Should I cheat on STJ?

Bigcheeze · Post by **Bigcheeze** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 10:36 pm

Hmmm will the Rock forgive me if we seek other destinations for Trip #13 with our spoiled kids?

So...options include:

1. STJ but staying in Cruz Bay and not of Giff Hill for once.
2. Tortola at a villa on Cane Garden Bay
3. Spilt the 8 days between the USVI and BVI
4. Boat trip through the Islands
5. Clearwater Beach in Florida
6. Hope we win the Mega Millions

Don't worry, our kids know we are blessed to have been making memories for all these years.

As the quote says: Our family would always go on family vacations we couldn't afford...to create memories we couldn't afford to be without.

Enjoy the Journey

JJShaw · Post by **JJShaw** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 6:34 am

I vote numbers 3 and 6 ..

amy5233 · Post by **amy5233** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:14 am

This is a post that is totally my opinion. We do not love being in busy and commercial areas for vacation. I think that any island location is a wonderful idea. And, when I see your list of options, I think you might like the kindof bacations that we do. We are Floridians. Clearwater Beach is a day trip for us. We have gone 2x in 9 years. We go to the beach all of the time, but not to Clearwater. If that doesnt say enough... Let me add that Clearwater is a zoo. The Beach is a zoo. The area is very busy and commercialized and has lost its charm. Now, granted, we have not been interested enough to look for the little pockets of charm that must be there somewhere. IMO. If you want to give Florida a try...here are some suggestions that are a bit less commercial.
Captiva Island, Palm Island near Placida (not Little Palm) these locations are good for beach days and dinner out. especially on Palm Island you make your own fun.
Siesta Key will be closer to some things like mini golf for the kids and still offers a beach vacation feel. The powdery sand there is amazing. All of these are on the gulf side.
Anyway...have fun planning!

Knolmom · Post by **Knolmom** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:35 am

About 10 years ago, seven of us, all adults, spent 12 days between 2 villas ( Arundel and Beach Dreams)on Tortola and Virgin Gorda. We did a day sail for our transportation between the two. We had a great time, but since then we have either cruised or returned to St John every year.

Exit Zero · Post by **Exit Zero** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 12:17 pm

Option #4 - the boat trip through the Islands

If you mean a sailing boat or power vessel with just your family aboard - [with or without crew] the I vote yes - it is a wonderful way to see the world around the major islands and a great family trip.
If you meant a cruise ship vacation - it does give you a chance to sample quite a few different islands for a return land vacation.

AquaGirl · Post by **AquaGirl** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:32 pm

I wouldn't split the 8 days between USVI and BVI because the major part of one day will be spent transferring from one to the other. We visit STJ and the BVIs, but just one or the other per trip to cut down on packing/unpacking/transfer/check-in time.

We've enjoyed our trips to Tortola - definitely different from STJ. We stayed in a house near Cane Garden one trip and enjoyed it. It was nice to have a restaurants so close by, as well as a bakery with yummy things for breakfast. The beach is fairly long for taking walks. However, we wouldn't stay there again because the boat traffic and dinghys zooming around the bay made me uncomfortable in the water. I like to spend a lot of time in the water and it just didn't feel safe with that much boat traffic.

A charter boat trip through the islands would be great fun. Lots of places to go for snorkeling, the beach, restaurants, etc. We don't know how to sail and I don't like to cook on vacation, so I would get one with a captain and mate who can prepare meals

I love the Gulf side beaches in Florida, but agree with Amy about Clearwater not being the best choice. Siesta Key, Sanibel, and Captiva are better choices IMO. I've also heard good things about Anna Maria island (near Bradenton), but I've only driven though there, not stayed there.

Let us know what you decide!

Coconuts · Post by **Coconuts** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:15 pm

Bigcheeze: Sounds as though you are looking for cover to stray. If it helps, we committed an act of what we then called "island infidelity" back at the end of 2009. We enjoyed spending a few days at Luquillo in Puerto Rico, exploring the island from there, and then took the ferry from Fajardo to spend Christmas week on Vieques (the temptations included no premium for that week where we were staying). We had a great time, but it wasn't St. John, and remorse set in, leading us to recommit the next year, when we acquired Coconuts. We're tight now, but hey, if you really need to sow those wild oats, go for it!

All the best,

Kevin

dctac · Post by **dctac** » Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:19 pm

JJShaw wrote:I vote numbers 3 and 6 ..

Also 3 & 6 but try to add 4 days to #3

watergirl · Post by **watergirl** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 11:26 am

I would go with staying in Cane Garden Bay, especially if kids are older. It has a great music and party scene and it is nice to be able to walk (stumble?) back home at night. The beach and sunsets are beautiful but I agree with Aqua Girl - depending on the time of year, the boat traffic can be heavy. But Tortola has many awesome beaches and if you rent a car you can get to them. Also from Tortola you can get to the other BVI's by ferry or by Day Charter.

If you want to get away from the VI's altogether, try Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is amazing. On the other side of the island is Rincon a small town full of surfers with some very nice beaches. In between are beautiful mountains, caverns, waterfalls, rivers and even a lake. Also some very friendly people and delicious food.

Of course # 6 would solve your dilemma.

ski2play · Post by **ski2play** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 1:09 pm

We did. As many who have followed our story know, we are St John and now BVI lovers. The day trips to the BVI never seemed to last long enough so we opted to spend our last two vacations on first Jost Van Dyke (Sept 13) and then Tortola (October 14). Our trips to the BVI while very similar to St John, are indeed quite different.

Jost - all of the same beauty, snorkeling, etc. There is great food on Jost, but not fancy sit down food. The bar scene is similar to St John, but mainly only during the day, at night, it quiets down after the day trippers go home.

Tortola - all of the same beauty, snorkeling, etc. Great food and fancy dining. Bar scene is similar to St John. Beaches are similar too especially if you find the ones less populated. We did not find a ton of hiking on Tortola, but it is quite possible, we didn't research it well enough.

For those who are following our story to purchase in the BVI, we are done providing information to the Dept of Ministry and await their final decision on our acceptance as non-belongers, from there we have 30 days to close! Fingers and toes crossed.

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:09 pm

We've fallen in love with the sailing lifestyle after 30+ trips to St. John. You can easily eat out every night, or hit secluded spots and cook in. There are charters out of STT that can take six guests and out of the BVI that can take more. We prefer to start on STT and CYOA can provide a captain for you. The captains we've met are great people. Capt. Jay works there and is a forumite. One of their new catamarans would make for a killer week.

Virgin Gorda is great and where we go during STJ's busiest weeks. I started my VI visits on Cane Garden Bay and enjoy visiting on a non cruise ship day, but wouldn't stay there for a week.

On a sailboat you can easily visit St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dye and more in a week. Waking up on Leinster Bay on St. John does not suck.

If you reach out to the CYOA folks at info@cyoacharters.com, tell them RickG sent you.

Cheers, RickG

Bigcheeze · Post by **Bigcheeze** » Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:26 pm

We are down to #2 and # 3...unless we win the Mega Millions.

Down to the following; http://www.vrbo.com/498409
http://www.vrbo.com/300898
and http://www.vrbo.com/357970 ( if we leave the kids and Grandparents at home)

Biggest challenge...not being in STJ for at least a night or two. ( even typing that makes me feel way too privileged OR obsessed)

Of course it helps to be $1.5 mil shy of my first $1.0 mil.

Enjoy the Journey

JJShaw · Post by **JJShaw** » Thu Dec 18, 2014 8:29 am

We chose number 3 but doing 7 nights each...I bit the bullet and said what the heck we only live once...staying on STJ for 7 nights with family and kids..and hubby says we will need 7 nights withOUT kids and family when we leave there and hes probably right lol....heading to Virgin Gorda as soon as they are on the ferry to STT for the airport...(if not sooner)

I'm still hoping for number 6..

Charlie2001 · Post by **Charlie2001** » Thu Dec 18, 2014 10:42 am

Hi Bigcheeze, I had been visiting Tortola since 1996, and have stayed in many different properties. Here's some feedback on the places you posted:

Seven Peaks is a nice villa, but the road literally runs just above the roofline on the hillside. That is the main road leading in/out of Cane Garden Bay from the west side. There will be significant traffic and noise, just FYI. And it's not really walkable to the bars and beach, that road is dark and there's no sidewalks. It could be walked in the daytime, but I wouldn't do it at night.

Cielo is up a significant hill between Cane Garden Bay and Brewers Bay. Great views, but lots of switchbacks getting in and out for trips to the beach, dinner, etc. It's a really nice villa though.

Cane Garden Bay cottages are down in Cane Garden Bay proper, on a nice level spot across the street from the beach. Walkable to bars, restaurants, and the beach. But the cottages are somewhat close, and there won't be much privacy.

Here's one more you may consider. Lemongrass is a level walk to the beach/bars/restaurants but is on the east side of Cane Garden Bay. I've stayed here and it offers a good balance of privacy versus convenience of easy in/out and being walkable to everything in CGB.

http://www.vrbo.com/630946

Feel free to PM me or post if I can help any further.

mahojim · Post by **mahojim** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:52 am

Dave, I gotta' tell you,- Do it.
Been toying with the same idea for a long time now. Will probably hit the BVI's for a vacation in the future, but, as I've mentioned, it will have been 4 years almost to the day since our last trip to STJ, and My Sweet Amy and I definately need it. 4 years! FOUR!!!! YYEEAARRSSS!!!!!!! That's a llooonnnnnngggggg time, amigo.
Follow your adventuresome heart, share new worldly experiences with your family, and hopefully we'll bump into eachother on one of those islands one of these days.
Folks like you, Rick G, and so many others, are inspirational regarding showing your children the beauty that the world holds.
Cheers to yous guys, and always-
Smiles-
MJ

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