St. Thomas - something positive?
 

Now that we have already booked 2 weeks in St. Thomas in March/April, does anyone have anything positive to say? Visited a year ago while on a cruise ship and really liked it. Staying on Frenchman's Bay and have a rental car. How bad can this be?

Hi! <BR> <BR>Definitely plan to eat at Hotel 1829 in Charlotte Amalie one evening. You can sit on the veranda and watch the harbor, lights of the city. Their chocolate souffle was awesome, and service was great! And you can't beat the ambiance. <BR> <BR>I also loved getting my hair braided near the harbor. It is such a fun thing to do and totally frivolous ...always makes me feel like I am on an island! <BR> <BR>Definitely plan to spend an hour in Fort Charlotte, which has been converted into a fascinating little museum and art gallery telling all about the history of St. Thomas! This was part of our walking tour (a la Frommer's guide), which was also great and let us hit the high points of Charlotte Amalie. Did you know that the second oldest synagogue in the world is located in Charlotte Amalie? The rabbi there gave us a personal little tour! <BR> <BR>We also had a wonderful lunch at Glady's cafe--near the shopping strips. The ladies sang Frank Sinatra while we had soup and sandwhiches that hit the spot. <BR> <BR>I'm sure you'll have a great time if you just explore and enjoy!

Another positive angle...getting a ferry to another island.

I hate to say this, but if you enjoyed it when the cruise ship was in port, than it can only get better. We shopped in Charlotte Amalie, on a very very busy Wednesday on our way to St. John. My husband felt he was back on 42nd street, before the renovation. It was awful. Hawkers, walkers, shoppers and heat. I kow outside of this area it is lovely and you will enjoy.

I've been to St. THomas twice & have had a good time. There are some lovely beaches - check out Sapphire Beach & decent restaurants. Like most of the islands you'll see poverty & some rough areas. We rented a car & drove around. It's very hilly in spots. As in U.S. cities there is crime. Don't walk alone in Charlotte Amalie at night. Don't flaunt valuables. Try to ferry to St. John & visit Duffy's Love shack.

There are lots of postives and you musta thought so since you booked two weeks! The choice to rent a car is a good thing - just stay left, go slow and watch those right turns. After a day or two, you'll be an ol' pro! You might not want to do the "shopping" thing in Town again but maybe a quick look for a trinket or two on a non-beach day would suffice! Head to Red Hook for the car ferry (check with your agency to make sure the car can go off island) and explore St. John a couple of days. You may want to take a day trip to the BVI's or just to the Baths on Virgin Gorda via charter trip or even spend a day sailing and exploring some beaches unaccessable by car! Snorkle to your heart's content at Sapphire or at Secret Harbour. Get a copy of the Dining Guide to scope out the restaurants in all price ranges and offerings. Souffles a la 1829 are still wonderful but dinners seem to lack the wonderfulness of the past! Maybe Herve's if he will open those great doors to the air, Marisol right next door is new and great, Several nice places in FrenchTown and islandwide as well. Red Hook offers some options too - Cafe Wahoo, Carib Saloon, Frigate and at Compass Point you will find Raffles. There are just so many restaurants! Maybe a kyack tour with arwark out in the mangroves - think they are on line. When the time is up, you will realize that you still didn't have enuf time and will already be planning your next trip!

Karen, Karen...do this old woman and others a favor and break your posts up into paragraphs! It's hard to read a large paragraph on the screen. (I get tired of wiping fingermarks off from following with my finger...LOL)

Whatever you do ,please book a day sail on the Winifred! It will be the highlight of your trip. Check out the web site:http://www.islands.vi/~winifred/. <BR>Two weeks in St. Thomas will give you plenty of time to see the beautiful beaches--Megans Bay, Secret Harbor,and Morningstar to name a few. Take the ferry to St. John and explore that lovely island. If you feel real adventurous there are day trips to the British V.I's.(The Baths on Virgin Gorda are spectacular and Foxy's bar on Jost Van Dyke is what everyone pictures a beach bar to be!)If you want more info e-mail me.

You MUST go to St. John(15 min. ferry) rent a jeep, pack lunch and go to Trunk Bay. This beach is perfectly natural, no hotels, vendors, etc. The sand is like powder, water is the most beautiful color. This beach is the picture you usually see on brocures of the US Virgin Islands. Cinnamon Bay is pretty too.

I've been to St. Thomas 2X, and I loved it. The first time was on my honeymoon in 1990, and we stayed at the Sapphire Beach Resort which was wonderful. I've since heard that it's gone downhill a bit, but by now they may have already had a renovation. I was so naive. We went there in the height of hurricane season, Sept. There was hardly anyone else there, and it was awesome. The only other Carib. destination I'd been to was Nassau, Bahamas at that point in my life, and I thought nothing could be any better than St. Thomas. We loved the hotel and the island. Great memories. The second time was in 1996, and it was awesome too. Stayed in a private home overlooking Magen's Bay - breathtaking! I never felt unsafe on either trip, but we were never out anywhere away from our lodging at night. <BR> <BR>Do visit Magen's Bay, and for the best view of it visit The Mountain Top restaurant - the views really are spectacular. And do heed the advice to take a ferry to St. John and rent a jeep. It's so close, it would be a crime not to. And the ferry ride is cheap. Have a wonderful time, and use common sense when it comes to your safety. <BR> <BR>Oh, and in 1990 the snorkeling right off the beach at Sapphire Beach Resort was incredible. I'm not sure if recent hurricanes damaged the reefs or if it's as good as then, but might be worth a look.

A bad day in St.Thomas is better than a good day at work,go and enjoy the adventure.Tell us about the great time you had upon your return!!!

St. Thomas reminds me alot of the South Bronx in the summer. St. John's is beautiful. It's a short ride. Be careful if you get the ferry in Red Hook.

Sorry ... was a bit manic-y getting ready to leave for PSV! LOL ... <BR> <BR>I really didn't enjoy St. John's but Antigua is a lovely island. However, St. John is in the USVI and only a 15 minute ferry ride from St. Thomas. It is more pristine than St. Thomas and less developed due to the fact the majority of the island is protected Federal land. I take it that Ben is familiar with the South Bronx in the summer and I am not ... I wonder if it has the same lovely coves and beaches and wonderful restaurants that St. Thomas does?

No problem. You will love it. We stayed here a couple of trips and enjoyed it. We have stayed on St.John the last couple of times and really like the laid back atmosphere there. St. Thomas has nice beaches including Saphire, Secret Harbour, Bolongo Bay. Shopping is the best in the Caribbean. Have fun!

While St. Thomas doesn't come close to being one of the best Caribbean destinations, it isn't all bad. Maybe we should all save ourselves the extra time and airfare, Ben, and come visit the South Bronx if it resembles St. Thomas.

for vickie

old news. much outdated. 1829 restaurant is closed.