Top choice in St John
What could be more gratifying than paddling into the turquoise sea, tying up your kayak or SUP to a floating solar-powered restaurant, swimming over to the bar and noshing on tacos packed with blackened tuna or rum-glazed ribs? Oh, and then there are the creative craft cocktails (served in reusable adult sippy cups). Make an afternoon of it!
Get here by renting a kayak or paddleboard on the beach at Hansen Bay. Better yet, set off from Haulover Bay with SolShine SUP for a more active adventure.
16.34 MILES
This collection of sky-high boulders marks a national park and the BVI’s most popular attraction. The rocks – volcanic-lava leftovers from some 70 million…
5.06 MILES
At 1716ft, Sage Mountain rises higher than any other peak in the Virgin Islands. Seven trails crisscross the surrounding 92-acre park, including the main…
16.33 MILES
The sugary mile that fringes Magens Bay, 3 miles north of Charlotte Amalie, makes almost every travel publication’s list of beautiful beaches. The seas…
3.33 MILES
This bay adjoins the Annaberg mill ruins. Park in the plantation’s lot and follow the trail along the water for 25 minutes. Some of St John’s best…
3.92 MILES
Part of the national park, this site near Leinster Bay is home to the most intact sugar-plantation ruins in the Virgin Islands. A 30-minute self-directed…
18.54 MILES
Water Island’s palm-lined main attraction offers fine swimming and snorkeling in calm, shallow water. A couple of beach bars sell drinks, sandwiches and…
6 MILES
Cane Garden Bay is probably on the postcard that drew you to the British Virgin Islands. The gently sloping crescent of sand hosts plenty of beachside…
18.73 MILES
A short distance north of the Valley, Savannah Bay features more than a mile of white sand. Except for the beaches of Anegada, no other shore provides…
2.95 MILES
Salt Pond Bay provides decent snorkeling in calm water. Keep an eye out for turtles. Two dandy trails take off from the beach's southern end: the Ram Head…
3.33 MILES
This bay adjoins the Annaberg mill ruins. Park in the plantation’s lot and follow the trail along the water for 25 minutes. Some of St John’s best…
3.92 MILES
Part of the national park, this site near Leinster Bay is home to the most intact sugar-plantation ruins in the Virgin Islands. A 30-minute self-directed…
3.94 MILES
Long Bay is an attractive 1-mile stretch of white sand well used by joggers and walkers. A top-end resort sits on the eastern portion, where you can get…
4.03 MILES
Near the island’s northwestern tip, Smuggler’s is a gorgeous patch of sand that is lightly trod compared to its neighbors, as access is via a crazy-narrow…
4.19 MILES
Apple Bay is long and narrow, and is known as the ‘surfing beach,’ especially from late December to March, when the consistent swells roll in. It’s not a…
4.56 MILES
Since 1843, legend has told that treasure is buried on Norman Island, supposedly the prototype for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. It fits the…
4.7 MILES
The water here is shallow and less choppy than elsewhere (good for snorkeling and kids), and it’s a good bet you’ll see green sea turtles in the early…