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Published: 10/9/24
What To Pack For A Week on St John USVI
My U.S. Virgin Islands packing list covers everything you need to bring on a weeklong trip to this special United States territory.
If you’re heading to St. John or St. Thomas for a winter week in tropical paradise, I’m sharing everything I packed for my week on St. John in January 2024. I’ve got you covered with super specific details on what to pack, including how many sandals and swimsuits, what brand of sunscreen to bring along, and the beach accessory I wished I’d packed more of.
While I struggled a little with packing for Key West, I found my Hawaii packing list served as an excellent guide for my Virgin Islands packing. Of course, no packing job is ever perfect. I definitely made a couple packing foibles that I’ll share so you can learn from my mistakes. One item that would have saved me a ton of hassle and time if I’d remembered it!
My printable U.S. Virgin Islands packing list PDF takes you step by step through every item you should pack for your Caribbean vacation. Best of all, if you follow this guide exactly, it will all fit in a carry-on suitcase. I used my carry-on (which I checked) for this trip and had plenty of room for souvenirs – including a full bottle of rum – on the return trip.
Read on for my complete U.S. Virgin Islands packing guide!
Absolute U.S. Virgin Island Packing Necessities
- Sandals – Be sure to have a casual set for the beach and “in town” activities as well as a sturdier pair for hiking.
- Long-sleeve sunshirts – I packed one of these lightweight shirts for the trip, bought another while on St. John, and could have used a third.
- Reef-safe sunscreen – We learned on this trip that basically any sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or above is not reef-safe regardless of how it’s marketed. Keep the Caribbean ecosystem healthy by using a reef-safe SPF 30 and applying it more frequently.
- Global Entry card – Although St. John is located in a U.S. Territory, you must clear U.S. Customs at the St. Thomas airport before your return flight. (This is because the airport is also the main access point to the British Virgin Islands.) If you have Global Entry, you can take advantage of an expedited process, but only if you can physically present your card. Guess who didn’t have hers . . . .
- Sundresses – It’s nice to bring a couple to use as beach cover ups and to dress up for nice dinners out.
- Disposable rain poncho – Unlike Key West, I don’t think you need to bother with rain gear for the USVI, but Angie’s stash of ponchos sure made our rainy wait for the ferry on the last day a lot nicer!
- Cash – If you’re planning to use taxis to get around the island, make sure you bring amble cash since taxi drivers only accept cash and will expect a small tip on top of the base rate. Additionally, many USVI restaurants charge credit card processing fees, so you may use more cash than anticipated.
What You Don’t Need To Pack For A U.S. Virgin Islands Trip
- Make-up – Between the humidity, multiple dips into the ocean each day, and mandatory sunscreen applications, wearing make up in the Caribbean is an exercise in futility. Save yourself some headaches (and space in your suitcase) and leave the make-up bag at home. Pretty much everyone I saw on St. John was rocking the face God gave them. It’s quite refreshing!
- Bug spray – I saw bug spray recommended on multiple USVI packing lists before our visit. What I didn’t see on St. John, despite some hikes deep into the island’s jungle, was a single mosquito. If you’re worried about mosquitos, I’d pack these bug spray wipes since they’re light, mess-free, and easy to throw into a backpack “just in case.”
- Snorkel gear – If you’re a snorkeling enthusiast by all means, pack your own mask. However, if you’re a dabbler like me, there’s no reason to invest money and suitcase space on specialized gear you’ll only use on vacation. You’ll find masks and fins for rent pretty much everywhere you turn on St. John. I saw the best rental rates in Cruz Bay.
- Jean shorts – They sure looked cute, but they were clammy messes by the end of a beach day. If you are just wearing them to hike, you’d be fine, but beaches are so abundant on the U.S. Virgin Islands that I really don’t recommend them.
- Passport – If you’re a U.S. Citizen, there’s no need to bring your passport along since the U.S. Virgin Islands are a U.S. territory. Your driver’s license or other state issued id is all you need to board your flight and clear customs at the end of your trip.
- Beach towels – Double check with your rental beforehand, but chances are, you’ll have access to plenty of beach towels and don’t need to pack any. Happily the Westin provided an easy towel exchange and allows guests to take towels off-site.
My St John USVI Luggage
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Monos Roller Bag  |
Camelbak H.A.W.G Backpack  |
Pacsafe Convertible Backpack  Pacsafe Women’s Citysafe Cx Anti Theft Convertible Backpack-Fits 10″ Tablet, Black |
Checked luggage – I used my Monos Carry-On Plus and opted to check it since we had a layover. I also hate babysitting my luggage and wanted to bring a full bottle of rum home with me!
Carry-on – The H.A.W.G Mil Spec Backpack is my absolute favorite backpack to use for a carry-on. Once on the island, I used it as my day bag and it worked equally well for St. John beaches and hikes.
Personal item– I’m still in love with my convertible Pacsafe Backpack. I originally bought this for my trip to Savannah, GA and it’s been on every trip since. I use it as a crossbody bag on the plane, then convert it to a backpack when I reach my destination.
Essential U.S. Virgin Islands Accessories
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Wallaroo Sunhat  |
Maui Jim Sunglasses  Maui Jim Women’s Sugar Cane Polarized Classic Sunglasses, Lilac Sunset/Maui Rose®, Medium |
Waterproof Phone Case  |
Wallaroo Victoria Packable Sun Hat – From theme parks to volcanic islands, this lightweight sunhat has crisscrossed the globe with me. It’s such an easy way to add a layer of sun protection while lounging on the U.S Virgin Islands’ beautiful, white sand beaches.
Maui Jim Sunglasses – A good pair of sunglasses are essential for a USVI. My Maui Jims have been one of my most constant travel companion. I’ve had them since a trip to Ireland in 2018!
Waterproof camera holder – This waterproof phone case was the real USVI MVP. I used it almost every day while at the beach to keep sand out of my phone, while snorkeling, and especially at the Lime Out float up taco bar!
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Wet Bag  |
Reef-safe Sunscreen  |
Beach Blanket  |
Wet Bag – I actually purchased this wet bag in Cruz Bay towards the end of my week on St. John. I really wished I’d found it earlier because it would have saved me some soggy taxi rides in my wet swimsuit. There’s even a zippered pocket on the front where you can stash sandy shoes!
Reef-safe sunscreen – About 40% of Virgin Islands National Park is underwater, including a bunch of very sensitive coral, like the reef at Trunk Bay Beach. However, the chemicals from sunscreen are particularly harmful to the underwater ecosystem, so it’s critical to wear reef-safe sunscreen. I prefer a spray for my body, but use Sun Bum SPF 50 facial sunscreen for my sensitive face.
Beach blanket – If you’re planning to spend a lot of time at the beach in the Virgin Islands (and I bet you are!) a waterproof beach blanket is a great way to keep sand out of all of your stuff and really helps you stake a claim to small portion of the beach.
Water bottle – Yes, I am an millennial with a cadre of emotional support water bottles. Of all the water bottles in the world, I still think the classic 32 oz Nalgene bottle is the best all around bottle for travel.
U.S. Virgin Islands Winter Clothing Must-Haves
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Keen Sandals  KEEN Women’s Whisper Closed Toe Sport Sandals, Medium Grey/Peacock Green, 10 US |
Maxi Dress  |
Active Shorts  |
Keen sneaker sandals – These Keen sandal sneakers were perfect for active days on St. John. I wore them on all of our hikes (including 6 mile trek from one end of the island to the other) and they worked equally well at the beach.
Long sundress – I packed a couple sundresses for this trip, but found I preferred a maxi dress for evenings out in Cruz Bay. After all day at the beach, I loved changing into a long dress for a casual, but put-together look for dinner.
Active wear shorts – During my trips to Key West and Hawaii, I preferred having a mix of jean, linen, and active wear shorts. However, for my week on St. John, I wished I’d just packed several pairs of my favorite activewear shorts from Title Nine. Quick dry, with lots of useful pockets, they were the perfect shorts for USVI beaches, hikes, and wandering.
Other US Virgin Islands Clothing Essentials
Long sleeved sun shirt– I never really used my long sleeved sun shirt to its full extent until this trip to the USVI. Since it provides UPF 50+ sun protection, I wore it all day on beach days. It was never too warm and it was so nice not to have to worry about applying sunscreen. I loved it so much I ended up buying a second sun shirt while we were on the island!
If you’re shopping around for sun protection clothing, check out Coolibar, a great Minnesota-based company.
Swimsuit – You will want to bring at least two swimsuits so you always have a dry-ish suit to put on each morning. (Happily our apartment in the Westin had a washer and dryer.) I love my Cupshe halter one piece.
Sarong wrap – I use this as a beach cover-up. Lightweight and dries in a flash! It also can double as a beach blanket or towel.
USVI Clothing
Plane outfit – Cotopaxi fleece, Minus 33 merino wool t-shirt, joggers, and sneakers.
Quick dry sundress – This quick dry Columbia sun dress also makes a great beach cover up.
Three tank tops – I like Carly Jeans Los Angeles Favorite Tanks and Title Nine active tanks
Linen shorts – I love these Athleta shorts, especially their deep pockets which fit my phone.
Underwear 1x number of days
Socks x 2 – I’m not really sure when you’d wear these other than the plane, but people always get squirrelly when I suggest they don’t need socks . . . .
Bras x 2 (1 sports)
Lightweight pajamas
Teva sandals – These cross strap sandals are fancy enough to pair with dresses, but also sturdy enough to withstand a full day of fun in the sun whether you’re exploring the Orlando theme parks or the jungles of St. John.
What You Actually Need to Pack for the US Virgin Islands
Below is a printable U.S. Virgin Islands packing list of what I’ll actually pack next time I’m in Caribbean for a week long winter break.
If you don’t have access to laundry during your trip, I’d recommend bring one more of each type of clothing item listed.
Printable US Virgin Islands Packing List
