Thinking of nixing a cruise and heading straight to St Thomas for 4 nights (a quick anniversary weekend) in August. Can anyone tell me what part of the island to stay on? Looking on VRBO.com I have no idea what areas to look at first.

I want something close to snorkling and/or beach. Looking for inexpensive ($150/night) and don't have to be directly on beach. Is this at all plausible?

Thanks,

Amy

I like the East end, near Red Hook. The ferry to St. John leaves from Red Hook and there are a couple of restaurants and a nice little food market there.

I stayed at a condo on Sapphire Beach last year, booked directly from the owner at www.bestbeach.com

I don't have a map in front of me, but there are a bunch of very nice beaches/bays on the east side.

Here is a map that shows the east end of St. Thomas.
There are many major resorts at that end of the Island - Sapphire Beach, Wyndham, Point Pleasant, Elysian, Secret Harbour and the Ritz Clarton which is closed for upgrading.
Also, the maps are aerial photos so you can view the beaches. Click the sea water off the beaches and it tells you the bottom type (coral, sand, sea grass;etc.). Nice if you are a diver or boater.

http://www.cccarto.com/virgin_islands.html

If you're interested in Sapphire Beach, book it as J62 did directly with the owner & not with Sapphire's management because Sapphire is having major problems but the unit J62 got must have been OK. Last I heard the restaurants were shut down & many units need maintenance. The east end is nice, though & Sapphire beach itself is one of my favorites.

Bolongo Beach would probably fit your budget. It's not fancy but it's right on the beach with a good restaurant & has friendly staff. It's on the south side nearer to the cruise ship docks than the east end.

My apt at Sapphire Beach was at Crystal Cove condos, which are adjacent to the Sapphire Beach resort property. The bldg had been damaged in a hurricane a few years back so the interior was completely new. 1BR suite w/ king bed, brand new kitchen w/ granite counters, central air, etc. Very nice place.

Thanks..I was just looking at Sapphire Beach last night. There are a ton on VRBO for reasonable $$.

Will we need a rental car in this area, or is there a grocery and snorkeling within the vicinity. Also, how much do taxis cost?

Whether you want a rental car or not depends a lot on how much traveling around the island you plan on doing. Here is a link to the taxi rates.
http://www.vinow.com/stthomas/gettin..._stt/taxi_stt/

There is a grocery in Red Hook (Marina Market)and one just on the other side of Red Hook towards Compass Point (Food Centre). While both are close, you will need a car or taxi to get to either. Lots of beaches are close by as well as Coki where Coral World is located and Magens is only a short ride away. All are easy to get to with a rental car or by taxi. Some of the best snorkeling you will find is just on the other side of Red Hook at Secret Harbour.

Schultz