9 Day St. John Itinerary: Beach. Snorkel. Lime-N-Da-Coconut. Repeat.
With so much protected parkland, St. John really is a nature lover’s paradise. My husband and I are happiest when we’re outdoors, so during our 9 days on the island we made it our mission to hit the best beaches, snorkeling spots, and hiking trails we could find.
We’re also big foodies, so it wasn’t just about the outdoors. We made sure to check out some of the best restaurants and bars too. Between the adventures and the meals, it felt like the perfect balance.
This itinerary is based on our personal experience and I hope it helps anyone planning a Caribbean getaway to what we think is the most beautiful island in the USVI.
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Day 1: Travel Day to St. John
We rented a Jeep from Amalie Car Rental in St. Thomas. See our full car rental review here. They met us curbside at the airport for a seamless handoff. We then drove about 30 minutes to the car ferry.
4 pm: Car ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John.
4:30 pm: Quick trip to Starfish Market in Cruz Bay to load up on essential groceries. 5:30 pm: Arrival at villa rental.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: Today was a travel day, so breakfast/lunch was eaten at the airport/plane. We ate at the villa for dinner.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh villa rental in Coral Bay
Day 2: Salt Pond Bay Beach
12:15 pm: After a lazy morning of sleeping in and eating breakfast, we headed to the first snorkeling location of our vacation, Salt Pond Bay. Get there early to get a parking spot! The highlight of snorkeling at Salt Pond Bay was seeing a family of squid! Love snorkeling? Do not miss reading my ultimate St. John snorkeling guide with my personal ratings of each site.
3 pm Lunch: Miss Lucys. While enjoying the beautiful waterfront location of this gem of a restaurant, order the grouper reuben and wash it down with a Lime-N-Da-Coconut. This was one of the best meals we had on the island!
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 3: Waterlemon Cay + Maho Beach
9 am: 20-minute easy hike along the coastline to Waterlemon Cay. This was one of our FAVORITE snorkeling locations. Expect beautiful coral, sea fans, squid, and many tropical fish. We even saw 2 nurse sharks!
1:30 pm: Next snorkel spot was Maho Bay. It has calm protected waters and seagrass beds, so this is one of the places you can expect to see turtles. There is also a pop-up village across the street offering food, drinks, and water sports rentals.
12:30 pm Lunch: North Shore Deli. This friendly deli has delicious roasted meat sandwiches, fresh salads, and smoothies. We can personally vouch for the Pastrami Tsunami and the Superfood Salad.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 4: Haulover Bay + Hansen Bay
9 am: Haulover Bay North was another one of our favorite snorkeling locations! Access is easy and requires a short 5-minute walk through the woods. We saw gorgeous coral, huge purple sea fans, and many schools of tropical fish.
11:45 am: Right next door to Haulover North is Hansen Bay Beach. This beautiful white sand beach has calm protected waters. We saw several turtles and tropical fish. There are also chairs, paddleboards, and kayaks to use.
2 pm Lunch: Skinny Legs. This laid-back restaurant offers some amazing juicy burgers and some of the best cocktails we had on the island. Order the painkiller. You will truly feel you are on holiday.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 5: Trunk Bay + Cinnamon Bay
10 am: Trunk Bay Beach is gorgeous! It is one of the most pristine beaches in all of the Caribbean. There are also amenities such as a food shack, beach bar, bathrooms, and showers. See my complete guide on Trunk Bay for more details.
12:45 pm: The neighboring Cinnamon Bay Beach is like a less-crowded version of Trunk Bay. The snorkeling here is better than Trunk Bay. We saw beautiful tropical fish and even a lemon shark!
2:30 pm Lunch: Shaibu’s Gourmet Grab & Go. This delicious vegetarian restaurant offers some amazing fresh food choices, smoothies, and juices. We had the cold noodle Thai peanut salad and a veggie panini paired with an incredibly tasty Sea Moss Smoothie.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 6: Ram Head Hike + Little Lameshur
11:30 am: The hike to Ram Head requires you to walk along Blue Cobblestone Beach for a portion of it. As we were making our return, we decided to cool off and snorkel at Blue Cobblestone Beach. Although the water felt great, the snorkeling was subpar.
1:30 pm: Little Lameshur Bay Beach is yet another gorgeous snorkeling location. Be prepared it is an adventure to access it though, and you will need a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: At the villa.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 7: Grootpan Bay + Francis Bay
11:15 am: Grootpan Bay is another excellent snorkeling site. Its off-the-beaten-path location will require a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.
1:30 pm: Our last snorkeling location was Francis Bay, one of my top 12 things to do in St. John. I was not expecting much, but we saw at least 10+ turtles in addition to many tropical fish and even a lionfish.
4:15 pm: Happy hour drinks + snack at Oasis, which has a Drive-Thru Brew! We ordered some painkillers and rum punches. Oasis is also known for amazing southern comfort food, so we had to order the mac ‘n cheese which was to die for! * Oasis closed and has been replaced with the highly-rated BBQ place called Johnny Lime.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: At the villa.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 8: Relax Poolside at the Villa
All day: Our St. John itinerary was pretty jam-packed, so on our last day of vacation we chose to relax and swim in the pool, take in those stunning Coral Bay views, and sip on our own cocktails made with the local rum, Botany Bay.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: At the villa.
Overnight: Anchorage Aweigh
Day 9: Fly Back Home
9:30 am: We drove back to the car ferry at Cruz Bay.
12:00 pm: We took the car ferry from Cruz Bay, St John back to Red Hook, St Thomas. ** This was cutting it a little too close.
1 pm: We arrived at the airport. The drive from the ferry in Red Hook to the airport took 30 minutes. Amalie Car Rental met us curbside.
2:55 pm: Flight back home.
7 pm: Cocktails at the speakeasy at the American Express Centurion Lounge at JFK Airport. It has 2 premium bars and its own speakeasy! Order the Southside Cocktail with Beefeater gin, lemon juice, & mint.
Breakfast: At the villa.
Lunch/Dinner: At airport lounges and plane ride.
Who Will Love This St. John Itinerary
- Beach lovers
- Snorkeling & hiking enthusiasts
Best Time to Visit St. John
Many consider April and May as the best time to go to St. John due to the ideal temperatures and little rainfall.
I would avoid June – November, which is hurricane season. Those months have a lot of rain, and it’s hot!
December through March is also a nice time to visit but prices will be higher since it is peak season and you may be contending with the “Christmas winds.”
We went in December, and some of the days we snorkeled were really difficult or impossible due to these winds.
Hotel/Rental
- Anchorage Aweigh (8 nights)
If you are still trying to figure out where to stay in St. John, don’t miss my curated list of all the best boutique places to stay based on neighborhood!
Airlines & Lounges
Delta Airlines
- We had a layover in Atlanta before flying into St. Thomas and a layover at JFK before flying back home. Total flight times from the east coast + layovers were about 6-7 hours.
Amex Centurion Lounge JFK
- Gorgeous multi-level lounge with a speakeasy! Love this lounge.
Car Rental
St. John is pretty easy to navigate around by car. We used Amalie Car Rental in St. Thomas. I highly recommend them.
Tours
- None. This is one of the few trips we did without any tours. All of our snorkeling sites were accessed directly from the beach.
Dinner Reservations
- None. All of the restaurants we chose did not require reservations.
What I Would Have Changed
- I would have checked out more of the local food establishments. We did go to a few local places, but it was mainly for take-out. When we come back, I would love to check out Lime Out (the floating taco bar) and Extra Virgin Bistro (which has great craft cocktails).
- Skip the snorkeling at Blue Cobblestone Beach.
- I wish I had time to have hiked Reef Bay Trail, another well-known hike in St. John.
I’m Nichole, the author of all the blog posts on Enriching Pursuits. Think of me as your geeky DIY discerning travel friend who dives deep—Google Page 20 deep—to uncover the best ways to enjoy exceptional outdoor adventures and foodie experiences.
My husband and I are experienced snorkelers, day hikers, and casual cyclists who also love delicious street food, an incredible glass of wine, and the occasional Michelin-starred meal.
Balancing full-time careers, we cherish every second of our vacation days and love sharing tips to help you do the same. If this sounds like your kind of travel, subscribe below or drop me a note with any questions—I’d love to hear from you!
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Questions about our St. John itinerary?
Let me know in the comments below!
Fantastic information! We will head back there December 2021 and your information along with pictures and safety advice was priceless. Thank you so much! Sue and Craig
So glad you found it helpful. St. John is such a beautiful island with so many places to explore. Enjoy your trip!
I enjoyed your article on St John. You introduced me to new hidden gems that we have not explored – yet. We traveled to St John for 5 years and loved the island . Yes we’re avoid enthusiasts of the snorkeling and hiking opportunities. We’re finally returning this year ‘26 after a few year wait-can’t wait to see the island come into view from the ferry!
Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out and share those kind words!
St. John really has a way of staying with you.
I love that you’re coming back after a few years away. That first ferry view never gets old, and it’s always fun to rediscover the island with fresh eyes. I’m so glad the post gave you a few new spots to add to your list.
Wishing you an amazing return trip and lots of great snorkeling and trail days ahead!