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Paradise Found: Sightseeing on St. Thomas

By Carol M. Bareuther, RD

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, 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 is undergoing extensive renovation, the park is appropriately named in commemoration of Governor Peter von Scholten's emancipation of the slaves on July 3, 1848. To the north on Norre Gade, or Main Street, is Frederick Lutheran Church. 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, covering the walls and ceiling, and beautiful stained-glass windows honoring several patron saints 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. Here sits 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 pirates, bronze but life-sized. There are also daily guided tours that visit each of these properties along with the restored, antique-furnished Villa Notman.

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 home to most of the islands 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 Johnny cakes 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, 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 Mountain Top and the smaller islands of Inner and Outer Brass off to the west. Mountain Top is the place to go for a banana daiquiri. Sip this delectable rum-based drink from the observation deck set 1,500 feet above sea level. Inside, colorful air-conditioned shops are stocked with duty-free arts, clothes and souvenirs. There's also an aquarium, a terrarium, an aviary, snack bar and restrooms.

Check out the view from the 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 close-up 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, you'll find many picturesque bars and restaurants here to wet your whistle and enough good conversation to make you want to stay in the islands forever.

ATLANTIS SUBMARINE
9006 Havensight, Suite L
(340) 776-5650
www.atlantisadventures.com
Discover the undiscovered St. Thomas. Plunge under the sea in air-conditioned comfort and safety in Atlantis XV, the high-tech, passenger-friendly, 48-seat submarine that will take you on an exciting tour of the ocean floor, entertainingly narrated by your co-pilot. You'll see coral, exotic fish and more during this educational and ecofriendly trip off the coast of St. Thomas. A 20-minute harbor cruise to the Turtle Cove dive site is an added bonus.

CYNTHIA'S PORTRAIT ART
Downtown Charlotte Amalie in The Royal Dane Mall
(340) 690-1633
www.cynthiasportraitartvi.com
Cynthia's Portrait Art is like no other excursion on the islands. Capture the magic of your family and the islands with an art-based, nontraditional portrait session. They'll meet you at your beach, resort or yacht and even have clothes to wear. Later, you'll view your images, and place an order for your feature piece wall portraits and gift prints in Cynthia's historical downtown studio. Take home more than a T-shirt. Take home a piece of art!

SOUTHLAND GAMING OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Over 55 locations on St. Thomas and St. John, including the Holiday Inn Windward Passage and the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa
(340) 777-SLOT
www.sgvi.net
WIN BIG JACKPOTS. The slots, the hot new trend in gaming, are quickly becoming a major attraction at hotels offering Vegas-style action, large air-conditioned gaming rooms, live entertainment, slot tournaments, free hotel shuttles and other fun amenities. The slots light up many of the island's popular attractions in more than 55 locations on St. Thomas and St. John. With millions paid out every month, the slots can be a fun way to PLAY.

Explore Your Surroundings: Sightseeing on St. John

By Lynda Lohr

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. With very few exceptions, roads are paved — but remember to keep to the left.

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. Park rangers can answer all your questions about the park and the island itself, because they all live on either St. John or St. Thomas. Pick up maps and brochures about hiking and other activities within the park. A map will help you locate the sightseeing highlights described below.

The visitor center also has a small bookshop with a nice 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.

The government also operates a small visitor center, located next to the post office, but it's open only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Stop by for maps and brochures about St. John activities.

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 if you're departing. The conch blower statue in the park signifies 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 are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and provide a nice place for an easy stroll and 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 in 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 nice snorkeling 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 greatest. 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 sports 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 highway. 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.

As you're heading out of the Annaberg and Maho Bay Camps area, you'll see what's left of a Danish schoolhouse at the intersection. It takes just a few minutes to explore the ruins and view the information boards.

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. It's a nice ride with 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 that formed along the edge of the pond 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 1 1/2 hours, 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 1 1/2-hour 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 the petroglyphs, small pools incised with writing believed to be done by Taino Indians. At the beach, hikers will discover plantation ruins.

Centerline Road is the island's main artery, with some interesting features located nearby. Historical ruins sit on both sides of the Catherineberg Road, easily reached from Centerline Road. There's a large sign at the start of the road that indicates you're now in the park.

Centerline Road continues back into Cruz Bay. Visitors heading to the Westin Resort and Villas or sightseers who want to explore another road should turn south near Tony's food stand. Non-hotel guests are welcome at the Westin's beach and restaurants, and, of course, the handful of shops located near the fitness center.

Back in your car, it's just a five-minute drive back to where you started in Cruz Bay.

See the Sites on St. Croix!

By Joanne Curcio-Quiñones

The largest of the U.S. Virgins, St. Croix is a quiet, laid-back island, generously endowed by Mother Nature and steeped in a rich cultural heritage. Its 84 square miles are chock-full of opportunities to witness nature's finest creations or to take a step back in time and experience its vibrant, colorful history. Whether you choose to walk, drive or bike, you're sure to find this unique island to be a treasure trove of Old World charm.

Christiansted and Frederiksted

Each of the island's two main towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted, are best explored on foot. Christiansted's well-preserved Danish architecture and graceful shaded archways tie together nearly a dozen points of interest in the small town. Among those, overlooking the harbor is Christiansvaern, a yellow-brick fort and dungeons built by the Danes to ward off and imprison invading pirates. Nearby is the Steeple Building, the island's first church, which is now a museum with artifacts from its early Indian settlements and colonial era. Other spots of interest include the Christiansted Apothecary Hall, an 18th-century pharmacy that has been converted into a cultural museum; the old Danish Customs House; and the stately Government House. For a glimpse of the modern-day Virgin Island, take a stroll along the Christiansted Boardwalk and take in the sights and sounds of its quaint shops, restaurants and picturesque harbor.

The town of Frederiksted on the west end of the island shares the same charming Danish architecture, but on a smaller scale. The west-end town has a massive stone fort built in 1752, a number of well-maintained colonial Victorian houses and centuries-old churches, as well as the island's only lighthouse.

Points of Interest in Between

The journey between towns could include a tour of the Cruzan Rum Distillery, where the world-famous Cruzan Rums have been produced for more than 300 years. The nearby Estate Whim Plantation is a must-see for history buffs, as a tour of the meticulously preserved 18th-century Danish great house and museum offers a fascinating glimpse at what life was like when sugarcane was king. Not far down the road is the St. George Botanical Garden, where more than 1,500 species of flowers, plants and trees make up a tropical Garden of Eden-like setting on a centuries-old plantation estate. Nestled in a valley just northeast of Frederiksted is another point of interest — the Carl and Marie Lawaetz Family Museum. The 18th-century estate has guided tours of its charming property that includes ruins, a colorful rambling garden and a great house museum.

No cultural or heritage driving tour of the island would be complete without stops at a few of the island's many sugar mill ruins that dot the hilly terrain. These prominent historic landmarks are reminiscent of the time when sugarcane was king and the island was made up of plantations. Amazingly, many are still standing despite some fierce tropical hurricanes in the past several hundred years. A cruise through the Virgin Islands' only rainforest is also a must-do. For a little something different, stop at the Domino Club and peek in on their beer-drinking pigs. They don't drink real beer anymore — just nonalcoholic beer — and they drink right from the can. It's a sight to behold. For a little more wholesome fun, take a detour into Mount Victory Camp, a rustic ecolodge retreat that hosts old-fashioned West Indian pig roasts most Sunday afternoons.

Cruising the Coast

A coastal driving tour of the island should include a cruise through and around the island's drier east end with its cacti-covered hillsides — which incidentally are a sharp contrast to its lush, green west end. Point Udall, on the island's eastern tip, is the easternmost point in the United States and is not far from Cramer's Park, a favorite beach, camping and picnic area for local families. There are some stunning ocean and pastoral views on the southeast shore, especially at Grassy Point, where the vista is simply spectacular. A westbound ride on the island's northern coast will bring you by Salt River Bay National Park, where Christopher Columbus landed in 1493 on his second voyage to the New World. Further along is the popular Cane Bay area with its funky beach bars and favorite stomping ground of divers, snorkelers and beachgoers. Just up the big hill nicknamed "The Beast" (you'll know why it's called that when you see it) is another aptly named road — the Scenic Drive. On a clear day, this meandering road offers magnificent views of St. Thomas and St. John, and sometimes even the British Virgin Islands. Out west, a coastal driving tour from south to north will take you through the old town of Frederiksted and past several beachfront bars and restaurants, as well as the stately Sprat Hall, an old plantation house transformed into an inn. If you watch the shore closely, you may spot little bathtub-sized rock formation pools known as the Monk's Baths, before you come to the end of the road at picturesque Ham's Bay.

CARIBBEAN MUSEUM CENTER FOR THE ARTS (CMCARTS)
#10 Strand St., Frederiksted
(340) 772-2622
www.cmcarts.org
A new showcase for regional talent, this museum holds a collection of original paintings by artists from 14 Caribbean islands. Housed in an 18th-century Danish building on Frederiksted's waterfront, CMCArts offers lively events and programs year-round, including special curated art exhibits, cultural performances, an artist-in-residence program and educational art workshops for locals and visitors of all ages. Create your own Caribbean art collection with prints from the popular Island Art & Soul Calendar.

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
Divi Carina Bay Casino features the most preferred table games, including blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, craps, roulette and live Texas Hold 'Em poker, as well as hundreds of slot machines and video poker. Members of the players club (free) enjoy complimentaries for slot and table play.

LALITA COURTYARD AND STUDIO
At KALIMA Center for Health & Holistic Living
#54 King St., Christiansted, St. Croix
(340) 719-4417
www.kalimacenter.org
Enjoy the tranquility of the fountain at the Lalita Courtyard and Studio while enjoying delicious fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, soups, salads, sandwiches and raw food specials. Every item is made with only the finest and freshest ingredients. Located in the KALIMA Center for Health & Holistic Living, where you can rejuvenate with their traditional dry/wet Swedish cedar sauna featuring the additional benefit of aromatherapy. Then, heal body, mind and spirit with a yoga class. High-speed wireless Internet access available.

Aquarium and Eco Tour photos supplied by Coral World Ocean Park, St. Thomas.