I suppose this is a boring question, but where does one get a passport and how long does it take to get it? If I don't get one, is a birth certificate and a driver's license enough to travel to BVIs? Is it a substantial hassle not to have a passport?

Thanks!!
Lisa

Try this site. These days it would be best to have a passport and it's so easy!
Ronnie
http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

You don't NEED a passport in the VI.

U.S. and Canadian citizens don't need a passport. But you'll need to bring a birth certificate with a raised seal (so no copy) + another govt id (like your driver's license).
This goes for both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
Look in your yellow pages (I'm assuming you're American) for your local county govt office and call to see if they do passports. I don't think all of them do, I had to go 2 towns over to get mine done. I got my new passport in the mail within a month.

And I think RonUSVI is right...so much better and easier to travel with a passport.
Getting one is really easy.

We were on St. John from April 27 to May 11. Because it's a U.S. Virgin Island, you do NOT need a passport to go to St. John. No one ever asked to see ours on our way down there. However, if you're heading to any of the British Virgin Islands, even for a day trip from St. John, you DO need a passport or birth certificate.

Oddly enough, the time you need a passport while visiting St. John is when you get to the airport on St. Thomas for your return flight home--they check it then because of new U.S. restrictions about who may enter the United States. I'm sure an original birth certificate would suffice, but I agree with the others that it's easier to get and carry a passport on any trip outside the U.S. Good luck to you!