All Rights Reserved Much of the island's natural beauty has been preserved thanks to the efforts of American financier Laurance Rockefeller. In the 1950s, he made extensive donations of land to the federal government to help establish the Virgin Islands National Park. Today the park protects about two-thirds of St. John, including over 5,600 acres of offshore marine areas. There are a myriad of ways to explore St. John's unspoiled terrain. You can hire a taxi for a personalized tour, or participate in a minibus tour.
Jeeps are available for rent, as are mountain bikes.
You can learn about St. John's history and culture by visiting the Elaine Ione Sprauve Library and Museum, a five-minute drive from downtown Cruz Bay. The museum, actually a restored plantation greathouse, has an interesting collection of photographs, newspaper clippings, paintings, drawings and handicrafts by local artists and artisans. If you decide to journey around the island, the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, on the north coast, will make a memorable stop. Here you can tour the factory buildings and windmill of this 1733 estate and get sensational views of the Caribbean. Periodic craft demonstrations, such as basket weaving, are conducted by local residents.