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DiscoverUSVIMagazine.com
Getting to Know St. Thomas
Spectacular beaches, nearly every water sport under the sun, posh resorts and fine dining restaurants are just a few of the attractions that make St. Thomas among the most visited islands in the Caribbean. Add to this the warm island hospitality and a never-ending calendar of special events — from Carnival celebrations to world-class sailboat regattas and sportfishing tournaments — and there are even more compelling reasons to visit over and over again.There’s more to see on St. Thomas than sun, sand and sea. While you’re here, do set aside an hour or two for a historic tour of Charlotte Amalie. Then, arm yourself with a road map, a full tank of gas and sense of adventure for a trip around the entire island by land.
Start a historic walking tour of Charlotte Amalie at Emancipation Garden. Located across from Fort Christian, which was built in 1672 and is currently undergoing extensive renovations, the park is appropriately named in commemoration of Governor Peter von Scholten’s emancipation of the slaves on July 3, 1848. To the north of Norre Gade, or Main Street, is the recently renovated and rededicated Franklin Delano Roosevelt Virgin Islands Veterans’ Memorial Park, with statues commemorating the four branches of military amid grassy greens, shady trees and park benches. The Frederick Lutheran Church sits to the northwest of the veterans’ park. Built originally in the late 1700s, and rebuilt twice in the 1800s following fires and hurricanes, the massive mahogany altar is an impressive sight, as is the overall Gothic Revival architecture.
There are three other houses of worship worth seeing. Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral, located one block from Market Square, boasts murals painted in 1901 by two Belgian artists and beautiful stained-glass windows that were added in 1960. The St. Thomas Synagogue, tucked behind Back Street on Crystal Gade, is the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and enjoys continuous use with an active congregation today. Sand floors, an 11th-century menorah and four exterior pillars that symbolize Judaism’s four matriarchs are distinctive features. A block away, the St. Thomas Reformed Church looks like a Greek temple from the outside. A huge community undertaking, which included help from people around the world, rebuilt the church after Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.
Walk east to Government Hill, where you’ll find Government House, a neoclassic brick-and-wood, three-story former residence that serves as offices for the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Inside, a gold-lettered, native mahogany-framed plaque lists the names of all governors, those appointed and those elected as of 1970. Call ahead (340-774-0001) to arrange a tour with a deputy administrator. Two doors down, Seven Arches Museum brings back to life the charm of a Danish craftsman’s house. The arched “welcoming arms” staircase, old brick oven and antique mahogany furnishings put you in an 18th-century mood.
To the west on Government Hill, a step-street known as the 99 Steps leads past historic Hotel 1829 to the Haagensen House museum and Blackbeard’s Castle. This route is lined by bronze, life-size pirates.
Charlotte Amalie is a great jump-off point for a round-the-island driving tour. Head east first and stop at the Paradise Point Tramway. This Swiss-built gondola takes you to Paradise Point and a bird’s-eye view of Charlotte Amalie harbor.
Past Havensight, Route 30 narrows as it winds along St. Thomas’ southeast shore. Look for southerly vistas of the Caribbean Sea — on a clear day, you may even spot St. Croix some 40 miles away. Less than 30 years ago, this was a dirt road that meandered out to a few scattered houses. Today the island’s east end, especially the community of Red Hook, is growing fast and is home to most of the island’s boating and resort communities. Day sails, sportfishing charters, dive excursions and ferries to St. John and the British Virgin Islands depart from Red Hook.
Looping west, the Coral World Ocean Park and Coki Beach are sights definitely worth seeing. Coral World is a hands-on park where you can see and touch marine life like sea lions, starfish and even sharks. Coki Beach has a bit of a Coney Island feel with its many open-air vendors selling everything from fried fish and johnnycakes to beach chairs, “fish food” (dry dog food pellets) and the latest Rastafarian T-shirts. Snorkel and scuba diving trips depart right from the beach.
The north shore of the island receives much more rain than the Caribbean Sea side. Therefore, you’ll find the vegetation lusher as you drive west into the mountains.
From the crow’s nest overlook at Drake’s Seat, where English privateer Sir Francis Drake is said to have looked out for enemy ships, you can see Magens Bay Beach and Mahogany Run Golf Course to the north, the British Virgin Islands and Drake’s Passage to the east, and the smaller islands of Inner and Outer Brass off to the west. Check out the view from St. Peter Great House and Botanical Gardens. Originally part of a 150-acre sugar plantation, this attraction today offers a scene of some 15 faraway islands and cays and more than 20 varieties of orchids on an 800-foot nature trail lined by waterfalls, fish ponds and tropical fruit trees.
Back in Charlotte Amalie, reward yourself for braving the hairpin turns with a stop in Frenchtown. Home of immigrants from St. Barthélemy, Frenchtown has many picturesque bars and restaurants and enough good conversation to make you want to stay in the islands forever.
CORAL WORLD OCEAN PARK
Adjacent to Coki Beach
340-775-1555
www.coralworldvi.com
Voted top attraction in the V.I. Get up close and personal with the beauty and magic of Caribbean marine life in a stunning setting. View life on a coral reef from the unique Undersea Observatory. Pet a shark, hand feed a stingray or a rainbow lorikeet! Add-ons include three Sea Lion activities, Snuba Diving, Sea Trek Helmet Dive, Shark and Turtle Encounters, Nautilus Semi-Submarine, and Parasailing. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer schedule may vary.
SOUTHLAND GAMING OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Over 60 locations, including Crown Bay Gaming Center, St. Thomas and The Parrot Club at Wharfside Village, St. John
340-777-SLOT
www.sgvi.com
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Getting to Know St. John
St. John may be growing fast, but the island still maintains that small-town feel. The pace is much slower than on the mainland, so relax and enjoy the balmy weather and stunning scenery.
Virgin Islands National Park is the heart of St. John, both geographically and logistically. Anchored by Cruz Bay to the west and Coral Bay to the east, the park occupies about two-thirds of the 20-square-mile island and provides most of the island’s sightseeing.
While many visitors opt for an island tour with a taxi driver, others prefer to drive themselves. Either way, there is much to see and, with very few exceptions, the roads are paved.
Cruz Bay is a busy little burg with most of the island’s shopping and restaurants. The park’s Visitor Center, located a five-minute walk from the ferry dock, is a must-see if you’re in Cruz Bay. Pick up maps and brochures about hiking and other activities within the park. A map will help you locate the sightseeing highlights.
The Visitor Center also has a small bookshop with a good selection of island guides, as well as a few gift items you probably won’t find elsewhere. The Cruz Bay Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
Cruz Bay Park, also called Franklin Powell Park, sits across the road from the ferry dock. With benches and shade, it’s a good spot to people-watch and wait for the ferry. The conch blower statue in the park commemorates the July 3, 1848 date when slaves on St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix gained their freedom in what was then a Danish territory.
The Cruz Bay Battery, a large white building with a red roof, looms to the left as you arrive in Cruz Bay on the ferry. Now the seat of the island’s government, it served as the island’s fortification in the 1800s. The grounds, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, provide good views of Cruz Bay Harbor.
Once you’ve seen the sites in Cruz Bay, head out along North Shore Road for a day of beach-hopping. Caneel Bay Resort is first along the string of stellar beaches. Sun yourself at the main beach, eat at the various restaurants and explore the old plantation ruins that dot the landscape near the parking lot.
Heading east, Hawksnest Bay is a local favorite. The beach is lovely, with snorkeling opportunities available over the reefs.
It takes a couple of minutes to hike downhill to Jumbie Bay, so most visitors bypass this small but intimate beach for Trunk Bay. The most popular beach on St. John, Trunk Bay has cool showers, restrooms, snorkel gear rentals and a snack bar. It can get very busy thanks to busloads of cruise ship passengers on tour — but if you come early or late, you’ll find the beach at its best. Trunk Bay is the only St. John beach with an admission charge.
Cinnamon Bay is next along the North Shore Road. With a campground, restaurant, small store, water-sport equipment rentals, cool showers, restrooms and a gorgeous stretch of white sand, it’s the perfect spot to spend a few hours or even the day. A relaxed hour-long hike beginning just across the road from the beach entrance takes you past plantation ruins and a small Danish-era cemetery.
Continuing east, Maho Bay sits right along the street. It has no facilities, but it provides convenient sunning, swimming and snorkeling at the edge of the road.
If you’re in the neighborhood around dinnertime, Maho Bay Camps, located a 10-minute drive from Maho Bay Beach, welcomes guests at its Pavilion Restaurant. Visitors may also climb down a long flight of steps to the campground’s beach.
Annaberg Plantation lies in the same area. Dating to the 1700s, this historic spot showcases the island’s history. The park has shored up the sugar mill, the cookhouse, the factory and other buildings to make them safe for visitors. During the winter months, you might find a docent on hand to explain the history. Annaberg also provides a stellar view of nearby Tortola.
From Annaberg, it’s just a half-hour walk to Leinster Bay. The beach is nice but unremarkable; however, it’s the starting point for the two-hour hike to secluded Brown Bay. Often, snorkelers heading from Leinster Bay Beach to Waterlemon Cay see starfish littering the ocean floor.
Coral Bay, with its few shops and restaurants, sits at the head of Coral Harbor. Emmaus Moravian Church, which has roots dating back to the 1700s, sits on your left as you make the turn. Head north to the island’s east end. The ride offers good views of Tortola and a small snack shop along the way, but there are no public beaches.
Head south along Route 107 from Coral Bay to Salt Pond. It’s a short distance to the white sandy beach and tranquil bay, but if you continue past the beach, a salt pond awaits you. In times past, islanders picked the salt crystals to flavor their food. A leisurely walk around the pond takes you to windswept Drunk Bay, while an hour-long hike uphill steers you through cactus gardens to the breathtaking lookout at Ram Head.
From Salt Pond, it’s only a 15-minute drive to the enchanting beach at Lameshur. While you’re sure to enjoy the snorkeling, hikers can head a bit farther down the road to find the Bordeaux Mountain Trail. It’s a steep trek of about 90 minutes, but you’ll be rewarded on the way up with wondrous views. You can also reach the top of the Bordeaux Mountain Trail from the road that leaves from the overlook on Centerline Road.
Hardy folks often make the 90-minute walk from Lameshur Bay to Reef Bay along a trail that leaves from the same area as the Bordeaux Mountain Trail — but others take the trail from its more popular starting point on Centerline Road. Near Reef Bay, a short side trail leads to petroglyphs. At the beach, hikers will see plantation ruins.
Centerline Road, the island’s main artery, continues back into Cruz Bay.
Getting to Know St. Croix
The largest of the Virgin Islands is a gentle giant that beckons visitors to explore 18th-century Danish towns, swim on pristine white beaches, and kayak in the wake of Christopher Columbus. St. Croix’s people honor their role as guardians of highly significant historical, cultural and natural treasures, even as they revel in a calendar filled with rollicking festivals and fairs. Join the year-long celebration!
Laid-back St. Croix is considered by many to be the soul of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was here that the era of slavery came to an end in 1848. Since much of the island is untouched by the rampant development that consumed some parts of the Caribbean, visitors can drive past vast fields still studded with plantation ruins, swim in the Salt River where Columbus arrived in 1493 and stroll through charming colonial towns that look much the same as they have for centuries.
Thanks to cooperation between far-sighted private organizations, generous donors and government officials, the amount of land designated for preservation has increased during the past decade and will remain available for all to enjoy long into the future.
The Twin Cities: Christiansted and Frederiksted
While other Virgin Islands have only one rambling town each, St. Croix boasts two that were meticulously laid out by Danish officials in the mid-18th century. Christiansted’s well-preserved architecture and graceful shaded archways provide a glimpse of island life that bustled with commerce when America’s first Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, worked here as a boy.
Explore the town on foot starting at the lawn of the National Park Service Christiansted Historic Site on the waterfront. Fort Christiansvaern, a yellow-brick military garrison, was built by the first Danish settlers to ward off invaders. At the nearby Scale House and Customs House, officials weighed cargo and collected duties on exports and imports. Just across the road is the Steeple Building, one of the island’s original churches, built prior to 1740.
Away from the waterfront along Company Street is the Apothecary Hall courtyard with restaurants and a tiny archeological museum. Government House, once the administrative center of the Danish West Indies, is in the next block and is now used for offices and as a residence for the governor.
End a morning of sightseeing along the boardwalk where you’ll enjoy the sights of the picturesque harbor, watch seaplanes take off and recharge your batteries in charming, small restaurants.
Quiet Frederiksted on the island’s west end offers additional Danish colonial architecture facing a tree-shaded, waterfront park and a number of historic churches. Gingerbread trim identifies dozens of Victorian-era buildings that were constructed after 1878, when much of the town was burned during a workers’ revolt.
Red Fort Frederik stands guard at the north end, just as it has since 1752 when it was built by the Danish West India and Guinea Company to foil smugglers and Spanish raiders. On July 3, 1848, Danish Governor-General Peter von Scholten ascended to the top and proclaimed that Danish West Indies slaves would henceforth be free.
Points of Interest in Between
In the countryside, you’ll notice conical, stone towers on hilltops, reminders of plantation days when the island prospered by exporting sugar and rum. At the Cruzan Rum Distillery, near Frederiksted, award-winning spirits are still produced as they have been for more than 300 years. Take a tour, sip samples and check out the seven flags around the sugar mill — they’ve all flown over St. Croix.
Close by is the Estate Whim Plantation Museum with a meticulously restored 18th-century sugar mill, animal mill, cookhouse and Danish great house. A few miles east is the St. George Botanical Garden, where more than 1,500 species of flowers, plants and trees flourish among ruins of a centuries-old plantation.
Nestled in a valley just northeast of Frederiksted is the Lawaetz Family Museum, where you can picture the lives of a 19th-century Danish farm family whose descendants still live on the island. Not far away in the rain forest, pause for refreshment at the Mt. Pellier Domino Club and buy a can of non-alcoholic brew for a beer-drinking pig. Watch the pig knock it back, a wacky photo opportunity for kids of all ages.
Cruising the Coast
A coastal driving tour should include the island’s dry east end with its cacti-covered hillsides, a sharp contrast to the tropical forests of the lush west end. Pass the Very Long Baseline Array radio telescope and Cramer’s Park, a favorite beach for local families. Continue to Point Udall, the easternmost point in the United States, crowned by its Millennium Monument built in 1999. Turn back and cross the island at Route 60 to the southeast shore for stunning pastoral and sea views.
On the north coast, west of Christiansted, you can turn up an aptly named road, the Scenic Drive, for a detour offering magnificent views of neighboring islands. Back on the main road, head west to the hilltop visitors center for the Salt River Bay National Historic Site where Christopher Columbus landed in 1493.
Farther along, you’ll come across the funky Cane Bay beach bars popular with divers, snorkelers and swimmers. Just beyond is a steep hill nicknamed “The Beast” by participants in St. Croix’s annual Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, who climb the grade on their bikes.
On the west end, a coastal drive from south to north will take you through the old town of Frederiksted and past several laid-back beachfront bars and restaurants. Near the north end are rock formation pools, known locally as the Monks Baths, and Ham’s Bay where the road ends near the island’s only lighthouse.
End a morning of sightseeing along the boardwalk where you’ll enjoy the sights of a picturesque harbor, watch seaplanes take off and recharge your batteries in charming, small restaurants.
DIVI CARINA BAY RESORT & CASINO
35 Estate Turner Hole, Christiansted
Resort: 877-773-9700, 340-773-9700 • www.divicarina.com
Casino: 340-773-PLAY (7529) • www.carinabay.com
Located on a quiet stretch of beach on St. Croix, Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort & Casino combines privacy and relaxation with modern style and amenities. Two hundred spacious beachfront guestrooms and deluxe hillside suites offer private balconies with stunning views. The resort features a PADI five star dive operation, an 18-hole miniature golf course & driving range, and a full-service spa. Divi Casino offers gaming excitement including table games, live and video poker, a simulcast betting area, slot machines, a café and a showbar.
Aquarium and Eco Tour photos supplied by Coral World Ocean Park, St. Thomas.
Find a complete list of activities, island tours and day trips, tour operators, charter boats for dive, snorkeling, fishing and swimming, golf and water sports - right here in our Activities Directory.
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