travelbug2000

I'm planning an 8-day trip to the US Virgin Islands at the end of May. I think I would like to spend the majority of my time on St Croix and St John with maybe a day or two in St Thomas. I'm looking for a relaxing vacation with some snorkeling from the beach, some sightseeing, some leisurely hiking, some great food. My questions for the experts: Is it easy and economical to travel from each island or should I just stay on two? What are the best places to stay on each island? I would like beach access from my room if possible and a location that's not too far from restaurants/nightlife. What are your favorite restaurants? I'm a personal chef, so I like all kinds of cuisines and will pay quite a lot for good food.

RoamsAround

I'm not the real "expert" on travel between the USVI's and it's been a while since I've actually been to any of the USVI's but I believe you'll find that St. Croix (STX) is fairly far from St. Thomas (STT) and St. John (STJ) and the only practical way to get to STT from STX is to fly (there's regular seaplane service between those two islands). I'm pretty sure I've read that the ferry between those two islands is no longer running. If it is still operating, it will be a long ride and could be a bit bumpy when you cross open water.

You cannot get to STJ directly from STX but rather you have to first go to STT. From there you can take a ferry from Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook to STJ.

Im sure others on the forum who are more familar with travel options between those islands will be able to provide more upto date information for you.

"Best place" depends on your definition of "best". On St. Thomas the best (most upscale) is probably the Ritz-Carlton and on St. John the best is probably Caneel Bay. It has 7 different beaches, all with very good to excellent walk-in snorkeling. Can't comment on "best" place on St. Croix as I don't believe thare's anything close to the other two as far as upscale accomodations go.

travelbug2000

Thanks. By "best", I'm looking for clean accommodations in a good location with direct beach access. It doesn't have to be fancy or a large property. In fact, small and rustic is fine with me. I don't plan to spend much time at the hotel/resort/B&B.

Marigot

I am not a big fan of St. Thomas and have not had a real desire to go to St. Croix. St. Thomas is very busy with huge cruise ship traffic and a lot of shopping but the beaches and resorts are not close together. My suggestion would be to stick to St John. You will fly to St Thomas and take a ferry to St John. But it is worth the extra effort because St. John is not over "touristy” in fact it is 75% protected by national parks, over 5,000 under water acres are protected, and it is unspoiled. If you go do not miss taking the weekend ferry (Fr, Sat, Sun) to Jost Van Dyke which is an island that only got electricity in the 90's. Once on Jost spend the day on White Bay and then head over to Foxy's for some lunch (Chicken Roti!) and then catch the ferry back around 3:00pm. An additional option is that there are also ferries to Tortola and Virgin Gorda. But remember all are in the British Virgin Islands so check into the documentation they require because we always just bring our passport. There are two main towns in St John Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. Cruz Bay is the busier side of the island and Coral bay is a little quieter. But the two are only 8 miles apart but the drive takes about 25 minutes due to curvy island roads. If you want a hotel then stay at the Westin ($$$) or Caneel Bay ($$$$) but if you want a more private setting and a better price point consider renting a villa. If you are considering Coral Bay try coconut cottage/ bambooshay or some of the other lovely homes. Since you are a professional chef you might enjoy staying in a hoe and cooking a night or two. If you decide to cook buy some fresh fish down on the water front and go to Josephine’s Nursery (plants and veggies) for some fresh picked vegetables, spicy salad greens, green papaya’s, etc. While in Cruz Bay don't miss Woody’s for some simple but great blackened chicken sandwiches; the Lime Inn for a nice dinner (whole jerked fish); and Sogo's for Caribbean faire (conch in butter sauce). While in Coral Bay do not miss the local night scene at Island Blue's for great food and good live music, Aqua Bistro for lunch or dinner, and drive out to Miss Vie's Snack Shack for some garlic chicken and conch fritters. As far as beaches go don't miss Maho, Francis, Little Lameshure, and hike the Annaburg Trail to snorkel at WaterLemon Key for starfish, tropical fish and turtles. No matter what you do I am sure you will have a great vacation! I have travelled all over the World but in the Caribbean and my two favorites that hold a special place in my sole are St. John and St. Barth.

virginia

a nice place to stay with beachfront condo style rooms on st. thomas is secret harbour. good snorkeling off their beach to the right. nice restaurant on site. not near cruise ships or shopping. is near red hook where one of ferry departure to st. john is.

ccrosner

I'd probably agree with the others that it isn't practical with 8 days to try to visit both STX and STJ. You'd spend far too much time and money making the switch.

St. John is gorgeous (though I haven't been there in many years) and I'm not a fan of St. Thomas (for the shopping, cruise ship, etc. reasons mentioned).

I will put a plug in for St. Croix. We visit annually as we love that it is relatively undeveloped, has pretty beaches and excellent restaurants. There are 4 or 5 high end restaurants that are truly excellent.

Some spots to consider that would allow you to have quick beach access and convenient to town (Christiansted) would be Tamarind Reef or Chenay Bay (which gets mixed reviews). Many like the condos at Gentle Winds. And there are many fans of Sandcastle by the Beach and Cottages by the Sea out in Fredericksted.

The Buccaneer has great off shore snorkeling but is in the more pricey category and doesn't sound like your cup of tea.

SuzieTrue

DH and I are beginning to plan a trip to USVI for next spring break. So glad I found this thread. We plan to plant ourselves on one island and snorkel, snorkel, snorkel. Is St. John's the best choice for that?

ST

virginia

suzie - YES

mahobaygirl

suzie-definately yes

to the OP, there is no longer a boat service between STX and STT. The hopper flights are all $250 RT, from anywhere down here... VQS to Tortola or STT, SJU to STT,etc.. it is very expensive.
A couple of years ago, there were ferrys that did routes here and there, but there must not have been enough business to keep them "afloat".

GullBaygirl

We are also planning a 2 island trip over 10 days. Transport from STX to STT is by Seaborne Airlines or Cape Air, a hopper flight. Web fare for Seaborne was $75 per person one way. Then take ferry to STJ. Easier to book into STX and out of STT or vice versa than try to do round trip between islands.
We've stayed at Chenay Bay on St Croix and you either love it or hate it. Individual cottages and property is beach front, but not a fancy resort atmosphere. Can be pricy if you rent direct from them. Look for a package deal or a time share rental for cheaper option. Cottages By the Sea in Frederiksted is another beachfront and relatively cheap. Haven't stayed there so have no opinion.

Pulley

Suzie you will be amazed at the easy shore snorkeling on St. John. We are going back for 14th trip in August. Will post a trip report when we get back.

tyedye33

I have not been to St Croix but of the 2 (St John vs St Thomas) I much prefer St John. There is fantastic off the beach snorkeling. The one limit on St John is (and this is only if you are on a budget) staying on “beachfront” property. It is doable but I found it much more affordable to rent a house (with an excellent view) that required driving to the beach. I agree that if you were to do this taking a day trip to Jost Van Dyke is a good time (have you seen those Corona print adds they are shot there and not doctored).