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Turkey Trot, The Prom & More!

The road at Annaberg

Hello everyone, and happy Monday! I am writing this from a couch in freezing Connecticut, so I currently know what it’s like to wish you were in St. John! Ha! I went to a wedding in New Haven yesterday, and it was absolutely beautiful! I head back to the island later this week. Warm weather, soon come!

From yesterday’s wedding… How did Dalton get so big?!

There are a few island events happening soon that I wanted to tell you about. Airfare has gotten a bit cheaper, so maybe you can come and visit for one of them! Here we go…

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot

Looking to burn off some calories before your Thanksgiving feast? Well, you’re in luck because there is going to be a quick little St. John Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Peter Alter, the man who created 8 Tuff Miles, is holding a three-mile race for adults and a one-mile race for children on Thursday, November 23rd at 7:30 a.m. Participants should meet at the Annaberg parking lot prior to race time. The race is being held to support the Animal Care Center. The entry fee is one can of cat or dog food. Dalton and I will be there to support the dogs and cats, and I hope you will be too!

The “Prom” All Island Holiday Party

This is the one day of the year that you will actually see us ladies in heels on St. John! The 28th annual All Island Holiday Party, also known as The Prom, is scheduled for Saturday, December 16th. The party is being hosted by Michael and Barbie Barry, owners of Sun Dog Cafe. This is a great time and not to be missed!

The Animal Care Center’s Annual Gala 

As the newest Board Member for the Animal Care Center, I am excited to share that our annual gala is happening on Saturday, January 27th at The Last Resort villa in Chocolate Hole. This is an amazing event at an amazing villa for an even more amazing cause! I hope you all can come! Details on tickets and raffle sales soon come…

And speaking of the Animal Care Center, they have brand new merchandise for sale! Please check it out and consider supporting our little fur babies! Hoodies are $40, rashguards are $30, and kids t-shirts are $20. Please email info@stjacc.org to purchase. (Prices do not include shipping.)

Hoodies
Rashguards
Kids t-shirts

And there you have it, folks. A few more reasons to come and visit us! Have a great day everyone! I hope to see you soon!

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

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Here’s What’s Currently Happening on St. John!

Hello everyone, and happy Thursday! I thought I would take a few minutes to share a little island update with all of you.

I am happy to report that the rain has finally stopped… thank goodness! Yes, we could always use some, but four straight days of soaking rain was a little much. We had some rain early Monday, which was followed by clouds, and it’s been sunny ever since!

We had so much rain that there continue to be little waterfalls around the island. The gut near Cinnamon Bay has had a small waterfall all week. The one beside the petroglyphs at Reef Bay must be raging at this point. I’m a tad too laxy to walk down to take a photo for you all, so please just take my word on that one – lol.

The waterfall near Cinnamon Bay was flowing pretty well earlier this week.
An older photo of the waterfall at Reef Bay. Image credit: Steve Simonsen Photography

The island has definitely gotten much busier in recent weeks. Season is here! We’re by no means overwhelmed, but there are definitely more groups of people milling about. The parking lots are fuller, but I am still seeing availability at the top spots like Trunk Bay and Maho around noon, which is nice for all of us beachgoers.

Speaking of the beaches, when it rains as hard as it did over the weekend, there is a considerable amount of runoff that gets into the bays. Maho Bay gets a fair amount of brown water, which seems to cause the turtles to take a little vacay. The water should be back to normal in a day or two, and we will see more turtles over there. I have only seen a handful over the past few days.

If you are lucky enough to be on island or if you are checking out Explore STJ’s Webcam page, you will see just how green and lush the island currently is. It looks absolutely incredible! And all of our flowers are in bloom. Seriously, St. John is looking pretty amazing at the moment.

The island is so green!

Speaking of season, nearly all of our restaurants have reopened. Friends invited us to Extra Virgin Bistro for its opening last night, and it was absolutely perfect. Banana Deck, another favorite of mine, reopens tomorrow night. We’re still waiting on info from Lime Inn, but hopefully they do reopen this year… fingers crossed!

Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this little island update! Have a great day everyone!

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

 

A Closer Look at Cinnamon Bay

The beach at Cinnamon Bay on Oct. 31, 2023.

Hello, and happy Wednesday. Can you believe it’s November 1st??! The campground at Cinnamon Bay reopens today after being closed for two months for off-season, so I thought we’d take a closer look at some of the amenities at Cinnamon Bay.

Let’s start with location. Cinnamon Bay is roughly 15-20 minutes from Cruz Bay. It’s located on North Shore Road, which is Route 20 on the map. There is ample parking at Cinnamon Bay for those of you who opt to rent a vehicle, and it’s also easy to taxi to. The cost for a taxi is $14 if you are traveling alone and $11 if you are traveling with two or more people.

Cinnamon Bay is full of amenities, which stay open even when the campground is closed during September and October. There is a camp store that sells everything from snacks and cold drinks to ice and cute souvenirs. The camp store opens daily at 10 a.m.

Down near the beach, you will find a beach cafe and two rental huts. The beach cafe sells sodas and alcoholic drinks, as well as light snacks and lunch items like sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, and a pulled pork sandwich.

The beach cafe

There is a rental hut across from the beach cafe that rents snorkel gear, life vests, rafts, kayaks, and more. There is a second rental hut beside the beach where you can pick up the chairs and kayaks.

The rental hut

This is where you pick up chairs and kayaks.

There is also a bathhouse at Cinnamon Bay that is available to beachgoers. There are restrooms with running water and a spigot to wash your feet at the end of the day. There are no showers available for non-guests.

This bath house at Cinnamon Bay is available for beachgoers.

Cinnamon Bay is a beautiful beach. It tends to have more waves than other North Shore beaches, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Looking to stay at the Cinnamon Bay Campground? You can do so for as little as $40 a night. There are tent sites available, as well as permanent tents and concrete cottages. Click here to read a story that details all of the overnight options at Cinnamon Bay.

Trunk and Maho tend to be two of the more popular beaches here on St. John, but don’t sleep on Cinnamon Bay. It’s a great spot. Be sure to check it out on your next visit!

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

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It Just Won’t Stop Raining!

Fish Bay

Hello, and happy Monday everyone! It’s raining. It’s actually pouring. It has been for days, and I honestly do not know when it will end.

We’re in the midst of an extremely wet weather pattern at the moment. Yes, the island always needs water. Yes, our cisterns are happy. Yes, everything is beyond green and lush. But I have to admit, I miss the sunshine!

An island tour guest reached out to me last week asking about the weather. “It looks like a lot of rain over the next few days,” she said. “Really?” I asked. I hadn’t checked the weather and told her that it usually does say it’s going to rain, yet that rarely comes to fruition. Friends of mine visited from October 20th through the 27th, and the forecast showed rain every day prior to their visit. It only rained about two hours during their entire trip. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” I told my guest.

Boy was I wrong!

If I were a betting woman, and let’s be honest, I am (hello Parrot Club!), I’d say that St. John has received well over five inches of rain since Friday, if not more. And it’s still coming down. The weather shows additional measureable rain for the next several days.

So what do you do when you’re on St. John and it’s raining? Well you can do what Dalton and I did yesterday and take a drive. The island is still beautiful in the rain. We drove past Frank Bay and then stopped at the Cruz Bay and Caneel Bay overlooks before Dalton convinced me to let him play at Hawksnest.

Frank Bay
Cruz Bay overlook
Caneel Bay overlook
Dalton at Hawksnest
More Hawksnest fun

We stayed and played for about 30 minutes, and we were absolutely drenched. But it was so fun!

On the way home, we checked out some little waterfalls that popped up along the road, as well as the gut near our house. The water was raging!

Mini roadside waterfall
The Fish Bay gut

So that’s how we opted to spend our rainy Sunday while daddy was over working at The Beach Bar. If you’re on island and it’s raining for prolonged periods of time, you can also check out some of the island’s historical sites like Peace Hill, Annaberg or Catherineberg. Grab an umbrella, put on a hat and explore some of the island’s rich history.

You can also do a little shopping. Mongoose Junction is a great place to check out in the rain. It’s an outdoor shopping and dining complex, so be sure to bring an umbrella here too. Check out St. John Spice or The Little Things if you’re over near the ferry dock. Over in Coral Bay? Then check out our friends at Jolly Dog, Pirate’s Cove or Coral Bay Adventures. All are great little shops.

If you are feeling extremely adventurous, you can hike the Reef Bay trail. It is going to be rough and extremely slippery, but there will be an amazing waterfall down near the petroglyphs.

Or last but not least, drink and dine around the island. We have so many great places to choose from. You can see them at on our restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap.

And for those of you who aren’t on island at the moment, you can always check out what’s happening live. We have more than 20 live-streaming webcams listed on our webcam page at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj

Tag: Rainy day in St. John

 

Former St. John Resident Among the Maine Shooting Victims

Keith Macneir at Skinny Legs. Image credit: Leah Hanson

Keith Macneir, a former St. John resident of more than 10 years, was one of the 18 victims killed in the Maine mass shootings.

Keith was described as a kind soul and a great friend to many. He was a man who never judged others and was always there for his friends. Keith was the type of person who opened up his home to anyone who was in need of a place to stay. Simply put, he was an amazing person whose life shouldn’t have been taken due to yet another senseless act of violence.

Keith worked for the Virgin Islands National Park from 2009 through 2017, most recently as the chief of maintenance.

Image taken from Keith Macneir’s Facebook page

Rest in peace, sir.

More St. John Restaurants are Reopening!

I’ve been getting a lot of emails about restaurants that remain closed for low season. Well, I have good news to share today. A few more of your favorites are set to reopen very soon!

Dazey Drive In, Coral Bay’s shaved ice spot reopens today, so be sure to stop by if you’re on island! Click here to read all about this great sweet spot. 

Skinny Legs and Drink plan to reopen on Halloween. Both are having costume parties (with prizes) to celebrate their respective reopenings. Click here to read about all of this year’s Halloween Happenings.

Our friends over at Extra Virgin Bistro are working hard to reopen. They installed some new kitchen equipment while they were closed for off-season, and if all goes as planned, Extra Virgin will reopen next Wednesday. Fingers crossed!

I also reached out to Banana Deck today, because, truthfully, I need some B-Deck in my world. If all goes as planned over there, they will reopen at the end of next week, potentially Thursday or Friday.

The Cinnamon Bay campground will reopen on November 1st. The food truck and watersports rentals have remained open during off-season.

Miss Lucy’s announced earlier this week that it will reopen on December 1st.

Zozo’s plans to reopen on December 13th.

Lovango Resort + Beach Club plans to reopen in mid-December.

Lime Inn and VI Wine Shop remain closed. Neither business has a reopening date at this time, which really bums me out because they’re two of my favorite spots!

Want to know where all of these restaurants are located? Please check out our searchable restaurant map at www.ExploreSTJ.com/restaurantmap.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Follow Explore STJ on Social Media

–> www.facebook.com/explorestj

–> www.instagram.com/explorestj