Francis Bay
Francis Bay
4.5
About
A pretty and amenable bay on St. JohnÂ’s north shore. Beware: no changing facilities here.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Francis Bay
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
21 within 3 miles
Attractions
46 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
383 reviews
Excellent
270
Very good
88
Average
21
Poor
4
Terrible
0
rdcrx
Lake Placid, NY195 contributions
Jun 2021
On the island of St. John, this is my favorite beach for many reasons. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, St. John has become very crowded with tourists. Many of the other north shore beaches have become overcrowded. Francis remains less crowded and very enjoyable. The snorkeling is some of the best on the island. Francis Bay beach is quite long, therefore less crowded. There is plenty of parking, with a possible short walk if you do not arrive early. There are a few picnic tables available, first come first serve. The drive from Cruz Bay is longer than all other north shore beaches, however it is worth it.
Written June 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
staledale
1,542 contributions
Dec 2021
Located right next to Maho Bay, Francis Bay is less crowded but a little rocky. Good snorkeling off the beach. The beach has a small bathroom facility and a nice wooden boardwalk trail. Deer and other wildlife are frequently seen in the area.
Written November 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darrin B
Milton13 contributions
Apr 2022
We arrived to St Johns via car ferry hoping to see several bays during the day. By mid morning most of the bay parking options were filled and looked like the beaches Cruz, Trunk, Maho and Cinnamon were pretty crowded as we drove past. So I would consider arriving earlier. We decided to head to Francis Bay and work our way back to the ferry. We arrived at Francis Bay to find a few parking spots and plenty of space on the beach. The beach was very clean and beautiful. The water was quiet and very nice to swim and snorkel . I was able to see a few turtles about 50 yards out in the bay. The snorkeling to see coral and fish was best on the west side of the bay.
Written April 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Flyboy B
2 contributions
Feb 2022
Beautiful but surprisingly crowded. We lucked into a parking space at around 10am. But they are usually gone by 9. There are so many yachts in the bay that there was a dingy traffic jam delivering the one percenters to the beach.
Written February 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pocono5
Cresco, PA42 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
We love Francis Bay! We spent several days there enjoying the beach. Great place to snorkel. Water is calm and there are so many fish to see. Parking is limited, but there is a small parking lot. Beach access is easy. No hiking in required. Very nice beach.
Written July 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kgreene2013
York, ME324 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
My wife and I spent a few hours here today. We were fortunate to get a good parking spot. The water was calm clear. I brought my snorkel gear and headed left towards Little Maho. The snorkel brought back many memories of staying at Maho Bay Campground and snorkeling over to Francis Bay. It was a little surreal swimming by such a vibrant beach in its day and seeing how much the floral had filled in over the years since it closed. The water was still and calm which was reassuring. We enjoyed our visit and look forward to our next visit.
Written March 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tm212
Grimes, IA325 contributions
Mar 2021
We planned to go to Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bat and Hawksnest by though the wives were too high. They recommended that we drive to the "south side." We snorkeled at Francis Beach which was nice. We saw a sea turtle which was a least four feet long.
Written March 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KakiBW
Ellicott City, MD498 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Beautiful beach. I was worried about getting a shady spot but we easily found one. Parking was tight when we left around 1:00. No facilities but also no crowds. Only negatives were a rocky entry to the water, and a slightly buoyant surf. May not be the best choice for small children.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
keith e
SNELLVILLE20 contributions
Nov 2020
Francis has become our favorite beach on St. John. It's super peaceful and the views are spectacular and the fish feeding in the bay are fun to watch. There are always plenty of turtles to see and the reefs along the right side are amazing. We call that area "the aquarium" because of all the fish we see. We spent two days there on this past trip and can't wait to get back.
Written November 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
swiftmi
Knoxville, TN1,218 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We spent a day on Francis Beach and enjoyed it. There is minimal parking, about 8 spots, right at the beach. Other spots are on the road coming to the beach. There is a good amount of trees and shrubs that provide shade at least part of the day. We did think it was rocky getting in and out of the water with a good sized shelf to manage also. It is a good beach for walking.
Written March 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Francis Bay (St. John) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Francis Bay
- We recommend booking Francis Bay tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 10 Francis Bay tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Francis Bay:
- USVI Private Boat Charters - New, Fast Powerboats for Half and Full Day (From $695.00)
- Private Luxury Catamaran Yacht. Full or Half Day Charter - Sail, Beach, Snorkel. (From $1,395.00)
- Midnight Sun Charters - 37ft OBSIDIAN (From $2,000.00)
- 50' Luxury Yacht. Private Full or Half Day Catamaran Snorkel, & Beach Experience (From $1,495.00)
- Private NEW Luxury Power Catamaran. Enjoy St. Thomas & St. John Aboard MV Hydra (From $1,395.00)
- Hotels near Francis Bay:
- (0.19 mi) Francis Bay Estate: Luxury Villa! Pool! Walk To The Beach!
- (0.20 mi) Francis Bay Estate: Luxury Villa! Pool! Walk To The Beach!
- (0.32 mi) Maho Bay Beach Villa
- (2.90 mi) House of Open Arms
- (0.43 mi) Walk to world famous Maho Bay! Privacy, views, pool, 4 equal king size bedrooms.
- Restaurants near Francis Bay:
- (0.47 mi) Paddle-In Tiki Bar
- (1.07 mi) Colombo's Smoothies
- (3.99 mi) Our Market Smoothies
- (2.23 mi) Ekaete Pink Corner
- (2.39 mi) Skinny Legs Bar and Grill
Francis Bay Information
Excellent Reviews | 270 |
|---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 88 |
Francis Bay Photos | 118 |