St. John Neighborhoods
In order to help you narrow down where you might like to stay, it will help to know if you have room in your budget to rent a vehicle. Some areas of St. John are simply impossible to stay on without access to wheels of your own. Although some locals do rough it like that, we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone on vacation. Even if you do fancy yourself a rugged traveler.
If you decide to skip the vehicle rental, you’ll want to stay in one of the areas that are near to bus and taxi access, indicated below. We also recommend our Guide to Getting Around St. John.
We’ll start at the ferry dock and move outward.
Buckle your seatbelt, please. We don’t want to get a ticket.
St. John Neighborhood: Cruz Bay, heart
It’s amazing how much hustle and bustle can fit inside just a few blocks. Restaurants, bars, shops and people from all walks of life are busy (or, in some instances, not-so-busy) doing their thing in town. Since the heart of Cruz Bay is but a few blocks wide, there are only a handful of accommodation options here.
Lodging Type Available: boutique hotel, mid-range to upscale vacation condos, a few short-term rental units by owner
Great For: Being right in the action. Super convenient to taxis, the ferry dock and the bus. You can walk to tons of different places within 5 minutes, tons more within 15.
Not-So-Great-For: Getting away from other humans and the noise they make. Potential to be loud at night. You will hear plenty of traffic noise from the boats and ferries in Little Cruz Bay and vehicles on the street too. If your aim is to get away from people and man-made noise, you’ll want to consider other areas of the island.
View Possibilities: The charming street in front of you. St. Thomas.
Vehicle Required: Absolutely Not.
St. John Neighborhood: Cruz Bay, extended to include Frank Bay, Enighed, Bethany and Pastory
Lodging Type Available: You have literally dozens of accommodation choices in this small area. Everything from funky little inns to the odd rented room to a range of condo types, seaside cottages, and one large resort.
Great For: Being right in the action, convenient, and with a lot more lodging options than the tiny heart of Cruz Bay. Plus, if you happen to be staying in one of Cruz Bay’s residential neighborhoods, you’ll get to feel a little of what it’s like to live on St. John among people who work and raise their families here. If the authentic experience is the kind of travel that appeals to you.
Not-So-Great-For: Again, getting away from other people and their noise. Also, if you sleep with windows open, you’re gonna hear a rooster or two in the morning. When there are big events going on like St. John Festival (our Carnival) or Love City Live, you will likely hear loud music late at night and into the morning.
View Possibilities: St. Thomas and its big city lights
Vehicle Required: Not really. You’ll be close enough to walk to Cruz Bay and taxis will gladly fetch you.
St. John Neighborhood: Catherineburg
Lodging Type Available: Villas of the high-end variety
Great For: Quiet, exclusive, amazing views
Not-So-Great-For: Being right in the action, walking to eat or drink, driving a small vehicle, saving money
View Possibilities: North shore and beyond, all the northern cays of St. John as well as Jost Van Dyke. Depending on how you’re sitting, also potential views of St. Thomas.
Vehicle Required: Yes, and four-wheel drive
St. John Neighborhood: Great Cruz Bay / Chocolate Hole / Hart Bay
Just past the Westin on Southshore Rd, this is where St. John starts getting very residential. Many locals live in this lovely, very conveniently-located part of St. John.
Lodging Type Available: Villas, vacation rental by owner rentals from the affordable to the grand
Great For: Families. Quieter and further away from downtown but still close enough to reach the ferry dock in less than 10 minutes by vehicle. There’s a little more space and a lot less noise.
Not-So-Great-For: Being right in the action. Being away from it all. Avoiding bugs at dusk and dawn if you’re staying near the salt ponds and mangroves in the area.
View Possibilities: South toward St. Croix, Southwest toward Puerto Rico, East toward Ram Head, the hillside and homes across from you, the bay in front of you
Vehicle Required: Not necessarily, although it would be much more convenient. This area is close enough to Cruz Bay that taxis will still happily fetch you. If you really like to use your legs, you could always walk to the Westin and catch a taxi from there.
St. John Neighborhood: Rendezvous / Klein / Fish Bays
People usually refer to the whole area as Fish Bay, and get more specific on whether they’re above Rendezvous, Klein, Reef or Fish itself as needed. This is another very residential part of St. John, home to many former statesiders who live, work and raise their families on the island. It’s a very quiet, close and clean neighborhood.
Lodging Type Available: Lodging choices are largely villas, but a few apartment and room rentals as well. While you won’t find the budgetiest-of-the-budgety options here, villas in Fish Bay do run from nice and cozy to grandly luxe.
Great For: Families. Quieter and further away from town but still close enough to reach the ferry dock in about 15 minutes by vehicle. There’s a lot more space and a lot less noise.
Not-So-Great-For: Being right in the action. Resort-style accommodations. Traveling on a strict budget. Avoiding bugs at dusk and dawn if you’re staying near the salt ponds and mangroves in the area.
View Possibilities: South toward St. Croix, Southwest toward Puerto Rico, East toward Ram Head, the hillside and homes across from you, the bay in front of you
Vehicle Required: Yes
St. John Neighborhood: Gifft Hill
Lodging Available: Villas, cottages, shacteaus, little rental apartments or studios
Great For: Being close to Centerline Dr so you can get to any part of the island quickly but still be far enough outside of Cruz Bay to never get any noise from city events. Also good for getting that local livin’ feeling.
Not-So-Great-For: Feeling like you’re getting away from it all. Resort-style amenities.
View Possibilities: The valley, North toward Jost Van Dyke and St. John cays, West toward St. Thomas, South toward St. Croix
Vehicle Required: Yes.
St. John Neighborhood: North Shore
Lodging Available: Super luxury resort, super luxury villas, rustic cottages, tents
Great For: Being close to (as in, right in the middle of) all the North shore beaches, being close to the taxi route and a direct drive to Cruz Bay
Not-So-Great-For: Being right in the action.
View Possibilities: woods, beach, one of the bays in front of you, the cays north of the island
Vehicle Required: Not necessarily. If you’re staying at Cinnamon Bay Campground, there is a taxi stand there so it’s pretty easy to get to Cruz Bay or one of the other beaches on the North shore. If you’re staying at Caneel Bay, you only need a vehicle if you want to spend time on the island’s East side, but let’s be honest…budgetary concerns are probably not important to you anyway, nor to the person staying at one of the luxury North shore villas.
St. John Neighborhood: Bourdeaux/Carolina
These “top of the mountain” neighborhoods on the Coral Bay side of the island are the most rainforest-y part of St. John and home to many people who live and work on here.
Lodging Available: Villas and shacteaus from modest to amazing
Great For: Views of Coral Bay and beyond, being close to Coral Bay and the Eastern-most beaches on the North shore (Francis, Maho)
Not-So-Great-For: Being close to Cruz Bay, resort amenities
View Possibilities: Coral Bay and the BVI beyond, the homes and hillsides across from you
Vehicle Required: Yes.
St. John Neighborhood: Coral Bay
Lodging Available: shacteaus, villas from modest to fancy, cottages, a few apartment and room rentals
Great For: donkey and goat lovers, people who like a slower place and more rural feel, people who want to be far away from all things busy
Not-So-Great-For: being in the action, resort amenities,
View Possibilities: Coral Bay, Bourdeaux, the hillside and homes surrounding you
Vehicle Required: It’s way more convenient to have one and we highly recommend it, but you can get by without renting wheels if you want to save some dough. You can get to Cruz Bay by bus. You can also hitchhike.
St. John Neighborhood: Calabash Boom / John’s Folly / Salt Pond
Right before you reach Salt Pond Bay, Concordia Eco Resort is situated to your left. They offer affordable, eco-tent lodging overlooking Salt Pond and Drunk Bay. Concordia has a nice restaurant with regular live music, including a very popular open mic on Mondays.
Lodging Available: a handful of villas from modest to grand, Concordia eco-tents and cottages
Great For: Being away from it all. The only loud noise being the roosters twice (or so) a day.
Not-So-Great-For: Being in the action. Resort amenities.
View Possibilities: Drunk Bay, Salt Pond Bay, Coral Bay, East End, Norman Island (BVI)
Vehicle Required: Probably. We highly recommend it, anyway. Even though you are on the bus line, which goes all the way to Salt Pond. So, if you’re staying at Concordia, you could get away without having a vehicle by taking the bus.
St. John Neighborhood: East End
The most remote part of St. John, the East End of the island is actually closer to Tortola than it is to Cruz Bay. The least populated, quietest and driest part of the island, it sometimes seems there are more goats and donkeys than people.
Also home to some St. John tourist treasures, taking a drive to East End is totally worth doing on your trip. But staying that far out only appeals to a certain type of person. The kind that really REALLY likes their space. A tip for staying way out east: provision up before heading out if you don’t want to drive 15 minutes either way for your creamer.
Lodging Available: Villas from modest to fancy, cottages
Great For: People who love to get away from people, those who enjoy a long scenic drive
Not-So-Great-For: People who want to be conveniently-located to anything, people who do not like to drive
View Possibilities: Tortola to the North, Sir Francis Drake channel and the chain of British Virgin Islands to the East, or to the South, the Salt Pond side of the island
Vehicle Required: Oh yes.
