Cruz Bay Visitor Center

Very clean and interesting interpretive center and park store that really only occupies about 1/8 of the building. There are bathroom facilities and a few picnic tables near the entrance. Staff was very helpful and friendly. There are two Junior Ranger badges to get here: the VI NP and Underwater Explorer. Each take about 30-40 min to complete and most all the information is available at the store. Shout out to Ranger Courtney for her helpfulness and great attitude.

We visited on a weekday at end of March 2024 as a excursion from a cruise ship that docked over in St. Thomas. It was with Carnival and we did the "St. John on your own". The ferry drops you off in Cruz Bay just right out front of the Visitor Center. Like 1 block away. I think the Red Hook Ferry might drop people off further south in the Bay. The visitor center is currently under renovations on the outside so lots of construction vehicles and scrim up. We took picture with NPS sign and walked on in. There are also a number of picnic tables outside which is under a shelter and shaded from the sun. We got the junior ranger books and got our National Park Passport Stamps and merch. They do close early (1:30PM when we visited) but they gave us the badges ahead of time incase we couldn't finish before they closed or we had to leave. The bathrooms are located outside the visitor center in 2 structures and we didn't run into any bathrooms while we were on the trails. We spent maybe 15 mins in the visitor center (not very big at least the public area) and rushed out back and crossed the tiny parking lot to the Lind Point Trailhead. This is the cheapest way to go to some of the beaches. There are some stairs going up which takes you to an access road and then continues up again some more rustic steps. We were ready with Keens and other closed toe hiking/water sandals and had no problems with the trail. I would not recommend flipflops at all. We took the lower trail on the way to the beach. Elevation wasn't terrible (you can check on alltrails). While the trail was maintained it was pretty rocky. Also multiple splits in the trail which aren't all posted on google or the park maps. Because St. John is US territory, you can turn on your phone and get GPS location. This worked great for us. We stopped by solomons beach first. It has multiple entrances and multiple trails from Lind Point to the beach. We got a little confused but they all get you there. We then hiked over to Honeymoon beach. In total we got about 45 mins of beach time between the two beaches because we had to pack up and head back (12:45 and our cruise excursion ferry leaves at 1:30). On the way back we hiked the upper Lind Point trail and stopped by the overlook for a couple mins. Great view. We made it back with about 5-10 mins to spare. Time for a quick bathroom trip if you needed it. We were concerned we couldn't do it in time but we did it. We had a 8, 11 and 14 yr old with us but we're also very outdoorsy and do lots of hiking. We went in with 3 backpacks with our towels, water, beach blankets and snorkel gear. Both beaches were amazing and even through we reached them around noon time, it wasn't SUPER crowded at the beach. We found spot to set up in the shade of some trees. Next time we would probably consider paying the extra to try and get to trunk bay to do the underwater trail but super happy we got to do what we did for the price we paid. We would definitely visit the park again but could probably pass on the visitor center unless you wanted trail info etc.

Well....if you have time to spare and little else on your carribean-style time schedule, why not take some time here and get to know the history of St. John. Kind of a museum with activities is a remembrance of how St. John used to be. It also works as the entrance to the eco-wildpark that is St. John, animals, sea mamals, fishing, etc. Nice, but swiftly forgotten in the afternoon heat.

This is a really nice visitor center and it should be your first stop if you are visiting the Virgin Islands National Park. There is a lot of information, including where all the hikes are. There is even a short hike to Lind Point from the visitor center. The staff really know their stuff and will help you plan your trip. They can tell you the best beaches to get to and the best hikes. Though for beaches, if you have your own car, then saltpond beach is one of my favorites. The visitor center also has a good gift shop.

Great place to stop and get your bearings and learn about the island. Good information available for charters, personal boat rentals and many other activities and destinations.Pro tip: I recommend renting a Dinghy and exploring St John from the water (bring your snorkeling/scuba gear)

Just 6 minutes walking from the dock, they can provide you maps and info about the trails. You can also stamp your passport here which is a great souvenir. Staff are very friendly and informative. Different souvenir items are available for additional cost.

Very limited hours. We were only able to make it over to St John on a Sunday, so we weren’t able to go inside. The entire building is under construction (Aug 2023). Limited parking. We only had a few hours on the island, and the temps were high. So we did not hike or visit the sugar plantations. We did drive around and visit some beaches. We especially loved Trunk Beach. The island is gorgeous. I appreciate the unspoiled beauty and nature.

The hours are odd so plan ahead on which day you’ll visit. There are only a couple small interpretive displays and a gift shop. There are bathrooms available even when it is closed.

While definitely smaller than other NP visitor centers I've been to, it's still a really nice visitor center stationed right in Cruz Bay - a quick walk from where you get off the ferry from St. Thomas. There's some good information on the park there, and everyone there is super knowledgeable and can give you some great tips about the park. The souvenir selection, while small, is good quality. If this is somewhere you want to stop, make sure to plan it accordingly. Their hours are very limited, and they are only open Monday-Friday. So check their hours before showing up so you don't miss out!

Don't miss this place. It has the most beautiful water I have seen world wide. Tourquoise blue and very Inviting. My pics from St Johns are some of my best. The National Park is just a few steps from Where my cruise ship excursion landed on the dock. Don't miss this place.

Oh my goodness the minute you get to St Johns don't wait run and head straight to this office. They will give you the best information if you are in St Johns for the day or for a week plus! We have traveled to many National Parks over the years and all of them have been great but these volunteers take true pride in their knowledge of the island. If you are a National Park stamp collector they have a nice station right across from the information counter. Their gift shop is also like most a great place to get a few local souvenirs and information about the area and all the profits go to a great cause!!! The two women at the information desk asked us how long we were on the island for and what we wanted to see and the suggested an itinerary that most people would pay good money for!!! Since we really wanted to see sea turtles they sent us up Hwy 20 to Maho bay/beach where we parked for free and swam with sea turtles, sting ray, a few very small baby sharks (they were harmless), and schools of other fish. Check them out and take whatever advise they give you:)