We recommend staying on St. John in the Cruz Bay area or on St. Thomas near Red Hook, where the ferry to St. John is located. St. John has smaller inns, bed & breakfasts, as well as villas available for rent via Airbnb, VRBO, and many local companies. St. Thomas has larger hotel chains, as well as additional condo and villa accommodations on Airbnb & VRBO. For travelers that prefer exploring their adventurous side, who don't mind no-frills hotels and lodging, and who would prefer to avoid more frequent ferry trips: St. John could be more your speed. For travelers who prefer the amenities of larger hotel chains, more convenient taxis, and don't mind a ferry trip to St. John, St. Thomas is an island with beautiful beaches and character of its own. Please note, though, if staying on St. Thomas: the last ferry back to St. Thomas from St. John departs Cruz Bay to Red Hook at 11:00pm each evening. Please see the travel and accommodations tab for more detailed recommendations. If you have any questions about where to stay, please text LB or Andrew and we are more than willing to help!
Both people and car ferries run between St. Thomas and St. John frequently throughout the day. For the shortest ferry trip between the islands, we recommend departing from the Red Hook Ferry, which is a short 20 minute boat ride into Cruz Bay. The ferry offers both covered seats inside as well as outdoor seating. For those who choose to rent a car on St. Thomas and would like to bring the car to St. John, the car ferries run from Red Hook to Enighed Pond (near Cruz Bay). People Ferry Schedule: https://usvi.net/information/transportation/ferry-schedules/st-thomas-to-st-john-ferry-schedule/ Car Ferry Schedule: https://www.vinow.com/travel/virgin-islands-ferry-schedules/stjohnbarge/
It depends. For travel within St. Thomas and St. John, it is not necessary, but it will speed up your return to the mainland. You are required to go through customs at the St. Thomas airport when returning to the mainland US, and there is a separate line for travelers with a passport and travelers with their Global Entry ID card. Line lengths can vary, so we recommend getting to the airport at least 2 hours early. If you are planning on island hopping to the British Virgin Islands during your time in the USVI, a passport is required for entry to the BVIs. Day trips and charters to the BVIs are resuming post-COVID, and a trip to Jost Van Dyke (home of the Painkiller) or Willy T's floating bar could make bringing a passport worth your while.
We've traveled to St. John and St. Thomas both with and without rental cars. If you're staying in the Cruz Bay area of St. John, you'll likely be able to walk to many restaurants, bars, and shops in town, and leverage the open air taxis in Cruz Bay (near the Ferry Terminal) to travel to the island's famous North Shore beaches. If you're staying on St. Thomas, taxis are more plentiful, and staying near Red Hook should allow for relatively easy transportation to and from the ferry terminal, restaurants and bars, and various beaches on St. Thomas. Many people traveling to both islands will often rent a car to explore more of the islands. A car will allow you to travel to other sides of either island, reaching additional beaches, restaurants, and hiking opportunities that are unreachable via taxi. Car rentals are available on both St. Thomas and St. John. Four wheel drive is a requirement for island driving, so you'll likely be driving a Jeep, Bronco, or comparable vehicle. Please note, in the US Virgin Islands, drivers drive on the left side of the road, the typical speed limit is 10-20mph, and parking can at times be limited. If you'll be staying longer than the weekend, our general recommendation would be to consider renting a Jeep to explore the full island.
When asked for lessons we learned attending a handful of weddings in 2021 and 2022, the number one answer we always gave was unanimous: have a simple, straightforward dress code. Then we decided to get married on an island in the Caribbean in one of the most casual places on earth. For the wedding: we're taking some liberties with "cocktail attire" - it'll likely be 80 degrees and outside. We trust that our friends will show up in their island best, finding ways to blend cocktail attire with island practicality (who doesn't love linen?). Is cocktail resort wear a dress code? If so: let's go with that. If wearing a dress is your speed, we recommend a dress length of your choosing. It's an island - so soft and bright solid colors and florals are appropriate and encouraged. Dinner will be seated, but there will be some standing (and perhaps dancing) on the beach - so shoes, while recommended, will likely come off at some point. For those who won't be dress shopping: we'd recommend a button up shirt, pants, and (sorry, we know it'll be warm) a light jacket or blazer. If there's a time on island we'd be grateful if you left your shorts, flip flops, and Hawaiian shirts at the hotel, it'd be this one night. For those of you that are visual learners, we give you a mood board here: https://pin.it/6yL0pmf -- For the welcome party: come in true resort wear as you would for any island restaurant (sun dresses, short or long sleeve button ups or collared shirts, chinos and dressier shorts, etc.).
The full descriptions of our dinner menu options are below. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies we should be aware of, please note them via the RSVP process and we'll do our best to work with the restaurant to accommodate them. Appetizer Course Selections: 1. Endive Salad with frisée, cambozola cheese, grapefruit, orange, hazelnuts, and hibiscus vinaigrette. 2. Octopus Ceviche with poblanos, pineapple, cilantro, & plantain chips. 3. Cavatelli Bolognese with braised veal, pancetta, pomodoro, and parmigiana. 4. A vegan-friendly option will be available, as well, if requested. Entree Course Selections: 1. Local Mahi Mahi with pistachio crust, arugula, goat cheese, apricot chutney, and lemon basil butter. 2. Osso Buco with slow roasted veal shank, broccolini, and a chianti reduction. 3. Pork Three Ways with pork tenderloin, pork belly, hot Italian sausage, and white bean ragout. 4. A vegan-friendly option will be available, as well, if requested.
Aside from your wedding attire, both islands are incredibly casual (t-shirts, flip flops, and swim trunks are enough most days). If checking a bag, we'd recommend bringing your own sunscreen (while sunscreen is available on island, it's only reef safe sunscreen and is relatively expensive) and bug spray. If hiking, we'd also recommend bringing appropriate hiking gear. We always pack our snorkels, but plenty of beaches offer rentals. Finally, definitely bring cash: for cabs, for tips, and sometimes for food and restaurants.
No, there are no ride sharing apps on St. John or St. Thomas. There are taxis (we recommend bringing cash or using Venmo).