U.S. Virgin Islands

I am looking at making a trip to the USVI in early May and would like to get some feedback on which island is the best, things to do etc.

Could you be more specific as far as what you're wanting to do, what you like/don't like on a vacation, etc.

If you''re into getting away, scenery, etc., I'd vote for St. John...the whole island is a U.S. National Park. Tons of great trails to fit any time frame & hiking ability, and offer all kinds of rain-forest & jungle scenery, and several that offer great views of the BVI's nearby, Plenty of less crowded beaches to chill out on. You'll find gear shops in Cruz Bay to hook you up with any outdoor/water sport gear you need that you may have forgotten. The ranger station just beyond the docks at Cruz Bay is really, really helpful with maps, ideas, tips, etc. Great place to grab a bagel & coffee if you're getting there in the morning: the Bakery at Mongoose Junction just a block from the ranger station. Great outfitter for any kayaking or diving trips you want to do: Arawak Expeditions. Google that to snag their website. They're awesome. They hooked me up with an AWESOME kayak trip around the USVI's & the BVI's. They do outings from an afternoon to a week or two. Cheap place to stay: The Inn at Tamarind Court. Cool beach to chill on: Hawksnest Beach, just around the bend beyond the Caneel Bay resort. Trunk Bay has a decent snorkel trail that's cool if you've never snorkelled before---but it can get crowded. The Coral Bay area on the opposite end of the island from Cruz Bay is also cool to hang out in. Snag lunch at "Crazy Legs" for some great people watching & sailing stories.

If you're into night life & "bustle," then it's St. Thomas. If you're into shopping, then it's Charlotte Amalie Harbor on St. Thomas---along with 20,000 cruise ship passengers deposited there every week. Several hostel-type & b&b budget places to stay. The airport you'll land in is on St. Thomas. A lot of people land there and get outta' there as quick as possible to avoid the crowds (taking a taxi van over to Red Hook, then a ferry over to St. John). Others park it in Charlotte Amalie immediately to put themselves in the middle of the crowds. Depends on what ou're in to. You really don't need to rent a car on either island, as taxis are cheap. But, if you want to, it'll cost you a lot more than it does here. I did splurge for $80 on an open-air jeep wrangler for a day...it was kinda' cool driving around the islands with it. And, even though the USVI's are US territories, you drive on the opposite side of the road (like the British do). That was not that hard at all to get used to. Fun, but not a necessity. I'd forego the rental the next time I went.

You can easily stay on one and ferry over to the other as needed, catching the ferry at Red Hook on St. Thomas over to Cruz Bay on St. John. In Red Hook, stop off at Duffy's Love Shack for some cool drinks and decent eats before jumping on the ferry. Sure, you can snag a ferry from Charlotte Amalie, but it takes a lot longer by boat that way to get to St. John. You can always snag a cheap taxi from the airport over to Red Hook & ferry over in just a few minutes.

Decided to immerse myself in just those two islands, mainly St. John, and the kayaking trip I took..so I chose not to get to St. Croix & so I couldn't comment on it. I was just fine with time on St. John, and would go there again in an instant.

If you're going to stay there a few days, you may want to bring some of your own "staple" food, as groceries can be a little expensive down there.

If you're flying down, play with your itinerary and routings a little, as most airlines have added routings tand connections to St. Thomas from and thru more places than just Dallas, Atlanta, & Miami in the US.

Thanks for the info it has been very useful. I am looking to do some snorkeling and maybe get into some diving. I am definately planning on going to St. Johns for the scenery. Thanks again for the info. Sorry for the late reply, just got back from Singapore and had a horrible time with the internet in my hotel.

Dang, got me thinking so hard about that place I had to go loose myself in the pictures of it again. Decided to post a few, if it gives you a little inspiration. Check out the "Yay, Pictures" thread in the BootsNAll Chit-Chat forum.
I've gotta' go back there....

I live on St. Thomas and agree with all of the above post. When you go to St. John, please don't call it "St. Johns".

For nightlife Duffy's love shack is a must. If you go into Frenchtown stop by Epernay and have some wine. Say hi to "Rabbit" for me. He's the best bartender in the Caribbean.

The ferry from St. Thomas to St. John cost U.S$6.00 R/T. You can stay on 1 Island and visit the other as much as you want.

I love St. John but it is much more expensive. When my mom comes to visit she gets a hotel on St. Thomas and we take the ferry over to St, John. It runs till midnight.
JAMES

Oh forgot 1 more thing. Don't go to St. Croix unless you want to be robbed by a machete' brandishing CRACK HEAD. It's happened to a few of my friends.

quote:

Originally posted by JamesL:

I love St. John but it is much more expensive. When my mom comes to visit she gets a hotel on St. Thomas and we take the ferry over to St, John. It runs till midnight.
JAMES

That's what I did the last time I was there...the options I was looking at on St. John weren't available. It wasn't too bad, I had rented a jeep for a couple of days...a SWEET way to get around, as long as I could avoid the Charlotte Amalie Cruise Ship zoo traffic. After returning the rental, it was pretty simple just snagging a taxi over to Red Hook then the ferry over to Cruz Bay. I had heard similar things about St. Croix and didn't go there.