Active Things To Do in St. John

Almost everything you can do in St. John is an active pursuit -- except perhaps lying on the beach. After all, most visitors come to St. John specifically for active outdoor recreation, so just about everything you can do on the island is guaranteed to get the blood flowing and the heartrate up!

Since beach and ocean is what St. John is most famous for, some of the best activities involve being on (or under) the water. Whether it be kayaking, scuba diving, sailing, or fishing, you can either go it alone -- take yourself and your snorkel to a gorgeous beach like Leinster Bay -- or have someone else take you.

Companies like Arawak Expeditions offer guided kayak tours around St. John's beautiful north shore which let you learn about the tiny islands and colorful reefs. World Class Anglers takes visitors on excursions to catch kingfish, tarpon, barracuda, shark, tuna, wahoo, and more. Sailing charters are offered by companies such as Sail Safaris, and Low Key Watersports is a good place to catch a SCUBA dive tour. If you're not certified, you can always try SNUBA (a cross between SCUBA and snorkeling), which is available at V.I. SNUBA Excursions in Cruz Bay.

If you want to get outdoors but prefer to stay on land, there's horseback riding at the Carolina Corral, birdwatching with Natural Adventures, and of course hiking and exploring the national park.

There are miles of trails in the park, most of which take you past viewpoints, ruins, and even ancient petroglyphs. The Reef Bay Trail, which starts near Cinnamon Bay campground, is a good place to start. The National Park Service offers a series of free, ranger-led walks all around the island, where you'll learn about St. John's marine life, flora, fauna, local culture and history.

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