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Is a day trip from St. Thomas to St. John calling your name for your next vacation? If so, then you are in for an exciting day of breathtaking views, crystal clear water, and fun hikes past colonial Danish ruins.
While St. Thomas certainly has beautiful views and beaches of its own, the fact that two-thirds of St. John is protected by Virgin Islands National Park sets it apart. This protection leaves its beaches and hiking trails in their pristine natural condition, with very little commercialism. This is something you simply won’t find in St. Thomas, or even most other islands in the Caribbean.
What you get on St. John is an incredible day of beach hopping, painkiller drinking, and views for miles. To help with your planning, I’ve put together the perfect itinerary for a day trip from St. Thomas to St. John that will leave you feeling both relaxed and wowed at the same time.
Guide to Day-Tripping from St. Thomas to St. John
How to Get From St. Thomas to St. John
You must take a boat to get from St. Thomas to St. John. While I wrote a detailed guide for getting to St. John here, the basic gist is below.
Unless you are hiring a captain, chances are you’ll be taking the ferry for this short distance. Your fees, trip duration, and timing will depend on whether you want to take a rental car to St. John with you or not.
With a Rental Car
It can be nice to have a rental car with you on St. John, as it makes it much easier to explore the island at your own pace. If you rented a car on St. Thomas, you may be able to take it over to St. John with you. Car rentals from the airport typically allow this, but it’s still good to check with your rental company.
There are three car ferry companies that offer daily service from Red Hook on St. Thomas to Cruz Bay on St. John:
- Love City Car Ferries
- Big Red Barge
- Global Marine’s Tug Life
The companies run at alternating times, though Love City Car Ferries runs just slightly later (check schedules here). One way costs $50 per car, or $65 roundtrip, and a small port fee of $3 or $4 is also collected before the trip. You can reserve a spot online in advance or simply show up at the dock in Red Hook.
If you do book round trip, just make sure you return to St. Thomas on the same company you came on.
The downside to taking the car ferry is that the last barge leaves St. John around 6:15 pm (double check!), meaning you would need to return to St. Thomas before dinner. The ride is also a bit slower than the people ferry, taking about 30 minutes.
No Rental Car
If you arrived in St. John by cruise ship, or simply opted not to rent a car, you’ll be taking the people ferry over. I personally prefer this ride, as it’s much more comfortable and you can sit back and enjoy the sea views. It’s also only a fifteen to twenty minute ride, with the last ferry returning from Cruz Bay to Red Hook around 11:00 pm.
Your mobility will be a bit more limited since you’ll be relying on taxis, but you’ll be able to reach many of St. John’s best spots with ease. Taxis are constantly shuttling people between the Cruz Bay ferry dock and the North Shore Road beaches.
The process for taking the people ferry is pretty simple. Simply purchase your tickets right at the ferry dock for your desired time. The ferry leaves from Red Hook for Cruz Bay about every hour (click here for schedule). Adult tickets are $8.15 for nonresidents, with an additional $4 fee for checked luggage.
St. Thomas to St. John Day Trip Itinerary
(With Rental Car)
Below is a recommended St. John day trip itinerary that is best done with a rental car.
8:00 – 9:00am: Take Car Ferry from St. Thomas to St. John
Leave for St. John between 8am and 9am on the car ferry, depending on which company you wish to take. Don’t forget to bring towels and reef safe sunscreen!
9:30am: Take a Photo at the Trunk Bay and Maho Bay Overlooks
No visit to St. John is complete without stopping at two of the most photographed locations on the island. The Trunk Bay and Maho Bay Overlooks are just a quick pull off from North Shore Road, and make easy stops before heading to the beach.
Trunk Bay is the more famous overlook, and is the first of the two you’ll see from Cruz Bay. This spot is awesome because you can view the full length of the beach down below and some of the British Virgins Islands in the distance.
That said, Maho is just as stunning with its multi-hued, ultra-calm turquoise water. Visit one or both depending on your schedule and bring your camera!
10:00am: Visit a Stunning North Shore Beach
The beaches along St. John’s North Shore Road are all dreamy, and you can’t choose a bad one. The below are my top two recommendations for day-trippers, as they are among the most beautiful and have the best amenities.
- Trunk Bay: ($5 entry fee, cash or credit card) Long, wide, beautiful beach that often makes top ten lists. You can rent snorkel gear here and follow the popular underwater snorkel trail near Trunk Cay. If you get hungry, there is also a snack shack on site.
- Maho Bay: (free) Features some of the calmest, crystal clear waters on St. John. Kayak, SUP, and snorkel rentals are available across the street at Reef2Peak for visitors in search of sea turtles. You can also eat and shop at Maho Crossroads.
I recommend arriving by 10:00am to secure one of the limited parking spaces at either beach.
1:00pm: Grab Lunch at Skinny Legs
Skinny Legs in Coral Bay is a local favorite on St. John for casual burgers and painkillers. This open-air restaurant has a super laid back vibe, and is a great place to chill for a while. If you still have room, the key lime pie is also amazing.
Make sure you check out their chalk board for daily specials. There is usually a different burger and drink posted every day.
2:30pm: Do a Short Hike to a View
Hiking is one of the best activities Virgin Islands National Park has to offer, so I recommend trying at least a mini one. The following hikes offer rewarding views and are within twenty minutes of Cruz Bay:
- Peace Hill: Take the short trail uphill to the Peace Hill Windmill. There is also a trail veering right off the main path that will take you to beautiful and quiet Denis Bay Beach.
- Cinnamon Hill/America Hill: Another uphill hike to an incredible view over Maho Bay and estate house ruins. It’s just a short way back to Cinnamon Bay, where you can cool off at the gorgeous beach.
- A third option is to take the Upper Lind Point Trail from Cruz Bay to the overlook. You’ll get a sweeping view of Cruz Bay, as well as St. Thomas across the way.
3:30pm: Visit Cruz Bay for Shops & Happy Hour
Spend a little time in Cruz Bay for happy hour before making your way back to St. Thomas. This bustling port town has a number of great beach bars and eateries to choose from. Here are my top happy hour recommendations:
- Beach Bar: 3pm to 7pm; deals on well drinks, beer, and painkillers
- The Longboard: 2pm to 4pm; $10 frozen painkillers among other drink discounts
- St. John Brewers Tap Room: 4pm to 6pm; $5 off dine-in pizza, $1 off all draft beer
5:45pm: Head Back to the Ferry Dock
Right as the sun is setting, it will be time to make your way back across the water to St. Thomas. As you are catching one of the last car ferries, it is essential to arrive at the dock thirty to forty-five minutes early to ensure you get a spot on the barge.
St. Thomas to St. John Day Trip Itinerary
(Without Rental Car)
Below are adjustments to the above itinerary if you are not renting a car and will be getting around St. John by taxi.
9:00am: Take People Ferry from St. Thomas to St. John
Since the people ferry allows you to return to St. Thomas later than the car ferry, it is not necessary to set out any earlier than 9:00am unless you want to. You will have plenty of time to spend at the beach.
Since you’ll be relying on taxis to get around all day, it will be easiest and most time and money efficient to stick close to North Shore Road and Cruz Bay.
When you arrive in Cruz Bay, you should be able to find a taxi fairly quickly to take you to the North Shore Road beaches. These bright, open air vehicles are easy to spot and flag down near the ferry dock.
9:30am: Take a Photo at the Trunk Bay and Maho Bay Overlooks
Heading east on North Shore Road via taxi, you will pass both the Trunk Bay and Maho Bay Overlooks if you are going to Maho Bay. If you are going to Cinnamon or Trunk Bay, you will pass only the Trunk Bay Overlook.
On your way to the beaches, simply ask your driver to pull off at the overlook(s) on your way to the beach. They will be more than happy to, and chances are you won’t be the only one in the vehicle wishing for a photo.
If you do not want to stop, the overlooks can still be seen from the road for your viewing pleasure.
10:00am: Visit a Stunning North Shore Beach
Honeymoon Bay was once one of the most popular beaches for those exploring St. John via taxi. This is because it is one of the closest beaches to Cruz Bay and used to have food and chair rentals.
Hikers can still enjoy Honeymoon by bringing their own chairs and packed lunch from Cruz Bay. Otherwise, it will soon be convenient to purchase a luxury day pass from the new Caneel Bay Beach Club to enjoy services like cabanas, food, etc..
Maho and Trunk Bay still have great amenities for day-trippers, including chair and snorkel rentals. That said, you will not find kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals at Trunk. Additionally, consider visiting Cinnamon Bay, which now has similar amenities since its campground recently re-opened since the 2017 hurricanes.
Even though parking won’t be a concern, it still pays to arrive early to beat the crowds at these popular beaches. The best shade spots are the first to go.
2:30pm: Do a Short Hike to a View
The hikes listed above are still fairly easy to do if traveling by taxi, since they are either along North Shore Road or in Cruz Bay . It shouldn’t take long to grab a taxi from Trunk, Maho or Cinnamon, as taxis regularly park at these beaches. To return to Cruz Bay after the hike:
- Cinnamon Hill: Simply walk to the Cinnamon Bay parking lot to wait for a taxi to stop at this beach.
- Peace Hill: You will have to flag a taxi down along the road from the small parking lot.
- Upper Lind Point: The trailhead is walkable from Cruz Bay, so a taxi shouldn’t be needed.
It’s best to complete the Cinnamon Hill and Peace Hill hikes before 4:00pm, as taxis become more infrequent along North Shore Road after that time.
4:00pm: Happy Hour in Cruz Bay
A happy hour drink or snack at any of the above-mentioned places is much deserved after completing a hike.
5:30pm: Sunset and Dinner in Cruz Bay
The best sunset viewing points are at the bars on the water, like at Beach Bar, or along the Cruz Bay Overlook. Do note, the overlook is popular at this time, so you should arrive a bit before sunset to get a parking space.
You could also do an hour and a half sunset sail with a charter company, such as Kekoa.
Otherwise, the last people ferry doesn’t leave until around 11:00 pm, so you have plenty of time to explore the Cruz Bay shops and grab dinner on St. John.
More St John Day Trip Ideas
Perhaps you’ve visited St. John once before, or are otherwise looking to level up your experience on the island. Consider hiring a boat charter or joining a tour group for one of the following awesome experiences:
- Boat charter around St John on the Kekoa (or other boat)
- Hike the five mile Reef Bay Trail (guided hikes offered here)
- Kayak, snorkel, and hike with Virgin Islands Ecotours
• • •
There you have it – one jampacked and fun-filled day on St. John. I will warn you though, St. John is stunning and tends to leave a lasting impression. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself grabbing a ferry back here sooner rather than later.
Thank you for your informative post! If we limit our day trip to St John to the itinerary and locations you mentioned, do you think we would need a 4WD to get around?
You’re welcome! All the roads at the places I’ve mentioned above are paved and in overall good shape. While there are some steep inclines and hairpin turns at times, you should be able to get around okay without four wheel drive.
Are there any places to stay over night on St Johns> We want to visit the National Park but feel like just a day trip might not be enough time.
There are loads of places to stay overnight on St. John, although you’ll encounter more vacation rentals than hotels. Many places – even the main hotel, The Westin, require a 3 or 4 night stay minimum. So, if a hotel is your preference, you could be better off staying on St. Thomas and doing one or more day trips from there (taking the ferry across is pretty easy and St. John has taxis to all the beaches). St. John is an amazing destination and many visitors (like myself) choose to stay there for their entire vacation, so it is likely you would crave more time there.
I enjoyed your blog post. One thing that I think important to mention is the lack of taxis at the beach locations. My husband and I were there last week, and we brought our rental car on the car ferry from St. Thomas. At Trunk Beach, which is very beautiful, there were no taxis anywhere around. And our cell coverage was very spotty. If we had been dropped off by a taxi, it might have been very tricky arranging for another to get us. The place was very, very quiet. We’re very glad we took our rental car.
Thank you! I was actually also there last week, and I have to disagree on the taxis since many people take them to and from the beaches every day when coming over from St. Thomas on the people ferry. Since we stayed on St. John, we drove the beach road many times and encountered taxis shuttling people to and from the beaches all day (they are hard to miss when navigating past one on a tight curve ;-)), especially Trunk because it is among the most popular (if not the most popular beach). It would be rare to have to call or arrange a ride on a taxi to be picked up from the beach because they come by so often. Even if they don’t pull all the way into Trunk Bay every time, it wouldn’t take long to flag one of the many constantly going back and forth down North Shore Road.
The exception is if you need a ride outside peak hours which would be between 10am and 2pm. To be picked up from the beach after 4pm, I would recommend arranging for the taxi that dropped you off to swing back to come get you and bring you back to Cruz Bay (or wherever). Especially because cell service is indeed poor to nonexistent at the beaches.