The Way A Vacation Should Be

Best Things Nearby:
We had our own balcony with views of the bay. I sat there every day with a Cuba Libra admiring the homes built on the nearby hillside and amazed at how anyone could build on the side of a cliff. The next best thing was the beach.

Best Things About the Resort:
A fabulous place! I will absolutely go again! The studio villa was fantastic. It was tiny, yes, but had everything we needed. The beach was great. It was clean and groomed and had lots of room.

Resort Experience:
Studio villa has a king-size bed, full kitchen, washer/dryer in large closet, wrap-around sofa with sofa bed, dining table seats four, TV/satellite, CD/radio, and balcony. There are no beachfront villas, but all have bay views.

The villas are across a road from main resort and up a steep hill. If you can’t handle it, they provide shuttle carts every 15 minutes. We preferred the exercise.

The Westin St. John’s website has a feature that allows you to order groceries online so that they will be in your villa when you arrive. The food you order is more expensive than in town, but you don’t have to pay cab fare to get it.

The resort has car rentals. Reserve in advance.

There are four restaurants: Chloe and Bernard’s, fine dining; Beach Café, with excellent food and friendly staff; Snorkels Grill, which you can order from your beach chair; and Mango Deli, which you should avoid unless you like really expensive ham sandwiches.

There is a fitness center with day spa and exercise classes. I took yoga twice, held outside. The fitness center is free to guests, but classes and spa cost extra. Yoga classes were $10/class. It has a cute little shop called Bougainvillea. Check upstairs for artwork by local artist Elaine Estern.

The Westin Resort has its own ferry service from St. Thomas. You have to schedule this before your arrival. The Westin has an air-conditioned hospitality room at the airport, and then you are taken by a taxi to the Westin’s boat. The cost is $68/person round-trip and includes unlimited ferry rides to St. Thomas during your stay. Once there, you are already checked in and your bags taken to your villa. They also treat you to a rum punch.

At an activity center at the Westin dock, you can rent jet skis, schedule day trips/snorkel trips, rent small motor boats, and go scuba diving. We did NONE of these things!

The timeshare villas have their own pools in case you don’t feel like trekking down to the main pool. They are smaller and quieter, with wonderful views!

All taxi service is arranged in the Westin lobby. Just show up - they will have two or three waiting in the drive.

The Westin St. John only has 67 timeshare villas, one of the smallest of the Starwood network, so getting this location is not easy unless it’s a home resort. We were on the wait list for 7 months. The call came 3 days before Christmas. Talk about a present! My suggestion for those would like to stay here, but it’s not your home resort, is to get your name on ALL weeks that have a waitlist available for the time of year you would like to visit and then be PATIENT. Get information at website www.starwoodvo.com (this is the OWNER'S website, which has more info than Westin.com).

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Not much more than a blue-and-white shack, Woody’s Seafood Saloon has some of the best seafood cuisine to be found in Cruz Bay. We didn’t just eat there once; we ate there three times. It was that good. My husband’s boss, who travels to St. John every year, had said that Woody’s was the place to go for Caribbean seafood, so we made it a point to find it our first day on St. John.

A half-block from the police station and 1 and a half blocks from the ferry dock, Woody’s looks more like a bar then a restaurant. The bar itself only seats about eight people, while the few tables and chairs inside seat about 14. For some reason, there are two TV’s over each end of the bar. They were so small, I wondered what the point was (however, Superbowl XXXIX was on later that night, and maybe the wait staff didn’t want to miss it). The TV’s are overpowered by a large stereo system that plays a lot of Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler. There are also two tables outside that seat about six people each. Anyone unlucky enough to not find a seat would simply stand around. If you’re just looking for a cool drink on a hot day, Woody’s also has a walk-up window that connects to the bar.

For $18, you get a three-piece seafood platter that consists of your choice of fish (mahimahi) grilled or blackened, shrimp grilled or blackened, and hush puppies or conch fritters. The seafood is served over a delicious bed of pasta salad. Twice I had the blackened fish and shrimp, and it is fantastic - so spicy it made my nose run. My husband preferred the milder grilled fish and shrimp. If you’re on a budget or don’t like seafood (but if you don’t like seafood, why even bother going to the Caribbean??), then just get the plate of pasta salad for only $4.50.

Happy hour at Woody’s is from 3 to 6pm, when domestic beers (Bud, Bud Light, etc.) are only $1. Coronas are $2 and well drinks are $3 - that’s all $1 off the regular price. Sitting outside of Woody’s on a warm afternoon with a beer and some blackened shrimp is not a bad way to spend the day.

On our second night on St. John, we were exploring Mongoose Junction and decided to eat at Morgan’s Mango. Our first choice was the Sun Dog Cafe, but that place is only open for lunch - bummer. Morgan’s Mango is on the second floor of Mongoose Junction, up the stairs from its sidewalk sign. Morgan’s is a fine-dining establishment with linen tablecloths and napkins. It has a green, pink, and white décor, and except for the roof, is completely open to the tropical breezes. There were paintings from a local artist on the walls that were for sale.

The food was expensive, but most food in St. John was. I had a grilled seafood kabob with shrimp, tuna, and veggies with a side of beans and rice, and my husband had the grilled salmon, also with beans and rice. Both were delicious, but it was so much food, we couldn’t eat all of our dinner. For drinks we each had a tropical smoothie (nonalcoholic), which was refreshing. Because of a mix-up in the kitchen, our dinner was delayed, so we were each comped a dessert. I had a fabulous Key Lime pie slice but was unable to finish it due to the large dinner. My husband had the crème brulee, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Morgan’s Mango was enjoyable, delicious, and expensive. We’re glad we tried it, but it wasn't our favorite. It’s just not our kind of restaurant (see the review of Woody’s).

Fun Fact - I read in Frommer’s Virgin Islands guidebook that Harrison Ford was turned away from this restaurant one night. I don’t know the details, but it made the place a local legend. And to think that we got in and comped dessert!

Skinny Legs restaurant is an outdoor shack just past the fork in the road that takes you to Coral Bay Road from Centerline Road. There are also several boutiques around it, so don’t be fooled by all the T-shirts hanging out front - just keep walking toward the back. We went there for lunch after our horseback ride mostly because it was there and we were thirsty!

Skinny Legs is owned by two guys with, what else, skinny legs. They were quite busy for a Monday; lots of locals were there eating lunch, along with a few other tourists besides us. My husband and I both ordered the house specialty, grilled mahimahi sandwiches. They came with fries and were delicious. My only complaint was that the bartender was a little slow getting my ice-tea glass refilled. I should have just asked for a pitcher. As we ate, I noticed on the menu board that two other house specialties were New England clam chowder and Skinny’s chili. The cook was dishing up bowls of the stuff while we were there, but for the life of me I can’t imagine why anyone would want to eat such hot food on such a hot day. I guess it must have been good!

Judging by the large white screen and two rows of chairs off the back porch, I’m guessing Skinny’s had a movie night. They also have a website, but I think it may be a little out of date. It’s www.skinnylegs.com.

Would I recommend Skinny legs? Sure, but it is away from the action so to speak. It’s a good half-hour from Cruz Bay and the Westin Resort. Skinny’s is a popular hangout for boaters stopped in Coral Bay. If you have a car and are touring the island, it’s worth a stop.

For horseback riding we met up with Dana, who runs Carolina Corral. She operates rides Monday to Saturday twice a day. The first ride was at 10am, the second at 1pm. All rides are 1 and a half hours, and she will take you up the Johnny Horn Trail. We took a taxi from the Westin to Coral Bay, and it was $23 one-way for a 30-minute ride.

The stable was a simple structure on the side of a hill with a shaded donkey corral and a covered horse corral. We were greeted by Red, the dog she adopted from Virgin Islands Humane Society.

Dana had several horses to choose from. I had no experience, so I was given a horse named Winter because of his white coat. My husband, who had riding experience but hasn’t ridden since he was 13, was given a larger horse named Ivan. Ivan was a former racehorse in Puerto Rico. Ivan wasn’t fast enough for the mainland, so through a friend of a friend, Dana adopted him. Winter also came from the VI Humane Society, as did Ginger, the horse Dana rode.

The start to the trail is at the Emmaus Moravian Church that was built in the 1700s. The trail took you straight uphill. It started out as a road, but after halfway to the peak, the trail narrowed to a walking path that overlooked a bay called Hurricane Hole. Dana told us it was called that because it provided shelter for boats riding out tropical storms. Once at the top, we continued around to the other side and began our descent. It was steep and little daunting. Dana told us to stand up in our stirrups and to let the horses go at their own pace. Standing up helps protect the horse’s back. At a switchback in the trail, we stopped to rest the horses and take some photos while Dana told us that we had passed the steepest part of the trail. Whew, glad that was over! As we continued down the trail, Dana pointed out all the different types of plants, like the pipe organ cactus and the Christmas tree (which is poisonous), along with a few birds. Once we got back to town, we rode a trail that roughly follows Coral Bay. However, the view of the bay was blocked by thick trees. As if reading my mind, Dana said that sometimes she wished she had a chainsaw to cut through the trees.

The cost is $55/person. It is a wonderful ride, but there are some things you should know. Dana asks that you wear long pants to protect your legs and long sleeves to protect your arms. If you ignore this advice, make sure you wear extra sun block. When the sun is shining, it gets hot! Take the morning ride if at all possible to avoid the heat. For more details, check Dana’s website at www.st-john.com/trailrides, because even though our ride may sound harrowing, there are flatter rides for the less intrepid or families with kids.

The Reef Bay Trail is a 2.6-mile hike down a 937-foot vertical descent that starts on Centerline Road. It’s one of the more adventurous trails on the island. Along the trail are the remains of three sugar mills, including the Reef Bay Sugarmill, the largest, and an offshoot trail to a water fall featuring ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings). Give yourself plenty of time, because there is a lot of stuff to see.

The trail starts on Centerline Road in the middle of the island. Basically, we drove Centerline until we saw the sign Reef Bay Trail that marks the entrance. If not for the sign, the entrance could be easily missed. The entrance is a gap in a stone wall, which is the top of stone stairway that takes you down to the path. The path is wide, and although steep, we were able to maintain a swift walk.

Not long on the trail, we came to our first marker. There are many markers on the path that name and describe the various plants and animals you see on the path along with markers for each of the plantation sites.

Approximately halfway down the trail is the offshoot branch that takes you to the ancient petroglyphs. This trail is easy to navigate, and you know you’ve arrived when you see the stone steps up the pool. The site is amazing, with water pools and large grey rocks onto which the drawings were carved. They can be hard to see at first, and a marker suggested splashing water onto the drawings to make them stand out. Above us was a large rock waterfall. There is a trail that you can climb to the top of the waterfall, but this trail is a climbing trail, and you need both hands to navigate it.

We continued our trek, and the path finally started to flatten out. We rounded a corner, and out of nowhere, a giant stone tower appeared before us. It was the Reef Bay Sugarmill. The tower and its connecting building was the rum distillery. The middle building was the steam shed, with the huge steam engine still inside. The far end of the building was the horse circle, where, before the steam engine, horses were used to move the machines.

We headed back on the path and toward the bay, which was only a few yards. Reef Bay had a very narrow strip of sand the color of cinnamon. To the right was a rocky outcropping, upon which several hikers were resting.

On the return trip, we made it to the petroglyphs trail that marks the halfway point in no time, but the steepest part still lay ahead. Soon we were breathing heavily and starting to sweat. Talk about a workout!

As we neared the end, we could hear the cars and trucks above us on Centerline Road. Finally, the stairs appeared. My legs were going to be angry tomorrow, but for now I felt good.

1) Drive on the left!!!!! No one seems to know why they drive that way; they’ve just always done it. The speed limit is only 24 to 30 mph throughout the island, and with the steep hairpin turns, I suggest you stick to that.

2) To rent a car or not rent a car? For us we choose not to rent a car for the whole week. We were close to Cruz Bay, and because we stayed at a full-service resort, a car for a whole week did not seem practical. However, we did want to explore the island, and since the Westin provides a car rental service, we rented one for a day and spent it driving all over the island. My husband enjoyed driving on the left since that’s not something you do everyday. Taxis are everywhere and don’t cost that much. Just make sure you get a price BEFORE you board. When we took a taxi to Coral Bay, it was $23 for two to get out there, but a different driver charged us only $18 for the return. The cost for two people to Cruz Bay from the Westin is $6 ($3 a person), which is a standard.

3) Food is EXPENSIVE! Don’t let that stop you from enjoying your vacation. St. John has no major grocery store or its own food production. Everything is shipped in, which adds a huge cost to any meal. Once you are aware of that, it’s easier to get over the sticker shock. My only advice is to do as much cooking in your villa as possible. For example, we bought our own bagels and juices so we didn’t have to eat breakfast at the café every day. We also cooked dinner in the villa one night for two-third’s the cost of going out. Something else to try: dinner platters at restaurants in St. John are just as large as in the States, so consider ordering one entry and splitting it. Also, those cute little frozen drinks with umbrellas that everyone wants on vacation cost a small fortune compared to just buying a beer or a coke. It’s tough when you’re on a budget, but the food you do get, especially seafood, will be delicious and worth the price you paid.

4) Locals are very friendly but shy, so you will have to say "hello" or "good morning" first. This seems to warm people up and get them to talk more.

We got up early to catch the 9:30am ferry from Cruz Bay to Jost van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. We had two reasons for this trip. 1) Technically, the islands are a foreign country, so we could get our passports stamped. 2) We heard all kinds of crazy stories about the Soggy Dollar Bar and had to see it for ourselves. You need to get to the customs’ office early because there will be a line. Cost is $40 per person, but this does include your departure fee, so there will be no extra charges when you arrive on the island. The trip itself was wonderful, with smooth waters and blue sky. Don’t worry about getting seasick; it’s a large boat with open windows. The ride takes about 30 minutes. The arrival in Great Habor, BVI, was like seeing postcard turquoise waters with many sizes of sailing ships anchored in the harbor and a white crescent beach lined with palm trees. The most startling sight - no development! Unlike St. John, which has homes and villas precariously parked on every hillside, the hillsides of Jost were nothing but green trees. I thought to myself, what have we gotten ourselves into? The return ferry wasn’t until 3pm, so we had 5 hours to kill. What if there was no one here and nothing to do?????

There was a bit of a wait to depart the ferry. The custom’s agent had to drive down to the dock from a building that was perched up the hill. Once we had our stamp, we were free to go. My husband and I chose to walk to the crescent beach and see what was there. It was also starting to get hot, so a cold beverage was in order.

Great Harbor had a sand main street if you will, along which one church and several businesses were lined. Most were roadside stands selling groceries, beer, and soda. We also came across a beauty salon. Most of these tiny entrepreneurships weren’t even open yet because it was so early. At the end of the sand road, we did discover one establishment open, the world-famous Foxy’s. Foxy’s takes up two buildings, one (a house) was the gift shop, while the larger open-air restaurant and bar were next to it. In front of the bar was the much-photographed hammock that adorns all the postcards and T-shirts that are for sale in the gift shop. My husband took a seat in it and took it for a test drive. After taking several photos, we walked into Foxy’s and saw breakfast menus on the tables. That sounded good. I had Foxy’s French toast, and my husband had a ham-and-cheese omelet. We both had juice. It was good! As we sat there enjoying our meal, more and more people appeared. Some came in from the boats anchored offshore, others from a nearby hotel. Most seemed to know each other; perhaps they had been here all week or all month. I didn’t know, but they greeted each other with constant "good mornings." Some British tourists sitting at another table were already drinking Heinekens (It’s 5pm somewhere…). After breakfast, we lingered in the gift shop, where I bought my first T-shirt of the trip. It was bright orange, with the silhouette of the hammock between the trees, and it said "Foxy’s, Live De Life."

We walked back through the "town" and stopped at the tiny grocery store to get some sodas. A Rasta man was in the beauty shop next door getting his locks washed (maybe it was Foxy?). We had lingered long enough; it was time to head to White Bay and the Soggy Dollar. We caught a taxi and took the $10 ride over the hill to the next bay. What a drive - steep and on a hillside with a beautiful view of the bays.

The taxi dropped us off at the entrance to the Sand Castle Resort, home of the Soggy Dollar. We walked through the bar, which was quiet at this time, and out to the beach. This was by far the nicest beach we had come across on our trip. The beaches on the north side of St. John were very beautiful but uninhabitable the whole time we were there due to large, dangerous surf. Here the water was much calmer and the most beautiful color of turquoise, and the sand was like white sugar.

First, we walked past the Soggy Dollar, the resort, and a series of snack and gift shops all the way to the end, where the crew of a cruise ship parked in the bay was setting up a buffet lunch for their guests. Although it was a public beach, only Sand Castle guests were allowed to use the beach chairs, but there were so many empty chairs (the beach wasn’t crowded at all) that I think we could have taken one and no one would have minded. The Sand Castle is an interesting resort in that they don’t allow children until 16 and there are no TV’s or telephones. So what does someone do at a resort with no TV or phone? They read! Everyone we saw had some sort of book or magazine, or they were sleeping next to their book or magazine. Then we walked all the way to the east end of the beach, which was separated in the middle by rocks, and you had to climb a small path to get to the other side. This part of the beach is private property and much more deserted. You are welcome to stay on the beach, but you can’t camp there without a permit or venture off the beach onto the private property. There was one place to eat, which was not quite a restaurant, but a bit more than a snack bar called Ivan’s. On the other side of Ivan’s were several beach-goers, and as a reminder that this was private land, most of these sun-worshipers were nude.

We trekked back to the public beach, and my husband wanted to go snorkeling. We found out there was a private equipment rental stand at the far end of the beach. Wayne, who was filling in for his brother, helped us. He let us have the equipment for 1 hour for $20. This was a price my husband asked for since Wayne told us that he didn’t know how much his brother actually charges for the snorkel gear. Wayne had warned us that a "weather event" the previous week had dumped huge amounts of sand on the coral and rocks on the beach. We were able to see many fish, but the normally colorful coral was covered with beige sand. There were spots of color here and there, which I tried to take photos of with my waterproof camera, but they didn’t turn out that well. I don’t think we stayed out in the bay for the whole hour because there just wasn’t that much to see. It was fun to try, but snorkeling was not my favorite activity.

Finally, we headed back to the Soggy Dollar for some lunch and some Pain Killers. The bar was more crowded now, as a group of people from the cruise ship had also arrived for drinks. We had grilled fish sandwiches, which were good. The Pain Killer, however, was tough to drink. It had coconut rum, and coconut is not my favorite, but in the cultural interest of sampling all local delicacies, I drank it all anyway.

After eating, my husband played a game they have at the bar. There was a small metal ring hanging from a long string in a tree. The goal was to catch the ring on a hook on the trunk of the tree. It took a lot of skill and patience, but he finally hooked it. I was in the gift shop buying shot glasses when he decided we should head back to Foxy’s and have a beer while waiting for the ferry.

We hopped in a cab that took us back over the hill to Great Harbor. Just as we approached the sand main street that ends at Foxy’s, a local woman riding with us announced she saw the ferry coming into the bay. The taxi driver confirmed she was right. Apparently it was later in the day than we thought. So instead of one last beer, the taxi dropped us off at the ferry, from where we left the BVI. Remember when we arrived and I wondered what we were going to do all day? Now we didn’t have enough time! Jost van Dyke was such a beautiful, laid-back island. I can’t wait to return.