking of cold beer, another great spot is Tony’s Kitchen food truck on Centerline Road. It’s located at the Route 104 (Gifft Hill Road) intersection. Ms. Angie literally keeps her beer in an ice cooler. It doesn’t get much colder than that!
And lastly, our friends over at The Upstairs just opened The Downstairs, which is located downstairs from The Upstairs (appropriately named, right??!). The Downstairs is fully-air conditioned and looks quite cozy from the pics my friends have shared with me. Check out a couple of pics:
There’s your news for today, folks. Is it earth-shattering? Nope. But is it important to know where to cool down and where to grab a cold beer? Absolutely!
Obviously, you can’t buy sand from Cinnamon Bay (pictured here). I simply needed a sand picture for this story. 🙂
It’s slow season in the Virgin Islands, so there isn’t a ton going on right now. And because of that, we’re talking about sand today.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority announced yesterday that it plans to sell up to 520 cubic yards of “beach-quality” sand. Think about it… You can purchase real Virgin Islands sand and create your own beach in your backyard! Or in your basement! The possibilities are endless! 😂 😂
The sand will become available following the Port Authority’s dredging activities that are planned for later this year. The sand will be sold to the highest bidder. The winner will have to pick the sand up from the barge dock in Red Hook on St. Thomas. How many suitcases of sand does it take to create a personal beach???
Here are the official terms: (Scroll down to skip the official stuff and read about our contest.)
The Virgin Islands Port Authority (the “Authority” or “VIPA”) intends to sell up to 520 cubic yards (cy) of beach quality sand, which will be available for pick up from the Urman Victor Fredericks Marine Terminal – Barge Dock (“Red Hook Marine Terminal”) during its maintenance dredging activities scheduled for later this year. The Authority’s interpretation of the soil testing reports, that is included in the sales package, is that the sand is beach-quality in nature, but the Authority does not guarantee the suitability of use for or all of the up to 520 cy of material which may be available. The sand material will be sold ‘as-is’ to the bidder which offers the highest unit price per cy (referred to as ‘preferred bidder’). Prospective buyers may submit their bids for the purchase of the sand by no later than August 25, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. through the Authority’s e-Procurement site at https://viportbids.ionwave.net.
Interested buyers may view and download the full package through the Authority’s e-Procurement site at https://viportbids.ionwave.net.
The Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids; to waive any informality or to accept any bid deemed to be in the best interest of the Authority.
Contest time! I know many of you have St. John-themed bars in your backyards and rooms in your homes, and I want to see them! Please email me your St. John room, yard, bar, etc. The winner will receive a gift certificate to The Beach Bar, which can be used in person or to purchase merchandise online! Please email your submissions to jenn@explorestj.com. Good luck! I can’t wait to see your pics!
Did you know that there are more than 20 live-streaming webcams around St. John? You can watch people come and go at the ferry dock with the St. John Spice Cam. You can see what’s happening on Cruz Bay beach with The Beach Bar’s beach cam, or you can watch the sunset with Coconut Coast Studios and The Windmill Bar’s webcams. Want to check out the beautiful views from several villas including Mare Blu in Rendezvous or Villa Circe out in Coral Bay? You can do that too! Take a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful views from St. John.
Hello, and happy Tuesday everyone! I read the comments on social media yesterday where many of you mentioned additional airports that you are traveling from. So here you go! As you can see between today’s post and yesterday’s, airfares are much lower than they’ve been over the past year. Airfare to St. John tends to be trending lower. Let’s hope it stays that way!
(How I Found These Airfare Prices: I used Google Flights Explore function. Not familiar with Google Flights’ Explore function? It’s pretty simple to use. 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. For the airfare listed below, I chose a 1-week trip in the next 6 months. If you hate Spirit Airlines like I do, you can click the Airlines button and uncheck Spirit.)
Birmingham
Birmingma-STT
Birmingham, come visit us! You can fly for as little as $519 roundtrip for nearly the entire month of January! You can fly for this little on numerous dates in November, December, and February too! This price is for travel on American with a short layover in Miami or Charlotte.
Charlotte
Charlotte-STT
Charlotte tends to be one of the pricier cities like Atlanta, but not this winter! You can fly for as little as $585 direct roundtrip on numerous dates in November, December, January, and February. What are you waiting for??! This price is for travel on American. For those of you who want to save some cash, you can fly on Spirit with a layover for under $250 roundtrip.
Los Angelos
LAX-STT
Flights are even inexpensive from the West Coast! You can fly for as little as $487 roundtrip on either Delta or United. These are red-eye flights out of LAX that get you to STT by 2:15 p.m. Not terrible! All flights have a short layover en route.
Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon – STT
Honestly, these prices are unbelievable. You can fly for as little as $517 roundtrip on American. These are also red-eye flights with quick layovers in either Charlotte or Miami.
San Diego
San Diego-STT
It looks like I will be visiting my in-laws this winter because flights to San Diego are cheap! You can fly for as little as $414 roundtrip on Delta on numerous dates in January and February. There were a handful in November and December too! These flights have a short layover in JFK.
Shreveport
Shreveport-STT
Kathie S., this is for you! I found flights out of Shreveport for $473 roundtrip. There are a handful of days this winter when flights are under $500 roundtrip. This price is for travel on American. The only issue is that it includes a tight layover in Charlotte.
Tulsa
Tulsa-STT
Some of my very best island tour guests hail from the great state of Oklahoma! I’m excited to say that you all can come back for under $500 roundtrip this winter. You can fly for as little as $483 on American, but this one also has a tight layover in Charlotte. It’s worth the risk for that price, right??
Wilmington
Wilmington-STT
I finally found inexpensive flights for you all! You can fly for as little as $357 roundtrip on American in late fall. The prices bump up a little in the winter, but there are still a bunch under $500 roundtrip. These prices are for travel on American with a short layover at Dulles.
For those of you who visited us in 2021 or 2022 and were overwhelmed by the number of people on island, please know that was an anomaly. The island was back to normal this year in terms of numbers. We were full, but we were not bursting at the seams. It was easier to find parking at the beach and a seat at most restaurants. St. John is a special little place, and I hope many of you have the ability to come and visit us this winter.
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 Monday! I have fantastic news to share with all of you today! Airfares have finally dropped! How exciting is that??!
I spent the morning pulling airfares from numerous cities around the country, and I was stunned at some of the prices I found. And even better is that the majority of the better prices were on good airlines! Please take a few minutes to check out what I found, and then immediately start planning your winter vacations! I’d love to see all of you this winter!
(How I Found These Airfare Prices: I used Google Flights Explore function. Not familiar with Google Flights’ Explore function? It’s pretty simple to use. 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. For the airfare listed below, I chose a 1-week trip in the next 6 months.)
And now, without further ado…
Atlanta
Atlanta-STT
Direct flights between Atlanta and St. Thomas aren’t terrible! You can fly on numerous dates for $659 roundtrip on Delta. You can save a good amount of money if you opt to fly Spirit, but you would have a layover in Florida en route. If you don’t mind that, you can fly for $253 roundtrip from October 14-21.
Austin
I want to see all of my Austin friends in December! You can fly for just $463 roundtrip on American. That’s amazing! That price is for travel December 4-11.
Baltimore
Flights are inexpensive out of Baltimore for those of you looking to travel sooner than later. You can fly for as little as $302 roundtrip on JetBlue from September 16-25. That is still peak hurricane season, so I strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance.
Boston
Boston-STT
I know how much Boston loves St. John, so there will be a ton of you who will love this! For those of you looking to escape winter, you can fly for under $500 roundtrip on numerous dates in December and January. These prices are for flights on United and Delta.
Take an island tour with Explore STJ! See beautiful sights. Swim with the turtles. Visit centuries-old plantations. Say hi to a donkey or two. Grab lunch at a tiki bar. Explore STJ is rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Learn more: www.ExploreSTJ.com/tour
Chicago
Chicago-STT
Flights are CHEAP for several dates in October and November. If you can handle flying Spirit, you can do so for just $266 roundtrip. Prefer direct flights? There are a few dates in December and January when you can fly for under $800 roundtrip on United.
Cleveland
Cleveland-STT
Hello Cleveland! You can also fly for very little if you don’t mind flying Spirit. There are numerous dates in October and November when you can fly for just $259 roundtrip! Prices go up in December, but trips are still under $500 roundtrip.
Dallas
Hey Dallas, how does $587 direct sound? Amazing, I know! There are three dates when these fares are being offered in November and December, the first being the Saturday after Thanksgiving. These prices are for travel on American.
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids-STT
My Michigan friends can also escape the cold for very little this winter! You can fly on American on several days in December and January for as little as $454 roundtrip! These flights have a quick layover in Charlotte or Miami.
Hartford
Hartford-STT
Connecticut also has a lot of great prices for travel this fall. You can fly for as little as $340 roundtrip on October 29th, which is just in time to celebrate Halloween on island! There are numerous dates in October and November that are less than $400 roundtrip. Those prices are for travel on JetBlue with layovers in San Juan.
Houston
Houston-STT
Flights out of Houston are a bit pricier than the other cities mentioned so far, but the price is still rather inexpensive for travel to the Caribbean. You can fly nonstop on United for just $743 roundtrip on several weekend dates in November, December, and January.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis-STT
Start planning your winter vacations Indianapolis friends! You can fly for just $433 roundtrip on dozens of dates in December, January, and February. This price is for travel on American with quick layovers in either Philadelphia or Miami.
Kansas City
Kansas City-STT
If you are flying out of Kansas City, you can do so for under $500 roundtrip on American on the majority of dates in October and November. Prices increase a bit in December, but they are still lower than normal.
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
Ft. Lauderdale-STT
It’s much less expensive to fly out of Ft. Lauderdale than Miami. You can fly for just over $200 roundtrip on Spirit for several dates this fall. Prefer Miami? The cost will be more than double to fly direct on American.
Nashville
Nashville-STT
Start planning your winter escape Nashville friends, because you can fly for as little as $453 roundtrip on American on numerous dates in December and January. These prices have a short layover in either Charlotte or Miami.
New York
New York-STT
New York, you’re one of the cheapest spots to fly out of yet again! You can fly for just $305 nonstop roundtrip on American for numerous dates in January and February. That’s an unbelievable price for a direct flight!
Orlando
Orlando, you officially win the airfare game today! You can fly for only $123 ROUNDTRIP on Frontier with a quick layover in San Juan. This fare is good for travel September 10-17. Please buy travel insurance. That flight is basically free, so what are you waiting for??!
Philadelphia
You can also fly for basically nothing! Frontier isn’t the most amazing airline, but for this price, it’s hard to say no! You can fly for only $143 roundtrip September 17-24. This flight also has a quick layover in San Juan. I recommend travel insurance for all September flights.
Raleigh-Durham
RDU-STT
If you live in the Raleigh area, you can fly for as little as $357 roundtrip in November and December. These prices are for travel on American.
So as you can see, airfares are much lower than they’ve been in recent months. No one really wants to work today, right? Start planning your winter vacay instead! 🙂
The island is starting to slow down, and businesses are starting to close for off-season. Skinny Legs, for example, has decided to close a couple of days early while other restaurants have decided to stay open for off-season. Below is the complete list of St. John’s off season closings. If you are a restaurant owner or manager, and you would like to update your listing, please email jenn@explorestj.com.
Bajo el Sol Gallery & The Art Bar: Will close the last two weeks of September
Banana Deck: Tentatively closing September 1st through October 16th
Beach Bar: Staying Open
Caneel Bay Beach Club: Likely Staying Open
Caps Place: Staying Open
Colombo’s Smoothies: No info yet.
Cafe Roma: Last night is September 1st; First night is October 8th
Caribbean Food Delights: Staying Open
Cinnamon Bay Raintree Cafe & Food Truck: Campground & Restaurant will be closed in September and October. Details on the food truck near the beach are TBD.
Coco Jim’s: Staying open
Colombo’s: Closing September 9th through September 23rd
Cool Desires: Undecided
Coral Bay Catering: Open; Contact 340-423-6611 for possible closures in September/October.
Coral Bay Fresh Market: Permanently Closed
Cruz Bay Landing: Staying Open
Dave & Jerry’s Steakhouse: Last night is September 1st; First night is October 8th
Dazey Drive In: Closed for off-season; Reopening October-ish. Exact reopening date TBD. (Salt Deck will close August 18th – October 8th.)
Delyvonne Breakfast Bistro: Staying Open
Dolphin Grab & Go: Staying Open
Downtown Sips: Staying Open
Estela’s Sosa’s Food Truck: Staying Open
Ekaete Pink Corner: Waiting on info.
Every-ting Kurry: No info.
Extra Virgin Bistro: Closed for off-season; Reopening date TBD
Flavour’s Night Club: Staying open
Greengo’s Caribbean Cantina: Staying open
Gwen’s Place: Staying open
Heading East: Staying open
High Tide: Closing September 18-24
Hillside Terrace: Staying open
Irie Pops: Closing for September; Reopening October 9th
Island Breeze: Permanently Closed.
Joe’s Rum Hut: Closed August & September
Johnny Lime: Last day is August 18th; Reopening October 8th (Tentative)
La Tapa: Most likely closing September 18th through October 15-ish
Lime Inn: Last day is August 18th; Reopening end of November (Closed Saturdays until then for summer hours)
Lime Out: Last day is August 18th; Reopening October 8th
Little Olive Food Truck: Undecided
Lovango Resort & Beach Club: Last day is July 20th; Reopening mid-December.
Lovango Rum Bar: Closing September 9th through September 23rd
Love City Barbeque: Waiting on info.
Live City Bites: Waiting on info.
Love City Cafe: Closing dates TBD
Love City Wing Spot: Staying open
Love Supply by Reef2Peak at Maho: Staying open
Maho Crossroads: Staying open
Margarita Phil’s: Closing Dates TBD
Miss Lucy’s: Closed September & October; Reopening end of November
Morgan’s Mango: Closed starting September 6th; Reopening October 6th
Natures Nook: Staying open
North Shore Deli: Undecided
Ocean 362: Closing end of August; Reopening mid-October
Our Market Smoothies: Both Locations are staying open
The Parrot Club: Staying Open
P&P’s By the Sea: Waiting on info.
Pizzabar in Paradise: Closing mid-September through mid-October
Quiet Mon Pub: Most likely closing for September
Rhumb Lines: Most likely closing in September; Check back for exact dates
Ronnie’s Pizza: Closed for off-season; Reopening in September
Salty Mongoose: Closed in September
Sam & Jack’s: Most likely closing mid-September; Exact dates TBD
Shaibu’s Grab & Go: Closing August 26th through October 1st
Shambles: Closing August 14-21
Skinny Legs: Closed; Reopening on Halloween
St. John Catering & Mathayom Private Chefs: Staying open
St. John Scoops: Staying open
St. John Provisions: Closed for September
Sun Dog Cafe: Staying open
Surf Club Cantina: Staying open
Tamarind Court: Closing two weeks in September; Exact dates TBD
The Tap & Still: Staying open
The Longboard: Staying Open
The Tap Room: Closed September 25-29
The Refinery: Staying open
The Roti King: Staying open
The Terrace: Closed August 10-October 10
Tony’s Kitchen Food Truck: Staying Open
Trunk Bay Concessions: Staying Open
Uncle Joe’s BBQ: Staying open
Upstairs Bar & Grill: Staying open
Surf Club Cantina: Staying Open
Woody’s: Closing the end of September through the beginning of October; Exact Dates TBD
Windmill Bar: Staying Open
Wine Shop VI: Closed for off-season; Reopening date TBD
ZoZo’s: Closed for off-season; Reopening mid-December
Want to learn more about St. John? Want to check out all of the cool spots with a resident? See beautiful sights, visit the world’s best beaches, check out centuries-old historical sites, and more. Explore STJ is rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. Visit www.ExploreSTJ.com/tour to learn more.
