USVI St John, United States Virgin Islands
Also within 20 km of Cruz Bay
- Turner Bay Surf spot · 0.7 km from Cruz Bay
- Cinnamon Bay Surf spot · 5.2 km from Cruz Bay
- John's Folley Surf spot · 10 km from Cruz Bay
- Great Tobago Dive site · 13.9 km from Cruz Bay
Watch this spot We email you when USVI St John is worth the trip.
About USVI St John
Known for kitesurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces S, so wind from the N blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 29°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing S. Wind from the S blows onshore, wind from the N blows out to sea, and wind from the W or E runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 8). The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at intermediate level the best months are usually June and July, with about 5 good days in 7; in September, October and November, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Cruz Bay. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 9 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to STT, direct.
See flights ORD → STT · Skyscanner from about £245 returnAdGetting there. 45 min from the airport to USVI St John.
Accommodation.
Stay in Cruz BayAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Cruz Bay (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Cruz Bay 10 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 65 places to stay
Places to stay in Cruz Bay · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Kitesurfing lessons in Cruz Bay · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Cruz Bay · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
USVI St John on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Best on Sat 24: 15 kn gusting 19, side-onshore. Water: chop.
The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-south-east, 8 knots | 11kn | side-on | chop |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east, 7 knots | 10kn | side | chop |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east, 7 knots | 10kn | side | chop |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-east, 9 knots | 11kn | side-on | chop |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-east, 8 knots | 12kn | side-on | chop |
| Fri 23Oct | 23, poor | wind from the south-east, 13 knots | 17kn | side-on | chop |
| Sat 24Oct | 79, good | wind from the south-east, 15 knots | 19kn | side-on | chop |
| Sun 25Oct | 47, fair | wind from the south-east, 13 knots | 17kn | side-on | chop |
| Mon 26Oct | 74, good | wind from the south-east, 15 knots | 19kn | side-on | chop |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-south-east, 12 knots | 18kn | side-on | chop |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan3of 7
- Feb3of 7
- Mar3of 7
- Apr3of 7
- May4of 7
- Jun5of 7
- Jul5of 7
- Aug3of 7
- Sep2of 7
- Oct2of 7
- Nov2of 7
- Dec3of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to STT, then 45 min by road. About 9h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 7 kn gusting 10, side-shore. Water: chop.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 11, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 8 kn gusting 12, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 13 kn gusting 17, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Sat 24 OctKite USVI St John
15 kn gusting 19, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to STT, then 45 min by road. About 9h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £645–£1,220 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £245–£510
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Taxi £45–£75
- Stay £165–£280
- Food £155–£290
Places to eat near Cruz Bay
- Cafe RomaItalian · in the centre
- De' Coal PotCaribbean · in the centre
- The Tap and StillBurger · in the centre
- Upstairs Bar and GrilleBar and grill · in the centre
- Woody's Seafood SaloonSeafood · in the centre
- Extra Virgin BistroItalian · 0.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.