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To explore outside Charlotte Amalie, rent a car or hire a taxi. Your rental car should come with a good map and perhaps a GPS unit; if not, pick up the pocket-size Road Map St. Thomas–St. John at a tourist information center. Roads are marked with route numbers, but they're confusing and seem to switch numbers suddenly. Roads are also identified by signs bearing the St. Thomas–St. John Hotel and Tourism Association's mascot, Tommy the Starfish. More than 100 of these color-coded signs line the island's main routes. Orange signs trace the route from the airport to Red Hook; green signs identify the road from town to Magens Bay; Tommy's face on a yellow background points from Mafolie to Crown Bay through the north side; red signs lead from Smith Bay to Four Corners via Skyline Drive; and blue signs mark the route from the cruise-ship dock at Havensight to Red Hook. These color-coded routes are not marked on most visitor maps, however. Allow yourself a day to explore, especially if you want to stop to take pictures or to enjoy a light bite or refreshing swim. Most gas stations are on the island's more populated eastern side, so fill up before heading to the north side. And remember to drive on the left!
This small museum contains a wealth of pirate artifacts, as well as West Indian antique furniture and art (some of which dates from the 1600s), old-time postcards, and historic books. You can book historic Charlotte Amalie walking tours, three-hour Hassel Island tours, and self-guided audio tours at the on-site trust office.
Giant bubble makers, a rainbow-color 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!
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 Johnny cake or burgers and chips to munch on at the picnic tables. This beach can get busy and loud on weekends. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.
Stone quarried on the island was used for this church, which built in 1848 to commemorate the end of slavery in the USVI. It has thick, arched window frames lined with yellow brick that was used as ship ballast and left on the waterfront by merchants when they filled their boats with molasses, sugar, mahogany, and rum for the return voyage.
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.
A bronze bust of a freed enslaved person 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 playground.
This historic (1793) 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. It's easy to find: look for the statue of the Eiffel Tower out front. Call ahead for tours.
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. Thomas residents. 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.
The white, neoclassical structure that houses offices for the governor of the Virgin Islands was built in 1867. Outside it, the bright red Danish-style guardhouse is a perfect place for a photo. The view of the harbor from the First Lady's garden directly across the street is also photo-worthy. 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 restaurant. It houses the Hamilton & Lafayette Rum Cafe and Boutique, which hosts guided tours of its micro-distillery.
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 opened its doors in 1833, it has held a weekly service, making it one of America's oldest continuously operating synagogues and the second-oldest (after the one on Curaçao) in the western hemisphere. Guided tours can be arranged, and brochures detailing the key structures and history are 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 burgers, tacos, and a game of darts at the Shack at Hull Bay. The Hideaway at Hull Bay is the 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.
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.
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.
At this ¼-mile-long (½-km-long) beach, swimming is excellent; there are good-size rolling waves year-round, but do watch the undertow. Water sports rentals offer nonmotorized water sports. The beachfront restaurant at the upscale Buoy Haus hotel serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At 7 am and again at 5 pm, you can catch the cruise ships gliding majestically to or from the Charlotte Amalie harbor. Amenities: parking. Best for: surfing; swimming.
Head out to the observation deck from the highest point on St. Thomas—more than 1,500 feet above sea level—to get a view that stretches from Puerto Rico's out-island of Culebra in the west all the way to the BVI on 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 Hook'D USVI, 3 Palms, and Sunny Days Ice Cream. Other services include a post office, grocery store, and medical services. Ferries to and from St. John or the BVI dock here.
Consecrated as a parish church in 1848, this building serves as the seat of the territory's Roman Catholic diocese. The ceiling and walls are covered with 11 murals depicting biblical scenes that 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 are available.
A steady breeze makes this beach a windsurfer's paradise. Also great are the swimming and the snorkeling, especially at the reef near Pettyklip Point—it's part of a marine sanctuary. Beach volleyball is big on the weekends as is a Sunday live music beach jam. A small restaurant at the Sapphire Beach Resort serves 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.
Founded in 1744, this church has been rebuilt twice after fires and hurricanes and retains an austere loveliness that's amazing considering all it's been through. The unembellished cream-color hall is quite peaceful. Call ahead if you wish to visit at a particular time, as the doors are sometimes locked.
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.
Red-roofed, pastel-painted kiosks house vendors selling everything from T-shirts to leather goods. Look for local crafts and art among the ever-changing selections at this busy market.
Popular with locals on weekends, this undeveloped beach is lined with sea grape trees and century plants and has calm waters. It's close to Red Hook harbor, so you can watch the ferries depart. Amenities: parking; water sports. Best for: swimming.
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