A day in the life of house sitting on St John, US Virgin Islands

We landed an amazing house sit on the small island of St John, in the US Virgin Islands, using TrustedHousesitters. The experience was incredible; for three months we lived like locals, ran and swam with two beautiful dogs and made new friendships that will last a lifetime. Each day we found new ways to explore. 

Waking up never felt so good...

There was no need for curtains. With a view like this, you wanted to wake up for the sunrise. The dogs would be waiting at the end of the bed with wagging tails. 

Walks through wreckage

St John was hit badly by Hurricane Irma (September 2017) and there was still significant damage to a lot of the island’s infrastructure, even six months later - luckily the house we were staying in did not get hit, however, it was difficult viewing the places that did suffer a large amount of damage. 

Donkey Stop

There’s no letterboxes or even street addresses for most houses on the island. So, a short drive into Cruz Bay “town”, was a near daily occurrence. After a week we knew everyone. They’re a chatty bunch. It’s a super friendly, little community that takes care of each other. The dogs would often ride in the car and bark at the wild donkeys that roamed the island.

Beach is the word

This was our (and the dogs) favourite part of the day. The beaches! You want a long, white sandy beach, you got it. You want a short pebbly beach, it’s there too. The island is nearly 70% national park, so dogs are limited to a select few. But there was more than enough on offer. Our favourite was Kiddle Beach. The dogs loved the water and would swim, sleep, swim some more and of course cuddle up for some beach time love.

Fish TV

As mentioned, the island is mostly national park. That goes for the ocean too. Designated marine park areas mean that no fishing or building can occur. So, the conditions are pristine. We’d snorkel around the little bays (the dogs would follow us along the shore) and watch fish (and dolphin!) TV.

Baths and a beverage

The dogs would get a wash (which they actually quite enjoyed) and a brush each day. Then they were happy to relax and kick back in the afternoons. So, we would do a little work (on our computers) and finish off the day with a drink on the deck. Not bad.

The experience was amazing, with so many memories made. We would go back again for sure. The island is full of stunning scenery of which we got explore and film. See our YouTube video here.

Or check out our photos on Instagram (@thedharmatrails) or for more house sitting inspiration; our website

Aaron & Vivien
The Dharma Trails

We love to hear our members stories, so make sure to send yours to stories@trustedhousesitters.com.