St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, the three U.S. Virgin Islands, each has its own distinct characteristics and style.
ST. THOMAS, a busy cruise port, gets the most traffic of the three. There are 33 exquisite square miles, which can be explored via rental car, taxi, safari bus or by simply walking. There are many popular rental car companies, including Budget Rent-A-Car, and all one needs is a valid drivers license. Your hotel can arrange for a taxi driver or one of the safari tour buses tours at your convenience. If you decide to walk, bring a map, and plenty of comfortable clothes, shoes, sunglasses, and of course, the sunscreen.
Things to See and Do in St. Thomas
Stop by Magens Bay Beach, which has been hailed by National Geographic Magazine as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. For lunch, take your pick from either Blackbeard's Castle or Bluebeard's Castle, both present-day restaurants. One can tour the Estate St. Peter Greathouse & Botanical Gardens to roam among more than 500 varieties of plants and trees and view 20 other islands from the third level. No one can visit St. Thomas without taking advantage of their duty-free shopping along the Harbor and the Main Streets.
ST. CROIX
For more than 500 years, two staples have defined life in St. Croix - sugar and rum. Although the sugar industry has declined considerably, there are still 54 sugar mills in the 82-square-mile island today. Rum, on the other hand, still continues to do well. Visitors can take a tour of the world-famous Cruzan Rum's Distillery. The Estate St. George Botanical Garden is where both worlds collide with 16 acres of a 19-century sugarcane village and rum factory to investigate.
If rum and sugar aren't your thing, there is plenty of sightseeing elsewhere, including a 15-acre Rain Forest along Creque Dam Road toward Frederiksted and Buck Reef Island,, the only underground United States National Monument.
ST. JOHN
Covering 3/5 of the whole island, the Virgin Island National Park is not to be missed. The park, with its 12,624 acres, has more than 20 hiking trails and 800 species of plants to explore. Another must-see attraction is Cruz Bay, a relaxing village with an interesting variety of restaurants and boutiques.
Geographic History
The three islands were born out of a string of underwater explosions millions of years ago. As a result, St. Thomas and St. John both have rugged coastlines and sharp hills while St. Croix's geographic features include a less rugged coastline and smoother hills.
Culture and Language
Although the main language is English, Virgin Islanders come from all over the world - Africa, England, Holland, Denmark, Spain, France, India and the United States
How To Get Here
There are nonstop flights to Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas from Dallas, Miami, New York, and San Juan available through American Airlines and from Atlanta through Delta Airlines; and flights to Alexander Hamilton Airport in St. Croix from Miami and San Juan are also available from American Airlines.
There is no commercial airport in St. John but travel is available by ferry or private boat.
American Airlines
800-433-7300
http://www.aa.com
Delta Airlines
800-221-1212
http://www.delta.com
American citizens do not need a passport to enter the United States Virgin Islands, but proof of citizenship is required, such as a birth certificate.
