Help the St John Animal Care Center (SJACC) cool its home for all their pooches and kitties. Their Air Conditioner died and they have started a 'Go Fund Me' drive to raise the money for a new AC. We, at Great Expectations, are so very thankful for what the SJAAC does day in and day out for the 4-legged animals (not only dogs and cats but sometimes goats and donkeys too) of our island. Please join us in supporting this great organization.
Stunning scenes on St John beach this week!
trunk bay flamingo water
The flamingos have arrived on St John and they are breathtakingly beautiful. Here are a few photos of flamingos visiting Trunk Bay, Denis Bay, and Maho Bay beaches this week. Rumor has it that they are visiting from either nearby Anegada or Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. We are glad to see them visit.
trunk bay flamingo beach
St John photographer extraordinaire Yelena Rogers was able to capture some wonderful photos which she has titled 'Flamingo's Ballet'; it is worth a watch!
trunk bay flamingo yelena rogers
St John's Cinnamon Bay beach on exclusive New York Times list
beach chairs
St John's popular Cinnamon Bay beach recently made the exclusive New York Times Travel list of one of '6 Caribbean beaches to Visit Before You Die'. The wide silky white sandy beach is wide and long enough to walk, play games, or just place your chair under one of the sea grape plants that line the beach providing wonderful shade. The swimming is wonderful and its gentle entry and sandy bottom is the perfect place to introduce the little ones to swimming or snorkeling. And, the snorkeling is great, especially around the cay directly in front of the beach. If you would rather just hang out on your beach chair, there is a treat for you with wonderful vistas of the British Virgin Islands in the distance. If you are into hiking or checking out some of the old ruins on St John check out the very neat Cinnamon Bay ruins right across the road.
We know why and to really understand just how beautiful Cinnamon Bay beach is you need to visit it as well.
St John -- How to Lend a Helping Hand (Volunteer, Donate or Fundraise)
Over time, we have experienced that people who visit St John become passionate about St John. We have often been asked how people can help give back to an island they have grown to love. There are lots of ways to connect and help St John organizations (and people) whether you are on island or back home and just longing to be here. Here are a few ways of helping either by contributing to one of the many St John organizations or by volunteering while you are on island:
St John Animal Care Center (SJACC)
The St John Animal Care Center has done a wonderful job of rescuing and caring for the island dogs and cats (and sundry other creatures). They maintain feral cat feeding stations and manages a no-kill shelter with indoor kennels for dogs and a limited number of cages for cats. They have developed a foster care program as well as programs to transition their charges to forever families both on island and stateside. If you are coming to St John as you pack your suitcase tuck in some pet supplies (food items, leashes pet toys) which are always a welcome donation. If you are already on island and want to help head on over to the Animal Care Center and volunteer to walk a dog or help with the feral cat feeding program. And, if you are back home longing for St John, you can donate to some of the SJAAC fundraisers which happen every year.
Friends of the VI National Park
Our National Park is very fortunate to have the Friends of the VI National Park (FVINP) as their advocate whose mission is to: advance the protection and preservation of the natural and cultural resources of Virgin Islands National Park and promote the responsible enjoyment of this unique national treasure while educating and inspiring adults and children to be stewards of the environment. And, boy, do they do it well!
The Friends supports environmental education, natural resource protection, cultural preservation and scientific research. Their accomplishments and goals are clearly detailed on their website. Each initiative shows how much money was raised, or is needed to fund the initiative. So, find an initiative you are interested in and feel free to donate on-line.
Great Expectations is proud to be a Preferred Partner of the Friends.
St John Rescue
One of the most wonderful, all volunteer, organizations on St John is St John Rescue. It is a bit like insurance, you hope you never need to use it but, if you do, you want it easily accessible. St John Rescue's mission is: dedicated to providing emergency rescue and medical support services to the St. John's EMS, Police, Fire, National Park and Health Clinic personnel. They have the capability to help out both with land and water based emergencies and over the course of a year respond to over 150 emergency situations. If you live on island consider volunteering and if you are an occasional St John visitor, please consider donating to this very important life-saving organization.
St John Community Foundation
The St. John Community Foundation is committed to collaboratively identifying and addressing community needs to enhance St. John; A True Paradise in which to live, work and visit! This is an 'umbrella' not-for-profit organization that supports all sorts of good causes that benefit St John residents such as supporting St John's recycling program, Dial-A-Ride which helps St John seniors, disabled residents & visitors, St John Film Society, and Using Sport for Social Change. We (Great Expectations) were privileged to support a wonderful initiative, through the St John Community Foundation, to teach St John school children with disabilities (or in their case -- super-abilities) tennis. They are currently organizing fundraising initiatives to buy: supplies for the homeless, home repair supplies, shredder/chipper for our community parks, a vehicle for the St John Animal Care Center, and equipment for our recycling program. If you are interested in donating to a specific project or just to support this amazing organization, you can do donate online.
St John Cancer Fund
Unfortunately, many St John residents do not have health insurance and, even if they do, they often need to go 'off island' to get health care. Many times their travel expenses, or even basic health care expenses, are not covered by insurance. The St John Cancer Fund is often a lifesaving organization since their support of individuals can make the difference for people to receive necessary medical care.
Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station
VIERS camp
Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) was established to, as its name indicates, promote environmental educational activities and scientific research. VIERS is a biology field station, an eco-camp, located on the remote southern shore of St. John at Lameshur Bay. They operate a wonderful summer eco-camp and science camp for young residents of St John. Kids experience hands-on activities which give the campers a better understanding of the wonderful environment of St John. As an adult, if you have the time of spending a couple of weeks (or even a couple of months) volunteering might consider helping with the youth camps during the summer or helping out to provide staff support. Donations are, of course, always welcomed and appreciated. Or, if you are interested in volunteering with an organized group consider the trips to St John that are planned through REI Adventures to the VIERS Campground.
Giving back to St John, the island we love, will help ensure it thrives for decades to come.
Islands.com puts St John on list of '7 Most Remote Beaches in the Caribbean'
We are never surprised when St John beaches make the 'top' lists concerning their beauty but, we are always pleased that others recognize what we already know. Islands.com just named St John's Salomon beach one of their '7 Most Remote Beaches in the Caribbean'. Here is what they said:
Salomon Bay :
Hiking-only access tends to discourage crowds. Start at the National Park Visitors Center near Cruz bay; from there, it's an easy walk down Lind Point Trail, stopping to admire the view along the way.
We think it is worth the trek. Here are some other wonderful St John hiking trails including our favorite, the Reef Bay Trail.
A Revolution is coming to St John & it will be mighty tasty
Mongoose Junction's Virgin Fire is about to be transformed in more ways than just the food and atmosphere. Owners of Sun Dog Cafe & Virgin Fire, Barbara & Michael Barry, are creating a revolution, one that this writer applauds. This coming Saturday (June 11) will be the last evening for Virgin Fire and they intend to make it a great night entitled VIRGIN FIRE GRILL WRAP PARTY featuring live music and a $20 buffet (can't beat that on St John these days). And, just eight days later on Sunday, June 19 they will open Viva La Revolution Cantina.
Fresh ideas & fresh menu
viva la revolution cantina
According to their Facebook post, the owners are distributing 25% of the value of their new restaurant to their employees in the form of profit sharing, with the option for staff to reinvest into ownership shares.
And, the menu will be loaded with fresh with local greens and fish caught by St John fishermen. Everything is made in house: made to order corn and flour tortillas, inventive truck stand tacos, Mexican favorites (enchiladas, chile rellenos, fajitas, tamales) plus the traditional combination platters. The menu is accented by a wide array of tequilas, served in flights, as margaritas or in pitchers for the table that can be paired with the extensive taco menu.
And, additional good news is you should find their prices pretty reasonable so give them a try when you are next on St John.
viva cantina sample menu
Complete your SCUBA certification while vacationing on St. John
So you love Snorkeling around the beaches of St. John but have always wondered about SCUBA...
The beautiful water of the Virgin Islands is home to 500 species of fish, not to mention amazing beaches and coral reefs. While just about everyone who visits the USVI spends time snorkeling in search of a turtle, recreational diving St. John (and the surrounding USVI and BVI) is wonderful and not at all hard to do.
We've had hundreds of family and friends stay at Great Expectations for a week or two's vacation and every once and a while we get groups where one or more of the guests wants to get certified to SCUBA dive. While you may think it would take away from your vacation time, with a little planning, you can actually mix some great beach days, hikes and a few happy hours along with getting your PADI or SSI certification.
Don't sit in a classroom while on St. John
Regardless of where your home is, major SCUBA organizations now allow you to complete the coursework required for certification online or on your tablet. Make a plan to purchase the PADI eLearning package a few months before your trip. You learn online or on a tablet by reading, watching video lessons and testing.
Low Key Dive shop even has a special e-Learning PADI Open Water online package you can pre-buy (and schedule) so that when you arrive you are ready to complete your 6 instructional dives.
Pre-schedule your dives around other vacation activities
Consider when you arrive and depart St. John, dinner reservations and specific beach days, then pre-book your certification dives with the dive shop before coming. We recommend NOT diving on your last day on St. John and definitely not after pre-planned late nights.
Typically you will need to do 4 or 6 dives (2 confined water and 4 open water) following your coursework.If you didn't do your 2 confined water dives at your local dive shop, don't worry, you can do those 2 dives and your other 4 certification dives in the waters around St. John. Most dive companies do 2 tank dives in a 2-3 hour morning or afternoon. So 6 dives will take you 3 mornings or afternoons. For a Saturday arrival, consider Sunday, Tuesday and one other day to get out in the water and complete your diving lessons but still have plenty of time for the beach.
Opening up other shores around the Virgin Islands
Once you pass, the dive shop will take your photo and order your certification card and you are free to dive with them or other dive shops in the future. A standard 2-tank trip will take you to various unique reefs and islands around St. John and cost you $125 with all the gear included.
Plan your next trip
Once get a few dives under your weight belt, you could even return to St. John for a future vacation. We recommend checking out the 2-tank weekly scheduled dive of the BVI's Wreck of the Rhone National Park off Salt Island.
WARNING: One of the downsides to being able to stay underwater for dozens of minutes at depths reaching 100 feet is that snorkeling a St. John beach isn't as thrilling. Sure, there's always something fascinating about swimming near a turtle when they surface for air, but it can be pleasantly frustrating when you can't follow him down to the bottom and stay for a while.
Testing the waters: A One-time SCUBA Trial run
If you love snorkeling around St. John and have always wondered what it would be like to not have to hold your breath, you can sign up for a very affordable Discovery dive trip. Low Key Dive shop offers the SCUBA Discovery trip that lets you learn the basics about diving while actually doing it around the beautiful reefs of St. John. You will spend 15-20 minutes before the scheduled dive trip watching an instructional video and filling out a few forms, then proceed to the dive boat with certified instructors and other recreational divers.
St John makes the New York Times list of '52 Places to Visit in 2016'
St John's Coral Bay
St John is listed in the #4 position on the New York Times list of the '52 Places to Visit in 2016'. And, no wonder. Here is what they say about St John:
St. John
Visit the U.S. Virgin Island’s quiet corner before big development. The beaches are less crowded, the emphasis is on local over commercial, and the people share a friendly sense of neighborhood pride. Among the town’s attractions: monthly full-moon parties at Miss Lucy’s, and a Thanksgiving “Thankspigging” pot luck pig roast hosted by the community at Skinny Legs, where the eating often swells into a singalong. But this quiet community may soon change. Visit before a proposed outlet mall and megamarina, expected to engulf the bay, transforms the laid-back atmosphere of this little corner of the United States Virgin Islands.
Santa Should Bring You a St John Villa Trip for Christmas
No Reindeer required to get Santa to St John
We hope Santa brings you a trip to St John
Play Santa yourself and give as a present to thoseyou love a vacation at Great Expectations. Take a look at our calendar and let us know when we can host you next! We have only one week still available (April 8 - April 16, 2016) between now and August so plan now for a 2017 holiday on St John (Christmas, New Years, Presidents week, 4th of July Carnival are all still available). It is 85 degrees year round on St John so no time is a bad time to come for a visit!
December St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
Caribbean Journal highlights the '9 Best Beaches on St John' listing Maho Bay, Trunk Bay, Oppenheimer, Denis, Hawksnest, Cinnamon, Francis, Salt Pond, and Lameshur as their picks.
Some of these beaches offer great snorkeling opportunities, but since they are all within the National Park where shell and coral collecting is prohibited, if shell and coral collecting is your thing you might want to head over to Hart Bay beach. Hart Bay is on the western most side of Rendezvous Bay and is accessed only by a couple of trails (one being only a 5 minute walk from Great Expectations). The other day our son-in-law found this beauty while taking a walk along the Hart Bay beach.
Ready to retire to someplace warm and laid back? Here is an article for you: The 10 Coolest Places to Retire in the Caribbean. The #1 spot went to St John: A haven for artists, creative types, beach lovers and sailors, St John is an eclectic place with beautiful beaches, a massive national park system and a very artsy, funky vibe. It’s also in the US, meaning Americans simply have to buy a plane ticket and find a house. It’s not cheap, but you’re paying to be a part of a very unique community.
Now that TSA and the airlines are requiring people to be at the airport 2 - 3 hours before departure (American is requiring people checking bags to check in at least 90 minutes before departure), there is something to do other than mill around, buy liquor or perfume, or have one more west indian meal and that is to take advantage of free WiFi at the St Thomas airport! This is thanks to the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. All you have to do to log on to the free WiFi is to complete a short survey about your stay in the Virgin Islands.
Contact us directly and we will help make your vacation a trip to remember!
The Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner Table Conversation Topic -- St John!
Winter 'Soon Come' to St John
Your beach chairs await
What better topic to have during Thanksgiving with friends and family than 'when do you want to go to St John?' It is a great time to plan your next trip to Great Expectations. Take a look at our calendar and let us know when we can host you next!
November St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
The Crucian Contessa recently posted a great write-up about salt harvested from St John's very own Salt Pond which produces salt crystals due to its proximity to a windward bay and its distance from any rainwater runoff. The posting tells of how salt forms and is harvested. The salt actually grows from the bottom of the pond and has a pinkish hue that comes from the brined shrimp in the water.
Roaming around Cruz Bay is getting a bit easier with a new, convenient parking lot coming in the former location of First Bank on the corner across from Connections and Woody's. Island drums (aka, local rumor) has it that a paid parking lot will be available on the same space, until permanent plans for the space are determined.
We look forward to hosting your family reunion, birthday or anniversary celebration, wedding celebration, or your friendly get-away. Contact us directly and we will help make your vacation a trip to remember!
Preparing for Fall & Winter - You compared to St. John
How do you want to prepare for Fall and Winter?
snowblowers and rakes
or
paddle boards and pool floats
What's your choice?
Fall has officially arrived and sweaters are at the ready. We have noticed that Christmas decorations are already for sale at the stores so the winter's snow cannot be far behind! Fear not, there is relief available -- plan your next trip to St John. Just having a reservation 'in your pocket' will warm your hearts and help get you through those long, cold nights. Contact ustoday to find out about availability at Great Expectations, rated the #1 villa on St John. We only have 3 weeks available this Winter and 4 weeks available next Summer. If you are planning to come with a large group you might also want to schedule time now for 2017! It is never too early to reserve time at Great Expectations.
October St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
The federal government is making flying out of the St Thomas (STT) airport a tad bit easier. We understand that passengers are no longer required to fill out Custom Forms when going through US Customs. Mind you, passengers still have to go through Customs and the Customs official will ask you the same questions that are on the form. We guess the Government just wants to save a few trees in the process.
Having saved a moment or two by not filling out a form, American Airlines is taking it from us! We understand from the same source (On-StJohn) that if you are flying American Airlines and are to check a bag departing the St Thomas airport, American Airlines is advising all their passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure. Starting this month their ticket counter will reportedly close 90 minutes prior to the flight departure time! Bring that good beach book with you so you can occupy your time waiting for your plane to depart and try some of the great local dishes available at the restaurant in the airport waiting room or do some last minute duty-free shopping for liquor, perfume, or jewelry in the waiting area shops.
Speaking of great eating and shopping, News of St John reports that two new restaurants and a new store have opened in Cruz Bay on St John. They are:
The Dock - Located at the former Cafe Livin' and will be operated by the popular High Tide Restaurant
Extra Virgin - Located at the location of the former Fatty Crab Restaurant. Extra Virgin will offer small plates, salads and entrees ranging from $32 - $38. They will also emphasize fresh herbs and ingredients.
Just Beach - Located in Mongoose Junction Just Beach has all your 'go to' beach items including snorkel gear (to purchase or rent), sunscreen, sunglasses and, of course, practical beachwear. The owner is a long time St John resident who also owns and manages several other successful retail outlets including Island Fancy and Bougainvillea Shop.
7 Nights on St John for the Price of 5 and Hundreds of Dollars of Gift Certificates (for dining and rental cars)
Enjoy our September newsletter and check out these savings!
2 free nights and up to $500 in discounts at shops, restaurants and car rentals this fall!
St John's waters are crystal clear and the beaches pure white as captured by Steve Simonsen
Great Expectations, the #1 vacation rental as rated by travelers on Trip Advisor, has partnered with the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism to offer our guests great deals this Fall.
For any new reservation made this month to stay at Great Expectations from September 1 to November 15, 2015, we are offering 7 nights for the price of 5 and the Virgin Island's Department of Tourism will provide up to $500 in retail, dining, and car rental certificates!
Some of St John's best restaurants are participating in the Tourism VI NICE promotion including: High Tide, The Beach Bar, The Tap Room, and Caneel Bay's Beach Bar & Grill, Beach Terrace, Equator and Turtle Bay Estate. Other St John shops and stores for whom the Department of Tourism is also offering certificates are: Virgin Islands Ecotours, Little Switzerland, Brewtique, The Beach Bar Shop, and Hot Look Sunglasses. Last, but not least, you can even receive certificates through this Department of Tourism program for car rentals from Budget and Discount Car Rental on St Thomas.
Come this Fall to swim in the beautiful waters of St John or lounge in one of the pools (we have 3 plus a wading pool for the little ones) at Great Expectations:
September St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
St John made Yahoo Travel's '10 National Parks that have the Best Beaches' list. This is not a surprise to anybody who has already visited St John since one beach is more beautiful than the next! With over 30 beaches on St John, the toughest daily decision is which one to visit!
Summer make-overs have been in the works at several St John businesses. The Morgan Mango Restaurant, which was gutted by fire this past spring, is being totally rebuilt. Dolphin Market is being upgraded with new coolers and freezers as well as additional space for fresh vegetables and cheeses.
Tropical Storm Erika almost came directly over St John this past week but, fortunately, at the last minute she jogged to the west and went significantly south of us dropping essentially no rain but 60 mile an hour gusts. You can watch weather come and go live on our St John webcam. It is the same view looking east over Rendezvous Bay, the Caribbean Sea and Bordeaux Mountain as our guests have from our Great Room.
Check Great Expectations' availability calendar for 2016. We have only 3 weeks available this coming winter and 5 weeks available for next summer. Contact us today to secure your reservation! We will be happy to work with you to accommodate your needs. Our goal, always, is to meet or exceed, your expectations!
Best,
Kristin & Chuck
owners of
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New Years eve on St John in the middle of the summer?
Exclusively for our newsletter subscribers -- a rare opportunity to spend New Year's Eve on St John!
St John's Steve Simonsen captures the beauty of St John including traditional fireworks on New Year's Eve (and did we point out, no snow, no ice, no cold)!
Great Expectations rarely gets a cancellation, but we have just received one for this coming New Year's week from Saturday, December 26 - Saturday, January 2, 2016. The rental rate for New Years week is $21,000 (plus tax and security) for up to 16 people; contact us for details. What better way to end a year or start a new one than on St John?
Maybe Santa has a Christmas present waiting for you on St John this year!
Summer St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
St John makes the '10 Best Caribbean Islands' list of Travel & Leisure and says "once visitors arrive, they’ll find gorgeous, sun-baked beaches, a massive national park that covers nearly two-thirds of the island, thriving coral reefs and friendly locals. Travel to St. John for a taste of the good life and look at the epitome of Caribbean beauty".
New hot sauce on St John? Sure sounds like it, but 'Kick 'em Jenny' is actually an active submarine volcano on the Caribbean floor near the Grenadines (not to worry it is some 500+ miles south of the Virgin Islands) which has recently been rumbling again worrying scientists that it could cause havoc to local ships and waters. The volcano's recent activity has caused authorities to raise the alert level to Orange, which is the second-highest rating.
Speaking of Christmas presents that represent St John, here is a link to St John photographer extraordinare Steve Simonsen's 2016 St John calendar which is filled with one luscious photo after another from sea turtles to aerial shots of St John each picture will leave you yearning to return (or come explore for your first time).
Check Great Expectations' availability calendar and contact us today to secure your reservation! We will be happy to work with you to, as best we can, accommodate your needs as best we can. Our goal, always, is to meet or exceed, your expectations!
The Virgin Islands are Magical
We could not resist sharing Steve Simonsen's recent Facebook photo and posting. It is priceless:
One of the subjects of last week's water shoot in the BVI. Now here's the back story:
We went to the Baths early in the day before anyone was there. Staying on a private 58' Hatteras made that easy. When we began photographing the captain's mate in a mermaid tail, I had an idea. I told the mermaid that when people would enter the rock labyrinth know as The Baths on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, that our mermaid should swim away quickly so that know one can see her. They are mythical creatures, after all. After more than a half an hour we heard our first voices of people coming into the cathedral. It was a young girl and her mother. The mermaid swam away but not out of sight and Janet and I hid where we could watch. As luck would have it the little girl entered the cathedral first. See stopped dead in her tracks when see saw the mermaid frolicking quietly in the back of the cave. She bounced up and down on her feet and called softly, but excitedly, to her mommy... "Mommy a mermaid!" The little girl was still and didn't move, eyes locked on our mermaid. The mermaid began motioning her to come closer. The little girl inched into the shallow water of the cave closer to our playful, but shy, mermaid. Eventually the mom saw us hiding behind a rock and all three of us watched the little girl in total amazement get ever so closer to her discovery, still floating playfully and motioning the little girl to come closer. All this in complete silence, except for the gurgling sounds of waves entering the cave and the echoes. Eventually the little girl, we learned was from Brazil and she had a fascination for mermaids, got close enough to touch the mermaid to see if she was real. She recoiled after touching the wet, scaly skin and began to swim next to our mermaid. Everything about this encounter was precious, unbelievable and fantastically surprising for us and the little girl and her mother. For more than an hour and a half we were the only ones there to witness this mythical encounter except for the little girl from Brazil and her mommy. Upon exiting the cave the second people of the morning were about to enter when I told them what they had just missed. They looked at me like I was lying. I said "No really, there was a mermaid here just minutes ago" They looked at me like I was nuts. I said "Look I'll show you" I produced my camera from my bag and showed them one image similar to this and said "Really I told you" all they could say, with eyes wide open was "Wow!"
Summertime is Time to Plan Your Winter Trip to St John!
Enjoy Summer? Plan your Trip to St John this Winter!
The Warm Waters of St John will be waiting for you
We are actively planning our winter and spring seasons and Great Expectations is already getting pretty booked so the time is now if you don't want to be left out in the cold next winter! We have a couple of weeks currently available in mid-January, about 10 days in March, and a couple of weeks in April.
June St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
$300 in savings! Yes, reserve your trip during the month of May at Great Expectations and not only do you get a wonderful villa at a great value, but because we are partnering with the US Virgin Island's Tourism Department you will be eligible for $200 worth of dining certificates and $100 certificates for St John (or St Thomas) shopping. Travel has to be completed by October 31, 2015.
Great Expectations has partnered with Aqua Blu Car Rental to provide our guests rental cars at a great value (read for that -- at a discount!). This multi-generational family owned firm has a wonderful reputation for providing great service. They also provide taxi service so why think about driving to or home from dinner when you can arrange to have your own driver! Check them out and we think you will be pleased.
If you have wandered around St John before you inevitably have 'met' some of the wild donkeys that roam our lands (and roads). As you can imagine, as with any type of creature, they often need help whether it is a broken bone or nutrition. Recently it has been unusually dry and the need has been as simple as getting them water. If you want to help our donkeys please consider sending a contribution to the St John Animal Care Center (and earmark your contribution to the 'donkey fund'), or to Diana Bartlett of Carolina Corrals who volunteers her time to rescue and feed donkeys. She is in desperate need of a truck and has established a Go Fund Me site to help raise money for the truck.
Speaking of donkeys, Carolina Corrals will soon be offer St John riding lessons. Diana Bartlett has been working hard to build a 60' x 120' riding arena where she will offer horse -- and donkey -- riding lessons. This should provide fun for children as well as adults.
If you are looking for an off-beat thing to do while on St John, think about heading out to Salt Pond in Coral Bay to harvest some sea salt. Yes, people are actually doing just that on St John these days and using it on their food and it tastes just like...salt! This is not an every day occurrence since the waters need to be low in order for the extra salt to accumulate along the shoreline so take advantage of this phenomenon until the rains come and replenish our waters.
Check our availability calendar and contact us today to secure your reservation! We will be happy to work with you to, as best we can, accommodate your needs. Our goal, always, is to meet or ideally, exceed your expectations!
St Thomas USVI Carnival 2015 - Culture to the Extreme
April 2015 News from St. John
Rx to Survive Winter
Enjoy the winter winds -- St John style
Congratulations - you survived the winter of all winters. Spring has finally sprung in most places in the country. Now is the time to reward yourself for having survived the 'winter that would not quit' by planning a trip to St John for this year or even better, next winter. As a reward, we are offering a 20% off discount for our June openings; check our currently availability to secure your piece of mind.
We recently received this photo from a recent guest (who has already booked his return trip). He captured this picture at Great Expectationsthe morning of his 50th birthday. We sure think he found his pot of gold on St John. Hopefully, you will as well!
March St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
St John's Honeymoon beach made the Condé Nast's 'Top 10 Beaches for Chillin' by saying: Located within the Virgin Islands National Park, Honeymoon Beach is one of the seven beaches that make up the Caneel Bay Resort. It's arguably the loveliest and also hardest to get to; the only means of access is via boat or a mile-long hike. But it’s worth the trek: Besides the requisite ivory sand and crystalline waters, you’re rewarded with views of St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands.
ABC News reported that St John's Maho Bay made Trip Advisor's 'Top 10 Traveler's Choice Caribbean Beaches' A TripAdvisor reviewer said, "The snorkeling is absolutely amazing. Huge sea turtles, schools of fish and stingrays are just some of the sea life found regularly here in Maho Bay. It's a postcard like setting with some of the coolest palm trees you'll find anywhere in the world. In my opinion this is the best place on the island to take pictures. Don't visit St. John without checking out Maho Bay".
One of St John's most important volunteer groups is asking for our help. St John Rescue is often the first on the scene to help a victim of a car or boating accident, a lost or injured hiker, or just about any other sort of emergency one can think of happening - day or night. A couple of weeks ago they were at the scene of a very bad accident and rescued a truck driver, by cutting open the bottom of the truck with their Jaws of Life, saving his life. Unfortunately, during the process the Jaws of Life was destroyed. The St John community is rallying together to help raise monies to fund a new critically needed Jaws of Life for St John Rescue. Please consider supporting this initiative by donating on-line through Go Fund Me.
St John Blues Blowout Festival is ON! March 28th will bring lots of music to Cruz Bay's Winston Wells Ballpark. All proceeds to benefit the St John School of the Arts and the Sprauve School
Check our availability calendar and contact us today to secure your reservation! We will be happy to work with you to, as best we can, accommodate your needs. Our goal, always, is to meet or ideally, exceed your expectations!
St John Where The Swimming is Great For All...Winter or Not!
Please enjoy our February newsletter.....
Hitching a ride -- St John style (photo by Steve McKibben)
There is no denying it -- this has been the winter of all winters! Historic snow in the northeast, ice storms throughout the midwest and northeast causing much of Niagara Falls to freeze, and record cold throughout much of the country including Georgia, South Carolina and even Florida. Nasty stuff!
Here is a great way of surviving the rest of the winter -- plan a trip to St John for this spring. Great Expectations is currently available from May 25 through June 13 of this year for 15% off discount!
Or, plan now to enjoy a week on St John next winter. We already are reserved for several weeks next winter, but we still have some choice dates available. There is nothing better than lounging by the pool or enjoying the clear, warm waters of St John when it is bitter cold -- back home.
If you have never been to St John before, you might enjoy the video we recently received from Don Hyde who stayed at Great Expectations with his family this past Thanksgiving. Even if you have been to St John before you, too, will enjoy the video, and feel the fun they had on St John:
Watch and smile...how can you not?
February St John news flashes & fun St John clips:
On-St John recently posted a video of Hart Bay. The relatively unknown beach is only accessible by foot so often you will have the beach all to yourself. It is a great location to just sit and be mesmerized by the sound of the lapping waves or do some shell collecting. Hart Bay is just a 5 minute walk from Great Expectations. On calm days it is a good place to paddle board or swim and on rough days we often see surfers braving the waves.
Last month St John's Mongoose Junction experienced a horrible fire. Luckily no one was hurt. However, the popular Tap Room was totally destroyed and significant damage was done to the North Shore Deli and the Ocean Grill. St Johnians came together to help out and within days both the Northshore Deli and Ocean Grill were up and serving food again. The owners of the Tap Room never lost their spirit or determination to rebuild. They are already set up in a temporary spot (parking lot of Mongoose Junction) as The Temp Room serving their great brews and music offerings and building out a temporary spot until their burned out space is totally renovated. They project the new improved Tap Room will be ready for next season.
St John Blues Blowout Festival is ON! March 28th will bring lots of music to Cruz Bay's Winston Wells Ballpark. All proceeds to benefit the St John School of the Arts and the Sprauve School
Check our availability calendar and contact us today to secure your reservation! We will be happy to work with you to, as best we can, accommodate your needs. Our goal, always, is to meet or ideally, exceed your expectations!
Best,
Kristin & Chuck
owners of Great Expectations
PS Make sure to ask about our special $100 worth of dining and activity certificates from the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism when you reserve a week or more at Great Expectations!
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St John Blues Blowout Festival in ON!
The St. John Blues Society was formed by co-founding members Ronnie Klingsberg (AKA owner of Ronnie's Pizza) and Ian Samuels along with Symone' James and Stephanie Whitener. They partnered with the Rotary Club of St. John who helped sponsor the event and all donations to the St. John Blues Blowout are tax deductible.
The blues fans were inspired to organize the concert in order to bring some great music to the island but also to benefit the community of St. John. This year the proceeds from the St. John Blues Blowout will benefit the St. John School of the Arts and Sprauve School. Funds will go to provide much needed scholarships to St. John students to attend the School of the arts and keep the music alive and to provide funds to support projects at Spauve School.
Upcoming Events
: Get ready for the blues, Love City the second annual St. John Blues Blowout is coming your way!
When:
Saturday, March 28, 2015 5pm until ???
Where:
Winston Wells Ball Park, St. John, US Virgin Islands
Artists:
Biscuit Miller, Lydia Warren, The Backtrack Blues Band and Mitch Woods.
Tickets are $35
in advance and will be available at various retailers on island or $40 at the gate.
What Is It Like To Spend a Week On St John? Check Out: 'One day -- St John'
We often are asked 'what is it like to spend a week on St John?'
Well, this video is a great answer! It was recently sent to us by a guest who stayed at Great Expectations over this last Thanksgiving. Luckily for us, our guest Don Hyde, is a principle of EVP Marketing & Media. Check it out, I think you will feel the love and fun they had on St John: