Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa - Luxury Included (All Inclusive) - St. Johns, Review

I love any trip that involves beaches. That said, I like the beaches to be clean and uncrowded, which is not easy. We found both in St. John.

When you go to St. John in the USVI, you will find that there are so many beaches to go to, and they are never crowded, even in high season. While there are a few nice resorts to stay in, there are lots of beautiful villas to rent, and the rents are quite reasonable when compared to rentals at places like the NC Outer banks.

We like to go with our son, his wife, and our grandson. My daughter-in-law and I search online to pick a villa for our visit, and its hard to pick. We always insist on a Villa with a pool, and most have one.  We like to go during November or December, and it is important to set up the rental well ahead of time as these rentals go fast. We have already selected and put a deposit on a villa we will be staying at 12 months from now! They are booking up fast for the week of Thanksgiving, a popular time to travel.

Because most of the island of St. John is a National Park, you will find that it is kept in a beautiful, natural condition. While driving on any but the main roads is jaw-clenching serious, it is well worth it. Some of the beaches are very remote, and all but unreachable unless you are willing to hike some. Hurricanes have played havoc with roads, and places that used to have a road to them are sometimes only accessible by foot. Not a problem, as it is not a huge island.

It is necessary to rent a 4-Wheel drive car if you want to get around here. Even the main roads are a bit difficult, and you rarely drive over 20 miles per hour. The center of most commerce is in Great Cruz Bay, where the ferry lands. Since there is no airport here, you must fly into St. Thomas and take a ferry to St. John. I love the ferry ride, and consider that one of the perks of staying there. Some people rent their cars on St. Thomas and take it over on the ferry that carries cars, but the best bet is to take the regular ferry for people only, and rent your car on St. John.

Snorkeling is wonderful, and you will see coral and fish of the most beautiful hues. (You can rent snorkeling equipment there, or bring your own. Many of the villas have snorkeling equipment provided for their guests' use). One of the beaches, Trunk Bay, has a snorkeling path with underwater signs telling you what kind of fish and coral you are looking at. It is great fun. Many of the beaches are quite suitable for taking young children.

If you come to St. John, it is important to remember that this is the tropics. You don't want to forget your sunscreen, as the sun is intense, and it is all to easy to get a really bad burn. I don't burn easily, so the first time we came I didn't remember to put on sunscreen all the time, and I couldn't believe how red I got. I will never do that again. Use a high SPF and reapply it often.

St. John is my favorite vacation spot. Before we found it, my husband and I never took a vacation to the same spot more than once, as we are always looking for new places to see. Once we found St. John, we count the days till we can revisit.  We view it as heaven on earth.