Discover 8 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Saint John (US Virgin Islands). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Dennis Bay Historic District, Mary Point Estate, and Trunk Bay. Also, be sure to include Cinnamon Bay Plantation in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Saint John (Saint John).
Table of Contents
Dennis Bay Historic District
Dennis Bay Historic District is a historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. It is located northeast of Cruz Bay off North Shore Rd. in Virgin Islands National Park. The plantation was claimed and cleared by 1728 to operate as a sugar cane plantation.[1]
Mary Point Estate
Mary Point Estate is a historic property located on the north coast of Saint John, United States Virgin Islands on Mary's Point. The plantation was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1978.[2]
Trunk Bay
Beach in the United States Virgin Islands. Trunk Bay is a body of water and a beach on St. John in the United States Virgin Islands. Trunk Bay is part of the Virgin Islands National Park. Trunk Bay is named for the Leatherback turtle, which is endemic to the USVI and are locally known as trunks. The beach area is divided into two halves, the main Trunk Bay beach and swim area and Burgesman Cove which is located on the west end of Trunk Bay near Jumby Bay. Its amenities include a snack bar, showers and restrooms, a lifeguard, and an underwater trail for snorkeling its coral reef. Trunk Bay has consistently been voted one of the top beaches in the world.[3]
Cinnamon Bay Plantation
Cinnamon Bay Plantation is an approximately 300-acre property situated on the north central coast of Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands adjacent to Cinnamon Bay. The land, part of Virgin Islands National Park, was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on July 11, 1978. Archaeological excavations of the land document ceremonial activity of the Taínos, as well as historic remains of plantation ruins.[4]
Catherineberg Sugar Mill Ruins
Catherineberg Sugar Mill Ruins is an historic site located in the Virgin Islands National Park, east of Cruz Bay on Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands. The ruins are an example of an 18th-century sugar and rum factory.
To reach Catherineberg, turn north on John Head Road from Centerline Road. There is room for several cars to park right next to the windmill.
The "most impressive" ruin is that of an unusual windmill tower. Another ruin is a horse mill.[5]
Gibney Beach
Beach in the United States Virgin Islands. Gibney Beach is a stretch of white sandy beach located on Hawksnest Bay on St John Island in the United States Virgin Islands. There is vibrant wildlife both on the beach and in the bay. The colonial history, the natives, the beatnik and hippie movements, and the locals of the island come together to form the original, bohemian character of the beach.[6]
Reef Bay Trail petroglyphs
The Reef Bay Trail petroglyphs are a group of Taíno petroglyph carvings found in the Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John, United States Virgin Islands. They are located in a part of the park called the Reef Bay Trail.
Some of the carvings are located above a reflection pool of water and were thought to be the symbols for "water". There is no exact way to confirm they are authentic Taíno carvings but the most popular theory is that they are from pre-columbian inhabitants.
A new petroglyph was found in 2011 after several people from an organization called "Friends of the Park" went on a search. This is because an old park photograph showed there was a petroglyph unaccounted for. The newest found symbol is thought to be thousands of years old and artistically similar to the pottery of the Saladoid culture.
The petroglyph site was listed under the name Petroglyph Site in the National Register of Historic Places on July 7, 1982.[7]
Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District
Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District is a historic section of Saint John, United States Virgin Islands located on the south central coast adjacent to Reef Bay. The land is the site of a sugar factory. The property was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 23, 1981.
The historic district is part of Virgin Islands National Park. The park maintains an exhibit of a well-preserved sugar factory.[8]