Shopping in Cruz Bay
In keeping with the island’s overall atmosphere of relaxation and fun, the shops found in Cruz Bay will provide you with a nice bit of diversion that seems to pleasantly round off the vacation experience. While maintaining a high level of finesse, the many shops and boutiques at Cruz Bay will not only supply you and your fellow shoppers with much needed souvenirs, but they will offer you a chance to enjoy the quality that characterizes everything about the small town in Cruz Bay. The style of the town’s buildings ranges from tropical huts to the Old-World stone structures that hearken to the rich history of the island. Happy shoppers like you will take special pleasure in meandering through the town’s cool archways and under its palm-thatched roofs while warm Caribbean breezes waft in from sea and gently brush against your face and hair. In this environment, the focus is not on the sale, but rather on the moment, and how to make the most of it.
When checking out the local shops at Cruz Bay, you and other vacationers will find that a lot of care has been put into making the island mall both comfortable as well as accessible. The shops are all generally quite small, sharing building space with many others who wish to share their wares with you and other happy vacationers. This gives travelers like you the advantage of being able to browse through a selection of vendors who sell a wide variety of goods including everything from bags and purses to liquor, fine jewelry, gear for swimmers and even original local artwork. Some of the highest concentrations of shops can be found in the Wharfside Village and while walking down King Street. In addition, one of the more beautiful shopping places in the Virgin Islands is to be encountered at Mongoose Junction. Just as with the Wharfside Village and King Street, this shopping center is within close walking distance of the main ferry landing at Cruz Bay. One helpful tip for the shopper is to go straight to Mongoose Junction if he or she wishes to choose from a selection of hand made items including exquisite jewelry, authentic pottery, local paintings as well as clothing that is actually dyed and painted by hand. As have many others, you will find yourself coming back from St. John sporting fine souvenirs that you will cherish not only for their long-lasting quality, but for the great bargains that you were able to get them for. Buyer’s remorse is never an issue on this relaxed Caribbean island, where the spirit of giving is paramount, and the choice to buy is always made in relaxed, low-intensity scenarios.
Indeed, part of what makes shopping on St. John a particularly casual and agreeable experience is the way you and other shoppers will naturally flow through the shopping areas without feeling anything is being forced upon you; it’s just part of your fun-filled day. That’s because in addition to the shops themselves, Cruz Bay offers an excellent assortment of cafés and restaurants, adding to the all-around joy of the shopping experience. Shoppers like you will feel free to take a break at any time in order to sit down at nearby establishment and casually sip on a cool drink – or perhaps enjoy a hardy midday feast – while listening to the pleasant hum of other happy vacationers and the sound of waves crashing in the distance. Breaking up the day between playing at the beach, strolling through town and hanging out at a café or restaurant makes the typical vacationer’s lifestyle at Cruz Bay both relaxing and unforgettable. Where else, you will be asking yourself, can you take so much time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life? Really, it is hard to find anything that compares to the oasis of contentment that exists in the shopping centers of Cruz Bay, and this gives you all the more reason to buy a small memento to remember it by.