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Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
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Stella7474
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:20 pm
Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
Well it is over...the booking, the wait, the stalking of the forum daily, the trip and now the trip report.....boy if only days at work would go by this fast!
After a long day of travel from Chicago - we were on the 6:00 pm Ferry on NYE! Oh boy the excitement of starting another vacation on St. John...so hard to describe!
We stayed in a wonderful Studio located in Grande Bay that we rented direct from the owners. A-202S VRBO #361617 - they were wonderful to work with and would stay there again.
Day 1 arrival Day - Celebrated NYE at Drink and Oh what fun!! Went to bed shortly after midnight and after a great sleep we started out our day on the balcony with coffee. We did use Meredith from St John Provisions again - she is wonderful to work with.
Day 2 - Packed up a cooler with adult beverages, snacks and sandwiches and headed to our favorite beach Gibney! We do not rent a jeep so parking was not a problem
- More people than normal but we parked ourselves by the tire swing and got the party started! Water was warm, calm and beautiful. Drank, eat and swam the day away...Oh vacation is here! Hit happy hour at Joes...and a few appetizers for dinner and a few more drinks and then early to bed. We were probably in bed by 10:00 - 10:30 every night...We tend to start early if you know what I mean!
Day 3 - repeat of day one - but Hawksnest was our beach of choice...water was a little colder but calm and of course beautiful. Played the day away - and then hit up HH at Joes and then showered up and went to Longboards for dinner. It was good - not really our cup of tea food wise but hubby had Lobster roll and I had the Calamari - different but good - spicy so if you don't like spice might not be a good fit for you - after a couple more drinks - we headed over to Hide Tide for a few more....
Day 4 - took Ferry over to Megans Bay as there were only 2 ships in and they were not big ones. Still one of my favorite beaches - liked the fact that we could take a "pack a cooler" day off and just order drinks and food from the bar on beach. Water was a little cloudy - but still beautiful. After the beach had dinner at Fish Tails (we like this place and it was good as in years past) before heading back home.
Day 5 - Headed to Trunk Bay - our son had made it in for a few days - He likes a beach with a few more people if you get my drift. Not a bad Cruise ship day so we thought we would try it as any newbie must see the beauty of Trunk. We did end up getting rained out about 2:00 so we headed into Mongoose Junction for some shopping and yes - you guessed it - cocktails! Ended up at Banana Deck for dinner - it was good - I had the pasta and the boys had the ribeye steak.
Day 6 - back to Hawksnest - This turned out to be our sons favorite beach - Of course we made it to Joes for HH - just love the people that work at Joes - they are really so friendly - we always find ourselves heading there on most days at some point. Ended up heading over to St Thomas for pizza at Island Time - Love their pizza - and of course a trip to St Thomas must always included a drink at Duffy's Love Shack - especially when you have a newbie with you.
Day 7 - headed to Cinnamon but the waves were crazy - so crazy they were actually surfing them! Not for us...so we walked back to the taxi stand and asked them where we could find a clam beach - they recommended Caneel - so off we went! They were right - nice calm beach - not big though - this was our first time at Caneel and I was amazed that people pay that much to stay there...but to each their own! After a few light showers the sun came out to stay so we enjoyed a full day at the beach. Headed back to Cruz Bay - caught the end of Happy Hour and just decide to have a couple burgers at Joes as tomorrow was departure day for our son. They were actually really good.
Day 8 - said goodbye to our son - His first trip to the island - he loved it and said he would be back...add another one to the list! No ships in - food and drink running low so headed over to Trunk Bay again and took another "cooler day off". Water was still kind of rough waters - but once you got past the breaking waves it was fun to bob around in the swells. We really enjoyed the day - trying not to think that tomorrow was our last day. Ended up - Yes you guessed it again - Joes for HH and then headed over to 420 for some take out Chinese - If you have not tried this place - try it - it is just so yummy. Headed back to studio to eat and pack up - boy such a sad feeling but also so grateful that we got to go again.....
Day 9 - Our last day...so hard not to think about going home and just enjoying the last day....since we are mostly packed up from the night before - it helps me enjoy the day without the packing thing hanging over my head. Well we always like to come full circle - so back to our favorite beach of all time...Gibney! Pack up the last of the booze, food and snacks and away we went! Water is still a little rough but not as bad as the last couple days so it is basically deserted as the tide is in and very limited beach spots...but we got our spot and got the party started one last time! Played, ate, swam and reflected on another wonderful vacation - this was our 5th time and we hope to return again next year...as my old man says - God willing and the creek don't rise.....
Day 10 - rats...its over - jump on the 10:00 ferry - head over to St Thomas grab a cab to airport as American Airlines seems to think you need 3 hours....cant miss the flight so we play by the rules....check in - check bags - went thru security all in about 25 minutes...Really???? 2 hours and 35 minutes until our fight and here we sit inside the airport at the gate? Yes - I know we have had times when it has taken much longer to get through all the check points but really I think they should leave it up to the people that have done this year after year...we all know if the lines are long when you get there...see a porter - they will get you through quickly if need be. Anyway enough about that.
Once again the island, the people, the beaches, the food, just everything was wonderful and I am already looking forward to next year.
Peace and Love,
Lori and Marty (Stella7474)
After a long day of travel from Chicago - we were on the 6:00 pm Ferry on NYE! Oh boy the excitement of starting another vacation on St. John...so hard to describe!
We stayed in a wonderful Studio located in Grande Bay that we rented direct from the owners. A-202S VRBO #361617 - they were wonderful to work with and would stay there again.
Day 1 arrival Day - Celebrated NYE at Drink and Oh what fun!! Went to bed shortly after midnight and after a great sleep we started out our day on the balcony with coffee. We did use Meredith from St John Provisions again - she is wonderful to work with.
Day 2 - Packed up a cooler with adult beverages, snacks and sandwiches and headed to our favorite beach Gibney! We do not rent a jeep so parking was not a problem
- More people than normal but we parked ourselves by the tire swing and got the party started! Water was warm, calm and beautiful. Drank, eat and swam the day away...Oh vacation is here! Hit happy hour at Joes...and a few appetizers for dinner and a few more drinks and then early to bed. We were probably in bed by 10:00 - 10:30 every night...We tend to start early if you know what I mean! Day 3 - repeat of day one - but Hawksnest was our beach of choice...water was a little colder but calm and of course beautiful. Played the day away - and then hit up HH at Joes and then showered up and went to Longboards for dinner. It was good - not really our cup of tea food wise but hubby had Lobster roll and I had the Calamari - different but good - spicy so if you don't like spice might not be a good fit for you - after a couple more drinks - we headed over to Hide Tide for a few more....
Day 4 - took Ferry over to Megans Bay as there were only 2 ships in and they were not big ones. Still one of my favorite beaches - liked the fact that we could take a "pack a cooler" day off and just order drinks and food from the bar on beach. Water was a little cloudy - but still beautiful. After the beach had dinner at Fish Tails (we like this place and it was good as in years past) before heading back home.
Day 5 - Headed to Trunk Bay - our son had made it in for a few days - He likes a beach with a few more people if you get my drift
. Not a bad Cruise ship day so we thought we would try it as any newbie must see the beauty of Trunk. We did end up getting rained out about 2:00 so we headed into Mongoose Junction for some shopping and yes - you guessed it - cocktails! Ended up at Banana Deck for dinner - it was good - I had the pasta and the boys had the ribeye steak.Day 6 - back to Hawksnest - This turned out to be our sons favorite beach - Of course we made it to Joes for HH - just love the people that work at Joes - they are really so friendly - we always find ourselves heading there on most days at some point. Ended up heading over to St Thomas for pizza at Island Time - Love their pizza - and of course a trip to St Thomas must always included a drink at Duffy's Love Shack - especially when you have a newbie with you.
Day 7 - headed to Cinnamon but the waves were crazy - so crazy they were actually surfing them! Not for us...so we walked back to the taxi stand and asked them where we could find a clam beach - they recommended Caneel - so off we went! They were right - nice calm beach - not big though - this was our first time at Caneel and I was amazed that people pay that much to stay there...but to each their own! After a few light showers the sun came out to stay so we enjoyed a full day at the beach. Headed back to Cruz Bay - caught the end of Happy Hour and just decide to have a couple burgers at Joes as tomorrow was departure day for our son. They were actually really good.
Day 8 - said goodbye to our son - His first trip to the island - he loved it and said he would be back...add another one to the list! No ships in - food and drink running low so headed over to Trunk Bay again and took another "cooler day off". Water was still kind of rough waters - but once you got past the breaking waves it was fun to bob around in the swells. We really enjoyed the day - trying not to think that tomorrow was our last day. Ended up - Yes you guessed it again - Joes for HH and then headed over to 420 for some take out Chinese - If you have not tried this place - try it - it is just so yummy. Headed back to studio to eat and pack up - boy such a sad feeling but also so grateful that we got to go again.....
Day 9 - Our last day...so hard not to think about going home and just enjoying the last day....since we are mostly packed up from the night before - it helps me enjoy the day without the packing thing hanging over my head. Well we always like to come full circle - so back to our favorite beach of all time...Gibney! Pack up the last of the booze, food and snacks and away we went! Water is still a little rough but not as bad as the last couple days so it is basically deserted as the tide is in and very limited beach spots...but we got our spot and got the party started one last time! Played, ate, swam and reflected on another wonderful vacation - this was our 5th time and we hope to return again next year...as my old man says - God willing and the creek don't rise.....
Day 10 - rats...its over - jump on the 10:00 ferry - head over to St Thomas grab a cab to airport as American Airlines seems to think you need 3 hours....cant miss the flight so we play by the rules....check in - check bags - went thru security all in about 25 minutes...Really???? 2 hours and 35 minutes until our fight and here we sit inside the airport at the gate? Yes - I know we have had times when it has taken much longer to get through all the check points but really I think they should leave it up to the people that have done this year after year...we all know if the lines are long when you get there...see a porter - they will get you through quickly if need be. Anyway enough about that.
Once again the island, the people, the beaches, the food, just everything was wonderful and I am already looking forward to next year.
Peace and Love,
Lori and Marty (Stella7474)
Re: Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
Sounds like a great trip! I've wanted to go to Gibney the last two visits and always seem to get out voted. Next trip for sure I am making that one of the beach days.
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MadCityMom
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:45 pm
Re: Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
Great report! We were there the same time as you. Always have to take newbies to Trunk. We tried Gibney that Thursday but too wavy. Wonder if that was you camped out by the tire swing when we stopped by! 
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Stella7474
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:20 pm
Re: Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
We were in the water - were you by chance the couple with the kiddos? If so, I asked your husband if you guys brought your surf boards! 
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MadCityMom
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:45 pm
Re: Trip report 12/31 - 1/10
We were a couple, two girls (5 and and 4
Twenty-somethings. My husband talks to people everywhere so it could be.
and 4Twenty-somethings. My husband talks to people everywhere so it could be.