Julie & John's Guidebook
Fine Dining
Make your reservations well in advance! These are what we consider to be some of the pricier high-end places, perfect for special occasions if you typically eat at casual places.
Dave & Jerry's Island Steakhouse
The Terrace
Beautiful waterfront dining, excellent food and atmosphere!
Extra Virgin Bistro
La Tapa
Fine dining on the waterfront. Excellent Tapas-style dishes.
The Lime Inn
ZoZo's at Caneel Bay
OCEAN|362
Gorgeous sunset views and excellent food & cocktails.
Casual Dining
One of our favorite restaurants! Reservations recommended. The owner is from New England, so you can get fresh MA oysters, New England clam chowder, Maine lobster, etc. We like to sit at the bar for a more quaint experience. They have fabulous cocktails and a raw bar for happy hour.
10 lokale inwoners raden aan
1864 The Restaurant
503 Mongoose JctOne of our favorite restaurants! Reservations recommended. The owner is from New England, so you can get fresh MA oysters, New England clam chowder, Maine lobster, etc. We like to sit at the bar for a more quaint experience. They have fabulous cocktails and a raw bar for happy hour.
Excellent food, high-end experience, make reservations well in advance!
21 lokale inwoners raden aan
Morgan's Mango
Excellent food, high-end experience, make reservations well in advance!
Quaint patio dining in the heart of Mongoose Junction. Excellent menu and great drinks! One of our favorites for a nice lunch. Great for people watching!
6 lokale inwoners raden aan
Sun Dog Cafe
2 Mongoose JctQuaint patio dining in the heart of Mongoose Junction. Excellent menu and great drinks! One of our favorites for a nice lunch. Great for people watching!
Waterfront! Excellent open-air casual food right on the beach. Grab a table or sit in the sand in the Adirondack chairs.
12 lokale inwoners raden aan
Joe's Rum Hut
Waterfront! Excellent open-air casual food right on the beach. Grab a table or sit in the sand in the Adirondack chairs.
Catch happy hour from 4-6 for great brick oven pizza & house wine specials. Excellent house-made cocktails and an extensive rum list. Grab a seat on the balcony for a great view of the beach. They usually have live entertainment starting around 5 pm. We love this place!
Lovango Rum Bar
Catch happy hour from 4-6 for great brick oven pizza & house wine specials. Excellent house-made cocktails and an extensive rum list. Grab a seat on the balcony for a great view of the beach. They usually have live entertainment starting around 5 pm. We love this place!
This is our favorite restaurant on STJ. The steaks are out of this world and the Shrimp Curry is my favorite meal on the island. We love to sit on the upper rail/bar rather than a table (unless we have a group) as it has a water view. BD also has one of the best Sunday brunches on the island as well.
11 lokale inwoners raden aan
The Banana Deck
Bay StreetThis is our favorite restaurant on STJ. The steaks are out of this world and the Shrimp Curry is my favorite meal on the island. We love to sit on the upper rail/bar rather than a table (unless we have a group) as it has a water view. BD also has one of the best Sunday brunches on the island as well.
Waterfront right off the ferry! We prefer this place for their breakfast or lunch, rather than dinner.
13 lokale inwoners raden aan
High Tide
Waterfront right off the ferry! We prefer this place for their breakfast or lunch, rather than dinner.
Cafe Roma
Excellent Italian, friendly atmosphere and huge portions!
The only local brewery. Great local beer on tap, as well as local seltzer, root beer and ginger beer (non-alcoholic). Food is acceptable but not our favorite; we prefer going for appetizers and drinks.
17 lokale inwoners raden aan
The Tap Room
Mongoose JunctionThe only local brewery. Great local beer on tap, as well as local seltzer, root beer and ginger beer (non-alcoholic). Food is acceptable but not our favorite; we prefer going for appetizers and drinks.
Cruz Bay Landing
Excellent breakfast!
Local Hangouts
A list of non-touristy bars/restaurants that the locals like to frequent.
If you are looking for “THE dive bar” in Cruz Bay, this is it! Fairly cheap eats, local atmosphere and the owner Sharkey is from New England - super nice guy.
420 to Center
If you are looking for “THE dive bar” in Cruz Bay, this is it! Fairly cheap eats, local atmosphere and the owner Sharkey is from New England - super nice guy.
Our choice for “cheap eats”. Similar to 5 Guys; great chicken sandwich, burgers and fries!
6 lokale inwoners raden aan
The Tap & Still Cruz Bay
Our choice for “cheap eats”. Similar to 5 Guys; great chicken sandwich, burgers and fries!
A great “local’s” bar/restaurant. Off Centerline Rd, outside of town. One of our go-to bars for awesome sandwiches and local specials.
Shambles Island Bar and Grill
A great “local’s” bar/restaurant. Off Centerline Rd, outside of town. One of our go-to bars for awesome sandwiches and local specials.
Iconic dive bar, great casual food, apps, frozen drinks and best happy hour.
10 lokale inwoners raden aan
Woody's Seafood Saloon
Prince StreetIconic dive bar, great casual food, apps, frozen drinks and best happy hour.
Waterfront! Casual eats, great apps and frozen drinks. Live entertainment almost nightly. Plenty of seating inside or outside on the picnic tables. One of the iconic bars in Cruz bay.
17 lokale inwoners raden aan
The Beach Bar
Waterfront! Casual eats, great apps and frozen drinks. Live entertainment almost nightly. Plenty of seating inside or outside on the picnic tables. One of the iconic bars in Cruz bay.
True West-Indian food. Located at a food truck in the parking lot of The Lumberyard, downtown Cruz Bay.
The Roti King
True West-Indian food. Located at a food truck in the parking lot of The Lumberyard, downtown Cruz Bay.
One of our go-to food trucks. Excellent Mediterranean food at great prices. Limited days/hours so check before you go.
Little Olive Food Truck
One of our go-to food trucks. Excellent Mediterranean food at great prices. Limited days/hours so check before you go.
The restaurant at the Tamarind Inn is an adorable, outside patio setting with lush vegetation. Breakfasts are amazing and don’t break your budget. They also feature an incredible Mexican night M-F. Other than guests staying at the Inn, you won’t find many tourists here as it’s off the beaten path a bit. A private parking area can be found just past the “older” part of the Inn, on the left. Highly recommend!
The Inn at Tamarind Court
The restaurant at the Tamarind Inn is an adorable, outside patio setting with lush vegetation. Breakfasts are amazing and don’t break your budget. They also feature an incredible Mexican night M-F. Other than guests staying at the Inn, you won’t find many tourists here as it’s off the beaten path a bit. A private parking area can be found just past the “older” part of the Inn, on the left. Highly recommend!
Best Bar with a View
One of the best sunset views and a great bar - get there early before it gets crowded, happy hour is 4-6 pm.
The Windmill Bar
48-49 Henry StreetOne of the best sunset views and a great bar - get there early before it gets crowded, happy hour is 4-6 pm.
Water sports
Snorkel gear rentals, kayaks, SUPs
Best place to rent snorkel gear! Located right off the ferry, upstairs. Very friendly staff & professional fittings. You can rent gear by the day or week. Cute beach shop as well.
St. John Beach Bum
Best place to rent snorkel gear! Located right off the ferry, upstairs. Very friendly staff & professional fittings. You can rent gear by the day or week. Cute beach shop as well.
Scuba trips and certification. Very friendly and professional staff, great dive shop.
Low Key Watersports
1 Bay StScuba trips and certification. Very friendly and professional staff, great dive shop.
Dinghy and boat rentals. Rent a small boat for the day and see the island from the water. This company isn’t as stringent on where you can and can’t go while on the water. Makes for a super fun day!
Wharfside Watersports
Dinghy and boat rentals. Rent a small boat for the day and see the island from the water. This company isn’t as stringent on where you can and can’t go while on the water. Makes for a super fun day!
Boat Charters
Some of our favorite boat charters for daytime or sunset excursions.
Bonnie and Matt have a beautiful sailboat and 2 sweet Weimaraners named Oyster and Pearl that live aboard. A perfect day of snorkeling, sailing and being on the water.
Sailing Tipitina
Bonnie and Matt have a beautiful sailboat and 2 sweet Weimaraners named Oyster and Pearl that live aboard. A perfect day of snorkeling, sailing and being on the water.
Captain Teddy and Hillary are fantastic hosts and know just where to go for snorkeling, sightseeing and sailing! If you’re missing your fur-friend, cuddly pup Chewy is aboard for snuggles!
Sailing Asante
Captain Teddy and Hillary are fantastic hosts and know just where to go for snorkeling, sightseeing and sailing! If you’re missing your fur-friend, cuddly pup Chewy is aboard for snuggles!
Reizigersadvies
Boek vooraf
Jeep rentals
Book your rental as early as possible, as it is common for all rental agencies to be sold out completely. We recommend you rent on St John rather than St Thomas, as the car barge fee from STT is $65 round trip.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Rent a vehicle
To see the entire island, a 4WD vehicle is recommended for getting around St John, as the hills are steep! Book your rental as early as possible, as it is common for all rental agencies to be sold out completely. We recommend you rent on St John rather than St Thomas, as the car barge fee from STT is $65 round trip.
Cultuur en gebruiken
How to greet the locals
A smile and a warm greeting of “good morning”, “good afternoon/day” or “good night”, BEFORE you ask a question goes a long way! Using the phrases “hey” or “hi” is not considered to be as respectful here as it is in the states.
Cultuur en gebruiken
Cover up in town!
West Indian culture is conservative and it is NOT appropriate to walk around town, shop, etc. in a bathing suit! Although we are a beach destination, beach cover-ups are also inappropriate unless you are AT an actual beach and/or the tiki bars/food trucks associated with that beach.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Open-air taxis
You will see many open-air taxis, which are basically pick-up trucks with bench-style seating. These taxis will take you anywhere you want to go, including all of the beaches. You can usually pick one up on the side of the road by signaling. Make sure to arrange a pick-up time with your driver if you are on a schedule.
Wat je moet meenemen
Reef-safe Sunscreen
Most people are not aware that the USVI passed a law in 2019 making “regular” sunscreens illegal here. PLEASE make sure to bring sunscreens that are reef-safe (mineral) or better yet, support the local economy and purchase your sunscreen here. An internet search will provide more info on what to look for.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Transportation from the airport
Unless you are renting a vehicle on St. Thomas, you will need to make your way to a ferry! Exit the airport and there are friendly people waiting to put you in a taxi van bound for either Red Hook (ferry runs every hour on the hour) or Crown Bay (ferry has very limited runs). Fee to get to Red Hook is $20 pp CASH plus $3-4 per suitcase. You can keep a backpack or duffle on your lap to avoid baggage fee. Once you arrive at Red Hook purchase a ferry ticket at the counter (cash or credit). Many times you can run in and still get on, as they tend to sometimes leave a few minutes late.