20 Best Sights in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Part of Buck Island Reef National Monument, this is a must-see for anyone in St. Croix. The beach is beautiful, but its finest treasures are those you can see when you plop off the boat and adjust your mask, snorkel, and fins to swim over colorful coral and darting fish. Don't know how to snorkel? No problem—the boat crew will have you outfitted and in the water in no time. Take care not to step on those black-pointed spiny sea urchins or touch the mustard-color fire coral, which can cause a nasty burn. Most charter-boat trips start with a snorkel over the lovely reef before a stop at the island's beach. A hike leads uphill to an overlook for a bird's-eye view of the reef below. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

A tour of this distillery, established in 1760, culminates in a rum tasting, all of which are sold here at good prices—including more than a dozen flavored rums you'll find in popular St. Croix cocktails like the Cruzan Confusion. The distillery is also the best place to pick up a bottle or two of Cruzan's premium single-barrel and Estate Diamond rums. It's worth a stop to look at the charming old buildings and learn about the distillation process, even if you're not a rum connoisseur.

When you're tired of sightseeing, stop at this shady park on the street side of Fort Christiansvaern for a rest. It's named for a famed labor leader, judge, and journalist who started the first newspaper not under the thumb of the Danish crown (his birthday, November 1, is a territorial holiday celebrated with much fanfare in St. Croix). Public restrooms are available.

The large yellow fortress dominates the waterfront. Because it's so easy to spot, it makes a good place to begin a walking tour. In 1749 the Danish built the fort to protect the harbor, but the structure was repeatedly damaged by hurricane-force winds and had to be partially rebuilt in 1771. It's now a National Historic Site, the best preserved of the few remaining Danish-built forts in the Virgin Islands. The park's visitor center is here, and rangers are on hand to answer questions.

At this 17-acre estate, fragrant flora grows amid the ruins of a 19th-century sugarcane plantation (the former overseer's house has been left open to the elements as a habitat for native fruit bats). There are miniature versions of each ecosystem on St. Croix, from a semiarid cactus grove to a verdant rain forest, along with hiking trails, a small museum, and a collection of seashells. The garden's orchid and bromeliad blooms are impressive. 

The first Danish Lutheran church on the island when it was built in 1753, the Steeple Building has been given new life as a museum with archaeological artifacts and exhibits on plantation life, the architectural development of Christiansted, the island's native inhabitants, and one-time St. Croix resident Alexander Hamilton. As of this writing, however, the building was closed for roof repairs. Admission, when it's open, is included in the price of visiting Christiansted National Historic Site.

If you're strolling downtown Christiansted's streets, it's worth a peek into the Christiansted Apothecary Hall. Although the exhibits are behind Plexiglas, they give you a glimpse into a 19th-century pharmacy. This tiny museum is at the original location of a pharmacy that operated from 1820 to 1970.

On the island's breezy North Shore, Cane Bay does not always have gentle waters but the scuba diving and snorkeling are wondrous. You can see elkhorn and brain corals, and less than 200 yards out is the drop-off called the Cane Bay Wall. Make Cane Bay an all-day destination by combining a dive with food and drinks at the casual bars and restaurants that line the waterfront, including the excellent AMA at Cane Bay. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The base for Captain Morgan–brand rum is made from molasses at this massive, industrial-scale distillery. The tour includes exhibits on island and rum history, a movie about the process, and a tram ride through the distillery. An extensive gift shop features a wide variety of branded clothing and keepsakes as well as rum for purchase. The tour ends with tastings of the many varieties of Captain Morgan rum (the original spiced, white, aged, dark, and fruit-flavored) plus two cocktails.

The restored estate, with a windmill, cookhouse, and other buildings, gives a sense of what life was like on St. Croix's sugar plantations in the 1800s. The oval-shape greathouse has high ceilings and antique furniture and utensils. Notice its fresh, airy atmosphere—the waterless stone moat around the greathouse was used not for defense, but for circulating cooling air. The estate produced sugar and molasses from 1767 to 1934, first with animal power, then wind, and finally with a steam engine to crush the cane. If you have kids, the grounds are the perfect place for them to run around, perhaps while you browse in the museum gift shop or attend a food demonstration using the still-functioning ovens in the cookhouse. It's just outside of Frederiksted.

Representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism welcome visitors arriving at the Frederiksted cruise port in a tent at the cruise pier.

Located on the pier, Frederiksted's welcome center has brochures from numerous St. Croix businesses, as well as a few exhibits about the island. It's only open when cruise ships are in port. When the welcome center is not open, visitors can check with the tourism office in the old Custom House at 321 King Street (Suite 7).

For a trip back in time, tour this circa-1750 farm in a valley at La Grange. Tours include the lovely two-story house, aqueducts once used to transport water and cane juice, and the Little La Grange Farm, which produces organic crops for sale through the Ridge to Reef program. The greathouse includes the four-poster mahogany bed 19th-century owner Carl Lawaetz shared with his wife, Marie, the china Marie painted, family portraits, and the fruit trees that fed the family for several generations. Initially a sugar plantation, the farm was subsequently used to raise cattle and grow produce.

At 1,165 feet, this is St. Croix's highest peak. Determined hikers can follow a dirt path to the summit, or take a jeep tour with Tan Tan Tours. Route 78 (Scenic Road) climbs the shoulder of the mountain to the trailhead; use your GPS to locate the exact trailhead.

Built in 1830 on foundations that date from a century earlier, the historic building, which is near Fort Christiansvaern, originally served as both a customs house and a post office. In 1926 it became the Christiansted Library, and it's been a national park facility since 1972. It's closed to the public, but the sweeping front steps make a nice place to take a break.

This rocky promontory, marked by a large stone sundial sculpture, is the easternmost point in the United States; it's about a half-hour drive from Christiansted. A paved road takes you to an overlook with glorious views; it's an especially popular gathering spot on New Year's Day for those who want to be the first to greet the first sunrise of the year. Adventurous visitors can hike down to the pristine beach below. On the way back to town, look for the Castle Aura, an enormous Moorish-style mansion. It was built by the late Nadia Farber, the former Contessa de Navarro, and an extravagant local character.

Built in 1749, Christiansted's former post office was once the Danish West India & Guinea Company warehouse. It now serves as the park's administrative building.

Located at the western tip of St. Croix, this 383-acre wildlife sanctuary provides critical habitat for leatherback, green, and hawksbill sea turtles, which nest on the refuge's long, sandy beaches. The beaches are open to visitors when not occupied by turtles. The mangrove-fringed West End Salt Pond, which lies partly within the refuge's boundaries, is a bird-watcher's delight.

This 1856 building on the Christiansted waterfront was once where goods passing through the port were weighed and inspected. Visitors can see an old Danish scale on the ground floor.

Friendly advice as well as useful maps and brochures are available from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism representatives at the information booth on the Fredericksted cruise pier when ships are in port.