If you only have 1 day to explore the Virgin Islands National Park in St. John, this is for you. Our 1st day itinerary is all about the amazing beaches and snorkeling. See all you need to know about the North Shore beaches including best places to snorkel, amenities and more!
Planning Virgin Islands National Park
How to get to the Virgin Islands National Park and transportation once you get there is very important. But once, you get to the park, there are plenty of opportunities to relax. The Virgin Islands National Park comprises about 60% of the island of St. John. but to get there you will need to fly into St. Thomas and ferry over. We are spending our 10th anniversary at a resort in St. Thomas, so our plan is to ferry over early and come back the same day. With no car, the Red Hook ferry passenger terminal will take us to Cruz Bay in St. John. And we will worry about getting around St. John once on the island. See St. John Ferry Ticketing Company | Ferry to Red Hook & Cruz Bay (stjohnticketing.com) for more information on this ferry.
Once on St. John, we plan to walk from the ferry to the Cruz Bay Visitor Center nearby. It’s only open 8:15AM-1:30PM, so we will stop there first before exploring the park. We also want to talk to them about transportation options. We are prepared with cash for the taxis that go to all the beaches off of North Shore Road. Their most famous beach is Trunk Bay, which I visited way back in 2001 and am excited to take Becky there. But we also want to explore Maho Bay which is known for snorkeling and spotting sea turtles. So our plan is to see how many more beaches we can visit along the North shore. For more information on Virgin Islands National Park, click here: Virgin Islands National Park (nps.gov).
What to pack for a day trip to Virgin Island National Park
- Cash for taxis – Most taxis are cash only, but their rates are posted. But every time you get on a taxi to go to another beach, you need to pay, so $100 is not unreasonable for the day. Check out rates here: St. John: Taxis & Rates – Virgin Islands (vinow.com)
- Food and water – There are some food options at some of the beaches, but it’s the offseason. And since we’re not sure what will be open, we are packing a lunch. At minimum, it’s always good to pack snacks and water. But we’ll leave dinner open depending on what we feel.
- Snorkel gear – If you plan to snorkel at multiple places it is worth bringing your own gear. You can rent gear at some of the main beaches, but it adds up. And some beaches don’t have snorkel rentals.
- Reef-safe sunscreen – Sunscreen is especially needed, but reef-safe sunscreen is required by law. And it’s easier to plan ahead then to pay extra in the park.
- Rash guards – If you plan to spend a lot of time in the water, especially snorkeling, rash guards are recommended. But don’t worry there are shops that sell them if you don’t bring one.
- Waterproof pouches – If you don’t want to leave your valuables on the beach, get a waterproof pouch. Not only can you put your cash and cards in the pouch while you swim, but also your phone. And you can even take underwater pictures while snorkeling.
- Other things you need for the beach – Swimsuits, towels, hats and a bag to put them in is a good idea. You can even pack a change of clothes for dinner. And don’t forget your shoes.
The Ferry to St. John
In order to get to Virgin Islands National Park from St. Thomas, we have to take the ferry to St. John. And last night we scheduled our driver Eric to take us to the ferry terminal in the morning. We want to be on the 7:30AM ferry so we can be at the visitor center when it opens. But he assures us there’s an 8:00AM ferry as well, so he picks us up promptly at 7:30. On the way it’s lightly raining, and it produces a huge rainbow over St. Thomas.
By the time we get to the Urman Victor Fredericks Marine Terminal the rain has stopped. With 10 minutes to 8:00AM, we go to the counter but no one is there. And we see the posted schedules showing the next ferry is 8:30AM just like I thought. But I see a QR code I scan to buy tickets and purchase them on my phone. For non-residents it’s $8.15 per person each way, and good for all day. And about 8:15AM they start boarding. An agent scans my phone and we go up the top level since the Sun is out.
There are 2 levels on the boat. The bottom is completely enclosed, but we decide to climb to the top with the open seating. We find the 1st seat on the right and wait. The ferry leaves promptly at 8:30AM, and it gets windy and a little bumpy. But we enjoy the ride taking us 15 minutes to Cruz Bay. Once off the boat, we walk through the terminal and past some taxi stands. It takes us 5 minutes to walk to the Virgin Islands National Park sign in front of the visitor center.
Virgin Island National Park Visitor Center
Off the main street, we see we can turn left where we see the national park sign. There’s a walkway between the water and a park on the other side. But we stop to take some pictures in front of the sign of course. After a few pics, we walk into the visitor center with scaffolding around it. The park is making some improvements to the building both outside and inside.
We make it to the visitor center just before 9:00AM. 35 minutes after they opened. And as soon as we enter, Becky stamps her passport book. With that taken care of we browse their park store. They have a nice selection of shirts, hats and rash guards and even have reef-safe sunscreen. We find a magnet for our fridge and an ornament. It’s the 2 things we try to get at every park. And we go to check out and talk to the rangers.
We talk to a ranger about our plans to visit and snorkel multiple beaches today. And she tells us we should start at Trunk Bay to beat the crowds. We also ask her about some hikes, and she says Ram Head is the trail to do. But we would need a rental to get there. So we ask if there is a place to rent a jeep, but she tells us not many rent for the day. However she calls Cool Breeze Jeep Rentals that we passed on the walk here. They tell her they can rent to us, so we plan to go there when we leave. But before we do, we check out a giant map of the park and a small exhibit area.
Transportation to Trunk Bay
After about 15 minutes we leave the visitor center and walk across and down the street to Cool Breeze Jeep Rentals. They inform us we can rent a jeep for the day, but it’s a holiday and they close at 2:00PM. We forgot it’s Columbus Day, and decide it’s not worth it to get a rental for only a few hours. So we walk back to the ferry to pick up a taxi to go to Trunk Bay. But we’ll keep them in mind when we come back and plan to hike the Ram Head Trail then.
Right outside the ferry terminal is a little square where the taxi drivers hang out. We find a driver to take us to Trunk Bay and he directs us to his ride. Unlike the shuttle vans on St. Thomas, the taxis are open-air safaris customized with bench seating and a roof. Posted on the back window are the official rates. They have rates from Cruz Bay to all over the island. Just like the website, the rates to Trunk Bay are $12 for 1 person or $9 each for 2 or more ($18 for the both of us).
Like all cars on the island, the taxi drives on the left side of the road. And it may just be the open air, but going up and down the winding road I’m glad I’m not driving today. Which is good because I can admire the views along the way. We pass the parking area for Hawksnest Beach. And then we climb up to a part of the road overlooking Trunk Bay below. And in about 10 minutes, we arrive at the Trunk Bay parking area and give the driver a $20.
Trunk Bay in Virgin Islands National Park
We are dropped off at the end of the parking area by the entrance building. There is no fee to enter the Virgin Islands National Park. However, we have to pay a $5 day use fee per person to enter here. And you have to use a credit card to pay. After paying we walk down a paved path past restrooms, but find their showers are not working today. But there is a place open where you can rent beach chairs and snorkel gear. And we pass a sign for a beach bar, snack shack and retail on our way to the beach. We are finally on the beach at 9:50AM, and looks like we beat the crowds.
Trunk Bay is often considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And the white sand and beautiful water are instantly inviting. But what makes this 0.3 mile beach unique is its 225-yard long underwater snorkeling trail. So, we find a place to put our stuff under a tree and I go to find a restroom. Right behind us I find the snack shack and the beach bar across from it.
They just opened up, and have a decent selection of food and drinks. Though prices are a bit expensive like $18 for a cheeseburger with chips and a pickle. Cocktails start at $12 and they have a large selection of drinks. But just past I find the restrooms. And I return to our tree ready to snorkel.
Trunk Bay Underwater Snorkel Trail
Back at the tree, we get our snorkel gear and head into the water. There are some buoys that mark the trail around Trunk Cay, the island just offshore. And we only see a couple people snorkeling, so we pretty much have it to ourselves. Under the water, we find the first sign marking the start of the trail.
We follow the signs learning about the reef and the coral below while spotting a few fish along the way. I count 9 signs and the last marked with a red buoy. But we don’t stop there. We continue past the rocks around Trunk Cay. And it’s around these rocks we see a lot more coral and fish.
I snorkel out to the end of the island before returning back. It is calm today and I could probably go all the way around the island. But after about 45 minutes in the water, we decide to get out. And when we walk back to our tree, there are people parked all around it. The beach has gotten much more crowded, but we’re ready to head to Maho Bay. So, we gather our stuff and head back to the entrance to the taxi drop to wait.
Maho Bay in Virgin Islands National Park
Ever since I told Becky we have the best chance to see sea turtles in Maho Bay, we have to go. And after 5 minutes, another safari taxi comes by dropping off some passengers. Even though the taxis post fares to Cruz Bay to everywhere, they don’t post from beach to beach. So, we ask how much to go to Maho Bay, and it wasn’t much cheaper than getting here from Cruz Bay. The driver drops off some passengers at Cinnamon Bay on the way. So it takes us about 15 minutes to make it to Maho Bay.
When we arrive at Maho Bay, it’s already 11:35AM. And we first see the Maho Crossroads across the street from the beach. Here they have all your beach rental needs, as well as a nice shop for souvenirs. They also have a food bus and a tiki bar if you need food or a drink. We don’t really check the prices since we’re here to snorkel. So, we head down to the beach.
Maho Bay has 0.3 miles of beach similar to Trunk Bay. However, there are several large seagrass areas here that sea turtles are known to feed on. So we look for a place to put our stuff down. We find another couple we saw on the taxi safari at a picnic table, and they invite us to share it with them. Then we grab our snorkel gear and head to the water.
Sea Turtles at Maho Bay
There are 2 species of sea turtles that can be found in Maho Bay. Green sea turtles are the 2nd largest species getting up to 4 feet in length and weighing up to 500 pounds. They are named for their green skin, not their shell color and are strictly herbivores. The hawksbill turtles are smaller weighing between 100-200 pounds and reach 2-3 feet in length. Named for their sharp bird-like beaks, they eat mostly sponges. And many consider hawksbills the most beautiful sea turtles due to their colorful shells.
Unlike Trunk Bay, there is seagrass everywhere, and we first spot a good-sized stingray. Though it’s not what we’re looking for, so we decide to snorkel near some boats parked just outside the snorkel area. And it’s here we bump in to some other snorkelers looking down at a large green turtle.
It is well below us, with some remora or suckerfish on its shell. These fish hitch rides on sea turtles and other large marine creatures while cleaning them. While on the ground feeding, the remora are on top of the shell. But not paying attention, the turtle heads to the surface to get some air with the remora underneath. It gets very close to us, but swims as if we’re no concern.
After seeing 3 large green sea turtles, we start heading back to shore. Becky is trying to get my attention, but I swim over yet another green turtle. This one has no remora attached and is just feeding on the bottom. We’re in the water over an hour before we get out and meet back at the picnic table.
Lunch at Maho Bay
Back at the picnic table, the other couple say they saw a smaller sea turtle closer to shore. We only saw the large green sea turtles. But we’re happy with what we saw and need to take a break. The other couple decides to head out and says goodbye. But it’s after 1:00PM and we’re starving. So, we break out our picnic lunch and eat our sandwiches at our table overlooking the bay.
After lunch, we decide not to get back in the water. We hope we can see a hawksbill next time, but Becky wants to head to Cinnamon Bay. So, we head back over to Maho Crossroads to find a taxi. But first we walk through the stores and admire some of the sea turtle art. And then we find another safari parked out front.
Cinnamon Bay in Virgin Islands National Park
Though Cinnamon Bay is only the next beach over from Maho, it’s still $6 each to get to there. But it’s a quick taxi ride past some Danish sugar plantation ruins to the next parking area. And by the time we get here it’s almost 1:45PM.
We get dropped off in front of their general store, so we head in to check it out. Cinnamon Bay is where the Virgin Islands National Park’s only campsite is. And this store provides plenty of camping needs, food, drinks and souvenirs. They also have a restaurant here, but it’s closed during the offseason. But we pass a beach cafe and watersports store across from the restrooms on the way to the beach.
Just before the beach are the ruins of the Cinnamon Bay Estate House, constructed in the 1680s. Since Hurricane Irma, all that is left is a wall with a large window looking out at Cinnamon Cay offshore. This is one of the most picturesque spots in the park, so we have to stop to take some photos.
Cinnamon Bay is the largest beach in the Virgin Islands National Park. And the sand is perfect and the water is gorgeous. So, we jump in the water to take a relaxing swim leaving our snorkel gear on shore. After an hour here, we head back to the restrooms and clean our feet. We then walk out to find a safari taxi to take us back to Cruz Bay. It’s $11 each and we’re $1 short. But some nice ladies on the taxi give us a couple bucks to cover our last ride. And the taxi takes us back to the ferry terminal in Cruz Bay where we started.
The Lower Lind Point Trail to Honeymoon Beach
There’s one more beach we want to visit. But to get there we first have to walk back to the visitor center. And from there we have to hike to Honeymoon Beach on the Lind Point Trail. Once at the visitor center, we see a family returning from Solomon Beach also accessed by this trail. They point us behind the visitor center restrooms to some stairs and the start of this trail.
We make it to the start of the trail at 3:30PM. The trailhead sign is right before some wooden stairs which take us up to the street above. Looking down at Cruz Bay, we head across the street to more stairs. Once up, we start to climb up a rocky trail. We are just wearing water shoes and old Teva sandals not expecting such a rocky start. But in less than 10 minutes we see a crossing. We can continue straight on the Lower Lind Point Trail or head up on the Upper Lind Point Trail. Both go to Honeymoon Beach, but the upper trail looks even rockier so we continue straight.
At times the trail gets narrower, and in spots we have to walk around mud or through tall grass. At some point we see something move on the ground. It’s a large hermit crab! We are really high up from the beach, so it must have climbed quite a distance on land. We see a couple along the way, including one in a plant.
It takes us about 35 minutes to get to the spur trail that takes us down to Honeymoon Beach. And after another 5 minutes traversing down the rockier spur, we’re on the beach
Honeymoon Beach
After a 40 minute hike to Honeymoon Beach, we are drenched in sweat and ready to get in the water. There are only a couple groups here when we arrive and they’re also in the water. So, we look for a place to put our stuff down and find 2 open lounge chairs. Then Becky jumps in and just relaxes in the beautiful water.
This beach is very secluded unlike the others, and worth the hike I think. And I decide I want to snorkel. So, I put on my snorkel gear and swim around the bay. The sand here is perfect and the water is calm, but I have to snorkel out past the markers before I spot anything.
I really don’t see much until I’m far out and spot a stingray on the bottom. But then I decide to swim to the right where the beach ends at some rocks. So, I snorkel over to them and find many fish similar to snorkeling at Trunk Bay. I love that you can snorkel just about anywhere in the Virgin Islands National Park.
After spending over an hour relaxing at Honeymoon Beach, we are the only ones left. And it’s getting late and the Sun is getting lower in the sky. It’s absolutely beautiful and we would stay for sunset if we didn’t have to hike back in the dark. But before we leave we find some showers to rinse off our feet by some building here. It looks like this beach also has a bar and food options during the regular season. But we are happy to have had the solitude.
Hiking Back on the Upper Lind Point Trail
The worst part about leaving Honeymoon Beach is taking the spur back up to the Lind Point Trail. But once up the steep and rocky spur, we decide to jump on the Upper Lind Point Trail for the return trip. It’s just past the spur and this upper trail takes us past an overlook of Cruz Bay. But this trail appears to be less traveled than the lower path and there is a lot of overgrowth.
Becky is struggling a bit and is also getting bitten by mosquitoes. And after about 25 minutes to get to the Lind Point Overlook Becky does not care it’s the golden hour. She doesn’t want to stop, so I take a few pictures at the overlook before we continue down the trail.
After going through some more tall grass we make it back to where the upper and lower Lind Point trails meet. From here we walk back to the beginning of the trail, across the street and down the wooden stairs. It takes about the same amount of time to get back as getting there.
St. John Brewers Tap Room
The restrooms at the visitor center are closed when we get back so we can’t change. And we’re too late for the 6:00PM ferry. So, we decide to walk across the street to Mongoose Junction to get a drink. Mongoose Junction has various shops and restaurants including St. John’s only brewery. Once we get there, we head up to the 3rd floor to find the St. John Brewers tap room.
Once inside we get seated and ask for waters. And then I head to the restroom to clean-up. Yesterday, Ben from our excursion to the Baths told me what he always gets here. So when the server returns I order the “R&R”, their craft root beer with rum. But she asks what kind of rum I want, and I’m unprepared. She says she can do dark and coconut, so, that’s what I get. And Becky orders a flight of their beers. The R&R is very tasty and Becky is enjoying her flight and wants to try more beers. So, we decide to stay and catch the 8:00 ferry and order some food.
We order the BBC pizza and a pretzel to share. And then we go ahead and buy ferry tickets on our phone. The pretzel isn’t bad, but the pizza has no cheese and is more like a flatbread. It tastes ok, but the chicken is so dried out we think they left it in the oven too long. We eat what we want and then walk over to the ferry. Once boarded, we stay inside on the bottom level for the return trip. And back just before 8:15PM, Eric picks us up to take us back to our resort.
Our Virgin Islands National Park Day 1 Itinerary Summary
- The Ferry to St. John – If you’re staying on St. John, you are already there and can skip this step. If not, you have to take the ferry.
- Cruz Bay Visitor Center – We always recommend stopping at a visitor center first to finalize plans and get your passport stamped.
- Trunk Bay – The crown of Virgin Islands National Park. Get here early to beat the crowds and do the underwater snorkel trail.
- Maho Bay – Snorkel here for your best chance to see sea turtles. Maho Crossroads also has anything you need while here.
- Cinnamon Bay – Another large beach with a store and all the amenities. A great place just to relax in the water.
- Hike to Honeymoon Beach and back – For those more adventurous, the secluded Honeymoon Beach is worth the hike.
- St. John Brewers Tap Room – There are many dinner options in Mongoose Station across from the visitor center. Get an R&R here.
Our Itinerary Thoughts
We are exhausted, but our 1st day in Virgin Islands National Park was amazing. After the last 2 days, we’ve decided not to return to St. John tomorrow and relax at our resort instead. But we will be back later this week to explore more. Though our itinerary was great if you have 1 day to explore this park. Starting at the visitor center, we headed to Trunk Bay and snorkeled the underwater trail. Then we went to Maho Bay for more snorkeling and saw green sea turtles! Afterwards we relaxed at Cinnamon Bay before returning to the visitor center to hike to Honeymoon Beach and back. We enjoyed all 4 beaches and each had something different to offer, and all were absolutely beautiful.
Though the hike to Honeymoon Beach was more difficult than we thought it would be. So, we’ll be bringing better shoes and more water when we return to do more hiking later this week. For those less adventurous, you could substitute Hawksnest Beach with Honeymoon Beach. It’s between the visitor center and Trunk Bay and on the taxi route, so you don’t have to hike to it. And the taxi system was pretty reliable albeit expensive if you’re beach hopping. So bring plenty of cash. Though we saved money bringing our own snorkel gear and lunch. And overall it was a great 1st day in Virgin Islands National Park.
if you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, check out: An Epic Virgin Islands National Park Itinerary. In this itinerary we do the epic hike to Ram Head and more!