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So I was driving along the North Shore the other day when I noticed a business was selling beach noodles for $14. Fourteen dollars for one pool noodle! I know things are pricey here, but my goodness, that is just nuts. I joked to my island tour guests that I should start selling noodles out of my trunk! Ok, so I won’t get that crazy, but it got me thinking… An inflatable pool noodle is such an easy thing to pack for a vacation to St. John. There are so many minor things that you can easily pack in a suitcase that will not only save you some pennies when you’re here, but it will also make your St. John vacation that much better. So you know what I did? I compiled a list for all of you. 🙂

Here are some items that you may want to add to your St. John packing list. I included links to buy, when possible, too.

Beach/Pool Noodle

Clearly we have to start with beach/pool noodles. You can purchase inflatable ones on Amazon for as little as $4.55, and they take up no room at all in a backpack or suitcase. Traveling with a group? I recently purchased six inflatable noodles for only $17. Click here to check them out on Amazon.

Neso Tents

There isn’t a ton of shade on the majority of our beaches here on St. John. And let’s be honest, it’s hot here, so shade is our friend. The Neso tent is a great way to bring some shade along with you to the beaches that have less natural shade. These are definitely a pricier item, but they are a great investment. They come in a variety of sizes, they don’t take up a ton of room in your suitcase (you can put it in your carry on too), and they are easy to set up. You simply put the poles up (not into the sand, so they’re turtle-nest friendly), fill a few bags with sand and voilà!  Click here to check them out on Amazon.

Reef Safe Sunscreen 

It is actually illegal to use sunscreen that is not “reef safe” in the US Virgin Islands. This law was enacted back in March 2022. Rather than scrambling to find some when you arrive, you can grab some off of Amazon and bring it with you. There are numerous options, but Caribbean Sol is one of my favorites. Reef-safe sunscreen protects us, our coral and the marine life that we are all so excited to see while snorkeling. Basically you do not want to use sunscreen with any of the “Toxic 3 Os” – oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene. Click here to check out Caribbean Sol’s reef-safe products. 

Caribbean Fish ID

This is a handy tool for snorkelers. This waterproof card shows you which fish and other sea creatures you may see while you are snorkeling or diving in our waters. And the best part? It’s only $3.99 on Amazon. Click here to check it out.

Defogger

Speaking of snorkelers, defogger is a must. Nothing ruins a snorkel faster than not being able to see anything due to fog on your snorkel mask., A couple dabs of defogger will do the trick! You can also use Dawn dish soap as a backup defogger, and sometimes you will find that in your villa or condo rental. Both the defoggers and dish soap are sold in containers that are less than three ounces, so you can easily take them along with you even if you are not checking a bag. Click here to check out a few defoggers on Amazon.

A GoPro Waterproof Camera 

I absolutely love my GoPro. I can strap it to the Jeep to take cool driving videos, and I can take it in the water to shoot video underwater. It is very pricey, but you truly cannot beat the quality. I film all of my driving videos using a GoPro, and I filmed the walk through the Caneel Bay Beach Club earlier this week using it too. Click here to check them out on Amazon. 

A Soft-sided Backpack Cooler

These backpack coolers are great because it can double as your carry on bag on the plane. It makes it easier to bring drinks and snacks to the beach being that it’s a backpack. A lot of villas provide coolers, but they can be the larger, bulky ones. This is another great investment, and you will likely use it at home too. Click here to check out a few options on Amazon. 

Baby Oil or Skin So Soft

I learned this little trick from a taxi driver several years back, and it changed my life. If you are one of the unlucky people, like me, that gets eaten alive by the no see ums, baby oil is a must. I haven’t tried Skin So Soft, but a lot of my tour guests have said it works well too. In either case, the oil prevents the no see um from biting you. I promise you, it will change your world. 🙂

Insulated Travel Cup

A lot of people opt to bring their favorite insulated cup with them on vacation. It’s great to have on the plane, so you can have a lid on your drink when it gets bumpy. And then you can obviously use it at the beach, or even at a restaurant to keep your drink colder longer.

A few other items that are helpful to bring are reusable shopping bags, a reusable water bottle, and reusable straws because not all restaurants provide straws.

I hope this helps you all plan your next trip to St. John. And if there is anything you think I should add to this list, please email me at jenn@explorestj.com. Thanks everyone!

Something Not for Vacation, But Something My Family Loves 

This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. We are renters here on St. John, and we do not have a pool. We purchased this Intex hot tub and use it as a pool for our son. It’s great because it holds up to the island heat, and it has a filter so it stays nice and clean. And as you can see in the picture above, Dalton loves it!

You can buy it from several places, but here is a link to buy it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/46IVfkO

(I’m all about free shipping through Amazon!)

Tag: St. John packing list 

Are you curious which beaches have food and drinks? How about which ones have restrooms or showers? Or perhaps you like to know about the parking situation. If so, then you are going to love today’s post!

I created a simple, searchable and sortable beach guide that’s very easy to use. Say you’d like to know which beaches have food and drinks available for purchase. Just click the little arrow next to that topic, and all the the ones that do will pop up as yes. Want to know what amenities you can find at a specific beach? Simply type the name in the search area, and the results for just that beach will pop up. The beach guide includes the following topics:

• Food and beverage
• Restrooms
• Showers
• Chairs for rent
• Snorkel gear for rent
• Entrance fee
• How to get there: Drive, hike or water access only
• Do the taxis regularly go there?
• Is it sandy or rocky?

Pretty cool, right?

The Island Tidbits Beach Guide is located at www.explorestj.com/BeachGuide. Please bookmark the page. Share it with your friends and family. Click here to check it out.

And as always, I love to hear your feedback. If there is a category you would like me to add, please send me an email at jenn@explorestj.com.

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Hello everyone, and happy Monday! There are lots of great events that happen here on St. John every week. Here is a quick rundown of some things you may want to check out the next time you visit the island.

Sundays – Bingo at The Windmill Bar 

Bingo with an amazing view? Yes, please! Our friends over at The Windmill Bar hold Bingo every Sunday starting at 4 p.m. This fun event is open to people of all ages, so feel free to bring the kids! Cards cost $1 most rounds, and $5 for the blackout round. Winners receive the cash collected from each round.

Mondays

I could be wrong, but I do not think there are any weekly events that happen on Mondays. If I am wrong folks, please send me an email at jenn@explorestj.com.

Tuesdays – Karaoke at Upstairs Bar & Grille

Karaoke starts this week at the Upstairs Bar & Grille, so grab a friend and head on over to Cruz Bay’s newest bar & grill. Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. on Tuesday and continues until midnight. Beginning this week, karaoke will happen every Tuesday. Not familiar with the new Upstairs bar and restaurant? Click here to read an article we posted on it a few weeks back.

Wednesdays – Bingo, Trivia & Karaoke 

There are a lot of fun things that happen here on Wednesdays!

Missed Bingo on Sunday at The Windmill Bar? Well you’re in luck! They’re holding Bingo at their sister restaurant in Cruz Bay, the Upstairs Bar & Grille (the same spot that hosts karaoke on Tuesday nights.) Bingo runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Upstairs every Wednesday.

The wildly popular trivia night happens every Wednesday at Johnny Lime in Coral Bay. It starts around 6:30 p.m. or so, and the event usually attracts upwards of 100 people. This is a charity event, so the turnout is absolutely incredible. There is a $1 per person minimum for teams of up to six people, and $20 for teams of seven or eight. Cookies are also available for $3 each, and they are baked by the amazing Leslie McKibben. Her husband Steve hosts the event. The money raised is donated to a different St. John nonprofit every month, so it’s a fun night for a great cause.

Not familiar with Johnny Lime? Click here to read an article we posted about it a few months back.

And rounding out our Wednesday night fun is more karaoke! This time it’s happening at Flavours Nightclub, which is located on Centerline Road around mile 2. (It’s two doors down from Shambles.) Karaoke happens here weekly from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and they typically have a deejay afterwards.

Thursdays – Open Mic Night at Miss Lucy’s 

Now this is an event that’s been happening for years, and it continues to draw quite the crowd! Open mic night happens every Thursday at Miss Lucy’s in Coral Bay. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and continues until 9 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend, even if you do not plan on grabbing a microphone or instrument. There are weekly food specials and the bar is always open.

Fridays – Trivia at Skinny Legs

And finishing out the week is trivia at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. Trivia its not happening this Friday, but it will return next week. It starts at 6 p.m., and from what I’ve heard, it gets quite the crowd. So arrive early to get a seat. The restaurant and bar are open until 8 p.m.

So as you can see, we have a lot of fun things that happen here on a weekly basis! Looking for more nature-oriented activities? The Virgin Islands National Park also holds a variety of weekly events, many of which are completely free. Click here to read a recent post that details all of the current Virgin Islands National Park offerings. 

Want to know exactly where each of these restaurants are located? Click here to check out Island Tidbits Restaurant Map. 

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