St. John in July

[Noreen]

Hi everyone - perhaps someone can give me an idea of what it's like on the island in July. We usually travel in October, but some unfortunate weather events the past two years have me a bit reluctant to leave home that same time this year. Thinking about July 4th week. Crowded?

Thanks!

[DonnaM]

That is Carnival week so it will be crowded. We have been on island three times in July, twice for the 4th. 2011 was quite rainy, I know we lost most of our last full day bc of rain. The other 2 trips were fine. Warm, humid and nice calm water, intermittent rain.

[Noreen]

Thank you! I completely forgot about Carnival. That would be interesting, but really looking for more of a low season experience this year. Might take my chances with September, although I remember thinking "what are the odds of a hurricane on September 15" the first year we went. Turns out, the odds were very good, lol.

[jimg20]

We had plans of being there at the beginning of September several years ago. Earl arrived at STT at about the same time as our plane was supposed to get there. That trip never happened.

We were there for July 4th in 2011. That was the first time we lost an entire day to the weather. We enjoyed the Carnival time. Yes there were more people. Other than the Cruz Bay activities, we didn't notice a big difference in the crowds or our enjoyment.

JIM

[Noreen]

The first time we went was in 2004. I'd seen Caneel Bay somewhere on the Internet, and planned a four night stay, starting on September 15. Knowing full well that's the apex of hurricane high season, but like I said, I figured what were the odds. Anyway, Jeanne caused us to leave a day late. The STJ airport was basically shut down. Couldn't even get a bottle of water. The Cape Air flight didn't leave until sometime around 9:00 p.m., by which time even the Caneel ferry was shut down. We arrived on STT not knowing what we'd find, or if we'd be spending the night in an unfamiliar airport. I used to be afraid of small planes, so the flight during a thunderstorm on the tail of a hurricane - let's just say I managed to keep quiet merely by fear of alarming the five other passengers.

The Caneel desk was open. They were waiting for us, wonderful folks that they are. Someone drove us off in a van to a pier to meet a motor boat which would shuttle us across the bay to the resort. (Keep in mind, we'd never been here before.) I have no idea where we were, or from what dock we took off. We waited quite a while in the pitch dark with some guy in a van. Quiet fellow, I don't recall much conversation. Anyway, the boat finally arrived and Captain Ron (I kid you not) took us off in the storm, over the waves, to Caneel.

Where they greeted us and gave us the only food available, a fruit tray for tomorrow's breakfast buffet. There was a bottle of rum in the room. I love rum, and I was never so happy in my life to see rum. We spent a wonderful evening watching the rain clear and the lights of St. Thomas twinkle.

And that was our first trip to St. John.

[gibber161]

In 2011 we were there during part of carnival. Cruz Bay was crowded during the food festival and the crowning of Miss St. John. The beaches, however, were never crowded. The weather was great except for one day. It was warm and sunny for the most part. The Sahara Dust had settled in so the sunsets were not crisp looking, but a little hazy. We will be back on the Island the second week of July this year. We went in September once and lived thru Hurricane Earl, not something we want to experience again.

[paulandtracie]

We go for Carnival every year and have had great weather for the most part--like an earlier post said, the ferry dock area where Festival Village is set up is a bustling place during Festival week, and there is a fantastic parade on the 4th of July with amazing fireworks out over Cruz Bay. The rest of the island is quiet though, and literally right after the parade the people just vanish--most are day visitors from St. Thomas so in the days following the 4th the island is VERY quiet. We love having a few busy days to enjoy the great music, food and activities of Carnival, then a week after to enjoy the peace and quiet. We stay in Cruz Bay until July 5th then move out to Annaberg. We love Carnival (Festival) on St. John!