Camping in the U.S. Virgin Islands
St.John Campgrounds at Cinnamon and Maho Bay
St. John's eco-friendly campgrounds appeal to campers and non-campers alike because they provide several options ranging from rustic to almost luxurious.
Craving a Caribbean retreat, but don’t think you can afford it? You might think about camping. Falling asleep each night listening to the waters hit the shore and feeling the cool breeze of the trade winds, is something you won’t experience in the confinement of a resort. Most of the hotels, are near the sea, but are taxi drives away from the beaches. Camping surrounds you in lush terrain and puts you within walking distance to beautiful beaches, if not directly near the water.
St. John
St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands and is two-thirds national park, making it arguably the most beautiful of the Virgin Islands. Two campgrounds, Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay provide eco-friendly, unique accommodations that appeal to campers and non-campers alike. Camping can feel just as luxurious as staying in a posh hotel due to the amenities of the campgrounds and added benefits of being closer to nature and the beaches.
Cinnamon Bay
Cinnamon Bay Campground offers waterfront tent and cottage camping. Tents are provided; however, for the true outdoor enthusiast Cinnamon Bay Campground also has bare sites, so campers can bring their own tents or sleep out under the stars. With each site (except for the bare sites) comes a stove, gas lantern, picnic table, charcoal grill, ice chest, water container, storage bin and cooking and eating utensils. Clean linens are provided twice a week. And if you forgot to pack the bug spray, you can buy supplies at the Beach Shop or at the General Store, which are both on the premises. If you don’t feel like cooking out over the campfire, you can eat at T’ree Lizards Restaurant, which serves everything from cold drinks, snacks, dinner entrees and vegetarian entrees. If the sun and sea is not enough, you can take a class in sailing, or rent a sailboat, sailboard, or sea kayak to do your own tours. There is also an archeology exhibit to visit when you’re ready to take a break from activity and sun.
Maho Bay
Like Cinnamon Bay’s cottage camping, Maho Bay Camps offers tent-cottages that appeal to campers and non-campers alike. They have two eco-campgrounds, Maho Bay and Concordia. Also, like Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay has a general store, restaurant, and bath facilities. The tent cottages are fully stocked with electric lighting, propane stoves, cooking and eating utensils, storage containers, and an ice chests. The view from many of the tent-cottages is amazing; several are positioned right over the blue green waters of Maho Bay. Maho Bay’s beach shop has snorkel gear for rent, along with kayaks and catamarans. Or, you might go on a power boating, sailing, or scuba diving excursion. One of the most unique offerings of Maho Bay is the glass blowing. You can take a glass blowing class or sit in on nightly demonstrations. In the art center, you might also participate in other arts and crafts activities.
For those who like the idea of camping, but aren’t too sure about staying in a tent-cottage, Maho Bay’s Harmony Studios and Estate Concordia Studios provide an alternative sure to satisfy any non-camper. These apartment-like units are still in close proximity to nature and are made almost entirely of recycled materials. They are fully equipped with kitchenettes, microwaves, and other modern necessities.
Rates
Rates at Both Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay fluctuate depending on the time of year. The least expensive months are May through December. Check their websites for current costs.
