Help on ideas for son and friends

[Hawaii]

Hi all - We just returned this past August from a trip to STJ. This was our second trip with our family of four. Our son who is 16 is hooked and wants to make this a graduation trip in two years - yes I know this is planning way ahead but he has been asking question on where to stay. So, this is the scenario right now but we know this will probably change. He is in 10th grade and a good kid and student. He has been working since 14 caddying at our local country club along with playing his sports and other stuff. He wants to vacation on STJ after graduation with some of his friends. My first question will be where can he stay with 3 or 4 of his friends? At this point most of them will be at least 18 so drinking age and I am sure will want to stay in Cruz Bay. Our family has always stayed in middle of island so not sure what his options would be. Right now our plans would be he would go with his friends for a week maybe and then we would meet him for our vacation. Any ideas on an affordable place to stay for up to 5 kids? Right now he has one girl in the mix but we know this could possibly change (the girl is just a friend to all the boys).

[PA Girl]

Grande Bay comes to mind but I would wonder if you are going to run into an issue with their ages. Do rental agencies have policies about minimum age like car rental businesses do?

And expect any under 18 year olds to get served with no problems.

On the TTOL forum, a dad wrote a trip report about taking his daughter and three of her friends sailing as a "substitute" for Senior Week.

[islandjo2010]

Oh my oh my Lisa ~ have fun planning this trip!

[Hawaii]

Pa girl - That is what I was wondering. I guess I will have to look into this. Our plan is for our son to go a few days and then we would meet up with him and go to our own villa. The other kids would go home

Thanks Jo - My thinking is it would be better then Senior Week. I have heard many many stories and I went myself many years ago Maybe we would finally hook up as we would probably go in June that year after graduation.

[Xislandgirl]

i am not sure that I would trust any group of 18 year olds on STJ alone. If something were to happen, what would they do? What if someone got hurt or very ill? What if inexperienced 18 year old drinkers had too much fun?
I really think that no matter how responsible they are, giving them no leash on an island with no real drinking age is not a risk that I would be willing to take. This is just my opinion.

As a former rental manager, we would not rent to anyone under 21 unless a parent or guardian was staying with them. I thnk that you would find many places with similiar rules.

[Beesmom]

How about the Inn at Tamarind Court? I don't know about their rental age policy - but it's in Cruz Bay and is relatively inexpensive.

-Sandy

[Pia]

Sorry Hawaii but I 100% agree with Xislandgirl on this one

Pia

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

I had to read the original post a couple of times to be sure I got it straight: Your 10th grade son, who will graduate in two years, who has worked at the local country club and plays some sports, wants you to send him to STJ with a few friends, some but not all of which, will be 18, one may even be a girl (but that could change), for his graduation gift, and you are asking the forum where they should stay. Is this right?

I'm no fuddy-duddy but something just seems kinda funny about this inquiry.

If you are totally serious, my suggestion is wait this out and if your son is still interested in doing this, he and his friends should do it the way other 18 year olds do it: pack up their camping gear and head down.

[Hawaii]

I guess this may sound crazy to some people so I will just stop here. When we were on STJ my son was talking to a girl who worked there every summer and that is where he got the idea. She has been coming to STJ since she graduated high school.

Marcia - Our son is a hard worker and no this is not a graduation gift he would be saving his own money up by himself. Unfortunately, we are not wealthy enought to hand it over to him. This is a kid who gets up at 5:30 am every weekend and during the summer to work as many kids his age are sitting playing video games or whatever. Since being to STJ our son has fallen in love of the island and enjoys the snorkeling, etc that STJ offers.

I was not trying to ask a silly question but guess I did so I apologize. Guess I will just send him to Senior week where drinking never happens and kids don't get into trouble. Is my kid an angel - no but I do call him responsible along with many of his friends. Maybe we will just have him bring a friend with us when we come that summer. Thanks for your input guess I would have had the same reaction if someone posted this about their child.

[cocosmom]

Hawaii, no one doubts your sons ability to behave in a safe, resonsible way. Both of my girls did senior week in our state. Both were very responsible and so were their friends, but serious stuff happened to other people in their group ( attempted rape, invasion by a crazy mother looking for her daughter). My rule was they needed to be within driving distance, just in case. Go down and stay near, but let them be alone as much as possible . Maybe 2 units at Grande Bay, with you taking the responsibility for them.

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

What is "Senior Week?" We've raised four children (now ages 22-18) and have never heard of such a thing. Sounds like you are saying it's an either or here, too. Either your son goes to "senior week" or STJ. And, I cannot recall any of the four of our kids planning a senior vacation when they were just starting the 10th grade. What the heck am I missing? I'm not kidding here...please explain this. Maybe it's a regional thing?

[cocosmom]

Senior week in MD usually means a week in Ocean City right after graduation. A lot of the " private school" kids go to more exotic locations usually out of the country .

[DonnaM]

Same thing in PA: a week at the Jersey shore or OC, MD. We did it back in the 80's. Maybe it is because of the proximity to the coast with lots of vacation rentals that makes it so prevalent.
Anyway, I have to agree that 18 is too young to come down unsupervised, mostly because of the chance of someone getting injured or sick.

[EagleRayLover]

Living down here now and hearing some of the stories "kids" have shared with me of their experiences, I wouldn't let my sons to come alone. Although it is paradise, things can and do happen. My 22 year old is moving down and plans to live with us for a while and I delighted. One less thing I have to worry about. I asked a couple of my island friends who own or manage places and they said they won't rent to anyone under 21. Vehicles it's 25. I don't think your inquiry is silly but also a lot can change between 10 grade and end of senior year- romances, summer session of college, falling out with friends you have now, internships etc. That's a lot of planning in advance and a big financial commitment if you could indeed find a place that would rent to them and if it fell apart for some reason ( not necessarily a bad reason!)

[cmw5682]

I live in northern Indiana and it's VERY common seniors to go to Cancun, Panama City Beach, or Miami for Senior Week without their parents and to me, St. John is a lot more low key and has a lot less nudity! That said, knowing what my friends and I did on our senior trip, I will be VERY hesitant about letting my kids go without me. Sidenote- Yes, the drinking age in the US is 21, but it's VERY easy to get alcohol and police look the other way in party towns, especially during spring break.