Why You Should Visit St. John Virgin Islands

From the moment we landed in St. Thomas and prepared to board the ferry to St. John, I promised myself I would let go of all stress, anxiety, and business issues for the next three days. All it took was settling into my seat on the ferry and allowing the island background music played by the Captain of the ferry, the view of the soothing turquoise blue waters, and the chatter of people surrounding me that were also on vacation to take me to another place and time. I had arrived at that space and time.

After the brief ferry ride and upon arrival in St. John we were met by a reception committee from the Westin Hotel with trays of brightly colored cocktails. Our bags were removed from the ferry and taken to the hotel as we all gathered around a reception area for one of the finest buffets I think I have ever had. I’ve done a lot of travel across the world, and I don’t know if this was a combination of the need to get away, or the perfect serene location combined with intense hunger, but the spread was absolutely incredible. Every meat and seafood one could name was available. There were roasted vegetables on skewers, fresh fruits, desserts, and endless sushi. All this and we had not even made it to the hotel yet. I was impressed.

Our rooms at the Westin St. John were very much an island theme. The walls were turquoise blue and the furniture was of the bamboo wicker variety though sturdy. The sounds of the local birds serenaded us on a regular basis. There were many little creatures running about the property such as mongoose, iguanas, and lizards that were quite comfortable coming a little closer than one might expect. Then again it was their home.

Not being very big and only 28 square miles in size, St. John is a quaint little island with at least two thirds of it being designated as a U.S. National Park. We had several planned outings arranged as part of our package. One day we were to go out on a boat for deep-sea fishing (never done this a day in my life). It was nice being on the water, though I can’t say this went over well for me, as I got sick to my stomach. It was still a neat experience. The shopping trip on day two to Mongoose Junction located in Cruz Bay, I give a definite thumbs up. What I enjoyed most was viewing original work by not only local artists but also some that live on the east coast and west coast but have galleries in St. John. There were also local artisans making jewelry as we watched. The prices for fine jewelry were exceptional, particularly watches and gemstones. The third day we were to go hiking. This was one of my favorite outings. I was in my comfort zone with this activity. The trail wasn’t that tough to handle and the weather was perfect. The flora and fauna were absolutely breathtaking. Our afternoons we spent on the white sand beaches doing absolutely nothing of course, which was my ultimate goal.

Of course our nights were spent eating fabulous dinners and visiting the local night spots as well as local eateries in downtown St. John. Be prepared to take a taxi or ferry everywhere you go unless you rent a car, which we chose not to do. No one wanted to be responsible. It was after all vacation. We all wanted to relax and so we did. There is little hassle involved in taking a taxi. The rates were reasonable and the method was quite convenient and safe.

St. John is the perfect place to go to relax and do a little adventuring. Where the island offers the best of relaxation it also offers a variety of activities including sailing, fishing, diving, water sports, golf and hiking. And for those who would like an island wedding there are many options for wedding and honeymoon packages in St. John.

For more information visit the Web site for St. John at www.usvi.net. For hotel information in St. John visit www.starwoodrsvp.com. Call your preferred airline for airfare information to St. John. www.aa.com, www.deltaairlines.com. www.usairways.com