St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Love City

Smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John is only nine miles by three miles, and two-thirds of that area is national park.

In colonial times almost the entire island was clear-cut to make room for sugar cane; now there is fervent support for protecting the new growth, much of it introduced. Hiking trails of all lengths and levels of difficulty traverse these acres, and lead through the ruins of plantations. The park also contains 5,650 acres of submerged land, with an abundance of coral gardens.

Trunk Bay, one of the world’s most stunning beaches, offers a marked under-sea snorkeling trail so you know what you are looking at.