Our Favorite St. John Photo Ops

Chrissann Nickel • March 27, 2025
photos of St. John private photoshoot beautiful beaches US Virgin Islands

St. John is an incredibly picturesque island. Those white sand beaches, the sparkling aquamarine water, and those dramatic green hillsides… both locals and visitors alike can’t resist pulling out their phones to snap one more picture, again and again. And don’t get us started on those Virgin Islands sunsets!


Whether you’re a first time visitor to the island, or will be coming back soon on your 36th annual vacation, every trip to STJ is special—and every trip is worth commemorating with fresh photos. One of our newest experiences that we’re excited to offer is our Private Photoshoot Tour. On it, you’ll be matched with a talented professional photographer who will take you to some of St. John’s most stunning photo ops and take photos of you that are 1,000x better in framing, lighting, and style than those your well-meaning taxi driver took for you off the side of the road (he tried his best, but… we said what we said ;) ). 


In celebration of this new tour, we thought we would share some of our personal favorite photography spots on St. John. Here they are, in no particular order:

1) THE TRUNK BAY LOOKOUT

While this may be the #1 most photographed location on St. John, we had to include it! To catch one of the most beautiful beaches in the world from above isn’t something to skip, no matter how many other people have the same photo. It’s an iconic backdrop for a reason. 

Trunk Bay lookout photography tour St. John Virgin Islands

2) THE RAM HEAD TRAIL

The panoramic views at the top of this trail make for stunning photos. Not only can you see the neighboring islands in the distance, the rocky cliffside and colorful cacti add drama and color. 

3) THE WINDMILL BAR DECK

The sunsets here are out of this world and snagging a photo of your back and/or profiles staring off into setting sun makes for a wistful memory to take home. Or, better yet, snap one of you dancing to the live music at happy hour!

Windmill Bar sunset happy hour St. John VI

4) MAHO BAY THROUGH THE SEA GRAPES

This location really captures all of the best island elements in one shot. Beach time on the white sand, the blue water sparkling, and the lush green trees along the shoreline = pure magic. 

Maho Bay beach day photoshoot St. John Virgin Islands

5) THE REEF BAY TRAIL

This hike is particularly cool after a heavy rain when you can catch the rushing waterfalls in action. The Taino petroglyphs are a signature of St. John that you will definitely want a photo of, too. 

6) THE CRUZ BAY BEACH SCENE

Cruz Bay ferry landing St. John USVI

This is THE St. John scene and capturing it all—the boats, the ferry landing, the cocktail in hand, St. Thomas in the backdrop—snaps a visceral memory you’ll want to jump into whenever you’re missing St. John. 

Did we miss anything? What’s your favorite photo that you’ve taken on St. John?

Chrissann Nickel

About Chrissann Nickel

Chrissann Nickel is a writer & digital marketer who is passionate about all things tropical. An outdoor enthusiast, she spent 12+ years living between several islands in the Virgin Islands, exploring all there is to see both above and below the surface of the Caribbean sea. Her perfect USVI day? Sunrise yoga on a paddle board, and then island hopping via boat with stops for snorkeling and a hike. 

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