The best days on St. John are spent on a beach. Though with so many world class beaches to choose from, it’s often tough to narrow down your choices for your day in the sunshine. One technique we use to make our selection for the perfect island beach day is to whittle down the list to the beaches where the beach bars can be found!
For those looking to enjoy a day at the beach, complete with drinks and food that you don’t have to schlep there yourself, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top 5 lunchtime beach bars that we recommend dining – and lounging – at on St. John:
1) Bikinis on the Beach – Located inside Caneel Bay Resort on the famous Honeymoon Beach,
Bikinis on the Beach serves up ice cold tropical drinks and grilled-to-order lunch daily. This is an excellent option for when you’re looking for a full service day on the beach. With your
Honeymoon Beach Day Pass, you get access to chaise lounge chairs, kayaks, SUP boards, snorkel gear, pool floats, a locker for your valuables, and clean restrooms with changing facilities. Our most popular cocktail is the “Painquilla” – a play on the traditional island Painkiller but with tequila instead of rum. This one will definitely have you feeling “made in the shade.”
2) High Tide – One of the coolest things about St. John is that our main downtown area – Cruz Bay – is built around a gorgeous beach. Here you can relax in a chair with your toes in the sand and people-watch all those coming and going on the main ferry dock and in the charter boats of the bay. When your stomach starts to rumble,
High Tide has got you covered. They’re open for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner daily, and sports fans will appreciate their big screens broadcasting popular games. Their signature beverage, also named “High Tide,” is the official drink of the Kenny Chesney No Shoes Nation.
3) Maho Crossroads – Located across the street from Maho Bay beach,
Maho Crossroads is a “self-powered, pop-up village” that features a tiki bar, food truck, and shops. The wide, white sand beach is one of St. John’s most popular spots for a well-rounded beach day of snorkeling and sunbathing. The Paddle-in Tiki Bar’s signature drink is called a “CocoMaho” and trust us – once you have one, you always want a second!
4) Trunk Bay Snack Bar – This is St. John’s most photographed beach for a reason: it’s a stunner that looks good in every kind of light. Spending the day here is fun for the whole family and convenient when it comes to parking, showers, and bathroom facilities. After exploring the underwater snorkel trail, you’ll no doubt be famished from your time in the tropical sun. Trunk Bay’s Snack Shack is a casual concession stand complete with a bar – no shoes, no shirt required.
5) Lime Out – One of the newest additions to St. John,
Lime Out has quickly become a must-see island hot spot. This floating taco bar is located at Hansen Bay on the east end of the island. To get there, you can rent glass bottom kayaks (perfect for checking out the reef on your way out) at Saltwell Bottom Beach from Ash for $15 per hour (text or call 1-340-228-0064). Lime Out is open Tuesday through Sunday and serves up hand-crafted cocktails alongside some of the tastiest tacos the Caribbean has to offer.
What’s your favorite beach bar for lunch on St. John?
