How to get to Trunk Bay Without a Ship Excursion

Think you have to book an excursion to get to one of the most stunning beaches in the world? Think again! In this post we’ll outline how to get to Trunk Bay Without a Ship Excursion!

Trunk Bay is arguably one of the most recognized beaches in the world. Trunk Bay, and nearby Magens Bay, have consistently ranked as some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. The beach is located on the northwestern side of the picturesque island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

Trunk Bay got its name for the leatherback turtle, which locals call trunks. Formally known as Trunkscildpatt, these massive turtles can be as large as 9 feet and weigh over 2,000 pounds. The bay is home to a 0.30-mile crescent of powdery sand and a famed snorkeling trail.

If you’re considering visiting St. John from St. Thomas, it is easy to get to Trunk Bay without a ship excursion and is totally worth the trip!

Trunk Bay is sheer paradise! Picture lush green velvety hillsides bordered by vibrant blue waters and sugary white beaches. Sound like heaven? That’s because it is! Luckily, getting to the beach is relatively easy, even without booking an excursion.

Table of Contents

Trunk Bay- For the History Buffs

Archeologists have found remnants of a settlement that dates back to 700 AD. These people, known as the Tainos, grew yucca, fished, gathered fruit, and created pottery, tools, and weapons. It appears the Tainos lived in the area until 900 AD, and left rather quickly- as evidenced by cooking pots still filled with food.

Centuries later, Denmark staked a claim on the island of St. John. Remnants of the Danish sugar cane plantations can be found dotting the island.

Laurence S. Rockefeller, of the famed Rockefeller family, fell in love with the marvelous picturesque beach, the warm, calm, turquoise waters, and the rolling green hills. He purchased more than 5,000 acres of land on the island and donated it to create what is now known as the Virgin Islands National Park. Today, the park covers nearly 2/3 of the island and includes Trunk Bay.

How Do I Get to Trunk Bay?

Every single cruise line offers excursions to Trunk Bay. They typically give you about 2 hours at this beach, although some may offer a little bit more time on the sand. If you are booking an excursion, try to book the earliest one possible. The beach can be crowded, especially when there are multiple ships in port.

How Do I Get to Trunk Bay on My Own?

If you’d rather strike it out on your own, it is easy to get to Trunk Bay on your own. All major cruise lines dock in either Charlotte Amalie or Crown Bay. Whether you book an excursion through the cruise line, or decide to get to Trunk Bay on your own, you’ll end up having to take the Red Hook Ferry.

In order to get to Trunk Bay on your own, you’ll want to try to be one of the first groups off of the ship. Once you’re off the ship, find the taxi stand and hail a cab to the Red Hook Ferry- easily accessible from cruise terminals.

The ferry departs Red Hook at 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:00am, 9:00am, 10:00am, 11:00am, and 12:00pm. The return ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook departs at 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm, 5:00pm, and 6:00pm. Be sure to account for travel time from Red Hook back to the ship when selecting your departure time. You’ll also want to leave a cushion just in case the line to get back onto the ship is long (spoiler alert: it probably will be). The ferry takes about 20 minutes to get from Red Hook to Cruz Bay.

Once your on the island of St. John, you’ll be in an area known as Cruz Bay. Grab a taxi and ask them to take you to Trunk Bay, which is about 3 miles away. Most drivers will pull over at scenic lookouts so that you can snap some photos of the island.

The bay is located within Virgin Islands National Park. Admission to the park itself is free, however if you want to visit Trunk Bay, you’ll need to purchase the Trunk Bay Day Pass which is $5 per adult ($2.50 for senior citizens). If you have the America the Beautiful National Park Pass, admission is free.

Based on our experience, it’s actually cheaper to get to St. John on your own- we were able to visit for about 1/3 of the cost when we did it on our own vs. when we did it with an excursion. We also got to spend more time at the beach.

Once You're at Trunk Bay....

The highlight of Trunk Bay is the 225-yard-long Underwater Trail. This snorkeling trail is completely underwater and follows along the reef system. Here, you can try your hand at underwater photography and snorkeling. There are rental facilities at the beach/park that offer snorkel equipment rentals.

If snorkeling is not your jam, you can also bask in the tropical sun on the sugary sand beach. The rental shop has chairs that you can rent for the day. Other activities include hiking trails, exploring the ruins of historic sugar plantations and St. John’s Danish colonial past.

What we love most is the fact that Trunk Bay is totally kid-friendly! The calm waters, rental options, and outdoor activities make it a great spot for families to spend the day.

There are limited concessions on the beach. There is a snack bar, showers, and restrooms. The snack bar is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

You can rent masks, snorkels, and fins from the Beach Bum Snorkel Rental (the same building as the snack shack). The gear must be retuned by 3:00.