Locals used to call St. John "Love Island" because, they said, there wasn't much else to do there. Well, Love Island may still be a romantic place to go - but now there are lots of things to do each day besides relax! Here are some of our favorites:

Beaches
St. John is most famous for it's pristine white-sand beaches, surrounded by clear and refreshing turquoise water - perfect for swimming, relaxing or snorkeling. There are numerous beaches on St. John, most on the North Shore Road (Rt. 20.) Parking is available at each beach site, either in a designated parking lot, or along the side of the road. Some beaches have restrooms and showers, some do not. Cinnamon Bay is also a large campground with snorkel rentals, supplies, and snack shop. For your convenience, there are beach chairs at the villa for you to take with you to the beach. Just don't forget to bring them home!

For more information on St. John beaches, visit the sites below:

St. John Beach Guide - Comprehensive site with everything you need to know about St. John's beaches.
Beautiful St. John Beaches - Insiders tip sheet on beaches and beach information.
VI Now Beach Guide - Beach-by-beach listings with easy reference table for beach site amenities.

Dining
Frankly, dining is one of my favorite activities on St. John! It is almost impossible to have a bad meal no matter where you go on St. John. There is something for everyone, at every budget level. Click here to read about some of our personal favorites, but if you see something in another guide that looks appealing - try it!

Shopping
St. John has great shopping. Many local artists sell unique and gorgeous paintings, sculptures, jewelry and photographs, local spices and hot sauce. There are numerous galleries and shops in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay to meet any style or decor. Some of my favorites include Pink Papaya in the Lemon Tree Mall, featuring local artists, dishware, books, dolls and knickknacks. Also, check out Mongoose Junction Mall in Cruz Bay, featuring numerous galleries, clothing shops, jewelry and accessories.

For more information about St. John shopping, check out one of the links below:

Complete List of Shopping in St. John - has all shops and malls listed by location.
Shopping on St. John - One-page summary of shopping on St. John.

Hiking/Outdoor Activities
Because 3/4 of St. John is National Park, there are plenty of hiking trails and tours to fit any outdoor enthusiast's need. One of the best tours on the island is the Reef Bay Trail tour, given by the National Park Service. The hike is about 4 hours and includes a visit to the Petroglyphs, ancient symbols carved in the rocks beside a freshwater pool whose origin is not known. One theory holds that they are the work of Amerindians who once inhabited Caribbean islands; another theory holds that African slaves of the island's colonial era are responsible for these petroglyphs. Either way, they are very cool and are a great end to a great day hiking.

Also a must-see are the Annanberg Ruins, 18th century ruins of the Annanberg Sugar Mill. Walk around the old plantation and re-live what it must have been like back in the 1700s when sugar was more valuable than gold. A small entrance fee is required, but you get a great walking map and history sheet, plus admission is also good for entrance to beautiful Trunk Bay beach.

Check out the following links for more info on outdoor activities:

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park - Great site for getting a play-by-play of all the things to do in the National Park.
Virgin Island National Park - Official site of the VINP.
Hike St John - Guided half-day and day long hiking tours.
St. John Hiking Trails - Detailed map of St. John hiking trails (PDF file)
Carolina Corral - Ride a horse or donkey over guided trails

Watersports
There are plenty of watersports to keep you busy on St. John - rent a power boat for the day, take a day sail to the BVIs, jet ski rentals, SCUBA diving, SNUBA, snorkel and sport fishing just to name a few!

Or, why not charter a sailboat or power boat for a week and then stay at Vida de Mar for a week? (We do it all the time!) We, along with out special partner, VIP Yacht Charters (our Hylas 54 sailboat, Laughing Pelican is in their charter fleet when we are not using it) will give you a special bundle discount for both rentals if you book both together. VIP Yacht charters has over 30 sail and power boats to choose from in it's fleet and can even hire a captain for you if needed. If you are interested, email us at for more information - it's a great deal!

Below are some helpful links for watersport activities:

6 Paq Scuba - local private and semi-private scuba diving and training at your own pace. Specializes in small groups to sites less traveled.
Nauti Nymph Power Boat Rentals - located at the Westin in Great Cruz Bay.
SNUBA - Experience the fun "beyond" snorkeling with SNUBA - no certification required and fun for the whole family.
Caribbean Dive Guide - List of all dive shops on St. John and maps.
The Wayward Sailor - Day sails and snorkeling - voted "Best of the VI" for three years in a row.
VIP Yacht Charters - Luxury yacht charters both power and sail, for a week or more. Based in Red Hook, St. Thomas

Jeep Rentals
There are numerous jeep and car rental companies on St. John, but here are the ones that we use the most and have had good experiences with:

St. John Car Rental, Inc (340) 776-6103
Specializes in jeeps, wranglers and Suzuki Sidekicks - all in great shape.

Cool Breeze Jeep & Car Rental (340) 776-6650
Great rugged jeeps and nice people.

Weddings
We have had many weddings at Vida de Mar, and even more receptions. Vida de Mar is the perfect location to say "I do", or celebrate the fact that you "did!" Ample outdoor seating space, gorgeous views, cool breezes and beautiful, tropical plant-lined walkways are only just a few of the reasons Vida de Mar could be your special place for your special day.

We reccommend using a wedding planner if you plan to get married on St. John, and we highly recommend Cermonies St. John for all your wedding needs. Stacy Mulcare, the owner of Cermonies St. John, has over 19 years experience and can help you acheive your dream wedding on St John. (In fact, we like her so much, she coordinated our wedding on St. John in the summer of 2004!) To check out Stacy's webiste, visit www.usviwedding.com.