12/10/2024 - 12/15/2024: St. Lucia
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I was in St. Lucia for a friend’s wedding from Wednesday, 12/11/2024, to Sunday, 12/15/2024. With its lush landscapes, stunning beaches, and vibrant culture, the island provided the perfect setting for a beautiful celebration. While the wedding was the main event, we also had the opportunity to explore, relax, and experience much of what St. Lucia had to offer.
On Tuesday, 12/10/2024, my friend Chelsey and I took a 6:45pm CST flight on American Airlines from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Miami International Airport. We had an overnight layover in Miami before our next flight, which departed at 10:20am EST and was scheduled to arrive in St. Lucia at 3:20pm AST. Given the long layover, we decided to spend the night at a hotel.
I chose the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East for our stay because it’s part of the IHG network, which I have an account with. I figured I might as well earn a few points for the one-night stay! Also, the rate was $141.70, which I thought was quite reasonable, and the hotel was just a 10-minute drive from the airport.
The hotel does offer a free shuttle, but it only runs from 6am EST to 11pm EST. Our flight landed just after that, so, we ended up taking an Uber instead.
The hotel was perfect for our overnight layover. The beds were comfortable, the room was clean, and it provided everything we needed for a quick stay.
Knowing we had an early morning and a busy day ahead, we went straight to bed upon arrival.
The next morning, Chelsey and I caught the 7am EST shuttle from Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East back to Miami International Airport, for our 10:20am EST flight. We both have Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck), so getting through security was quick and effortless, leaving us with plenty of time before takeoff.
I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, which does come with a steep annual fee of $550 (as of 2024). However, it includes a $300 annual travel credit, effectively reducing the cost to $250 per year. It also reimburses up to $100 of the Global Entry application fee every four years. Another great perk of the card is the Priority Pass Select membership, granting access to airport lounges worldwide, with complimentary food, drinks, and a comfortable space to relax before flights.
Miami International Airport has a couple of Priority Pass lounges to choose from. We opted for the Turkish Airlines Lounge in the North Terminal, as it was conveniently located near our departure gate in Concourse D/E. I was able to bring Chelsey as my guest, which was a nice bonus. When we arrived around 8am EST, the lounge was a bit crowded, but we still managed to find seats together. With a great selection of food and drinks, it was the perfect spot to relax and fuel up before our flight.
After relaxing at the lounge, we headed to our gate and boarded the plane.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly once we were on board, and our flight was delayed. After leaving the gate, our flight taxied for a bit before coming to a stop. At 11am EST, the captain informed us there was a maintenance issue with the engine. We returned to the gate and, after waiting for some time, were told to deplane and switch to a different plane.
Our flight finally departed around 2pm EST, arriving at Hewanorra International Airport at 6pm AST. Thankfully, customs was quick and smooth. After getting through that, we waited in the Sandals lounge for a shuttle. By 6:45pm AST, we boarded a shuttle to Sandals Regency La Toc, arriving at the resort around 8pm AST.
Upon arrival, the friendly Sandals staff welcomed us and escorted us to our room. After freshening up, we headed to The Pavilion, one of the main restaurants at the resort, for dinner. Located right by the pool, The Pavilion offers a buffet for breakfast and lunch and an à la carte menu for dinner. That evening, a talented staff member serenaded the guests with covers of Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Whitney Houston, and more. She was incredible!
One thing to note about Sandals in St. Lucia is that it consists of three resorts: Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Halcyon, and Sandals Regency La Toc. While complimentary shuttles transport guests between resorts, they aren’t exactly close to each other. The ride from La Toc to Halcyon takes about 20 minutes, while getting to Grande St. Lucian from La Toc takes about an hour.
The wedding and wedding party were based at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, but Chelsey, I, and many of our friends stayed at Sandals Regency La Toc since it was the most affordable option. None of us fully realized how long the commute would be to get from La Toc to Grande. Sandals does mention it on their website, but the information is tucked near the bottom of the first page, so we didn’t really register the distances beforehand. If you’re planning a stay at one of the Sandals resorts in St. Lucia, keep this in mind so you can plan accordingly!
The evening we arrived, the Welcome Reception for the wedding was being held at Grande St. Lucian, where the ceremony would take place the next day. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for us to attend. The shuttle from La Toc to Grande St. Lucian runs every other hour from 11am to 9pm. Since we didn’t arrive at La Toc until 8pm AST, the next available shuttle would have left at 9pm, getting us to Grande St. Lucian at 10pm, just in time to turn around and catch the last shuttle back.
While we were disappointed to miss the Welcome Reception, we still enjoyed our first night at The Pavilion. Later, some friends joined us at La Toc around 11pm By then, The Pavilion had closed, leaving Cricketer’s Pub as the only open bar. After a couple of cocktails, I headed back to the room and called it a night.
On Thursday, I woke up around 8am AST and started the day by grabbing a couple of towels to save chairs by the pool before heading to the breakfast buffet at The Pavilion. After breakfast, I spent some time relaxing by the pool and exploring the resort grounds before heading back to my room to get ready for the wedding.
The wedding was scheduled for 3pm AST. Since the shuttle from La Toc to Grande St. Lucian runs every other hour from 11am to 9pm, we took the 1pm AST shuttle to ensure we arrived with plenty of time to spare.
Once we got to Grande St. Lucian, we stopped at Josephine’s, a gourmet crêperie serving sweet and savory crêpes, for a light snack before the ceremony.
At 2:45pm AST, we headed back to the lobby of Grande St. Lucian to be escorted to the ceremony site. The location was beautiful, and the setup was perfect for the 60 guests in attendance.
After the ceremony, we moved to a cocktail reception in one of the ballrooms, where we enjoyed drinks and appetizers.
Around 5pm AST, I made my way to the lobby to catch the sunset, which was absolutely stunning!
The evening continued with a dinner reception featuring an Italian-inspired buffet, followed by an exciting fire dancer performance, which was such a fun addition to the celebration!
It was truly a beautiful wedding and a memorable evening.
At 10pm AST, we took the shuttle back to Sandals Regency La Toc and unwound at The Pavilion for a bit before calling it a night.
On Friday morning, we woke up bright and early for an excursion with Joy’s Adventure! A shuttle picked us up from Sandals Regency La Toc at 8am AST and took us to Castries Harbour, where we boarded a catamaran bound for the mud baths at the Soufrière Drive-In Volcano, Toraille Waterfall, and snorkeling at Anse Cochon Beach. Also included in the package was lunch at Joy’s restaurant and a happy hour with rum punch!
We opted for a larger catamaran so that about 60 of us could go on the excursion together. The boat ride from the northern part of the island to Soufrière was absolutely beautiful, and seeing the Pitons as we got closer was incredible.
We arrived at the mud baths around 11am AST. It was a bit crowded, but Vaughn from Joy’s Adventure kept our group together and watched our belongings. I made sure to wear a swimsuit that I didn’t mind getting ruined, as the sulfur-rich water—while great for the skin—could stain fabric.
After spending about an hour at the Soufrière Drive-In Volcano, we made our way to Toraille Waterfall, one of St. Lucia’s most popular waterfalls. This stunning 50-foot cascade is powerful, so if you're wearing a strapless bathing suit, I’d recommend holding it up, as it might not stay in place under the force of the water!
There was a crowd when we arrived, but it was manageable. Vaughn was, once again, amazing at taking plenty of photos for us, ensuring we had some great memories. Afterward, we drove to Joy’s restaurant to enjoy an authentic, delicious St. Lucian Creole lunch, prepared by Joy and his family. The food was so good, and the area was so homey. It was a wonderful break in the middle of the day.
Once we were full, we boarded the shuttles to return to the catamaran, which took us to Anse Cochon Beach for snorkeling. Anse Cochon is a serene, secluded beach renowned for its crystal-clear waters and stunning views of lush, green hills. While many went snorkeling, I chose to just swim in the warm ocean, enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
Around 4pm AST, we boarded the catamaran to head back to the resort, sailing past Marigot Bay, a picturesque, sheltered bay on St. Lucia’s west coast, famous for its crystal-clear waters, vibrant marina, and stunning views. We then docked at Pointe Séraphine Cruise Port in Castries, a bustling port offering duty-free shopping, local crafts, and beautiful harbor views.
After spending about 30 minutes at Pointe Séraphine Cruise Port, we took a shuttle back to our respective resorts—some of us heading to Sandals Grande St. Lucian, while the rest went to Sandals Regency La Toc.
We arrived back at La Toc around 6pm AST. After showering and changing, we headed out for dinner. Some of us chose Armando’s for tasty Italian food, while the rest of us, including myself, opted for Neptune’s and its delicious Mediterranean seafood. After dinner, we reconvened at The Pavilion for drinks and spent some time sitting by the pool before heading back to our rooms.
Saturday was spent exploring Sandals Regency La Toc. We again started the day with a breakfast buffet at The Pavilion, then spent some time relaxing by the pool. We arrived at the pool area around 9am AST and found it easy to grab some chairs to lounge on.
Around 12pm, we grabbed lunch before continuing to explore more of the resort. Sandals Regency La Toc has 9 restaurants and 3 pools. Up until that day, we’d mostly spent time at the main pool near The Pavilion and dined at the nearby restaurants. After lunch, we walked up the road of the resort to the Sunset Bluff area, located near the top of the hill, to check out the pool there.
With it being further away from the main area, it was quiet, but the views were epic.
There were plenty of chairs available for lounging, though we spent most of our time in the pool and at the swim-up bar. It was the perfect spot to spend the afternoon and an absolutely beautiful place to catch the sunset. Just below the pool area, there were couches and tables, which were perfect for setting our champagne as we watched the sunset and had an impromptu photoshoot.
Once the sun had set, we walked over to Soy, a charming sushi restaurant, for an early dinner. After we were satiated, we made our way back to the main part of the resort to change before heading back out for dinner part two! We had an 8:30pm AST reservation for 12 people at Kimono’s, a teppanyaki-style restaurant with table-side entertainment, located up the cliff we had come from. This time, we took the shuttle up the road to the restaurant.
After dinner, we headed back to The Pavilion to spend the rest of the evening. It was the perfect way to spend our last day in paradise.
Our time in St. Lucia came to an end on Sunday. We packed up our bags, had breakfast at The Pavilion, and relaxed by the pool for a bit before checking out of Sandals Regency La Toc. The resort arranged a shuttle for us to Hewanorra International Airport, giving us one last scenic drive through the island’s lush, mountainous landscapes. We left the resort at 12:30pm and arrived at the airport at 1:45pm.
I was a little nervous about whether that would be enough time to get through security, as our American Airlines flight departed at 3:35pm AST. But the security line was quick and efficient, and we had plenty of time to spare.
Hewanorra International Airport has a Priority Pass lounge, the Iyanola Executive Lounge, which Chelsey and I, along with a couple of other friends who also have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, were able to access before the flight. It was nice to grab some food and drinks before takeoff. Our flight departed on time, and we landed in Charlotte at 7:40pm EST.
With a few hours before our connecting flight, we spent time in The Club CLT lounge, another one available through the Priority Pass Select membership. It was a little crowded, but we managed to find a couple of seats to relax in for a bit. The lounge closed at 9:30pm EST, so we packed up and headed toward our gate before boarding our final leg home.
At 10:56pm EST, we took off for Chicago, touching down at O’Hare at 12:10am CST. Exhausted but happy, we all grabbed Ubers home, already reminiscing about the incredible trip. From celebrating a beautiful wedding to exploring the island’s natural wonders, this St. Lucia getaway was truly unforgettable.
Tuesday, 12/10/2024: Flight from Chicago to Miami
American Airlines flight at 6:50pm CST to arrive in Miami at 11:10pm EST
Uber to Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East to get some sleep during the layover
Wednesday, 12/11/2024: Flight from Miami to St. Lucia and shuttle to Sandals Regency La Toc
Shuttle from Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East to Miami International Airport
American Airlines flight at 2pm EST (delayed. Should have left at 10:20am EST) to arrive at Hewanorra International Airport in St. Lucia at 6pm AST
Sandals shuttle from Hewanorra International Airport to Sandals Regency La Toc to arrive at 8pm AST
Thursday, 12/12/2024: Friend’s wedding at Sandals Grande St. Lucian
Spent the morning by the pool at Sandals Regency La Toc
Sandals shuttle from Sandals Regency La Toc to Sandals Grande St. Lucian
Friend’s Wedding and Reception
Sandals shuttle from Sandals Grande St. Lucian to Sandals Regency La Toc
Friday, 12/13/2024: Boat excusion to St. Lucia Sulphur Springs Drive-in Volcano, Soufriere, and the Pitons
Boat excursion with Joy’s Adventures to the Pitons, Soufriere, St. Lucia Sulphur Springs Drive-in Volcano, Toraille Waterfall, and Anse Cochon Beach
Dinner at Sandals Regency La Toc
Saturday, 12/14/2024: Relaxing at Sandals Regency La Toc
Pool and dinner
Sunday, 12/14/2024: St. Lucia to Charlotte back to Chicago
Shuttle from Sandals Regency La Toc to Hewanorra International Airport
American Airlines flight at 3:35pm AST to arrive in Charlotte at 7:40pm EST
American Airlines flight at 10:56pm EST to arrive in Chicago at 12:10pm CST
Uber home
