From a local perspective, Trunk Bay is not St. John’s Best Beach.
Yes, that beautiful beach above is not what we’d consider one of Saint John’s Best Beaches. Not because it isn’t beautiful, but because it’s generally too busy. (As a local St. Johnian you clearly become very spoiled.) Since this is a question we get all the time, we thought it would be great to give our guests a list of our favorite beaches on St. John and reasons why! Here goes:
Cinnamon Bay- This fantastic North Shore beach is a local favorite for tons of reasons. One in particular being that there are usually other locals here on Sundays with full coolers and lots of beach games. Cinnamon bay also has a general store and a surf shack, which is convenient if you forgot beer or you feel like learning to wind surf or sail. Plus there’s plenty of parking and you can always find a sandy spot to plop down and get comfortable for the day. The concessions at Cinnamon have recently changed hands and we are VERY excited to see all the new changes coming up!
Salt Pond- A totally different experience. Salt Pond is located on the East End past ship wreck landing and The Tourist Trap. This arid beach always seems warmer, and can tend to be busy during high season. But the snorkeling is definitely worth it. If you swim directly out to the middle where there is a big outcropping of rocks, the snorkeling is amazing and totally worth the long swim. We actually sometimes come here on CatZilla
on US only trips and it’s really worth the ride!
Hansen Bay- Located all the way on the East End of Saint John, Hansen Bay is another fun local spot. Parking is minimal so this beach is never over crowded and there are always locals there floating in the water and having a cold beverage or two. This beach is dog friendly so you’re always sure to see some local coconut retrievers running around too; free entertainment. Also a common site here is Angel’s Rest, a local floating bar with a roof top deck, though it’s hit or miss if Captain Peter is bringing the boat over that day.
Gibney Beach- Known as Gibney or Oppenheimer, this small beach is one of my absolute favorites. Without much room for tons of people, it’s never crowded and always peaceful. You can’t miss the tire swing for a great photo op either! Located just past Hawks Nest Beach, if you look closely you’ll see a wrought iron gate on the left. Thats the entrance, good luck finding parking 🙂
Francis Bay- My 1st choice for a solo beach day; you can always find a quiet piece of beach to lay out and read a book while recharging and enjoying Saint John. This beach also has some great snorkeling to either side, most notably though its a great turtle spot. The last time i was there Turtles just kept popping up every 20 mins or so, which you can never get sick of watching. 
That’s our top five, Saint John’s Best Beaches! We’re going to have more of our favorites coming out in the next few weeks so stay tuned for our favorite restaurants, islands, and more!