In decades of globetrotting with my family, the United States Virgin Islands in the Caribbean has become one of our favorite destinations. Easily reachable, the main islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas lure us back with sugar-soft sands, swimmable beaches, history, good snorkeling, and other eco-adventures. We return to this trio of islands to seek out new adventures, donning fins and masks to explore underwater wonders, kayaking in turquoise waters, and discovering out-of-the-way beaches.
Each island in this part of the Caribbean has its own character. In St. Croix, the largest but least visited of the three, you’ll find uncrowded beaches and good snorkeling. Home to the Virgin Islands National Park, St. John is a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts. St. Thomas, a bustling cruise port known for duty-free shopping, also delivers lounge-worthy white sand and panoramic views at Mountain Top, the highest point on the island.
Snorkel the Virgin Islands National Park, St. John
Honeymoon Beach in the Virgin Islands National Park
Courtesy of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
At age five, on her first snorkel outing, my daughter put her face in the water and then immediately yelled, “There’s fish in there.” Amazed, she kicked and floated as we pulled her along Trunk Bay’s 225-yard underwater trail, a highlight of St. John’s Virgin Islands National Park.
We pointed out angelfish, triggerfish, and schools of other rainbow-colored beauties that inhabit the protected underwater reefs. One of the beauties of snorkeling in the calm waters of the USVI is that it can be enjoyed by an elementary-age kid, her teenage brother, her parents, and her grandparents.
All that and more is found in the crown jewel of St. John, the national park, which includes fringing reefs and occupies more than half of the island’s land. A favorite beach of ours, with fewer visitors than Trunk Bay, is Honeymoon Beach. Hiking the one-mile Lind Point Trail through dry forest sweetens the reward of reaching the tree-lined sands with its calm waters for snorkeling.
Two more scenic favorites are mile-long Cinnamon Bay Beach, the park’s longest strand, and Maho Bay Beach, whose serene waters reveal stingrays and green sea turtles (which you can also spot kayaking, with rentals available nearby). Pebbly Leinster Bay Beach, a different kind of beauty, is the access point for Watermelon Cay, also known for its green sea turtles.
Discover St. John’s sugar plantation history
Two self-guided trails in the National Park lead to the ruins of centuries-old sugar plantations. The Annaberg Plantation and the Cinnamon Bay Plantation feature informational signs, but the Annaberg site has more structures. You’ll see scenic views of Leinster Bay’s turquoise water and learn about the enslaved workers’ lives among ruins that include a mill, heavy copper pots for boiling cane juice, and the slave quarters.
Bay, mango, and kapok trees have reclaimed much of the Cinnamon Bay Nature Loop, which features a boardwalk for the first stretch of it. Among the remnants are stone factory foundations and a horse-powered roller mill.
Swim, sun, and snorkel in St. Thomas
Honeymoon Beach is one of many dreamy beaches in St. Thomas.
Courtesy of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
Among St. Thomas’ most beautiful beaches, the white-sand Magens Bay is a one-mile curve surrounded by lush, green hillsides. Since the stunning strand draws many visitors, avoid the busiest times by arriving early in the morning or late in the afternoon. For the best snorkeling, head to either end of the beach.
Picturesque Sapphire Beach, with views of St. John, is also a good spot for swimming and snorkeling, and you’ll find the most sea life on the east side. In the grassy area, float among sea turtles. Closer to the rocks, look for parrotfish, blue tang, and other vibrantly hued fish. Take a break at the beach bar for snacks and drinks.
Visit the lesser-known Smith Bay Park in St. Thomas
Locals and travelers looking for a quiet beach day head to 21-acre Smith Bay Park, also known as Lindquist Beach on St. Thomas’ east end. Sea grape trees create shade on the half-mile stretch of sand bordered by typically calm waters. The park provides restrooms and some picnic tables. Bring your own blankets, chairs, and food—sometimes vendors show up, but don’t count on it. Sit back and listen to the sea.
Kayak in St. Thomas
The calm waters of Magens Bay and Sapphire Beach make kayaking easy. Both sites offer on-site rentals.
Paddling St. Thomas’ 50-acre Marine Sanctuary and Wildlife Refuge is like entering another world. Gliding silently through the mangrove lagoon, nature’s own nursery, we typically spot juvenile reef fish, jellyfish, and rays. Look for snowy egrets in the water. Perhaps the best way to experience the area is on a guided tour.
Visit Sandy Point Beach, St. Croix
Going to Sandy Point Beach—a pristine, two-mile sandy expanse—takes planning. Located within the 383-acre Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, the beach has sweeping vistas of turquoise seas, white sands, and green hillsides. The park’s point was the memorable setting for the reunion of the two main characters in The Shawshank Redemption.
Swimming conditions are better at the north end of the beach, away from the point, but always be careful. As a protected nesting site for sea turtles, the park closes from April through August and opens only on certain Saturdays and Sundays the rest of the year. If you require shade, bring a chair with an attached awning, as staking in the sand isn’t allowed.
Snorkel Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix
Turtle Beach in the Buck Island Reef National Monument
Courtesy of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
Buck Island Reef National Monument, a top snorkeling spot, beckons just 1.5 miles off St. Croix’s shore. Due to currents and distance, the site is only accessible by boat.
The national monument’s 19,000 acres include cacti-dotted Buck Island and the surrounding underwater reefs, habitat for 250 species of fish. On a private boat outing, we hovered over elkhorn, brain, and other corals as we followed our guide along the 25-minute underwater trail, spotting grouper, squid, barracuda, parrotfish, and other beauties.
Buck Island’s Turtle Beach, another unspoiled white-sand beach, is a nesting site for turtles. On the return boat ride, you may even catch sight of two green sea turtles mating as we did.
