St. Martin/St. Maarten

girls in the pool in St. Maarten

St. Martin/ St. Maarten Itinerary

 We rarely go to the same destination twice, so when we return somewhere it speaks highly of that destination.  St. Martin/St. Maarten is an island where we felt safe exploring, comfortable driving, and loved the variety of activities.  The people are so welcoming and love to share their culture with visitors.  Since the island is half Dutch and half French, you feel like you’ve traveled to two islands in one trip.  Here is our itinerary for a perfect week in St. Martin/St. Maarten.

Where do you fly in to St. Martin/ St. Maarten 

The best place to fly in is Princess Juliana International Airport

CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT

Itinerary for a perfect week in St. Martin: 

DAY 1

I always spend the first full day enjoying my hotel and spending time in the sun and sand with my family.  Enjoy the pool or the closest beach and soak up all the sunshine!

girl jumping into the pool in St. Martin

Lunch: Kali’s Beach Bar.  This is a toes-in-the-sand restaurant.  Kids can play in the sand while you enjoy a cocktail and wait for your food.  Great burgers!

Spend the afternoon on Friar Beach (French side).  This beautiful, peaceful beach lets you relax and enjoy the sun and sand.  The water is calm so it is a great beach for families. 

Friar Beach in St. Martin

Dinner:  Stop at a French market and pick up some local food.  We had a great meal with fresh fruit, French cheese, a crusty baguette, and prosciutto.  We bought a nice bottle of wine and ate by our pool.   

DAY 2

Take the 10-minute ferry ride to Pinel Island, located on the French side.  Spend the day snorkeling, swimming, playing in the sand, and enjoying cocktails on the beach. 

Pinel Island off of St. Martin

Lunch: The island has two restaurants so you can sit at tables located right on the sand. 

Dinner:  Pineapple Pete.  This fun restaurant is loud enough that you won’t have to worry about tired kids acting out.  Great frozen cocktails! 

 

DAY 3

Start your morning at the St. Maarten Zoo.  This small zoo has adorable animals like capybara, tamarin, tortoises, and parrots.  It’s a nice, inexpensive, place to spend a few hours.  Open daily from 9-5.  Adults $10 Kids $5 (February 2022…the zoo is closed.  Not sure of this is because of the pandemic, so check their website before you go.)

Parrots at the zoo of St. Martin

Lunch: Lee’s Roadside Grill. A casual place to eat that has the best grilled fish.  Try something local.

Spend the afternoon on Mullet Beach. 

Mullet Beach in St. Martin

Dinner: Karacters.  This is another feet-in-the-sand kind of restaurant. 

 

DAY 4

Charter a boat for the day! Yes, it’s expensive but it was the best thing we did while in St. Martin.  My kids still talk about it so it was a memorable experience for everyone.  Our first stop was Tintamarre Island.  Since it is accessible only by boat, there were only two other families there.  The island is loved by families because there are usually large sea turtles that swim in the area.    

On a boat in St. Martin

Lunch:  Our boat brought us to Anguilla to have lunch at a beach bar. 

After lunch we spent some time swimming in the crystal-clear water.  We also went to a few spots to snorkel.  It was such an amazing day!

Dinner:  After having such a long day on the water, you may want to get some food and eat back at the hotel.  If your hotel has a restaurant this would be the perfect day to do it. 

DAY 5

Relax at your hotel for the morning and enjoy some Caribbean sunshine. 

Lunch:  Head over to Philipsburg and eat lunch at the Lazy Lizard. It is located right on the Boardwalk so it’s a perfect starting point.  It’s the perfect place for some beach bites.

Explore Philipsburg by walking around and peeking into all the fun shops on Front Street or Old Street. It’s a great time to buy souvenirs.

 Front Street in St. Martin

Walk up to Fort Amsterdam for amazing views and a bit of history.

  cannon off Fort Amsterdam in St. Martin

Dinner: Skip Jacks.  Another casual restaurant on the beach where you can eat outside and enjoy the view! If you like seafood then this is the place to get it. 

What else can you do in St. Martin/St. Maarten?

Captain Bob Speed Boat, Snorkeling + Beach Tour w/ Lunch, St. Maarten

The Best Catamaran Day Sail in St Maarten

3-Hour Guided ATV Tour Island Highlights Plus 1-Hour Relax by the Beach

Topper’s Rhum Distillery Tour in St Maarten

The Best of St Maarten Private Sightseeing Tour

Champagne Sunset Cruise in St Maarten

Electric Adventures Buggy Rental

3 Island Adventure with stop at Tintamarre to swim with Turtles

More restaurant recommendations

Bistro Caraibes

JAX Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar

Tortuga Maho

Le Sous Marin

Spiga Restaurant

La Cigale Restaurant

Big Fish

Ocean 82

We hope you enjoyed out itinerary for a Perfect Week in St. Martin. What are favorite spots/things you like to do in St. Martin?

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