The Virgin Islands National Park is known for its unspoiled beaches!

"Within the Virgin Islands National Park you can go snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, hiking, camping, see historic sugar plantations and go bird watching.

I don’t think you’ll get bored!!"

You’ll discover many of St Johns scenic view hiking trails, sugar plantation ruins, unspoiled beaches, ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings) and great camping right within the Virgin Islands National Park at Cinnamon Bay.

The historic ruins of Annaberg Plantation on St John! Click photo to enlarge.	What a view! This was taken from Annaberg Plantation. Click photo to enlarge.	You can go back in time when you visit the ruins on St John! Click photo to enlarge.

About one third of the Park is underwater and with all the rental facilities the park has you’ll be able to experience the underwater part too! You may even see a Hawksbill or green sea turtle or a Caribbean lobster?! (I don’t know what that looks like! Do you think they’re dressed in colorful clothes?!)

Hey, who would think that there could be a National Park on a Caribbean island! Well, in 1956 Laurance Rockefeller purchased and donated this beautiful piece of property in St John (over 7000 acres) to maintain its unspoiled beauty for everyone to enjoy. What a great thing to do!! (Isn't money great!)

Located in Cruz Bay is the Visitors Center for the Park. It’s open from 8am-430pm daily and there are some great people there to help you plan your day and activities. Park Rangers can provide you with all the information you need and they have maps, schedules and brochures for you to take with you.

St Johns 3 spectacular beaches located within the park are:

Trunk Bay,

Hawksnest and Cinnamon Bay with Cinnamon Bay having the campgrounds. You can rent either bare tent sites, stationary large canvas tents or screened cottages. This camping spot is located on a pristine white sand beach, surrounded by lush green hills and palm trees. Is this camping?! Yes, it is….it’s the St John way!

Also located within the park are 22 self-guided nature trails for hiking that lead you to beautiful trees, plants, and flowers. They say that there are over 800 species of plants, over 50 coral species, 140 different species of birds, 302 species of fish, 7 species of amphibians and 22 species of mammals. WOW!

In the 1700/1800’s there were large sugar plantations on St John. Annaberg Plantation Ruins,(pictured above) Catherineburg Sugar Mill and Rum Factory and Reef Bay Sugar Mill are located within the park and there you will see the ruins of the plantations, slave quarters, dungeons and also watch demonstrations of chores and crafts.

"The Virgin Islands National Park also has this great Junior Ranger Program for the kids. They get a workbook at the Visitors Center with fun stuff inside for them to do. They just pick it up, fill it in and return it for their own Junior Ranger badge, Smokey the Bear hat and official certificate! Fun for the kids!

So.........have a great time exploring!!"