What's the ideal yet practical amount of time for your stay?

[lawmom]

We had our first trip to STJ in March and were there for a week. I was bummed to come home but we have 3 kids in school so can't stay gone forever. It's a ton of work on the grandparents. What have you found is the best amount of time? I'm thinking maybe 2 weeks. Definitely longer than 7 days is my guess....Once the kids go to college, that's where Mom and Dad will be found!!!!

Strangely, I equated that St. John feeling with their being an invisible glass shower door between you and your everyday worries. They can't touch you.

[flip-flop]

I like 9 or 10 nights ideally. Not always possible but 7 is just too short and the one time we did 2 weeks it seemed too long!

No matter how long I stay the first 1/2 is slow and then the sendon 1/2 seems to go by in a blink!

[baseball0717]

I HAVE STAYED 3 TIMES FOR 7 DAYS EACH. HEADING DOWN THE END OF THE MONTH FOR 10 DAYS.

[flip-flop]

And by tooooo long I mean I didn't want to come back home and reentry was VERY painful!

[PA Girl]

Depends where we stay.

We are planning a 6 night trip for the end of June/beginning of July and I am totally ok with it because it isn't a villa trip. I have zero responsibilities except to show up.

Villa trips, 10 days would be ideal.

[lawmom]

Re-entry....that's funny....but a true assessment of having to return to another world! Since, we've been home (March) I simply cannot get that place out of my head. Daydream about it all the time..and I'm already trying to plan our next trip.

[Carolyn]

We have found 10 nights to be the 'right' amount of time on St John. A week is definitely not enough time, and I have never been able to be gone a full 2 weeks. When 10 days roll around I am usually ready to get back home.

[mbw1024]

I agree with FF that 9-10 nights seem to be ideal. For the first time on this trip (9 nights) my husband was wishing we were staying longer but I was about ready to go. Haven't done 2 weeks before so don't know if that would feel too long to me.

Last year was a week and that def. felt too short to me.

[augie]

We've been for 7, 10, and 7 days.

The first time we were just so blissful from the experience that the length of stay didn't matter.

We figured 10 days would be a lot better, but were surprised that it seemed to pass just as quickly as 7 did. That may be in part because we knew our way around better, and were pretty active.

For most of last year we didn't think a trip was going to be possible, so when we found a way to make it work, we were very grateful for our 7 days, but it did seem shorter than we liked (imagine that!).

We'll be back in July for 7 days with one of our sons (a first for us), then again - just the two of us, for 11 days in the fall!

I don't know if our stateside schedules will allow us, in the foreseeable future anyway, to go for 14 days or longer, but I'm certain that we'll try.

[Maryanne]

The first winter our daughter was in college (first real freedom since age 25) we went down for 2 weeks and stayed 6. That was a bit too long, but a fun experience.

Now we stay 2-3 weeks, in the middle of winter, when we really appreciate the getaway.

[piscesgirl0314]

I really loved our 10 day trip...I have to agree with flip flop its not always possible but 7 days just doesn't seem like its long enough especially when you take in to consideration that two days are spent traveling...with that said...if all I could do was 7 days I would be thrilled...no matter how long we stay leaving is always painful...tears in my eyes until the plane takes off!

[Gromit]

10 days is ideal. Lets be honest, Day 1 and day 10 are actual travel days. That leaves 8 days in between.

On day 2 I am still decompressing and unpacking and day 9 I am ramping back up for the real world and packing.

So that really only leaves days 3-8 for total relaxation.

Seven days always feels too short for me, but better than nothing in a pinch.

We did two weeks on STJ several years back and had one group of people join us on week 1 and another group join us for week 2. Honestly it was a long trip. Almost a bit too long to be away from our wonderful sleep number bed.

This December, we're going to Jost December 2-10 and STJ Dec 10-17. It's 16 days total. But really only 14 if you take away the travel days.

We're going the less expensive route on lodging to accomodate the costs of an extended stay.

Although, to be honest I may just decide to not go back after that long on island!!

I don't know what the hell we were thinking... but hey, you only live once and the airline tix were free.

I'll let you know how it turns out....

[KatieH]

Our longest trip was 12 nights and it seemed just about perfect to me. I felt more relaxed and not like the countdown timer was working in reverse. On day 13 I felt peacefully resigned to our departure, but still wish I had a new ticker.

[Rachelle & Joe]

well... for us it started out a wk. than increased to 11 daze, to 2 wks. & now 25 daze to a month when time & $$$ alows ! and even after that, we still are sad when it's time to leave ! yep, we're very lucky , & Happy to b on the Rock soooon !

[dctac]

10 to 14 days once a year with the kids and what family comes along. Than 7 days using our westin starwood points or marriott points for free week in a hotel with just the two of us. Now the kids are grown we find keeping up with 6, 20 somethings for two weeks we need a vacation after our vacation!