St. John on a Budget

The only thing better than chilling on your favorite island with a cocktail in hand and no laptop in sight… is doing it on a bargain budget!

If you’re on a budget, a St. John vacation may seem out of reach. However, you may be surprised at how many free and cheap travel hacks that can tighten your wallet without restricting the fun. Here are some of them.

Booking: Be Flexible and Creative

The more flexible you are with dates and airport locations, the better chance you have of saving big. Check rate calendars, nearby airports and one way/each way travel to increase your options. Sign up for email notifications when rates take a dive. Always sign up for loyalty programs that offers air miles – they add up to free tickets in no time. Google Matrix is considered the fastest and most powerful flight meta-search engine available. Skiplagged, a best kept secret, shows the cheapest flights in addition to hidden-city flights with multiple legs where the traveler exits prior to the final destination. This could lead to a much cheaper connecting city if you’re willing to get creative.

Booking a villa during shoulder season or off season can easily save you thousands of dollars while allowing you to enjoy uncrowded beaches and no lines. Catered To’s least expensive villa, 3-bedroom Beit Hawa, goes for $2500/week for a party of six – that’s less than $500 per person! Nearly all of our 50+ villas are featured in regular specials ranging from a free $500 car rental credit to 20% off.

Food & Drink

All of our villas come with complete kitchens so you can bring groceries or provision here and eat in as often as you want. Our concierges can even have your villa stocked upon request! When you do venture out, you’ll want to hit happy hours, breakfast and lunches for the cheapest eats.

Did you know you can get a delicious gourmet burger for only $6 at Tap & Still? Hit Cruz Bay Landing during happy hour for a popular discounted menu or grab breakfast starting at just $6. Cafe Roma’s pizza and pasta portions are generous enough to feed two, which makes that homemade spaghetti dinner only $8 per person. Consider grabbing a gourmet wrap or sandwich at either Sam & Jacks Deli or North Shore Deli, as they’re known for generous portions at affordable prices. St. John Market serves up oversized breakfast portions of eggs and bacon for only $5, and have fried chicken meals big enough for two. Uncle Joe’s Barbecue, Dog House Pub, Skinny Legs, Sun Dog Cafe and Quiet Mon all have either breakfast or lunch dishes starting in the single digits!

Transportation

There’s plenty to keep you busy afoot in Cruz Bay for days but if you want to head to the beaches a bit further, consider taking a safari cab rather than renting a vehicle. Or only rent a few days instead of your entire vacation, which also saves you on in-town parking. C&C Car Rental tends to have the lowest prices on rentals.

Activities

There are more than 30 trails and beaches, and various various historical plantation ruins to discover on St. John. A visit to the National Park Visitor’s Center is worth the time to pick up a map and plan your adventures. Be sure to check their calendar for free events such as Night Sky Watch and Bird Watching. If water toys are your thing, hike to Honeymoon Beach via VI EcoTours and play with kayaks and SUPs, snorkel, lay in a hammock and more for only $49 all day. For a new experience, consider aerial yoga at Coastal Retreat for $20 per person. Dog House Pub not only features large screen TVs to watch games but also hosts bingo, trivia and karaoke nights. In addition, live music can be found all over town.

So see, there are many ways to experience our beautiful island without breaking the bank! Find the parts of your vacation where you will compromise so you can spend your money on what matters to you. And share your St. John bargaining tips on our Facebook or Instagram pages!