This St. John itinerary covers five days from one base in Cruz Bay. Spend the first two days on foot in town and on the Lind Point Trail, two days on the North Shore by safari taxi or rental vehicle, and one day at Salt Pond and Ram Head. The park facts come from the National Park Service's own pages, read in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Base: Cruz Bay has the ferry dock, the national park visitor center, the Lind Point trailhead, the safari taxis and the VITRAN bus, so you unpack once.
- Days 1 and 2 need no vehicle. The Lind Point Trail starts behind the visitor center and leads to Salomon and Honeymoon beaches.
- North Shore days need a ride. The park suggests a safari taxi because beach lots can fill by 10:00 a.m. There is no bus on the North Shore Road.
- Fees: the park has no entrance fee. Trunk Bay charges $5.00 per person for ages 16 and up, and takes cards and mobile payments only.
- Plan around weekdays. The visitor center and the VITRAN bus keep weekday schedules, so put those days on a weekday.
Before you go
- Getting there. St. John has no airport. The National Park Service says you fly to Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas, then take a taxi or drive to Red Hook and cross by passenger ferry or car barge. Our guide from the St. Thomas airport to Cruz Bay covers each step.
- Ferries. The park lists hourly passenger ferries between Red Hook and Cruz Bay from early morning until late evening. Check the current timetable before you fly.
- When to come. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit St. John has the detail.
- Driving. Traffic keeps to the left. The park describes the island's roads as steep, narrow and winding.
- Taxis. Fares are charged per person. Ask the driver for the fare before you set off, and agree on a pickup time for the ride back, because the park warns that cell service at the beaches is limited.
- What to pack. Sturdy shoes for rocky trails, plenty of water, insect repellent and reef-safe sunscreen. The park asks for sunscreen free of oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene.
- New to the island? Read what to know before a first trip to St. John. Still choosing an island? See how St. John compares with St. Thomas.
Day 1: Arrive and settle into Cruz Bay
The passenger ferry from Red Hook lands at the Loredon Lorence Boynes Sr. Dock, which the Virgin Islands Port Authority calls the main port of entry to St. John. Cruz Bay is small, and you can cover it on foot.
Keep the first day light. Check in, buy groceries and take a first swim at the beach in town. The national park visitor center is about two blocks north of the public ferry dock. It is open Monday to Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Staff there help plan hikes, tours and snorkeling, and they hand out trail maps. If you land outside those hours, stop in on your next weekday morning.
For ideas in town, see our guide to things to do in Cruz Bay, or what you can walk to in Cruz Bay without a car.
Day 2: Walk the Lind Point Trail to Salomon and Honeymoon
This day needs no vehicle. The Lind Point trailhead is behind the visitor center. The park lists Salomon Beach at 1.4 miles from Cruz Bay and Honeymoon Beach at 1.5 miles.
A spur leads to an overlook above the harbor. The park allows 20 to 40 minutes for the walk to the overlook, depending on how long you stay for the view. Salomon is the first beach on the lower trail. Honeymoon can be reached by the lower or the upper trail, and the park notes a concession there with drinks, snacks and rental chairs.
The park calls the trail narrow and rocky and says it is not suitable for strollers. Wear real shoes and carry water. Bring a mask too: the park describes excellent snorkeling on the narrow reef east of Honeymoon.
Day 3: Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay on the North Shore
The North Shore Road (Route 20) leads to Hawksnest, Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. No bus runs on it, so take a safari taxi from the ferry dock or drive a rental vehicle. The park recommends the taxi, and says to get to the beach early if you drive.
Trunk Bay. The beach is 0.3 miles long with a 225-yard underwater snorkeling trail. The fee is $5.00 per person for ages 16 and up, from sunrise to sunset. Since October 1, 2026, Trunk Bay takes cards and mobile payments only. You can also buy the pass ahead on Recreation.gov. Facilities are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the snack bar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are no lifeguards on duty.
Cinnamon Bay. The park calls it one of its longest beaches. Across the road, an easy 0.5-mile nature loop and boardwalk run through the ruins of the Cinnamon Bay sugar plantation.
Our guide to St. John beaches without a car describes each North Shore beach.
Day 4: Annaberg and the turtle bays, or the Reef Bay hike
Pick one of two days.
Option A: Annaberg, Maho Bay and Francis Bay. Annaberg was the largest sugar estate on St. John. The windmill, the animal mill, much of the sugar factory and part of the rum still remain. The park says docents answer questions there Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., from November until April. The park calls Maho Bay "the place to go for sea turtles", and calls Francis Bay ideal for beginner snorkelers. Reach this side of the island by safari taxi or rental vehicle. The park also notes that safari drivers offer two-hour and three-hour island tours from the public ferry dock, with stops at overlooks and at Annaberg.
Option B: the Reef Bay guided hike. The park runs this hike with Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. It is strenuous and just under 3 miles one way, past old plantation ruins and the Taino petroglyphs. Check-in starts at 7:45 a.m. at the Cruz Bay visitor center, and a 40-minute boat ride returns hikers to the Cruz Bay dock. There is a fee, and you need a reservation. The park warns that if the boat cannot run, the group hikes back up to the trailhead, about 6 miles in all, so sign up only if you can manage that.
Our guide to Virgin Islands National Park from Cruz Bay covers the trails, fees and rules in full.
Day 5: Salt Pond Bay and Ram Head
Centerline Road (Route 10) crosses the middle of the island toward Coral Bay and Salt Pond Bay. This is the one day the public bus can work. The park says the VITRAN bus usually runs Monday to Friday, hourly, from Cruz Bay through Coral Bay to Salt Pond Bay and back. The fare is $2.00 in exact change, according to the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works. Riders 60 and over and people with disabilities ride free with a valid photo ID.
The park also says the bus is not very reliable, and that you should not depend on it when time is tight. If this is your departure day, take a taxi or a rental vehicle, or go back to Honeymoon Beach on foot.
From the Salt Pond parking area, a quarter-mile path with a slight grade leads down to the beach. The Ram Head Trail continues from the beach. It is just under a mile, on a narrow path that is steep and rocky in places. The park allows another 30 to 50 minutes to reach the top. Its guided-hike page notes that the trail has little shade, so carry water.
Where to stay in Cruz Bay
Both of our properties are in Cruz Bay, about a 5-minute walk from the ferry dock.
Dolphin Suites sits above Dolphin Market at 18-27 Estate Enighed, about 3 minutes on foot from the beach. It has eight one-bedroom suites. Each has a full kitchen, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a washer and dryer and a balcony. Four suites sleep 2 guests and four sleep up to 4. Check-in is at 4 pm and check-out is at 10 am.
Raintree Suites is a brand-new one-bedroom apartment for two, about a 5-minute walk from the ferry dock and the beach. It has a full kitchen and a washer and dryer. Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out is at 10 am.
A kitchen and a washer and dryer suit this plan: pack lunch and water before a hike, and wash beach towels between beach days. To compare areas first, read where to stay in St. John: Cruz Bay, Coral Bay or a villa. When you have dates, check availability and book direct.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in St. John?
Five days covers the town, two beaches on foot, the best-known North Shore beaches, one historic site or long hike, and Salt Pond. The national park makes up about 60% of the island's land, and its beaches and trails are spread along two main roads.
Do I need a rental vehicle for this itinerary?
No. Days 1 and 2 are on foot. The park recommends safari taxis for the North Shore, and the VITRAN bus runs toward Coral Bay and Salt Pond on weekdays. A rental vehicle gives you more freedom, but the park warns that beach lots can fill by 10:00 a.m.
How much does Virgin Islands National Park cost?
The park has no entrance fee and no fee for vehicles on its roads. Trunk Bay charges $5.00 per person for ages 16 and up, by card or mobile payment only. Check Recreation.gov before you go in case the fee has changed.
Can I walk to a beach from Cruz Bay?
Yes. The Lind Point Trail starts behind the park visitor center. The park lists Salomon Beach at 1.4 miles and Honeymoon Beach at 1.5 miles from Cruz Bay.
Is there a bus to the beaches?
Only toward Coral Bay and Salt Pond Bay, along Centerline Road. There is no VITRAN service on the North Shore Road, where Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay are.
Sources
- National Park Service: directions, getting around and public transportation
- National Park Service: operating hours, fees and passes and basic information
- Recreation.gov: Trunk Bay daily pass
- National Park Service: Lind Point trails, Salomon and Honeymoon bays and frequently asked questions
- National Park Service: places to go, snorkeling, Cinnamon Bay beach and Cinnamon Bay trails
- National Park Service: ranger-guided tours and Salt Pond Bay and Ram Head trails
- National Park Service: safety and hiking
- Virgin Islands Department of Public Works: VITRAN fares and routes
- Virgin Islands Port Authority: Loredon Lorence Boynes Sr. Dock
- NOAA National Hurricane Center: hurricane season
Where to stay in Cruz Bay
DGMI Properties manages two places to stay in the heart of Cruz Bay, both about a 5-minute walk from the ferry dock. Dolphin Suites has eight one-bedroom suites with full kitchens that sleep 2 to 4 guests. Raintree Suites is a brand-new one-bedroom apartment for two, steps from the beach. Planning your trip? Our Plan Your Visit guide covers the ferry, groceries and what to pack.
