30 Best Sights in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Giant bubble makers, a rainbow-colored gear table, and a larger-than-life abacus are just a few of the interactive exhibits at this indoor, family-friendly, play-and-learn museum. Science was never so fun!

This staircase "street," built by the Danes in the 1700s, leads to the residential area above Charlotte Amalie. Although historic Blackbeard's Castle, at the top, has been closed due to hurricane damage since 2017, the splendid views are worth the trek. If you count the stairs as you go up, you'll discover, as thousands have before you, that there are more than the name implies.

Built in 1848 from stone quarried on the island, the church has thick, arched window frames lined with the yellow brick that came to the islands as ballast aboard ships. Merchants left the brick on the waterfront when they filled their boats with molasses, sugar, mahogany, and rum for the return voyage. The church was built in celebration of the end of slavery in the USVI.

Watch jets land at the Cyril E. King Airport as you dip into the usually calm seas. Rocks at either end of the shoreline, patches of grass poking randomly through the sand, and shady tamarind trees 30 feet from the water give this beach a wild, natural feel. Civilization has arrived, in the form of one or two mobile food vans parked on the nearby road. Buy a fried-chicken leg and johnnycake or burgers and chips to munch on at the picnic tables. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

A peaceful place amid the town's hustle and bustle, the park has memorials for three famous Virgin Islanders: educator Edith Williams, J. Antonio Jarvis (a founder of The Virgin Islands Daily News), and educator and author Rothschild Francis. The last gave many speeches here.

Locally called Tortola Wharf, this is where you can catch the Native Son and other ferries to the BVI. The restaurant upstairs is a good place to watch the Charlotte Amalie harbor traffic and sip an iced tea. Next door is the Charles F. Blair Jr. Seaplane Terminal, where Seaborne Airlines offers service to St. Croix, the BVI, and Puerto Rico.

A bronze bust of a freed slave blowing a conch shell commemorates slavery's end in 1848—the garden was built to mark emancipation's 150th anniversary in 1998. The gazebo here is used for official ceremonies. One other monument shows a scaled-down model of the U.S. Liberty Bell, with a plaque remembering the Virginia-bound English settlers who stopped here in 1607, a month before they established Jamestown.

The former Coconut Park was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. It's a great place to put your feet up and people-watch. Five granite pedestals represent the five branches of the military, bronze urns commemorate special events and can be lighted, and inscribed bronze plaques pay tribute to the territory's veterans who died defending the United States. There's also a children's playground.

This historic church has a massive mahogany altar, and its pews—each with its own door—were once rented to families of the congregation. Lutheranism is the state religion of Denmark, and when the territory was without a minister, the governor—who had his own elevated pew—filled in.

The museum houses fishing nets, accordions, tambourines, mahogany furniture, photographs, and other artifacts illustrating the lives of the island's French descendants during the 18th through 20th centuries. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Popular for its bars and restaurants, Frenchtown is also the home of descendants of immigrants from St. Barthélemy (St. Barth). You can watch them pull up their brightly painted boats and display their equally colorful catch of the day along the waterfront. If you chat with them, you can hear speech patterns slightly different from those of other St. Thomians. Get a feel for the residential district of Frenchtown by walking west to some of the town's winding streets, where tiny wooden houses have been passed down from generation to generation.

Built in 1867, this neoclassical, white, brick-and-wood structure houses the offices of the governor of the Virgin Islands. Outside, the bright red Danish-style guard house is a perfect place for a photo. The view of the harbor is picture-postcard pretty from the First Lady's garden directly across the street.

The inside of the building is currently closed to visitors.

This imposing building stands at the head of Main Street. Once the island's premier hotel, it has been converted into offices, shops, and a deli.

The synagogue's Hebrew name, Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim, translates as the Congregation of Blessing, Peace, and Loving Deeds. The small building's white pillars contrast with rough stone walls, as does the rich mahogany of the pews and altar. The sand on the floor symbolizes the exodus from Egypt. Since the synagogue first opened its doors in 1833, it has held a weekly service, making it the oldest synagogue building in continuous use under the American flag and the second-oldest (after the one on Curaçao) in the western hemisphere. Guided tours can be arranged. Brochures detailing the key structures and history are also available. Next door the Weibel Museum showcases Jewish history on St. Thomas.

Watch surfers ride the waves here from December to March, when huge swells roll in from north Atlantic storms. The rest of the year, tranquility prevails at this picturesque neighborhood beach. Enjoy hot pizza, barbecue ribs, and a game of darts at the Hull Bay Hideaway Bar & Restaurant, home of the annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament held each July. Amenities: food and drink; parking; water sports. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; partiers.

Its light yellow colonial-style exterior is the face of the vociferous political wrangling of the Virgin Islands Senate. Constructed originally by the Danish as a police barracks, the building was later used to billet U.S. Marines, and much later it housed a public school. You're welcome to sit in on sessions in the upstairs chambers.

The newest of the Virgin Islands' public beaches has a serene sense of wilderness that isn't found on the more crowded beaches. A lifeguard is on duty between 8 am and 5 pm. Picnic tables are available. Try snorkeling over the offshore reef. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude.

This public beach has a serene sense of wilderness that isn't found on the more crowded beaches. A lifeguard is on duty between 8 am and 5 pm and picnic tables and restrooms are available. Try snorkeling over the offshore reef. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: swimming; snorkeling.

Locals gather daily—especially by 4 am on Saturday mornings—at what was once a slave market in the 18th-century, to sell local fruits such as mangoes and papayas, root vegetables, and bunches of fresh herbs. Sidewalk vendors offer brightly colored fabrics, tie-dyed clothing, and handicrafts at good prices. A smaller number of vendors set up shop here all week long.

Built in 1884, this church was named to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Moravian Church in the Virgin Islands.

Head out to the observation deck—more than 1,500 feet above sea level—to get a bird's-eye view that stretches from Puerto Rico's out-island of Culebra in the west all the way to the British Virgin Islands to the north. There's also a restaurant, restrooms, and duty-free shops that sell everything from Caribbean art to nautical antiques, ship models, and touristy T-shirts. 

The IGY American Yacht Harbor marina here has fishing and sailing charter boats, a dive shop, and powerboat-rental agencies. There are also several bars and restaurants, including the Caribbean Saloon, The Tap & Still, Island Time Pub, Raw Sushi & Sake Bar, and Duffy's Love Shack. Other services include mail service, drug and grocery stores, and medical services. Ferries depart from here en route to St. John and BVI.

This building was consecrated as a parish church in 1848, and serves as the seat of the territory's Roman Catholic diocese. The ceiling and walls are covered with 11 murals depicting biblical scenes; they were painted in 1899 by two Belgian artists, Father Leo Servais and Brother Ildephonsus. The marble altar and walls were added in the 1960s. Over a dozen statues of handcrafted saints represent the many nationalities of the congregants who worship here. Guided tours available.

A steady breeze makes this beach a windsurfer's paradise. The swimming is great, as is the snorkeling, especially at the reef near Pettyklip Point. Beach volleyball is big on the weekends as is a Sunday live music beach jam. There's a small restaurant serving breakfast and lunch.  Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; windsurfing.

Placid waters make it easy to stroke your way out to a swim platform offshore from the Secret Harbour Beach Resort & Villas. Nearby reefs give snorkelers a natural show. There's a bar and restaurant as well as a dive shop where you can rent beach lounge chairs. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

Tours of the museum, which are by appointment only, take 30 minutes and include a wealth of pirate artifacts, as well as West Indian antique furniture and art (some of which dates to the 1600s), old-time postcards, and historic books. The Trust office, also at the museum, is where you can book 2- to 2½ hour historic Charlotte Amalie walking tours and three-hour Hassel Island tours.

This church has an austere loveliness that's amazing considering all it's been through. Founded in 1744, it's been rebuilt twice after fires and hurricanes. The unembellished cream-color hall is quite peaceful. The only other color is the forest green of the shutters and the carpet. Call ahead if you wish to visit at a particular time, as the doors are sometimes locked. Services are held at 9 am each Sunday.

While you buy stamps, contemplate the murals of waterfront scenes by Saturday Evening Post artist Stephen Dohanos. His art was commissioned as part of the Works Project Administration in the 1930s.

Here merchants sell everything from T-shirts to leather goods. Look for local art among the ever-changing selections at this busy market.

This wild, undeveloped beach is lined with seagrape trees and century plants. It's close to Red Hook harbor, so you can watch the ferries depart. The calm waters are excellent for swimming. It's popular with locals on weekends. Amenities: parking; water sports. Best for: swimming.