St croix after Tulum
 

Our family of 4 (2 kids, 11 and 6) spent a week in march in Tulum and absolutely loved it. We're going to Disney world for 3 days this March then looking for a place close by to go for 4-5 days after Disney. We don't want another long flight, since we're flying in from Boston. St croix seems like a good option. We'd like to explore the island a little, do some very basic snorkeling ( our six year old is cautious) and enjoys the beach. Given our love of Tulum, will St croix seem touristy and busy? We're looking at the Marriott for our stay. Is the ocean calm in the part of the island? Are there dining options in the area or will we need a car? Does anyone recommend other island options, or even places in Florida? Thanks in advance for responses!

Since you "don't want another long flight" I'm not sure if STX would be consider "close by" Disney World - at best it's a 4.5 hour flight with 1 stop in either Miami or San Juan - plus you have to add in travel time to/from the airport and "waiting time" between check-in and take off. - that could make your overall travel time between WDW and STX about 7 to 8 hours.

By comparison, Tampa is only about a 1.5 hour drive from WDW and places like Captiva or Sanibel are about a 3 hour drive. So for us to be helpful, you have to define what you mean by "close by.

I guess we're willing to take the flights down to the islands, but I'm just afraid that's a lot of effort, and they're all going to be a let down after Tulum. We loved the laid back vibe there, good food, not overly built up and commercial. Which of the islands match that vibe? I'd prefer a shorter flight (3hrs) but am willing to do the whole 7-8 hour trip if we can math last years experience.

Don't confuse "flight time" with overall "travel time" - - a international flight to anywhere is going to include a lot of "airport time" - they ask you to be at the airport nowhere from 1.5 to 2 hours before scheduled take-off. Another thing to consider that there are very few Caribbean islands you can reach non-stop from Orlando (I'm guessing only the near-by big ones like Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic & Jamaica). You'll probably have to get a connecting flight in Miami to reach most, if not all, other islands. That's going to add to your travel time.

Now, from Miami you can get to the following islands non-stop in about 3 hours (or less): Nassau and a couple of the other Bahamas Out-Islands, Providenciales (Turks & Caicos), Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Martin and St. Kitts. Anything further south is going to be a longer flight and closer places like most of the Bahamas Out-Islands, Vieques, Culebra, St. John, the BVI's, Anguilla, Nevis will require additional connecting flights and/or ferries to reach making them outside your 3 hour window.

I would rent a car and drive to Florida's gulf coast.
Siesta Key would fit what you are looking for. So would several other places on FL west coast.

Croix will definitely NOT seem touristy and/or busy! They get one cruise ship every week or so in high season, and it comes in on the far side of the island. It is too far away from St Thomas, St John and the BVI for day sailors and day trips. Only about 10 percent of the island is dependent on tourism, and most of the tourists that go there go for the amazing diving.

The Marriott that you are talking about is Carambola, on Davis Bay on the North Shore. It is a great complex on an absolutely beautiful beach, but in March it might be a little rough for a timid snorkeler. The Christmas Winds will be over, but the wind will still be coming from the north and that shoreline stays pretty rough until at least May. Good for boogie boards, though. It is also an amazing spot for divers - the Cane Bay wall is less than 100 yards offshore at that point, and you can literally swim out to a wall dive. If the beach at the hotel is a little rough, you are only a couple of miles down the road from Cane Bay, an absolutely beautiful beach that is likely to be a little calmer and also has really good snorkeling and diving. If you aren't interested in diving and want calmer water for snorkeling, the beaches farther to the east or on the south side might be better. You might want to look into The Buccaneer - a very family-friendly resort that is east of Christiansted and has a very calm beach.

You will definitely want to rent a car. Carambola is isolated and you need a car to get anywhere. You are only a couple of miles from Cane Bay, which has a great beach and quite a few restaurants and beach bars, but you are about 30 minutes from Frederiksted (on the west coast) and 45 minutes from Christiansted (the main town). Plus, with a car you can really explore the island (drive through the rain forest and visit the beer drinking pigs!) and the kids will have a blast watching you drive on the left.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you stay in Tulum? My family is considering a trip there this summer. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice! We rented a house through vrbo in Tulum. It was beach front, very basic but lovely. We had our own little beach front, but were next door to a hotel called Ana y Jose. We could walk to several restaurants and the super market was 10-15 by car. Awesome trip, highly recommend it.

St Croix is very laid back! The beaches are not crowded or busy. Most of the time, there are less than 10 people on them!

Look at The Sands or Ocean Club West in Providenciales. Turks and Caicos is only 1.5 hours from Miami, and Grace Bay Beach is gorgeous with very good snorkeling close to shore.

Consider South Seas Island Resort on Captiva. Tropical, laid back, very family friendly. But, 4 hour drive from Orlando.