About the Island of St. John

Information for Caribbean Vacations in St. John

The island of St. John is in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are located where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet, about 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. With a total of about 20 square miles of land area, over half of St. John is located in the Virgin Islands National Park, and almost all of the surrounding water is also owned by the Park Service. Known as America's Paradise, St. John is renown for it's beautiful white sand beaches, campgrounds and the national park

About St. John | St. John History | St. John Culture

Accommodations

The island of St. John offers a slower paced, relaxing getaway with a large variety of cottages, vacation homes, and villas. Choose a vacation that offers luxurious living while making the most of the beautiful beaches of the island at affordably priced rates.

Activities

St. John is famous for its beaches, all of which are open to the public, however beachfront property is frequently private and beach access ways must be used. The Virgin Islands National Park on St. John is perfect for camping, fishing, kayaking, sailing, nature walks, hiking, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming and bird watching. The ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation are an interesting feature of the islands north coast and are open to the public.

Events

Caribbean Festivals are a tradition on each of the US Virgin Islands with St. John carrying on the tradition of Caribbean fun with its "Summer Fourth of July Festival" in the week leading up to Independence Day, which also celebrates Emancipation Day (freedom of the slaves) on July 3rd. Just a short boat ride away is is the St. Thomas Carnival which takes place at the end of April every year, with a steel band jamboree, calypso competition, local food stalls, arts & crafts, beauty pageants, concerts, and "jump-up" dances.  The highlight of St. Thomas's Caribbean Carnival is the grand finale, the "Adult's Parade", with fabulous costumes adorning the participants with feathers and sequins everywhere. 

Water Sports

St. John has some of the Caribbean's most beautiful waters and beaches. With over 5600 acres of underwater land, the Virgin Islands National Park offers almost unlimited scuba diving and snorkeling potential. There is even a marked trail for snorkelers in Trunk Bay. Kayaking and sailboat rentals are available in many locations as well.

History

Christopher Columbus named the islands on his second voyage in 1493 after Saint Ursula and her virgin followers. The islands were claimed by many European powers during the following 300 years, with St. John eventually becoming a Danish possession in 1694. Large sugarcane plantations soon came to dominate life in the Danish colony, bringing in a slave population that eventually outnumbered the free people of the island about five to one until the abolition of slavery in 1848.

The United States purchased St. John and the other U.S. Virgin Islands from the Danish government in 1917 to prevent their use as a German submarine base in the event of a German invasion of Denmark. The people of the Territory were granted U.S. citizenship in 1927, but are not permitted to vote in Presidential elections. The Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands consists of a single chamber of 15 Senators, 7 from St. Croix, 7 from St. Thomas and St. John, and one elected Territorywide, but must be a resident of St. John. Periodic elections have shown no interest among the citizenship for either independence or statehood.

 

Passport Requirement

The passport requirements for the Caribbean do NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory, such as St. John.  U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport.

Passport Information