USVI Archives | Rum Therapy

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

A View of the Islands Through the Lens of Steve Simonsen

The internet is full of pictures of enticing Caribbean beaches and sunsets, but there are pretty pictures, and then there are photographs that make you feel like you are actually there. Photographer Steve Simonsen, based on the beautiful island of St. John, USVI, is adept at creating these visual masterpieces – photographs that transport you to the islands. Let’s take a look at the islands through the lens of Steve Simonsen.

Steve didn’t start his career as a photographer, in fact, Steve got started as a Scuba diving instructor. The owners of the dive shop he worked at in Boulder, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Diving Center) encouraged him to get into underwater photography so he could be more well-rounded as a sales person.

Steve is self taught and studied the leading underwater photographers for years, practicing daily as a diving instructor. His photographic style was influenced heavily by the advertising style of posters for Club Med in the early 80’s. Taking photographs now since 1980, his favorite things to photograph are tropical scenes with coconut palm trees, nature, marine life and people.

He and his wife Janet are proud of their work photographing many villas and homes here in the Virgin Islands as well. Janet says her official title in the company is “enabler”. She handles all non-photography tasks for Steve Simonsen Photography.

Steve and Janet have lived on St. John since August of 1991. Janet was brought to St. Thomas (by way of New York) in 1984 to run Aqua Action, the dive shop on St. Thomas at Secret Harbor and Steve arrived in 1987 (by way of Michigan) to be the underwater photographer at Chris Sawyer Dive Center. They were married in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo.

Hurricane Hugo wasn’t the only hurricane they’ve experienced. On September 6, 2017, Irma, a Cat 5 monster hurricane, hit St. John and the surrounding islands with unprecedented force. Steve was in their home when the roof and walls blew off. He struggled outside in the powerful storm for 3 hours before finding his way to the house next door where Janet and their assistant John were hunkered down. He barely made it alive and suffers from PTSD to this day. The silver lining was that with the help of FEMA and the SBA they were able to rebuild and their new home is not only beautiful, but strong. Steve was able, after a few days, to film the disaster and make a short documentary about the storm, “Hurricane Irma, Not a Nice Day”. It can be viewed here .

Steve has now had a long and distinguished career in photography. In addition to his stunning still photography, he is a videographer and a licensed drone photographer in the VI and loves shooting aerials.

When asked what work they are most proud of, they answered, “Our self published book “Living Art, St. John” which is in it’s third and final print run and has been in print for almost 20 years. We’re also happy to have contributed images to the Audubon Field Guide to Marine Fishes, he was a regular contributing photographer with Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine for 15 years, and we’ve licensed cover images for every North American diving publication. We authored and photographed the Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkel Guide to Puerto Rico and contributed the images for the Virgin Islands edition. And, Carnival Cruise lines flagship, Carnival Breeze, has decorated all their stairwells with Steve’s images.”

A popular project that they release annually is a beautiful St. John Calendar. They will be taking pre-orders for the 2021 edition soon and calendars and photo books can be purchased on their website. Here’s a sneak peek at the 2021 calendar cover.

When asked about exciting projects coming up, Steve and Janet said that they are preparing to enter into the editing phase on two projects: the Leatherback Turtles of Sandy Point, St. Croix and the Tektite project of 1969 here on St. John. Follow their Facebook page for updates on these and other upcoming projects.

As we all know, Covid has had an effect on travel all over the world and has severely impacted areas that depend on tourism. The pandemic makes it very difficult for tourists to determine whether or when to return to the island as most don’t want to return and bring the virus to the island. To help those that can’t return right now combat the St. John blues, the Simonsen’s started a live Facebook feed coined the “Simonsen Sunset Stream” at the onset of the pandemic to bring St. John into the homes of all St. John lovers until they can return. The feedback has been phenomenal. You can follow the daily sunset stream on their Facebook page.

Steve also offers fun family portrait shoots, photography and video classes (land and underwater) and photo safaris. Check out some of his workshops here and contact them to arrange a photo shoot or to find out more about their services.
phone: (340) 513-9687 • cell: (340) 690-8986 [email protected]

And lastly, I asked Steve if he had any tips he could share with anyone wanting to improve their photography skills and he said, “Commit yourself to your craft… practice every day and always challenge yourself. Very critically evaluate your own work so you continually improve.”

Steve Simonsen Photography Website
Steve Simonsen Photography Facebook
Steve Simonsen Phtography Instagram

all photos courtesy of Steve Simonsen Photography

Other posts you might be interested in:
BVI SNUBA, Virgin Gorda
Ocean Spa, BVI
Top of the Baths, Virgin Gorda
Jost Van Dyke Scuba
Daniel Johnson’s Monkey and Sloth Hangout, Roatán, Honduras
Gumption’s Learning Adventures, Virgin Gorda
Selling Bracelets to Help Re-build Great Guana Cay & The Abacos

Copyright©Rum Therapy
All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

May 16, 2020May 16, 2020

Lime Out, St. John, USVI

We started hearing about a new floating bar/restaurant in St. John, USVI, in the Spring of 2019. It originally was anchored in Hansen Bay, on the East End of St. John. We were familiar with the area, having spent a bit of time at the old Angels Rest floating bar in Hansen which unfortunately was destroyed in the hurricanes of 2017.

As we planned our trip for Spring 2020, Lime Out was on the list of places we wanted to visit. Then suddenly we read that there was a problem with their location in Hansen Bay and they had to close for a while. We kept our fingers crossed that it would reopen in its new location by the time we got their, and fortunately, it did!

Lime Out now sits in Coral Bay – also on the East end of St. John. If you are visiting by boat, you can pull up and anchor close by. If visiting by car, you can no longer swim or kayak out to Lime Out. Instead, park at The Oasis in Coral Bay and take the boat shuttle out to Lime Out ( currently $13pp round-trip).

Oasis Restaurant, Coral Bay – great Southern comfort food!

The ride out takes just a few minutes and you have to swim/walk a short way (not very deep) from where the boat leaves you off to Lime Out.

We swam up and took a seat at the bar.

There are bar stools in the water next to Lime Out, or you can grab a seat on one of the vibrant rafts. Order your food and drinks and they’ll float it out to you.

Lime Out is known for its tacos and they are GOOD! We ordered the Rum Rib Tacos along with a couple of beverages and grabbed a seat on a raft.

A half eaten Rum Rib Taco. They were so good we forgot to take a pic until we were halfway done!

A family from Vancouver asked if they could join us and we had a great afternoon chatting and enjoying more drinks.

The shuttle runs every half hour or so and we reluctantly decided to head back.

We had a great day at Lime Out. Well worth a visit in our book. To find out more, check out their website, Facebook page and Instagram.

Read more about what to do on St. John, check out more posts here:
Destination St. John, USVI

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

October 17, 2019October 31, 2019

Why You Should Plan a Trip to St. Thomas, USVI

St. Thomas, one of the 4 main islands in the US Virgin Island chain, is a top cruise ship destination, offers an array of fun tropical attractions and amenities, and is also a convenient base when wanting to explore other nearby islands. As the second largest and most populated island in the chain, there’s a myriad of options to fill your days there, from duty-free shopping to just lounging the day away under a palm tree with a drink in your hand and everything in between. Here is a list of reasons that we think might make you consider planning a trip to sunny St. Thomas, USVI.

US Residents Don’t Need a Passport to Travel to St. Thomas

Because St. Thomas is a US Territory, US residents don’t currently need a passport to travel to St. Thomas. (However, you may need proof of US citizenship to leave St. Thomas, which may include a birth certificate and a government issued ID – be sure to check with your airline to make assure you have the required documents).

In addition, there are daily non-stop flights from several major US airports including New York, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale. Less travel time = more beach time!

Beaches

St. Thomas is approximately 32 sq miles in size and dotted with scenic beaches. Many are easy to access and some have amenities such as beach bars or snack bars, restrooms and showers. A few of our favorites?

~ Magens Bay on the north side of the island. It’s incredibly scenic, good for walking the beach and swimming. There is an entry fee and a parking fee. (note: can be very busy when there are a lot of cruise ships in port) More about Magens Bay here.

~ Sapphire Beach on the east side of the island has a pretty stretch of white sand and is good for watersports and swimming. There are a few additional amenities such as a beach bar, restrooms and a restaurant within the Sapphire Beach development.

~ Lindquist Beach at Smith Bay is also on the east side and has gorgeous white sand fringing usually calm, turquoise water. It’s great for swimming and has picnic areas, restrooms and showers. There is an entry fee and a parking fee.

Shopping

Due to the high volume of cruise ship traffic, there are excellent shopping opportunities in historic Charlotte Amalie, in the kiosks at the harbor, Havensight and the high end, Yacht Haven Grande. Best things to buy? Paintings, artwork and jewelry from local artisans, spices and hot sauces, sea glass gifts and rum! Speaking of rum…

Rum

Although there are no rum distilleries on St. Thomas, there is no shortage of rum. Best places to enjoy a frosty rum drink in our opinion?

~ Bones Rum in Charlotte Amalie. Pour your own Bones rum drink – an excellent stop after a day of shopping. You might want to bring back a bottle or two as although it is now available in a few states in the US, it’s not available everywhere. Read more abut Bones Rum here.

~ Rum Island Pub in Charlotte Amalie. It’s under new ownership, but I can’t imagine they don’t still pour tasty, RIP’s – Rum Island Punch!

~ Duffy’s Love Shack – a restaurant bar in a parking lot in Red Hook. Try their signature drink, a Lime in Dee Coconut. The food is great too! More about Duffy’s Love Shack here.

~ Paradise Point, the skyride behind Havensight and the cruise ship dock. Try a Bushwacker while looking at the spectacular view of Charlotte Amalie from above- frozen chocolate and rum deliciousness, but be careful – they’re strong!! Read our post about Paradise Point and Bushwhackers here.

Adventure

Want to do something a little more adventurous? Here are a couple of great options.

~ Tree Limin’ Extreme – soar through the trees with an amazing view of Magens Bay on an exhilarating zipline with six ziplines, two foot bridges, and eight aerial tree platforms. Book ahead of time if possible – this zipline adventure fills up fast!

~ If you like hiking, take the trail down to Mermaid’s Chair (on the west side of the island). The hike is paved, but strenuous (mostly the hike back), but you will be rewarded with a view of a beach where the Atlantic and Caribbean waters meet.

~ Get on the water! Rent a stand up paddleboard (SUP), kayak, or jet ski, go snorkeling in the crystal clear water or take a half or full day excursion on a catamaran!

Those are just a few of the reasons why we think you should plan a trip to St. Thomas, USVI. Who’s ready to go?!

Other posts you might be interested in:
Why You Should Plan a Trip to Barbados

April 26, 2018June 6, 2019

Big Blue Excursions, St. John

We recently had the chance to meet Sharp & Margaret Kemp of Big Blue Excursions during our recent trip to St John and just love their story. Here’s the abbreviated version.

Sharp grew up on the coast of North Carolina on and around boats. As he grew, he developed an insatiable desire to be on the ocean and to travel. He began working and hopping around the Caribbean and Central America searching for perfect waves to surf and places to go fishing any chance he got. Once, while surfing in Costa Rica, he met a girl named Margie who had a passion for sailing, surfing, and traveling as well. She was living in the Virgin Islands.

Margie is a 100 ton master captain. Like Sharp, she grew up on and around sailboats and with her family, experienced incredible sailing adventures around the world. The longest leg was the four thousand mile intense journey across the Bearing Sea from Russia to Alaska. She also sailed across the English Channel in a tiny little boat with some old salty dogs at age 19. She said it was some of the gnarliest sea conditions she’s ever seen. At 26, when Sharp and Margie were married, she had been working as a sailboat captain for years in the islands.

They moved aboard their 46’ Pan Oceanic cutter to live, laugh, surf and sail their way around countless islands in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. In 2016 they sailed more than 13,000 nautical miles from their home on St. John through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. They really enjoy creating new memories and meeting new people.

Upon their return to St John, they purchased a boat excursion company named Big Blue Excursions – a mere 2 months before not just one, but two Cat 5 hurricanes hit the Virgin Islands…

Even though they lost two of their boats in the storm, this couple exudes an infectious positivity, pleasantness and zest for life, possibly, in part, derived from the amazing things they’ve seen and experienced. Although rightfully a bit frustrated with the wait time for insurance reimbursement, Sharp and Margie look forward to re-building and expanding their brand and company on St. John and with the unique experiences they offer, I know they will. Even thought the tourism traffic in the VI is not yet back to where it was before the hurricanes, they are experiencing strong bookings and great reviews.

Your day, your way, your pace is Big Blue Excursions motto. We had the pleasure of spending a day on the water with them on their boat “Gypsea Girl”, during our recent stay in St. John. When asked what we most wanted to see and do, we said “everything”! We ended up requesting some time in Jost Van Dyke to check on the progress since the hurricanes and then asked Sharp – our captain for the day, to choose the remainder of the days itinerary.

We met Sharp at 9am on the St. John National Park Dock for our full day excursion. Margie was there to welcome us too, but was unable to join us for the day. After an introduction and safety tips, we were off to explore.

Honeymoon Beach, St. John

We headed out, passing the scenic St. John north coast as Sharp passed on interesting information on the different beaches and landmarks as we cruised by.

The rest of the day was spent exploring and enjoying beach and beach bar time on White Bay and Great Harbour Jost Van Dyke,

Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke
Gypsea Girl in White Bay

checking out beautiful Sandy Spit (even without any foliage!),

Waiting for lunch at Pizza Pi, Christmas Cove, USVI

and enjoying a delicious Blumin’ Onion pizza at Pizza Pi in Christmas Cove, St. Thomas (delicious pizza made on and picked up from a boat!). To top off the day, we spent some time snorkeling on the south side of St. John in Rendezvous Bay before heading back, sun kissed and full of the day’s adventures. Captain Sharp packed a lot into our day just as we had requested, and we enjoyed every minute of it.

If you’re heading to St. John or St. Thomas soon (Big Blue Excursions can arrange pick-ups in St. Thomas too), be sure to give Sharp and Margie a call. They offer full and half day excursions for your group of up to 11 people and will tailor a VI adventure just for you. Although all of the Big Blue Captains can take you to not only the well-known spots, they would absolutely love to show you the hidden VI gems that not everyone gets to see and experience. Want to snorkel all day? No problem. Island hop and catch a lobster? Check. Lounge on beautiful beaches and visit the local beach bars? Yep. Your day, your way, your pace!

Contact Big Blue Excursions to set up your perfect Virgin Islands excursion!

By phone: (340)201-3045
Email: [email protected]
Online (includes a 10% discount!) Click the Book Now button on the lower right of page: BIG BLUE USVI

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

May 9, 2017June 6, 2019

21 Places to Explore on the Island of St. Thomas

Staying on St. Thomas and looking for some ideas of what to do while there? Although it’s hard to list all of the attractions on this pretty, but busy island, here is a list of 21 Places to Explore on the Island of St. Thomas to help you start your planning!

Starting from the airport and traveling west, the list takes you clockwise around the island.

1. Brewer’s Bay. A pretty beach close to Cyril E. King airport and just across from the University of the Virgin Islands. Go for smaller crowds, spectacular sunset, local food trucks and to see occasional airplanes landing.

2. Overlook of airport from 30. From Brewer’s Bay, head up the hill on 30 to a small overlook of the airport. On a clear day you can see all the way to St. Croix!

3. Hike to Mermaid’s Chair. A somewhat strenuous hike brings you to a beautiful strip of beach that separates the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Be sure to time your visit to arrive at low tide – otherwise the strip of beach may be underwater!

4. Stumpy Bay. Not easy to get to (Four-wheel drive needed for a very bumpy road), but those that have made the journey have reported that the deserted beach at Stumpy Bay is lovely, quiet and serene…ahhh…

5. Neltjeberg Bay. Accessed only by sea or by a long hike from Dorthea Beach, Neltjeberg is considered by some as one of the islands most beautiful and secluded spots. Explore the nearby Neltjeberg Ruins, an 18th century sugar cane plantation that was devastated by a powerful hurricane in 1867 (the same hurricane that sunk the HMS Rhone at Salt Island).

6. Hull Bay. A quiet little beach fringed with seagrape trees. Hull Bay Hideway, a bar & grill just off the beach, is a great place to get fish tacos and a cold beer.

7. Mountain Top. Can be extremely busy when a lot of cruise ships are in port, but we thought Mountain Top was worth a visit due to it’s great view of Magens Bay and a plethora of Cruzan Rums for purchase. Sip on a Banana Daiquiri while enjoying the view.

8. Tree Limin’ Extreme. Zipline through lush foliage with spectacular views of Magens Bay and other islands at Tree Limin’ Extreme. A little adrenaline and a lot of fun!

9. Drake’s Seat. Yet another phenomenal view of Megans Bay and beyond. The bench is named after Sir Francis Drake who is said to have climbed to this point to identify potential ships to plunder.

10. Magens Bay. Frequently listed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, this one mile stretch of white sand is fringed with verdant hills and palm trees. Megans Bay is a very popular beach and can get very crowded. Go early or later in the afternoon to enjoy the beauty with less people.

11. Skyline Overlook. Offers a panoramic view of Charlotte Amalie, Water Island and Hassel Island.

12. Mahogany Run Golf Course. (Permanently closed) Scenic and challenging, this Tom Fazio designed course is nestled between the green hills and beautiful shoreline on the North side. Test your skills on the Devil’s Triangle – a challenging 3 hole stretch that includes a par 3 hole situated 200 feet over a rocky inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. Didn’t bring your clubs? No problem, they can provide complete rental sets and hopefully lots of extra golf balls.

13. Coki Point & Coral World. Experience sea turtles, sharks and stingrays and more in this 5 acre marine park. Afterwards, spend time swimming and snorkeling on Coki Beach.

14. Lindquist Beach at Smith Bay. Recently renovated with restrooms and showers. Although it’s gotten busier, this, in my opinion is still one of the prettiest beaches on the island.

15. Duffy’s Love Shack. The best parking lot bar in the world! Order one of their specialties like a Lime in Dee Coconut or Shark Tank (served in a fish bowl!)

16. Iggie’s Beach Bar & Grill. Go for live entertainment, Wednesday night Carnival Night, Full Moon Parties and Voodoo Juice…

17. Skyride at Paradise Point. Great view and Bushwackers!

18. Yacht Haven Grande. Check out the little boats (wink, wink) and pick up a trinket or two at the high end shops.

19. Blackbeard’s Castle. Take a guided walking tour of this historic 5 acre site to learn about the different buildings dating back to the 1600’s and the islands pirate legacy.

20. Rum Island Pub. Great little bar in Drake’s Passage, home of Husband Day Care, try their RIP (Rum Island Punch).

21. Bones Rum. Stop by for a pour-your-own rum drink and be sure to take some Bones Rum home with you – it’s not available outside of St. Thomas yet!

Ready for a day excursion or tour while on St Thomas? Check out some great ideas here!

What’s your favorite thing to do on St. Thomas? Tell us about it!

All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

January 26, 2017June 6, 2019

Caravelle Hotel & Casino – Comfort and Convenience in the Heart of Christiansted

During our recent VI adventure, we were given the opportunity to visit Caravelle Hotel & Casino, a newly refurbished waterfront boutique hotel in the heart of Christiansted, St. Croix, and we jumped at the chance. In previous visits we found ourselves wishing for more time to explore this pretty, historic town on the north side of St. Croix and we were excited to have the chance to do so.

Our trip to St Croix from St Thomas was via a Seaborne Airlines sea plane. The short and convenient flight left from Charlotte Amalie and landed in Christiansted Harbor within walking distance of Caravelle Hotel, just down the scenic boardwalk. You can read more about the sea plane flight here.

Caravelle Hotel recently underwent extensive remodeling, re-opening in 2016 and now has a breezy, modern tropical feel on the inside, while the exterior vibrantly retains the Danish architectural charm found in much of Christiansted.

Lobby
In addition to the new décor in all 42 rooms and the lobby, Hotel Caravelle now incudes a new on-site casino with 76 slot machines.

What we loved the most about our stay at Caravelle Hotel & Casino was its close proximity to the many fine amenities found in Christiansted. All within walking distance, (or request a ride on one of their golf carts), you will find fine dining options such as balter, St. Croix, Zion Modern Kitchen and 40 Strand Eatery. BES Craft Cocktail Lounge is just a few blocks from Caravelle Hotel and is an excellent place to relax and enjoy craft cocktails masterfully created by award winning mixologist Frank Robinson. In addition to the many dining and drinking options, we enjoyed shopping at the nearby jewelry stores which offer beautifully handcrafted and original pieces, boutique clothing shops – and exploring the rich history of Christiansted at Fort Christianvaern . We also enjoyed learning about (and tasting!) some of the authentic flavors of St. Croix on the Virgin Islands Food Tour – an excellent guided food tasting and cultural walking tour in Christiansted. Or, if you don’t want to leave the comfort of Caravelle Hotel, you can dine and/or enjoy a cocktail at Rum Runners (downstairs and on the water), or stop in Big Beards Adventure Tours (attached to Caravelle) to set up an excursion to beautiful Buck Island.

In addition to all the wonderful things to explore in Christiansted, we took the two St. Croix rum distillery tours: Captain Morgan and Cruzan Rum. We easily toured both in one afternoon via a taxi so that we could enjoy the rum drinks offered at the end of each distillery tour.

After all of the exploring, we had a hard decision to make; pull up a lounge chair at the pool overlooking Christiansted Harbor, or take a short water taxi from the boardwalk to the pretty beach on Protestant Cay. We ended up doing (and enjoying) both!

And – at the end of each day, this was a really great place to land…

View of Christiansted Harbor from our room

Caravelle Hotel & Casino – comfort and convenience in the heart of Christiansted.

Are you ready to enjoy some time exploring Christiansted, St. Croix? Get more information on Caravelle Hotel & Casino on their website and follow them on Facebook and on Instagram.

A special thank you to Caravelle Hotel & Casino for arranging our wonderful stay. Stay tuned in the next couple of days as we post more about some of the fun things we experienced in Christiansted!

All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

November 2, 2016June 6, 2019

Presidential Election Cocktail Menu at Bolongo Bay

This presidential election season, the Caribbean’s most entertaining Super PAC (Party Action Committee), Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, is letting constituents vote with their taste buds. Located in the US Virgin Islands, St Thomas is a US territory. While citizens of the US territory don’t have the right to vote, they still have the right to assemble. In island tradition, that’s still a great reason to party. Lobbyists and pollsters can stay back on the mainland because Bolongo Bay’s mixologists have created a ballot of campaign cocktails for all to enjoy.

Available now through Election Day, this special menu lets guests rally for their favorite affiliation, the Cocktail Party. Bolongo Bay will host an Election Night Party on November 8, 2016, featuring all-American food, Presidente beer buckets, live music and its widescreen televisions tuned in for results. Once the president-elect is announced, Bolongo Bay will continue to serve his or her “namesake” beverage through Inauguration Day, January 20, 2017.

Bolongo Bay’s 2016 Presidential Campaign Cocktail Menu includes:

Trumpical Punch: This swirl of controversy mixes up USVI strawberry and raspberry rum, topped with a comb over of cranberry juice. Served on the rocks, it’s going to be “huuuuge” and “make America great again.”
Chillary: Coconut rum, blue curacao, splash of pineapple juice and coconut cream become “stronger together” when shaken. Unlike 33,000 emails, this is served uncharacteristically straight-up.
Rum for the Border: Can’t handle the craziness? Start a new life with this mix of coconut, pineapple, citrus and banana rums and fruit punch for the win.
Screw’d Either Way: If the final two candidates lack “ap-peel” let this mix of orange vodka, orange juice and a splash of Sprite drown the sorrows. Served on the rocks…with a chaser of “hard place.”
Server Dilemma: The secret is out…banana liquor, blackberry brandy and pineapple juice with a splash of grenadine. Served on the rocks, it can only be ordered through Iggies private email server.
Under Audit: The ingredients are under audit. Happens every year. Surely everyone understands. While this information is classified, Bolongo Bay is willing to release them, but only to guests who visit.
Known as the Caribbean’s most entertaining beach resort, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St Thomas offers 365 days of fun, sun and rum year round. Find out more on the Bolongo Bay website.

May 18, 2016June 6, 2019

St. John Villa Rentals with Island Getaways

The island of St John, USVI has been making the TOP 10 Caribbean Travel Lists for years. It’s reputation for beautiful white sand beaches and fantastic snorkeling is well deserved and is the main reason for the island’s increasing popularity, although the island also offers excellent dining options, unique shops and miles of scenic hiking in the Virgin Islands National Park, which makes up approximately 2/3 of the island.

Hawksnest Bay Beach

With just two resorts on St John, it’s easy to see why so many people rent vacation villas for their stay on the island. Guests will find that many villas have wonderful ocean views, private decks, pools, spas and amenities.

Have you ever considered a rental villa for a vacation? Read on to find out why it’s such an appealing option and to see a few photos of the amazing properties available on St. John through Island Getaways.

Just imagine relaxing on your own private patio while gazing over a sparkling pool to a breathtaking view of the turquoise water surrounding St. John…

Although this may seem like a dream, it’s the view from Mystic Ridge, just one of the stunning St. John rental villas from Island Getaways.

Wake up to an amazing view at Rendezview

Island Getaways offers a selection of upscale villas that can accommodate from 2 to 12 guests with amenities like pools, spas, ocean views, gourmet kitchens, WIFI and more!

We became fans of the rental villa experience several years ago when we were looking into accommodations for our group of 6 adults. We wanted to stay in a place that would allow us all to be close by so that we could interact with one another in a comfortable setting – almost like home.

The gourmet kitchen of Chateau Margot

After researching the possibilities, we decided to rent a 3 bedroom, 3 bath villa to accommodate our large party and it was a great decision. Not only did each couple have a comfortable, luxurious bedroom with bathroom, but we were able to linger and socialize over coffee in the morning, meals on the deck and lounge in the sun around our private pool.

Poolside at Chateau Margot

And surprisingly, with the flexibility of preparing some of our food and beverages in our island home for the week, the per couple cost was approximately the same as a nearby resort we had priced!

Dining area at Rendezview Villa

Considering a vacation on St. John? Island Getaways specializes in luxurious villa rentals on the island. Island Getaways owner, Kathy McLaughlin, has lived, worked and managed some of St John’s top rental villas for over 20 years. Her knowledge of St John and why people visit St John sets her apart and ensures that you and your family will enjoy the perfect home-away-from-home Virgin Islands vacation.

Private pool at Rendezview Villa

Island Getaways rental villas are located all across St John. Each captures the unique charms of that particular part of the Island, from Cinnamon Stones panoramic North Shore views of Tortola to Mystic Ridge’s cooling Tradewinds over Coral Bay. Enjoy locations convenient to Cruz Bay or Coral Bay. And all of the villas are a short drive to the beautiful North Snore beaches like, Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Hawksnest Beach and Maho.

Trunk Bay

With 2 decades of positive reviews from hundreds of guests and repeat visitors – they’re confident that they can make your St John, Virgin Island vacation the relaxing island getaway you envision!

To find out more about the gorgeous villas available, visit the Island Getaways website,

Call Toll Free: 888.693.7676 or
Email: [email protected]

Follow Island Getaways on Facebook!

Fabulous view from Casa Luna

This is a sponsored post. Although we were compensated by the company who sponsored it, the views are solely our own and we only recommend products or services we believe our readers will enjoy.

December 16, 2015June 6, 2019

Love City Excursions and a Boat Named CatZilla

Imagine waking up and thinking “I get to go to work today!” and by work I mean running a charter business in St. John, US Virgin Islands. That’s the reality for Joe and Katie Zachary who own Love City Excursions, a full service excursion company based on the beautiful island of St. John. So just how did they do it? How did they relocate to a beautiful island and start their own business? Here’s their story.

Katie grew up in a small town in Colorado and after graduating from high school AND college in 6 years – she was burnt out! Two weeks after graduating, she packed up and moved to St. John for a bit of adventure and a different pace of life. She lived and worked in St. John for about a year, then left to travel through Europe. She ended up in Boston, but missed St. John so much she decided to move back.

Meanwhile, Joe, who had grown up in Nashville, Tennessee, graduated from the University of Tennessee. A year after graduating, he decided to move down to St. John, a place he had visited as a kid and loved. He immediately got a job working on boats and on the beach at the Westin and eventually started captaining To make a long story short, these two island loving adventurers eventually found love together and just got married this past summer.

They began to work together on their dream of owning their own business and opened Love City Excursions earlier this year. Starting a business in the islands was not without a bit of drama though. They encountered MANY trials and tribulations with purchasing a boat in the VI’s, but their new boat, CatZilla finally arrived July 13th.

CatZilla (photo: Love City Excursions)

Katie said, “She was shipped down here the same day we got married. I was actually at our wedding rehearsal standing at the altar on the phone with the trucker because our trailer blew out 3 tires on the way from North Carolina to Florida where it was being put on a shipping container. Thankfully, my amazing bridesmaid took the phone and my credit card and took care of it so I could get through our rehearsal!”

CatZilla is a 33 foot world cat power catamaran. She is built for off shore fishing, so she handles the waves and rough weather that the area sometimes gets like a dream. She’s a very large boat, so the name “CatZilla” is fitting! Although Katie can also captain the boat, Joe usually takes the helm while Katie, whose degree is in marketing, runs the business end.

Love City Excursions offers completely customizable full and half day charters in the USVI and BVI. Charters generally leave from the National Park Dock in Cruz Bay. I asked what their most popular charter was and Katie said, “We seem to get a lot of requests for a trip called The Triangle, which is snorkeling at Norman Island, eating lunch over there and then Soggy Dollar.”

Every excursion is a bit different though as guests choose what they want to do from island hopping to bar hopping, and snorkeling to exploring.

Sandy Spit (photo: Love City Excursions)

I asked what makes Love City such a highly rated excursion company – already! Katie said, “What makes our excursions great is two things. 1. We are a family run business so from start to finish. You’ll be dealing with Joe and I and we are both very happy when we make our guests happy. We use the slogan, The Best Day of Your Vacation, and it really, really is people’s favorite day while they are here! 2. Our Boat. CatZilla is the largest small powerboat on St. John and she can handle the weather like no other boat out there. It’s a dry, fast, and super comfortable ride.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda (photo: Love City Excursions)

I had just one more question to ask before wrapping up our interview. What is the BEST and WORST part about living on St. John? Katie answered, “The worst. Ahhh. Island life challenges. The normal things: groceries are expensive (almond butter is $27.99), apartments are at a premium and very scarce right now, gas is expensive, our power goes out a lot, everything takes a long time to accomplish, our apartment floods when it rains, you’re always fighting mold and mosquitos, sometimes there are scorpions in your bed (or on your pillow,) I received mail last week from December of 2014, and things just don’t work the same here. We all joke that we’re about ten years behind the states. And the hardest thing of all is being away from our families. But on the flip side, the BEST part of living here. Easy. The community here. Everyone helps everyone else and anytime someone is in need the entire community bands together to help anyway they can. That’s also probably why it’s called Love City, or at least a large part of it. St. John is safe, beyond beautiful, and we are SO lucky to call it home.

Trunk Bay Overlook (photo: Love City Excursions)

Would you like to find out more about booking an excursion with Katie, Joe and Love City Excursions?
Call them at 1.340.998.7604 or email: [email protected]

Check out their website for more info: Love City Excursions,
and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all their latest news and info!

November 22, 2015June 6, 2019

Tree Limin’ Extreme – Ziplining in St. Thomas

We arrived early on a Monday morning at Tree Limin’ Extreme to try out their zipline experience, currently listed as the #1 Outdoor Activity in St. Thomas on Trip Advisor. Thinking the skies would be clearest and the photo ops the best first thing in the morning, we requested an early time slot. Since we had a rental car the week we were in St. Thomas and were staying on the south side of the island, we left pretty early for our 8:20 am requested time of arrival.

This was not our first time ziplining; we’d ziplined once in Kauai and once in Jamaica, and even though we were not new to this type of experience, we were still just a tad bit apprehensive.

Once we got there, we checked in and were greeted by our guides for the day – Kyle and Leon.

Both super friendly, they immediately drew us in with their gregarious personalities.

Leon helping our group with their gear.

Our group of 7 had a lot of questions, and they took the time to make sure everyone felt at ease as we got strapped in for our ride high atop St. Thomas.

Don’t forget to rub the lucky coconut!

We all rubbed the lucky coconut to ensure our safe return, then made our way up to the Pinzgauer, the rugged vehicle that took us up the steep embankment to the first line.

Once at the top, Leon and Kyle gave us our instructions, a safety briefing and one last chance to change our mind about the whole thing. No one chickened out, and although the adrenaline was pumping, we all climbed the steps to the first zip.

Our Zipline Experience Video
(if you don’t have your own Go Pro, you can rent one at the desk to film your own experience!)

There are 6 ziplines and 2 sky bridges (suspension bridges) on the course as well as absolutely stunning views of Magens Bay and the islands surrounding St. Thomas.

Sky Bridge #1

The ziplines take you through the dense jungle where we spotted quite a few iguanas hanging out in the trees and enjoyed the serenade of coki frogs and tropical birds.

Each line is different, and our guides would give us tips on getting the most out of each one. Both Leon and Kyle (ok, mostly Leon) encouraged us to scream like crazy as we were zipping to scare the zippers behind us, and some of us (we won’t name names here) had no problem complying, whether it was voluntary or not…

The views were amazing everywhere we looked and we enjoyed reading the island information printed on the signs on each platform.

View of Magens Bay from one of the platforms

The sign on one of the platforms above Megans Bay

We got to the last line way too soon. Even though the tour takes between 2 – 2.5 hours, we were having such a great time that the time just “zipped” by.

Sky Bridge #2

A rainbow over our last zipline

The last line was interesting. It was preceded by the second and highest sky bridge. The drop looked to be the greatest of the 6 and this one didn’t end on a regular platform at the end. Once we stepped off the platform, we flew quickly down through the jungle and then yo-yoed back and forth a few times before being guided down a platform ladder in the middle of the line.

The last zipline

We watched from below as the rest of our party came in for a landing, then headed down the path with visions of the fun experience still fresh on our minds.

What did we like best about our Tree Limin’ Adventure? Our guides were great and made us feel extremely safe and comfortable – even while hurling ourselves off a platform into the trees! They followed the safety procedures to a “T”, and took the time to answer any questions our group had. The views were spectacular and may have been worth the price of admission alone. And the best part of it all was just the chance to enjoy the beauty of St. Thomas while experiencing an adrenaline rush through the lush tropics of the island…

Have you ziplined with Tree Limin’ Extreme? Tell us about it!

To find out more about the zipline experience and how to book your own adventure, go to the Tree Limin’ Extreme Website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Find Tree Limin’ Extreme on our St. Thomas Map

To see more St. Thomas and other island posts, check out our Island Blog Directory