Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
-Jenn, Mike & Dalton
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If you’ve read this blog, or if you read News of St. John when I owned it between 2013 and 2020, you are probably aware of my disdain for the operators of the former Caneel Bay Resort, EHI Acquisitions. Since the resort was forced to close following Hurricane Irma, they’ve treated the property Caneel Bay Resort sits on poorly. They treated their employees poorly. They treated the community poorly. And to top it all off, they filed a frivolous federal lawsuit in a pathetic effort to gain control of the land that Caneel sits on, despite Laurance Rockefeller’s clear wishes that it become part of the Virgin Islands National Park this year. And just when I thought they couldn’t get any worse, they proved me wrong.
Santa will not be arriving in Cruz Bay on Christmas Eve this year. Why? Because EHI Acquisitions decided it no longer wanted to sponsor the annual event, despite the fact that Caneel Bay Resort has done so since the 1950s.
In its efforts to steal the land that Caneel Bay Resort sits on, EHI’s marketing efforts claim that it is all about the community. They claim they care about the people of St. John, and they want to donate the land Caneel sits on to the “Virgin Islands people” should they gain control of it. Actions speak louder than words, my friends.
Nothing screams I’m an awful person, in my opinion, like disappointing children on Christmas. Way to go EHI. Way to go.
If EHI wasn’t actively trying to gain permanent control of this property, I would understand why they wouldn’t want to sponsor the event. But that is simply not the case.
On a happier note, I would like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and St. John’s Administrator for hosting an incredible holiday party for our children this past Sunday in Cruz Bay. It was perfect in every way. As a parent of a kindergartener who was convinced that the real Santa took time to visit our little island from the North Pole during his busiest time of year, I cannot thank you all enough. Merry Christmas.
And to EHI, enjoy all that coal that you will receive this year.
Today’s post is short and sweet and to the point. There is a new bar directly on the beach! Toes in the sand and a drink in your hand, my friends!
Our friends over at The Beach Bar now have an actual bar directly on the sand in Cruz Bay. The bar is located right in front of The Beach Bar, and it will be open every day from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. These times happen to coincide with happy hour.
Only drinks will be available at this new sand bar for the time being. There are a ton of new picnic tables on the sand to relax at, so you will have plenty of spots to sit at, all while taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of Cruz Bay. Food is available to order at the bar, and you can take it to-go down onto the sand.
The Beach Bar’s new happy hour features $5 Coronas, $5 Soca Seltzers, $6 Painkillers, and $6 Tito or Cruzan cocktails.
Not on island, but want to check out the action? You can see The Beach Bar’s new sand bar by checking out their new panoramic beach cam. You can see that, their bar cam and nearly two dozen other webcams by checking out Explore STJ’s webcams page at www.explorestj.com/webcams.
That’s all I have for you today, folks. Have a great one!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me! Reserve your date today!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
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–> www.facebook.com/explorestj
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Well folks, soon you will be able to check out the petroglyphs, once again, without having to hike up a steep, two-mile hill because the guided Reef Bay hike is back!
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park announced yesterday that the ranger-led, guided Reef Bay hike will resume on January 8th. This guided hike will be offered on Mondays and Tuesdays only through June 25th. The cost is $100 per person.
For those of you who are not familiar with the Reef Bay hike, it’s a tough 2.2-mile hike down a steep hill from Centerline Road (Route 10 on the map) to Reef Bay beach. There are remnants of the longest-running sugar plantation at the base of Reef Bay and petroglyphs, which are reached from a quick .22-mile spur trail. The hike down isn’t too terrible; it’s the more than two-mile hike back to your vehicle gets you. But thanks to this new guided hike offering, many of you will be able to forgo the grueling hike back up!
Beginning on Monday, January 8th, you will be able to hike down Reef Bay alongside a Virgin Islands National Park ranger, who will discuss a variety of items along the way, including the area’s rich history, the local flora and fauna, and much more. You will have the opportunity to visit the petroglyphs, as well, which are ancient rock carvings done by the pre-Colombian Taino. Once you get to the bottom of Reef Bay, you will hop aboard a boat that will bring you back to Cruz Bay.
Again, the cost of this guided hike is $100, and trips run on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trips will depart from the National Park Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., and transportation will be provided to the Reef Bay trailhead. The hike down takes about three-and-a-half hours, which will be followed by a picturesque, 45-minute boat ride to Cruz Bay.
Please note: The only way to take advantage of the boat ride back to Cruz Bay is by buying a ticket for the guided hike in advance. If you hike Reef Bay on your own, a boat will not be waiting at the bottom to transport you back to town, nor will you be able to hop on the boat when it is there. You can only get on the boat if you are a paid participant of the guided Reef Bay hike.
And for those of you who have been paying attention to our weather lately, you have probably seen that the island has received a fair amount of rain this past week. Rains like this create a beautiful waterfall at Reef Bay. The picture below were taken after a good rain last year. A big thanks to Sarah Hanson for sharing it with me!
If you’d like to learn more about the guided Reef Bay hike, please visit the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park’s website. Ready to book? Simply click this link to visit their secure checkout page.
Click here to learn about other educational offerings within the Virgin Islands National Park.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me! Reserve your date today!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
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I’m going to start today’s post by saying that I absolutely love the days I spend at Lovango Resort + Beach Club, so I am super excited to let you know that it is finally reopening for the season today. And to make one of my favorite places even better, they have a few great new options for day guests like myself, as well as overnight guests this season.
Let’s start with location… Lovango is a small island that is located roughly 10 minutes from Cruz Bay. They have their own ferry, making it super easy to visit. The ferry picks up and drops off guests at the bulkhead in Cruz Bay, which is the same area where the Crown Bay ferry arrives and departs. It is located across the street from Nella’s Lounge and Cool Breeze Jeep Rentals, and somewhat beside Uncle Joe’s BBQ.
For those of you looking to take a day trip over to Lovango, you can choose to spend the day at their beach club, have a casual lunch at The Sandpit, or have a more elevated dinner at their waterfront restaurant. The beach club features a beautiful pool with ocean views, as well as a large sandy beach. Please note that there is no water access from the beach club. It is simply a place to lounge on the sand or take a dip in the pool. There is water access for snorkeling in other areas on the property, however.
You can choose to rent a pool cabana, a beach lounger, or a beach cabana, which is a new option this season. The pool cabanas, which are conveniently located on the pool deck, seat up to six guests. The beach loungers are singles and come with an umbrella, and the new beach cabanas are designed for couples and pairs.
They also have an upscale waterfront restaurant that serves dinner, as well as a more casual lunch option. The waterfront restaurant serves an a la carte dinner every night except Saturday night. On Saturday nights, they have a little beach party that includes live music. Lovango’s Sandpit restaurant is open for the Saturday night beach parties (typically the casual lunch spot), and pizza is served as well.
They’ve changed up their menus for both lunch and dinner too. Check them out below:
I have yet to stay at Lovango, but I would absolutely love to one day. Dear Lovango owners… invite me! Haha 🙂
There are four overnight options including an expansive, three-bedroom, ocean-view villa, luxury treehouses, ocean-view glamping, and new this year – fully air-conditioned, ocean-view cottages. The cottages can accommodate up to two adults and up to three children. I have yet to see these cottages in person, but if they look anything like the other accommodations at Lovango, I know they, too, will be amazing.
So, if you are looking for something new to do during your next St. John vacation, check out Lovango Resort + Beach Club. Or if you are looking for a new, more private place to stay, this may be exactly what you are looking for.
Looking for more information on anything I chatted about above? Click here to visit Lovango’s website.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us! I have two days available this week before the crazy holiday rush! Reserve your date today!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
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