Getting to St. John

Since St. John doesn’t have an airport, most travelers fly to St. Thomas (just two miles from St. John my water) and take a ferry from one of two ports to St. John. From the St. Thomas airport, a 15-minute taxi ride takes you to the port in downtown Charlotte Amalie, for a 45-minute ferry ride to St. John. Or, a 45-minute taxi ride takes you to Red Hook, for a 20-minute ferry ride. The ferry from Charlotte Amalie runs every two hours (9:00am - 5:30), while the Red Hook ferry departs hourly (6:00 am to 12 midnight).

While the ferries are usually punctual, be prepared to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the slower pace of “island time.” The ferry is part of island culture, so why not take a seat outside and enjoy the ocean spray? Just don’t forget your sunscreen!

Many of the taxis are open-air in trolley style, so sit back and take in the spectacular views as you make your way along the curves of the one main road. To cut back on traffic and avoid wasting time on return journeys, most taxi drivers will wait until their cab is full before departing.