The last stop on my cruise was actually the very reason for taking the cruise at all.



Cruising was never at the top of my bucket list, but visiting all of the national parks IS. And, there are several that are best visited via cruise.



The Virgin Islands are a group of islands that are split between Britain and the U.S. The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas.



St. John specifically is about 60% designated as a National Park. And that, folks, is the entire reason for this trip. To mark off the US Virgin Islands National Park on my list.



We docked in Charlotte Amalie, which is the capital. Then, I went in search of a quick breakfast before my excursion started.



I landed at Delly Deck, which is a popular diner that has been around since 1976. They offer traditional breakfast fare, like omelettes, pancakes & waffles, hash browns, the works.



I started with bush tea. Bush tea is a traditional morning drink in the Virgin Islands that's made from a variety of herbs, flowers, and fruits like lemongrass, basil, mint, bay leaves, ginger, cinnamon, soursop leaves. Not for me.



I did a single blueberry pancake because sometimes a diner pancake just hits right. This one did.



I also did eggs benedict to fill me up. This was a very homestyle version and could've used some more seasoning. But not bad.



Either way, I was stuffed and ready for my excursion.



My excursion started with a boat ride from St. Thomas over to St. John. On the way over, we did see a few famous spots, which included a house that appeared on Charlie's Angels, the famous dolphin house, Jeff Bezos' yacht and even Jeffrey Epstein's island.



My first stop was Trunk Bay, which was absolutely beautiful. I even was able to find a shady spot and enjoy watching the waves. And, of course, grab a snack at the Trunk Bay Snack Shack.



I had pulled pork nachos with tomatoes and sour cream, which was pretty average. The views, though, you can't beat.

St. Martin is one island split between two countries: France and The Netherlands. Saint Martin is the northern French side, while Sint Maarten is the southern Dutch side.



So, my first port day, I did an official excursion. On my second port day, I Ubered and walked around the city. On this port day, I rented a car so I could go see everything that I wanted.



We docked the ship in Philipsburg in the Netherlands side, and I picked up my rental car, and I was off! I first went right across the border to the French side, and aside from a marker on the side of the road, you wouldn't even know!



I drove to the Orient Bay, which is known for its white sands and turquoise water. It was beautiful and lovely, but I was ready for the next stop, which was L'Express by Bacchus.



This French cafe and bakery is what dreams are made of. At first, I was a bit overwhelmed with the choices, and everyone was speaking French. And while I took many years of French, it's different to hear it spoken casually and so quickly!



I took a step back out of line to take it all in. There were pastries and eclairs and cakes and crepes and pizza and sandwiches and more.



I ended up with a fruit tart, which is usually one of my favorites. It has a cookie base with glazed fruit. And this one was no exception. It was fruity, sweet and so satisfying.



I also enjoyed an entremet, which is a layered dessert that had cream and chocolate.



I figured I should also add some actual food to my order, so I opted for a slice of cheese pizza. I did not realize it would include blue cheese, so it was pretty funky. But I wasn't mad at it.



It did also have a tomato, so that helped cut through some of the funkiness.



There were so many other items that I wanted to take with me, but I only had so much time.



I also went to Bacchus, which had a restaurant portion and a beverage portion. I was too early for the restaurant. So I just looked around the beverages they had available for purchase.



I also went across the street to a grocery shop to check out what they had to offer.



Then, it was over to the Grand Case area to sightsee and check out the lolos.



In Grand Case, the lolos are located on the main street in the heart of the town, which is also along the seafront. They are all together, next to one another.



"On Saint Martin and many other islands of the West Indies, a lolo is a small, traditional restaurant (about 300 square feet) centered around a barbecue. The kitchen is entirely open and the tables are arranged around the cooking area and along the vast terrace that generally spills out onto the street. This picturesque culinary temple oozes with authenticity and serves up all the local specialties. On the menu you’ll find chicken curry, conch stew, fresh fish from the day’s catch, spicy shrimp, oxtail, crab colombo, and the famous crab and rice." (SOURCE)



"A lolo is a meeting place where high spirits and modest prices are the name of the game. Saint Martin’s lolos have remained rooted in their land and traditions, and still fulfill a social purpose. They are the best place to experience the community spirit and hospitality that define Saint Martin. You’ll soon be longing to return!"



"The story behind “lolos” goes back to the 17th century and the days of colonization. It all began in the warehouses that were set up in the middle of plantations. Slaves and merchandise were stored there prior to being used or sold. Over time, the slaves’ living quarters became whole districts. These districts gradually formed small villages. The warehouses remained and became local food outlets. Retailers used a sale unit called a “lot”. So the name of these outlets naturally evolved to “lolo”. The first lolos had bar areas which were very popular because they stayed open late. The owners would share local gossip over a drink and keep a tab open for their regular customers. Socially, the lolos played a vital role outside of working hours. These neighborhood hot spots became important drivers of social cohesion and are now deep-rooted in the heritage of the West Indies. It isn’t surprising then, that the bar side gradually developed, transforming yesterday’s lolos into today’s little traditional restaurants that draw many a visitor in."



I stopped at the Sky's The Limit Lolo.



I went for what they had on special, which was barbecue chicken, which came with rice and peas, potato salad, green salad, coleslaw, plantain, green peas, macaroni and cheese and lasagna.



Every single thing was so good. I love how you get a nice variety of food, which not only fills you up, but gives you some fun options. It was very warm outside, but even though the chicken was piping hot, I ate every bite.



Next, we're heading to the Marigot Market.



I wanted to find this woman statue and the I <3 SXM sign.



At the market, I scoped out a juice spot to help stay hydrated.



Fruits & Roots is a snack juice bar located at the Marigot Waterfront in Saint Martin. They serve smoothies, natural juices, snowcones, shakes, snacks, and more.



I did the strawberry cooler, which had strawberry, orange and banana. It was so hot that I think the smoothie melted almost instantly, but it was perfectly refreshing while it lasted.



Next up was Maho Beach.



You have probably seen photos of airplanes flying over the ocean and looking like they are barely landing on the shore. That's Maho Beach.



Maho Beach is world-famous for its close encounters with airplanes, particularly during landings. The planes approach the runway from over the ocean, flying just above the beach before touching down.



I started making my way back toward port when I saw a McDonald's.



I was super curious to see if they had any special items on their menu since it's a different country.



I swung into the drive-through, which was a very narrow alley behind a building, and looked over the menu.



The only thing that stuck out to me was the Big Mac with chicken. At the time, this wasn't offered in the states so it was unique.



I wasn't a huge fan. The chicken they use is not great quality, so it wasn't super appealing.



Then, I wanted to squeeze in just one more meal before leaving the island.



I spied Chesterfields Restaurant & Bar just outside of the port.



The Chesterfield Restaurant is a seaside restaurant with stunning views of the beautiful Great Bay beach.



This restaurant has sea-themed decor and serves delicious seafood dishes such as lobster, shrimp, scallops, and fresh fish like grouper, mahi-mahi, tuna, and conch fritters.



I had to try the conch fritters before leaving the island. Diced conch, onions & spices in a homemade batter, and deep-fried until golden brown



Conch fritters are a Caribbean dish made from minced conch meat (a type of large sea snail) mixed into a seasoned batter and then deep-fried, typically served as an appetizer and often accompanied by a dipping sauce; they are considered a Bahamian delicacy, with variations including chopped vegetables like onions, peppers, and celery in the batter, along with spices like cayenne pepper and lemon juice.



Honestly, I would've rather had these not deep-fried. It just was heavy and hot on such a hot day. They reminded me a bit of calamari.



I ordered the Mahi Royale - Filet of Mahi Mahi topped with crabmeat stuffing and a creamy white wine sauce.



I was so stuffed at this point after eating everywhere all day, but the crab meat was spectacular, and the mahi was delicious. all was made better by that rich creamy sauce.



Have you been?