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On the Trail: Lind Point to Honeymoon Beach

Jenn Manes 3 Comments
The view from Honeymoon

People often ask me during my island tours if there is a beautiful beach they can walk to from Cruz Bay. The answer is yes, and it’s one of the best!

Honeymoon is one of the closest north shore beaches to Cruz Bay. It is very quiet and serene, as you can only access it currently by hiking in via the Lind Point trail or by boat. It’s a decent-sized beach, especially for St. John standards, and it has a nice reef, which is nestled between Honeymoon and Salomon beaches. The walk to Honeymoon via the lower Lind Point trail is roughly a mile, and it takes about 25 minutes or so depending on your pace.

The Lind Point trail starts just behind the National Park’s visitor center in Cruz Bay. If you are not familiar with that building, it is the large yellow building that is located next to the creek and across the street and down a little from Mongoose Junction. Walk behind the visitor center, and you will see a set of stairs. That is where the hike begins.

(If you have a vehicle and plan to park and hike, you have to go into the visitor center to obtain a parking pass. There is not a fee associated with this pass.)

The trail begins behind the National Park’s visitor center in Cruz Bay.
Walk up these stairs, take a left and then a right to begin the Lind Point trail.

To start the hike to Honeymoon, you will walk up these stairs and then take left at the top. You will see the Caneel Bay apartments to your right and beautiful views of Cruz Bay to your left. You will walk up a small hill, and will quickly see the trail going into the woods on your right.

Lind Point trail sign
Take a right and walk up the stone stairs to start the Lind Point trail to Honeymoon beach.

There is a small incline at the begin of the trail as you walk up the rocky steps and onto the main path. This slight climb lasts only for a few minutes before the trail levels out.

Within just a few minutes of walking, you will come to an intersection with a large rock in the middle. The trail to your right takes you to the upper Lind Point Trail. This trail also leads you to Honeymoon beach, but today we’re sticking to the lower Lind Point trail. So you will want to take a left at this intersection.

When you arrive at this intersection, take a left to stay on the lower Lind Point trail.

As you can see in the photos below, there are some rocky areas along this trail. There are also some spots that are very sunny, and others that are rather overgrown. This trail is definitely doable in flip flops, but it’s a lot easier in sneakers or sandals with straps like Tevas or something similar to that.

The lower Lind Point trail is rocky at times.
There are some spots that are in full sun, so sunscreen is recommended.
The trail is a bit overgrown at times due to the recent rain.

After roughly 15 minutes of walking, you will come the trail that leads down to Salomon beach. As you continue walking, you will see another trail that leads slightly uphill on your right. This connects to the upper Lind Point trail. Skip both of those trails and continue forward if you’d like to visit Honeymoon beach.

Stay straight and follow the lower Lind Point trail signs.
The skinny trail on the left leads to Salomon. Stay on the main trail (slight right) to go to Honeymoon.

You will come to yet another intersection about five minutes further. This is a larger intersection where the trails are wider. If you follow the trail straight and up to your right, you would eventually come up to North Shore Road, or Route 20 on the map. Take the more narrow trail downhill to get to Honeymoon beach.

This is your final intersection. Take a left to go to Honeymoon.
Honeymoon is at the end of this path.

And then you come to this…

Pretty gorgeous right??!! Check out a few more pics:

So as I mentioned, I absolutely love Honeymoon beach. The views are gorgeous, as you can see, but it’s also a great place to snorkel. And there are so many fish! If you are interested in snorkeling and seeing numerous species of fish, including blue tang, parrotfish, sergeant major and more, simply access the water at the far end of the beach to your left if you are looking at the water. That’s where the reef is located. Be cautious though, because there is usually a small current that pulls you to your left.

Want to walk to Honeymoon from the ferry dock? The map below shows you how to do so.

This map has you walking along the road to the trail. You can also cut through a small parking lot to walk to the trailhead.

 

 

St. John Taxi Rates Increased this Week

Jenn Manes 2 Comments

Hello everyone! This post is going to be short, sweet and to the point. St. John taxi rates increased this week. Here’s the scoop…

Taxi rates have remained the same since October 2005, so they are long overdue for a rate increase. After several months of discussion, the official rate increase began earlier this week. (Rates increased on St. Thomas as well.) Here is a sampling of the new fares from Cruz Bay:

  • Cruz Bay to Hawksnest Beach: The cost is now $9 for a single rider and $8 each for two or more traveling together.
  • Cruz Bay to Trunk Bay: The cost is now $12 for a single rider and $9 each for two or more traveling together.
  • Cruz Bay to Cinnamon Bay: The cost is now $14 for a single rider and $11 each for two or more traveling together.
  • Cruz Bay to Maho Bay: The cost is now $17 for a single rider and $12 each for two or more traveling together.
  • Cruz Bay to the Westin: The cost is now $9 for a single rider and $7 each for two or more traveling together.

Here is the complete list of fares originating from and going to Cruz Bay courtesy of vinow.com:

Image source: vinow.com

There are additional fares originating from and going to the following spots on island:

  • Coral Bay
  • Gallows Point
  • Caneel Bay
  • Westin Resort
  • Neptune’s Landing/Windmill Bar

If a spot is not listed on the tariff sheet, the rate will be determined based on the two nearest points. You can see the full rate sheet in its entirety on vinow.com.

Please don’t forget to enter our raffle. For just $25, you can enter to win a St. John vacation. Proceeds will support the Animal Care Center of St. John. Get the details and purchase tickets at www.explorestj.com/raffle.

Thanks everyone! Have a great day!

 

Island Tidbits is Holding a Raffle! Win a Complete STJ Vacation for just $25!

Jenn Manes 10 Comments
For just $25, you can enter to win a week-long St. John vacation right here in Cruz Bay.

Hello everyone! I am ridiculously excited to share today’s tidbits with you! Ok, so anyone who knows me know that I love a good raffle! I’ve held a handful over the years, and I think it’s time to do it again!

I received a call earlier this month from Carey Deckard, an owner at Grande Bay Resort in Cruz Bay. Carey and his wife Janelle generously offered to donate a week-long stay over at Grande Bay. Carey is a longtime reader of mine, and he wants to help raise money for the Animal Care Center of St. John. I immediately said yes, and then reached out to friends who own businesses on island, asking for additional donations. And they all immediately said yes too! So exciting!

Drum roll please…

I am super excited to announce the first very first (but certainly not the last!) Island Tidbits raffle in conjunction with the Animal Care Center! There is only one grand prize, and it is pretty incredible. For just $25, you can enter to win the following St. John vacation:

The raffle has an estimated value of roughly $4,500.

The raffle period has ended. 

How the drawing works: Once the entry period is over, the raffle committee will personally write/type the names of each entrant on a raffle ticket. If you buy one ticket, we will write/type your name on one ticket. If you buy two tickets ($50 total), we will write/type your name on two tickets. If you buy three tickets ($75 total), we will write/type your name on three tickets. And so forth. You will not receive a ticket by mail or email. All of the names will be placed into a secure bucket/basket/box. Once all of the names are written on tickets, we will draw the winner live on video. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com. A video of the drawing will also be posted on explorestj.com. The raffle period will end on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 9 p.m. AST. The winner will be announced on explorestj.com on or about November 18, 2022. All tickets purchased will be treated as donations to the Animal Care Center on St. John. Now go ahead and enter! Good luck!! And thank you for supporting the Animal Care Center!

The Fine Print: 

  • The winner must adhere to the individual property/business rules and restrictions.
  • The one-week stay at Livin’ the Dream is based on availability. The winner can choose to stay at either the studio OR the one-bedroom unit. If Livin’ the Dream requires a deposit, the winner is responsible for paying that fee.
  • The half-day island tour with Explore STJ is based on availability. Gratuity is not included. 
  • The sunset sail on Palm Tree Charters is based on availability. Gratuity is not included. 
  • All gift certificates will be provided to the winner at check in. 
  • In the event that a property/business becomes uninhabitable due to a storm, fire, or Act of God, the winner agrees to forfeit the prize.
  • We strongly encourage the winner to purchase travel insurance.
  • None of the prizes are transferrable without the business owner’s consent.

Good luck!

You can bookmark this page at www.explorestj.com/raffle.

Caneel Bay Beach Club Set to Open at Honeymoon

Jenn Manes 22 Comments
Honeymoon Beach – The view from the soon-to-open Caneel Bay Beach Club.

You know that I love to share a good tidbit with you, and today I have a couple of interesting morsels!

I was walking down to Honeymoon Beach yesterday when I noticed some work happening at the former concessions area that closed back in January. Being the curious gal I am, I walked over and asked a few questions. And here’s the scoop!

The Caneel Bay Beach Club is preparing to open at Honeymoon beach, and it sounds pretty nice. It will be a more upscale operation than in years past, they said, and it will be open daily from sun up to sun down.

The Caneel Bay Beach Club will offer cabana and chair rentals, as well as food and beverage, which will be provided by one of our favorites here on St. John. (More to come on that soon!) Restrooms and showers will be available to guests, and there will be a gift shop onsite that will sell towels, beachwear and other items needed for a perfect day on the beach.

Screenshot from Caneel Bay Beach Club’s website
The former food hut has been repainted
The gift shop
Plantings look great!
An additional building sits at the far end of the beach.

Transportation to Honeymoon Beach will return, and will include a shuttle from Caneel Bay’s main entrance to Honeymoon. That cost will be $10 roundtrip. They also plan to offer water shuttle service from Cruz Bay, as well as villa pickups. I will provide more details on those services, including the water shuttle schedule, when its becomes available.

If all goes as planned, the Caneel Bay Beach Club is set to open around November 1st.

(Clarification: Caneel Bay is not running the concessions area: it simply leased the space to the new Caneel Bay Beach Club concessionaire.)

Want to know exactly where the Caneel Bay Beach Club will be located? I just added its location to our restaurant map. Visit www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap to check it out.

New Bar Coming to Cruz Bay!

Jenn Manes 6 Comments
The Upstairs is set to open next month at the former Dog House Pub location.

Well folks, in keeping with this week’s restaurant tidbits, I am excited to share that a new bar & restaurant is coming to Cruz Bay!

For those of you who are familiar with St. John, you are probably aware that the former Dog House Pub spot in Cruz Bay has been shuttered since early 2020. The restaurant, which is located across the street from The Longboard, was sold in early 2020. There were plans to reopen it as a spot called Cocktails & Dreams, but that never came to fruition. And it’s been sitting empty ever since.

Enter Christie Register and Andy Peter, who co-own The Windmill Bar along with Ronnie Jones and his family.

I am super excited to share that Christie and Andy have taken over the spot and plan to reopen it sometime next month. They’re hoping for a mid-month opening, specifically, if all goes as planned.

Their new spot is going to be called “Upstairs Bar & Grille” and it will be located, well, upstairs. 🙂 The lower level will reopen down the road – to be determined.

I chatted with Andy earlier this week, and I am pretty excited about what they have in store. He described the Upstairs as being a very relaxed spot that will be comfortable both for residents and vacationers alike. He said the space will be designed in homage to the bars of yesteryear that used to occupy the building, including Dog House Pub, Castaways, Duffy’s, Crazy Crackers and The Backyard. They’ve even located old signage from some of those spots and plan to incorporate it in their decor. Even the wood that was used in the remodel tells a story – It’s the old wood from Maho Bay Camps, which was salvaged after they closed in 2013. Check out some pics…

The view from Upstairs
An alternate view
No more Cocktails & Dreams here…
A painting from Dog House Pub
Who recalls what bar this is from?
Wood salvaged from Maho Bay Camps

The menu will be simple, fast and affordable, Andy said. He plans to bring back a good ‘ole classic happy hour a la Castaways, etc. No blenders, however. 🙂

And for all of the residents who are curious what happened to the roll money that was being held when Dog House closed? It was recently handed over to Andy, and he is excited to say that the roll will start at $2,200 when the Upstairs opens next month. (Not familiar with the roll, it’s essentially a game of Yahtzee. St. John residents pay a small fee to roll three times. If they get five of a kind, they win the roll money. Fun stuff!)

So many great things happening in such a small place! Have a great day everyone!

Familiar Faces & Places Featured in Popular Magazine

Jenn Manes 0 Comments
Lime Out is one of several businesses featured in the November issue of Food & Wine magazine. Image credit: Food & Wine

Hello everyone, and happy Wednesday! I didn’t intend for this to be a week of restaurant tidbits, but that’s what it’s shaping up to be! I have said for years that St. John has a pretty incredible food scene, especially for such a small island in the middle of the Caribbean. Well I’m excited to share that a pretty prominent publication has taken notice… very exciting stuff!

The November issue of Food & Wine magazine features a four-page spread on St. John. It calls what’s happening here “an island renaissance” and goes on to say that our “resilient dining scene burns bright.” And you know what, that statement could not be truer.

The article features many familiar faces and places including John from ZoZo’s, Carlos from Morgan’s Mango. Alex from La Tapa, Chelsea from Lime Out, Meredith from St. John Provisions and even an adorable pic of Laura and William from Irie Pops.

If you want to check out the article, but cannot grab one from a newsstand, you can sign up to receive the issue online. (There is a cost associated with this – fyi.) The article is great and written by a frequent traveler to the island.

That’s it for today, folks. Just trying to spread more love and keep a smile on all of our faces. 🙂 As always, if you want to see where these restaurants are, and where all of our restaurants are, please check out Island Tidbits’ restaurant map at www.explorestj.com/restaurantmap

Have a great day!