The lovely harbor town of Cruz Bay is the main port for St. John, an idyllic outpost in the U.S. Virgin Islands that can be reached only by ferry from nearby St. Thomas. Just 4,200 people live on St. John, while two-thirds of the island comprises the Virgin Islands National Park.  

On an island of exquisite beaches, perhaps none is more photographed than Trunk Bay, a beach maintained by the National Park Service and featuring an underwater snorkeling trail.  

Located on the quieter southern coast of St. John, Estate Concordia is a collection of low-impact, wood-frame tent cabins, each boasting sea views extending down Drunk Bay to Ram Head. Guests requiring slightly more amenities are accommodated in nine studios next door with full kitchens and a pool.  

Tucked into a secluded cove on St. John's northern shore, Turtle Bay is a wonderful hideaway—one of seven beaches that wrap around 160-acre Caneel Bay Resort.  

On a guided hike, a ranger explains about plantation ruins that dapple St. John's hillsides. At its peak in the mid-1800s, sugar was essentially the island's only industry, but the crop went into decline following the abolition of slavery in 1848.  

Backed by sea-grape and maho trees, Salomon Bay is less than a mile from St. John's main town, Cruz Bay. But as the beach can be reached only on foot, it is often deserted and private.  

Engulfed by the deep green tropical canopy typical of St. John's north coast, Hawksnest Bay lies within the national park boundary, meaning you'll find picnic areas, changing rooms, and ranger-lifeguards.  

Also within the Virgin Islands National Park, Cinnamon Bay is three-quarters of a mile of sugary white sand protected by offshore reefs. Laurance Rockefeller built the campground that sits just behind the beach, offering low-grade creature comforts in an unsurpassed setting.  

The Virgin Islands offer superb sailing waters, and the calm bays scalloping St. John's shoreline provide ample safe anchoring spots.  

In 1952, Laurance Rockefeller sailed into St. John, discovering a bucolic island with little more than a rudimentary fishing camp. He bought the camp, converting it into Caneel Bay Resort, a hotel that embraced its surroundings rather than leveling them, creating a one-of-a-kind retreat wrapped by seven beaches.  

The 170-acre Caneel Bay Resort is enveloped on all sides by the Virgin Islands National Park. Laurance Rockefeller cemented St. John's fortunes by buying up more than 4,000 acres of the island, turning it over to the director of the National Park Service in 1956. With subsequent purchases and gifts, the national park now encompasses two-thirds of the island.