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Going Home & Navigating the St. Thomas Airport

Landing at the STT airport is always so exciting! Leaving = not so much.

The island is busy again! Woohoo! So I thought this would be a good time to repost the following story. The St. Thomas airport is a little different, so here is a quick post about how to best navigate STT when going home.


You’ve made it. You’re here! You just landed at the Cyril E. King (STT) airport on St. Thomas, and you are excited to get off the airplane and start your vacation. When all of a sudden, an airport employee comes on the plane’s intercom and tells you to arrive three hours before your departing flight. What??!! Can this be real? Well, unfortunately it can be for many folks. Today’s post is all about navigating the St. Thomas airport when it’s time to go home.

So let’s start with the three-hour protocol. Is that real? Honestly, it really depends. If you are traveling on a Saturday and are checking a bag, then yes, you should get there as close to three hours before your flight as possible. Are you flying out on a Tuesday with carry on bags only? Then you’re pretty safe with only two hours.

Tip #1: If you can download your boarding pass on your phone or print your boarding passes in advance, I strongly urge you to do so. This will allow to to skip the counter if you are traveling with carry ons only. Checking a bag? Then it doesn’t really matter, because you have to go to the counter anyway.

Step One: Checking Bags (Skip to Step Two if you plan to travel with carry on luggage only.)

If you are checking bags, the first thing you need to do it get your bag tags. Once you receive them, the airline does not take your bags. You actually keep them with you until you pass through Customs & Border Patrol, which is step number two.

Step Two: Customs & Border Patrol

Now you may be wondering why you have to go through Customs & Border Patrol if the US Virgin Islands are part of the United States. The reason is because we are outside of the “customs territory.” Therefore we have to pass through and answer some relative quick and easy questions. The agents will ask if you have any souvenirs, the value of the souvenirs, if you have fruits, vegetables, alcohol or tobacco, where you are heading, where you stayed, etc. Families or groups living in the same household can go up to the agent together.

You do not need a passport for Customs (or to visit the US Virgin Islands), but if you have one, bring it. You will get through Customs much faster with one. However if you do not have one, a driver’s license or state ID is fine. And for families with small children, just bring along a copy of your child’s birth certificate.

Have Global Entry? Lucky you! There is a special lane for you right in the center when you walk through the glass doors and into the Customs area. (Heads up: You must have your physical card with you to utilize Global Entry in St. Thomas.) Just lift up the belt, and let yourself in. There are two separate lanes – one on the right and one on the left – for those of us who do not have Global Entry.

Tip #2: Do not bring pork products to the airport in the USVI. 

You cannot bring certain pork products through Customs, and those that you can bring, must be in a sealed container. Here is the official verbiage from the USDA:

The revised Federal Order also allows travelers to bring certain processed swine products and byproducts in passenger baggage. These products must be shelf stable, packed in hermetically sealed containers and cooked by a commercial method. Unprocessed swine products and byproducts in passenger baggage will not be allowed to enter any other States or Territories.

Click here for more info on that. 

Step Three: Dropping off your luggage (Skip to Step Four if you have a carry on only.)

Once you leave the Customs area, you will see a sign indicating that baggage drop off is ahead to your left.

Step Four: Security

Ok, so the people dropping their bags go to the left. The people with carry ons only go in the middle. The people with precheck go to the far right against the wall. If you have precheck, and this is a service you can sign up for, you do not have to take off your shoes, belts or a light jacket, and you do not have to remove your electronics or liquids from your bag. It’s a real time saver. The application fee for precheck is $78, and it is good for five years. Click here to learn more. 

Checked bags get dropped to the left.
Passengers with carry ons only (and no precheck) go in the middle. Precheck goes to the far right against the wall.
Precheck to the right.

So as you can see, if you are checking a bag, it’s a four-step process. If you are not checking a bag and have your boarding passes ahead of time, it’s only a two-step process.

Tip #3: Avoid Saturdays, if possible

Saturday is the busiest day at the St. Thomas airport. This is due to the fact that most villas rent Saturday to Saturday. Also, it’s because it’s easier to travel on the weekend for many. If you are traveling on a Saturday, I would arrive as close to three hours as possible, especially if you are checking a bag. The St. Thomas airport is packed on Saturdays, and oftentimes there are more people than actual seats inside the terminal. Fridays and Sundays are pretty busy too, but not as bad at Saturdays. So if you can travel Monday through Thursday, the airport will be a bit better.

Tip #4: Hire a Porter

If you get to the airport and the Customs line is out the door, you can always hire a porter. They charge a nominal fee per bag, and they have the ability to bring you to the front of the Customs line. You can find them outside of the Customs area and near the airline counters. The porters can be easily identified by their red shirts.

Ok, so you’ve made it. You’re finally inside the St. Thomas airport! Now you may be wondering about the food and drink available inside STT. I wrote about this topic a couple of months ago. Click here to read Airport Eats: What to Expect at the St. Thomas Airport. 

Did you miss our post on How to Get to St. John? You can find that article at explorestj.com/GettingHere.


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  

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

We’re on Threads now too! Check us out at explorestj. 


New St. John Webcams Added!

Hello everyone, and happy Thursday! Need a new St. John view to check out every day? Well you’re in luck because I just added a great new webcam, courtesy of our friends at St. John Brewers. Their webcam overlooks the car barge area and has great, seasonal sunset views too! Check it out!

Our friends over at Mare Blu Villa and Villa Circe updated their webcams also, so their views are now better and much clearer. Here are the updated views:

As always, you can access these and all of our webcams 24/7 at www.ExploreSTJ.com/webcams. We have more than 20 live-streaming webcams, including streams from The Windmill Bar, The Beach Bar, Soggy Dollar Bar, and a variety of villas around St. John. 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  

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

A Few Things to Help You Pass Time Today…

Last night’s fireworks – Image credit: Steve Simonsen Photography

I hope you all had a fantastic July 4th yesterday! I know I did! Let’s be honest, today is not going to be a super productive day in the work world. So here are several things that will help you pass the time today… Enjoy!

Wish you were taking the ferry to Cruz Bay today? Well here’s the next best thing! Check out this video that I recorded in 4k.

Trunk Bay consistently ranks as one of the top beaches in the world and with good reason! Here is a video we took at one of St. John’s best beaches.

Planning a beach vacation to St. John or another great locale? Click here to read a list of helpful items to bring to St. John or on any beach vacation. These are some great tips that will help you save money.

Want to know where a certain restaurant is located on St. John? Visit www.ExploreSTJ.com/restaurantmap to view our searchable map.

Looking to explore a new hiking trail? Visit www.ExploreSTJ.com/hiking to learn about several of my favorite hikes, including Ram Head, Murphy House and the Lind Point Trail.

A view from the Ram Head trail

Well folks, I hope some of this helped you pass the time. Have a wonderful day!

The Meaning Behind St. John’s July 4th Festivities

The Freedom statue is located in Cruz Bay, in the park across from the ferry dock.

The Fourth of July is a day of nonstop celebration on St. John. It typically begins with j’ouvert – a street party that begins at daybreak – although j’ouvert was held a few days early this year. So this year, the festivities will begin with the celebration parade, which will start around 11 a.m. in Cruz Bay. Fireworks go off just beyond Cruz Bay harbor at 9 p.m. and music will continue in the Village well past midnight.

The Fourth of July is a big deal on St. John, but the reason it is celebrated in such grand fashion is so much different than why it’s celebrated in the United States.

The enslaved people, who were brought to the island by the Danes who controlled St. John from 1718 through 1917, were finally freed on July 3, 1848, and word of emancipation first reached St. John on July 4, 1848.

J’ouvert celebrates the first sunrise of freedom, which is why it is typically held at daybreak on July 4th. However, this year was celebrated a few days earlier on July 1st.

St. John’s 2023 J’ouvert celebration – Image credit: USVI Festivals

Captain Ingjald Mourier was the owner of the Lameshur plantation in 1848. He arrived in Cruz Bay from St. Thomas to alert everyone about the pronouncement of Emancipation. He quickly informed Police Master Carl Hanshell of the news, and the pair set off on horseback to inform people across the island. The enslaved population on Estate Adrian – which is about three miles up Centerline Road – were the first to learn of their newfound freedom.

So please join us all in celebrating this momentous event. If you are unable to be on island, you can check out some of the island’s webcams to see the celebration. View them at www.ExploreSTJ.com/webcams. You may be able to catch some of the fireworks on St. John Spice’s Spice Cam.

Tonight’s & Tomorrow’s Music Schedule

Image credit: USVI Festivals

Parade Details

The parade is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Think island time, my friends. It will start behind the ballfield in Cruz Bay. It continues in front of Mongoose Junction and toward Cap’s Place and the Post Office. It takes a right at the Post Office and goes toward the ferry dock. It then takes a left up the one-way past Connections. It will then continue up the hill past Woody’s, Quiet Mon and Extra Virgin until it reaches the roundabout.

Fireworks Information

The fireworks are usually set up from one of the barges in front of Cruz Bay harbor. Cruz Bay beach is a great spot to watch them. The Cruz Bay overlook is too. Cruz Bay Watersports is having a sunset fireworks sail, and The Terrace is having a streetside party in addition to a special four course prix fixe menu. I’m sure there are other fun things going on too!

Enjoy everyone! Happy Festival! And Happy Fourth of July! Stay safe!

Beach Break: Frank Bay

It’s been a pretty soggy morning on St. John, so I figured I’d brighten everyone’s day with a little Beach Break.

Frank Bay is located in Cruz Bay, just down the hill from Gallows Point. It’s a beautiful, rocky beach with great snorkeling. There are at least a dozen peacocks that call the area home, and you will even hear a few in the video below. Enjoy!

Want to see more island videos? Check out Explore STJ’s video page at www.ExploreSTJ.com/videos.


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  

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj


St. John Real Estate: What Your Money Can Buy

A pool with a view? Yes, please! Oceana is listed for sale by American Paradise Real Estate.

One of the most commonly asked questions during my Explore STJ island tours is about the cost of housing on St. John. Let’s be honest, many of you, like me, dream of owning a home on St. John. Buying a home on any island can be costly, but it’s not impossible. Here are the details on what your money can get you on St. John.

There are currently 58 homes and six condos available for purchase on St. John. The least expensive home is listed for $399,000 and the most expensive is $12 million. The least expensive condo is $620,000 and the most expensive is $1.95 million. There are only nine homes and two condos listed under one million dollars on St. John.

So what exactly will your money get you? Let’s start with a couple of the least expensive homes.

There is a small eco cottage located on Bordeaux Mountain listed for $399,000. This is an off-grid, non-conforming, wood-frame building that’s approximately 420 square feet, including interior and exterior space. It does not have a toilet, so you must purchase a composting one if you plan to glamp here. You cannot get windstorm insurance for wood frame homes at the moment, so this would have to be a cash deal. The house is located on just over a half-acre, has excellent views, and is a very buildable lot. This home is listed by 340 Real Estate Co.

Bordeaux eco-cottage: $399k

For an additional $100,000, you can get a one-bedroom masonry home with 1,300 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space. This home is located just minutes from Coral Bay’s shops and restaurants. Because the house is masonry, you should be able to get a mortgage on it and windstorm insurance. This home is listed for $499,000 by Cruz Bay Realty.

One-bedroom Coral Bay home: $499k

Now let’s look at the most expensive homes, shall we?

Villa Indo is a newly-built, waterfront home on Great Cruz Bay. It has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, and more than 4,000 square feet of living space. It is a beautifully designed home with floor-to-ceiling windows and an infinity-edge pool. Villa Indo is listed for $12 million by Islandia Real Estate.

Newly built, waterfront home: $12 million

The second most expensive home currently listed for sale is one of my favorite vacation rentals – Mare Blu. Mare Blu is an expansive, seven-bedroom home with panoramic views of Rendezvous Bay. It has a giant pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and ample indoor and outdoor living space. This is a fabulous vacation rental that’s located less than 10 minutes from Cruz Bay. Mare Blu is listed for $10 million by Holiday Homes.

A seven-bedroom home with stunning views: $10 million

Please note: Being listed for sale does not affect future vacation rentals. Typically when a home sells on St. John, the buyer has to honor all rental reservations.

As of Tuesday night, there were 17 homes listed for sale between one and two million dollars, and there were 11 homes listed between two and three million dollars. The median list price for a home on St. John is just under $3 million. The total asking price for the 58 homes currently for sale on St. John is more than $172 million. Wow.

The median list price on St. John is currently $2.97 million. Villa Panache (pictured here) is listed for $2.99 million.

Now let’s talk condos. As I mentioned, there are only six currently listed for sale. The least expensive is a great unit over at Serendip. It’s a very cute and updated condo with a nice deck that has views of Cruz Bay. Serendip is a great vacation spot complete with a pool, and it’s located about five minutes from Cruz Bay. This unit is listed for $699,000 by Cruz Bay Realty, and the monthly HOA dues are $1,519.

(Serendip is currently offering discounted summer rates. Click here to learn more.)

Alpha is a cute unit at Seredip that’s currently listed for $620,000.

There are four condos for sale between one and two million dollars. The second least expensive condo is listed for $975,000.

Looking for more information on any of the properties listed above or just want some general information about what’s currently for sale on St. John? Here are a few real estate companies located on St. John:

  • 340 Real Estate: 340 Real Estate Co. has been rock solid & island wise since 1978. Click here to learn more.
  • American Paradise: American Paradise has been making dreams come true, one view at a time, since 1987. Click here to learn more. 
  • Holiday Homes of St. John: Holiday Homes has been specializing in St. John real estate since 1960. They have a storefront on the first floor of The Marketplace if you’d like to stop in. Click here to learn more. 

(Disclaimer: The three companies listed above are advertisers on ExploreSTJ.com.)

Want to purchase land on St. John? Stay tuned for information about building on St. John.


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  

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj