Summer is here and for us that means one thing... travel time!
Crazy work schedules and deadlines kept us from traveling during the Fall and Spring so we have some serious making-up to do this Summer. I mean, those airline miles aren't going to earn themselves, right?
On June 3rd we took off in the wee hours of the morning to St. John in the US Virgin Islands. Although getting there included an early morning flight, a 4 hour layover, and a 45 minute ferry ride from St. Thomas USVI, it was well worth any issue we might have had with the travel situation.
We (and the rest of the Keller crew) stayed at the Westin Resort and Villas on Cruz Bay. It was incredible!
We spent the first couple days around the resort and the shopping areas of St. John (Mongoose Junction and Wharfside Village) and then we decided it was time to see different parts of the island.
Chris and I typically choose some kind of excursion to go on when we travel, for this trip we decided it would be fun to go sea kayaking. According to various travel and tourism sites (and the concierge) Cinnamon Bay was "the place" to kayak so that was our first destination. The beach was absolutely perfect. Like, beach advertisement and beach calendar perfect. We spent the day kayaking and laying out on the beach.
Leaving Cruz Bay was probably one of the best decisions we made the entire trip so we were on a mission to spread the word to the rest of the family. The following day, we dragged everyone to destination number 2: Trunk Bay.
A short 15 minute shuttle ride from the Westin and we landed in paradise...Trunk Bay. Everything about the beach was incredible...the views were particularly breathtaking. We enjoyed the day in the ocean and just hanging out on the beach.
Although Cruz Bay was beautiful, it paled in comparison to the other bays around the island. It did, however, have one attribute the others didn't have; it was iguana central.
At the end of the week we sadly packed our bags, got on the 45 minute ferry ride to St. Thomas, and boarded our flight to Miami. In Miami we had a 6 hour layover so we decided to take a cab and head over to Miami beach to hang out and have dinner. We went to Larios on the Beach and had the best mojitos in the world (garnished with a stick of sugar cane). It was an awesome way to break up the ridiculously long layover.
It was an incredible trip and we are already looking forward to going back :)
Travel tips (if you plan on visiting St. John):
- Although you don't need your passport to get to the USVI's you should definitely take it because you can rent a boat (complete with captain) for the day and go around to the BVI's and USVI's
- Take your own sunscreen and aloe...if you choose to buy it there be prepared to pay $15-$18 for a tiny bottle
- Most of the land in St. John is protected as a national park (which is awesome because it will never become commercialized) so there are very few snack bars and restaurants near the beaches. Be sure to prepare adequately
- Buy Cruzana rum... it is made in St. Croix (local), is good, and cheaper than soft drinks or bottled water
- If you have a long layover in Miami, take a cab and head to Larios for the best mojito of your life
Labels: beach, iguanas, St. John, USVI
