14 Best Things to Do in St. Thomas, USVI

With its beaches, restaurants, shops, and outdoor activities, St. Thomas is a top destination in the Caribbean. This island is a popular cruise port but it is also a great place to spend a few days. In this guide, we cover the best things to do in St. Thomas with suggestions on how to spend your time.

We have been to St. Thomas twice. The first time was over 20 years ago. Our favorite memory from that trip was sipping painkillers at Magen’s Bay Beach. In January 2022, we returned to the US Virgin Islands, this time with Tyler. Once again, our favorite experience on St. Thomas was Magen’s Bay Beach, but we discovered a lot of cool things to do, which we share in this guide. And if you have the time in your schedule, make sure you add a few days in Saint John and Virgin Islands National Park…they are worth it!

Table of Contents

Best Things to Do in St. Thomas

For a small island, the list of things to do in St. Thomas is surprisingly long. Some things we loved; others were just OK.

The first list is our favorite experiences in St. Thomas, things that are worth doing if you only have a day or two on the island. Then, I list optional things to do. These are worthwhile for those who have more time on St. Thomas (or you can skip them and spend more time at the beach).

Top Experiences on St. Thomas

1. Magen’s Bay Beach

Without a doubt, Magen’s Bay Beach is our favorite thing to do in St. Thomas.

Magen’s Bay Beach is the prettiest beach on the island. This long stretch of white sand (it’s just under 1 mile wide) is the perfect place to hang out for the day.

With picnic tables parked under palm trees, paddle board and kayak rentals, bathrooms, a restaurant and bar, and sea turtles occasionally making an appearance in the water, what more do you need?

We visited Magen’s Bay three of the four days we were in St. Thomas. We were here first thing in the morning, midday, and at sunset, and it’s great all day long.

Magen’s Bay makes a great paddle boarding spot. There is a rental facility right on the beach (they also rent kayaks). While paddle boarding across the bay, we saw a few sea turtles.

We had the best painkillers in the US Virgin Islands at the beach bar (Magens Point Bar and Grill) on Magen’s Bay.

So, if you do one thing in St. Thomas, visit wonderful Magen’s Bay Beach.

2. Have a Banana Daquiri at Mountain Top

Mountain Top is the highest peak on St. Thomas. From here, you get a spectacular view over Magen’s Bay.

To get here, it is a windy drive up St. Peter Mountain. Walk through the enormous duty-free gift shop to get out onto the terrace, where the awesome view awaits.

Mountain Top also makes what they claim to be the best banana daiquiri in the Virgin Islands. So, for research purposes only, we just had to try one (or two) of them. They are pretty good…but painkillers are still our go-to drink while in the Virgin Islands.

3. Enjoy the View from Drake’s Seat

This viewpoint looks out across the north side of St. Thomas, with views of Magen’s Bay and the smaller islands that sit off of the north coast. It’s quick and easy to visit and located very close to another spectacular viewpoint, Charlotte Amalie Overlook, mentioned next.

Drake’s Seat

4. Charlotte Amalie Overlook

This overlook is located right around the corner from Drake’s Seat, but since this one overlooks the southern side of St. Thomas, the view is completely different. Now, you are looking out over Charlotte Amalie, Water Island, and Hassel Island.

Charlotte Amalie Overlook

Charlotte Amalie Overlook

5. Paradise Point and the Skyride

From Paradise Point, you get one of the best views of St. Thomas. There are two ways to get here.

The easiest and most scenic way to get here is to ride the Skyride. This small gondola whisks visitors from the east end of Charlotte Amalie to the viewpoint.

During our visit, the Skyride only appeared to be operating when a cruise ship was in town. Out of the four days we were on St. Thomas, the Skyride was only running on one of those days. So, there is a good chance that you will have get to Paradise Point by car.

There is a narrow, very windy road that starts near the Pirates Treasure Museum and ends at Paradise Point. It’s an unnamed road but we have it marked on our map of things to do in St. Thomas (click here to see it).

Paradise Point is also the location of Prime at Paradise Point, a highly rated restaurant with stunning sunset views of Saint Thomas.

Paradise Point

6. Go Shopping in Charlotte Amalie

Numerous boutique shops and jewelry stores line Main Street (Dronningens Gade) in Charlotte Amalie. These duty-free shops sell Swiss watches, loose gemstones, perfumes, Dutch chocolate, and jewelry.

It’s a beautiful area of town to go for a stroll. Explore main street and take the detours onto the alleys, where you can find quiet, shady spots to take a break and some great restaurants.

Our favorite restaurant in this area is Greengo’s Caribbean Cantina. The have a tequila bar and the tacos and cantina bowl are fantastic.

7. Secret Harbor Beach and the Sunset Grille

This small, pretty beach is located on the east end of St. Thomas. This is a great spot to go swimming and snorkeling.

Secret Harbor Beach

Sitting right on the beach is Sunset Grille. From here, you can order lunch or dinner, or sip on tropical drinks. This beach is also home to Harbour Beach Villas, so if you are looking for a place to stay with beach access, this is one to consider.

8. Lovely Lindquist Beach

This is one of our favorite beaches on St. Thomas. Lindquist Beach is located inside of a state park, so the entrance fee ($5 per non-resident and a $2 parking fee) might keep some people away. But if you are looking for a quiet beach to visit, with wonderful views of Smith Bay and Saint John, this is a good beach to put on your list.

There are picnic tables located under the trees. There are also bathrooms but no food or rental services. Basically, you are visiting a state park with a beach. Bring a picnic lunch, your towels and swimsuit, and enjoy the view.

Lindquist Beach

9. Mermaid’s Chair

This is the most unique beach on St. Thomas. Mermaid’s Chair is a narrow strip of sand that only appears during low tide. At high tide, the water covers this beach.

Overlooking Mermaid’s Chair

Mermaid’s Chair

Not only is Mermaid’s Chair the most unique beach on St. Thomas, it is also one of the most difficult to get to.

Mermaid’s Chair is in The Preserve at Botany Bay on the west side of St. Thomas. This gated community is only open to visitors from 8:30 am to sunset or 7 pm, whichever happens earlier. Visitors are not permitted to drive in the community.

There is parking on the shoulder of the road across from the entrance gate.

Check in at the entrance gate. The security guard will take your photo and give you a map of the community. If you plan to walk to the beach, there are many signs directing you to Mermaid’s Chair, so it is easy to find.

How to Get to Mermaid’s Chair in St. Thomas

To get to the Mermaid’s Chair, you will walk from the entrance gate to the beach.

It is a 3-mile round trip walk with 600 feet of total ascent. It’s a mostly downhill walk to the beach and a mostly uphill walk back to the entrance gate.

For most of the walk, you are on a sidewalk, but the last part of the “hike” is along the road. There is very little shade so bring sunblock and lots of water.

Elevation profile of the walk from the Botany Bay entrance to Mermaid’s Chair and back to the entrance.

SHUTTLE TO SANDY BEACH: Sandy Beach is a second beach that visitors can go to while in Botany Bay. This beach has shuttle access from the entrance gate.

The shuttle departs the gate at 8:30 am and 12:30 pm and returns to the gate at 4 pm. Riding the shuttle to Sandy Bay does not save you any walking if you plan to visit Mermaid’s Chair. It is a 0.9-mile walk one-way to go from Sandy Bay Beach to the Mermaid’s Chair. However, if you have a lot of time (a half to full day in Botany Bay), you can visit both beaches.

When we did this, low tide was at 5 pm. In January, this was also about one hour before sunset. We arrived at the entrance gate at 4 pm, walked out to the Mermaid’s Chair, and were back to our car by 5:30 pm.

If you plan to walk out to the beach, note what time the entrance gate closes. As far as I know, once it is closed, it is locked and you won’t be able to get back through. Closing time is 7 pm or sunset, whichever happens first. When we did this, closing time was 6 pm (sunset).

PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you plan to walk out to the Mermaid’s Chair, budget at least 2 hours for the walk and time on the beach. Bring lots of water because midday, it will be a hot walk on the way back to your car. And before you go, check the tide schedule.

10. Visit the Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge

If you like the idea of snorkeling with sea turtles, a visit to Buck Island is one of the best things to do in St. Thomas.

Buck Island is located 2 miles south of Saint Thomas. This island is a protected bird sanctuary and people are not allowed to step on the island. It is surrounded by numerous coral reefs and a shipwreck.

Tours to Buck Island visit Turtle Cove. This spot gets its name because it is one of the best places to see sea turtles.

Snorkeling at Turtle Cove

There are several tour operators that run snorkeling tours to Buck Island.

We used VI CAT, which departs from Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove. This 3-hour tour includes sailing time to and from the island, an hour of snorkeling time, plus snorkel gear, food and drinks. While snorkeling, we had a guide who pointed out sea turtles, coral, and tropical fish. On the cruise back to St. Thomas, they provided snacks and drinks from the open bar.

Of the two tours we took on St. Thomas, this was our favorite. Turtle Cove was one of the best snorkeling spots we visited while in the USVI. The tour is very well run and cruising by catamaran is a great way to see St. Thomas, if you don’t have any other boat tours planned.

SEA TURTLES: Sea turtles are a protected species. It is illegal to touch a sea turtle in the Virgin Islands. If you are caught touching one, you will be subject to a fine up to $5,000 and imprisoned for not more than 6 months. So, give sea turtles their space and do not approach them. Also, don’t litter (they mistake plastic for food), do not leave holes or ruts on the beaches (sea turtles hatching can get trapped in these), and do not feed the sea turtles.

11. Kayak, Hike & Snorkel at Cas Cay

This highly rated eco tour with Virgin Islands Eco Tours includes kayaking, hiking and snorkeling.

Starting at the Virgin Islands Eco Tour office, which is near Red Hook, you will kayak through mangroves out to Cas Cay. Once on this small island, your guide will teach you about the hermit crabs on the island and about the plants and other animals that live here. We learned about the fascinating Manchineel Tree, a tree produces poisonous apples (“the little apple of death”) and sap that causes skin to blister.

Cas Cay Tidepool

Cas Cay

Hike out to the blowhole and then spend some time snorkeling right off of Cas Cay. The tour ends by kayaking back through the mangroves to the tour office.

This tour was great from the standpoint that we learned all kinds of cool facts about the hermit crabs, trees, and wildlife on Cas Cay. The snorkeling and kayaking were just OK. However, this is a great tour for those who want to learn more about the plants and animals in this region, but if you are looking for a good time and/or a better snorkeling spot, I recommend taking a snorkeling trip to Buck Island.

12. Water Island & Honeymoon Beach

Visiting Water Island was one of our favorite things to do in St. Thomas. As a visitor, you can’t bring a car onto the island, so, to get around, you can rent a golf cart for the day. How fun is that?

How to Get to Water Island

To get to Water Island, take the Water Island ferry from Crown Bay Marina to Water Island. It takes 10 minutes to get to Water Island and ferries leave every hour.

Once on Water Island, there is a shuttle that takes visitors right to Honeymoon Beach. You can also walk to Honeymoon Beach from the dock. You will hike up and over a good-sized hill and I estimate it would take about 30 minutes to walk to the beach.

The best way to get around is by renting a golf cart. We rented our golf cart from Rachel’s Rentals. At the dock, we were picked up in a golf cart and driven 2 minutes up the hill to the rental facility. We reserved ours in advance to make sure we got one, paying $55 for a full day rental.

When you pick up your golf cart, you will be given a map of the island and suggestions on where to go. The island is small enough that it takes about an hour to visit Limestone Beach and Fort Segarra. The rest of your time can be spent on the beach.

Things to Do on Water Island

HONEYMOON BEACH: The best thing to do on Water Island is visit Honeymoon Beach. This beach has a volleyball court, bathrooms, and you can rent paddle boards, snorkel equipment, kayaks, umbrellas, and lounge chairs. At the far end of the beach is Dinghy’s, a restaurant and bar that is open from 10:30 am to 8 pm. We had lunch here and the food is great! I highly recommend the ahi tuna poke bowl.

Honeymoon Beach

FORT SEGARRA: This fort sits on the highest point of Water Island. Climb to the top of the structure for panoramic views of Water Island and St. Thomas. Most of the fort is underground. There are underground tunnels that you can explore at your own risk. They are not maintained and there was a recent injury, so we simply took in the view and then continued our tour of the island.

View from Fort Segarra

HEIDI’S HILLTOP HIDEAWAY: When we drove past this restaurant, it was early in the day, so it was not open yet. You can order food and drinks from the restaurant and grab a table at the deck that has good views of St. Thomas.

View from Heidi’s Hilltop Hideaway

LIMESTONE BEACH: To get here, it’s a 5-minute hike on a rough trail through the woods. It’s worth it…this rocky beach is a beautiful, rugged spot to visit. While we were here, pelicans were diving for fish and they were lots of fun to watch.

Limestone Beach

How Much Time Do You Need on Water Island?

At a minimum, plan on 2 to 3 hours on Water Island. It takes about an hour to drive around the island, visiting Limestone Beach and Fort Segarra. You can spend another hour on Honeymoon Beach, having lunch here.

However, Honeymoon Beach makes a great spot to spend the day. With paddle boards, beach volleyball, and lounge chairs to rent, not to mention the beautiful views, Honeymoon Beach is one of our favorite beaches on St. Thomas. The great food and drinks at Dinghy’s are a nice bonus.

13. Hull Bay Beach

For those with an interest in surfing, or if you just want to visit a quiet, uncrowded beach, put Hulls Bay Beach on your list.

Hulls Bay Beach is located on the north side of the island, near Magen’s Bay. It can be a little hard to find. Google Map’s directions were a bit off but once you get out to the area, there are signs that direct you to Hulls Beach (it is also labeled on our map).

At Hulls Beach, there is a food truck and bar. Surfing is possible during the winter months, but I recommend renting a surfboard before you get here, since there are no rental shops on the beach (as of February 2022).

There is a food truck and bar behind Hull Bay Beach

14. Take a Boat Tour of St. Thomas

Another popular thing to do in St. Thomas is to tour it by boat. We did this on our first trip to St. Thomas many years ago and we had a great experience.

If you prefer to take a private tour, you can take an 7-hour private catamaran charter trip of St. Thomas. The advantages of a private tour are that you can customize your itinerary and spend some time at St. John.

If you are traveling as a group of up to 12 people, this full day cruise on a luxury catamaran includes both St. Thomas and St. John.

On this small group tour, visit Honeymoon Beach on Water Island and go snorkeling at Turtle Cove at Buck Island.

Boat Tours of St. Thomas

Optional Things to Do in St. Thomas

Below we list several more things to do in St. Thomas. Some of these we did but thought they were just OK (but they are still worth knowing about) and some were closed during our visit.

Coki Beach

This is a popular beach to visit. We thought it was small, crowded, and not nearly as scenic as the beaches mentioned earlier in this guide. There is a restaurant and rental services here, and the snorkeling gets great reviews.

Right next to Coki Beach is the Coral World Ocean Park. Visit the underwater observatory, see the stingrays in Stingray Lagoon, see dolphins and sea turtles, and get on hands-on experience at the touch pool, where you can handle sea cucumbers, sea stars, and conchs.

Sapphire Beach

This is another beach we heard great things about, but we liked several other beaches more than this one. Sapphire Beach is part of Sapphire Vacations, a resort on St. Thomas. From the outside, this resort looked run down. The beach was nice, and from here, you have a great view of Saint John. There are also rental facilities and a bar and restaurant, so it makes a nice place to spend the day. However, we preferred Magen’s Bay Beach and Honeymoon Beach to this one.

Sapphire Beach

Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden

This small botanical garden is located near Mountain Top. The highlights for us were seeing the turtles and the orchids growing in the forest.

Phantasea best things to do in St. Thomas

This is a quiet, shady, lovely spot to visit and worth it for those with an interest in tropical plants and seeing the local flora and fauna. A visit here lasts about an hour.

The Sights and Museums in Charlotte Amalie

In Charlotte Amalie, there are several museums, historical buildings, and sites to see. They are nice to do, but only worthwhile if you have the time in your schedule (you will need at least 2 to 3 days in St. Thomas).

Blackbeard’s Castle

Blackbeard’s Castle was built in 1679 to be used as a watchtower. It was originally named Skytsborg and later renamed Blackbeard’s Castle, after the pirate Blackbeard. Now, it is a National Historic Landmark. Tours were offered of the castle until 2017, when Hurricane Irma damaged the tower. It is still under renovation with no indication about when it will reopen.

99 Steps

These steps were built in the 1700’s and they lead up to Blackbeard’s Castle. We counted 102 steps…it looks as if a few extras have been added over the years during renovations.

99 Steps

Fort Christian

Fort Christian was built in the late 1600’s as a defense structure in Charlotte Amalie. It is the oldest standing structure in the US Virgin Islands and it is now a National Historic Landmark. You can view it from the outside or take a tour.

Fort Christian

Pirate Treasure Museum

This museum is one of the most popular spots to visit in Charlotte Amalie. Learn about the legendary pirates who sailed the seas around the Virgin Islands and experience the interactive exhibits. From what we saw, this is another place that only seems to open when a cruise ship is in town. Hours vary daily so call ahead for their scheduled openings.

Pirates Treasure Museum best things to do in St. Thomas

Pirate Treasure Museum and the Skyline

Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas

This is the oldest synagogue in the United States and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Tours are free and last 15 to 30 minutes. Visit the official website for more information about how to schedule your tour.

Hebrew Congregation best things to do in St. Thomas

Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas

Aqua Marine Dive Center

Aqua Marine Dive Center offers scuba diving lessons as well as snorkeling and scuba tours to dive sites around St. Thomas.

Things to Do in St. Thomas: On a Map

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

Interesting Facts about St. Thomas

St. Thomas is one of three main islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands. Saint Croix is the largest of these islands and it is about 2 hours away from St. Thomas by ferry. Saint John sits just to east of St. Thomas. 60% of Saint John is national park land and it is not to be missed on a visit to the US Virgin Islands.

Charlotte Amalie is the capital and the largest city on the US Virgin Islands. Its deepwater harbor was once a haven for pirates and it is now one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean. If you will be in St. Thomas for a few days, you will most likely see one or more cruise ships parked in Charlotte Amalie harbor.

Charlotte Amalie is filled with boutique shops, jewelry stores, and historical buildings. In town, you will see Danish influences, with Danish architecture and streets with Danish names.

Numerous movies have been filmed here. St. Thomas appears in Open Water, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, and 1492, just to name a few. It has also been featured on TV shows such as The Bachelor and The Amazing Race.

How to Get to St. Thomas

There are four ways to get to St. Thomas: by airplane, by cruise, by ferry, or by private boat.

St. Thomas is a popular cruise destination, so many people get here by cruise ship and then spend a day on the island.

St. Thomas has an international airport, the Cyril E. King Airport, with numerous flights per day.

St. Thomas is a U.S. territory. If you are a US citizen, you do not need a passport to visit St. Thomas or any of the United States Virgin Islands. I have read online that sometimes you need to show a birth certificate as proof of residence when departing the US Virgin Islands. When we did this in 2022, our US driver’s license was sufficient for both the arrival and departure flight from St. Thomas. As backup, we carried our passports but never had to use them.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you plan to visit the British Virgin Islands, you will need your passport.

If you are first visiting St. Croix, you can get to St. Thomas by ferry. This trip typically takes 90 to 120 minutes. If you are first visiting the British Virgin Islands, you can also get to St. Thomas by ferry (1 hour travel time).

How to Get Around St. Thomas

The best way to get around St. Thomas is by renting a car. This gives you the freedom to explore the island at your own pace and get to off-the-beaten-path spots that are harder to get to with public transportation. We rented a car from Avis at the Cyril E. King Airport and used this both on St. Thomas and St. John.

In the US Virgin Islands, you will drive on the left-hand side of the road.

Most of the roads are very windy with no shoulder. However, we found the roads to be easier to drive on St. Thomas than St. John. The roads on St. Thomas are generally wider and straighter with less obstacles (on St. John, we frequently saw donkeys, chickens, and goats on the roads).

If you have plans to visit both of these islands, driving on St. Thomas is a good warm up for the Saint John roads.

If you don’t want to rent a car, you can also get around by taxi or private shuttle. Learn more here.

Magen’s Bay

Best Time to Visit St. Thomas

December, January and February are peak season in the Virgin Islands. Daytime temps are their coolest (in the low 80’s) and this is the dry season, with rain being unlikely. Since this is peak season, hotel prices are their highest and beaches can be crowded.

During the spring months (March, April and May), temperatures get a little warmer, humidity increases, and rainfall chances go up. This is a very nice time to visit Saint Thomas if you want lower crowds and lower prices.

June, July and August are the hottest, most humid months to visit Saint Thomas. Temperatures peak at 90° in the summer. This time coincides with the arrival of the wet season and hurricane season. Peak hurricane season runs from July through October.

The fall months, September, October, and November, tend to be warm and wet. September and October are the wettest months of the year. But by November, hurricane season and the wet season ends, making this month a good time to visit before the arrival of peak season.

We spent nine days on the US Virgin Islands in mid-January 2022. Other than one afternoon of steady rain showers, our weather was mostly clear and dry. Very short afternoon rain showers occurred about 50% of the days we were here, but these were very brief (the longest one lasted less than 10 minutes).

Lindquist Beach

How Many Days Do You Need on St. Thomas?

We recommend 2 to 3 days on St. Thomas. This gives you enough time to relax on one to two beaches, visit the overlooks, and go on an excursion to Buck Island, visit Water Island, or take a boat tour of St. Thomas and St. John.

One Day in St. Thomas

With one day in St. Thomas, visit the overlooks and viewpoints as you drive out to Magen’s Bay. Spend midday at Magen’s Bay Beach. In the evening, have dinner in Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook.

Two Days in St. Thomas

Day 1: Visit Drake’s Seat, Charlotte Amalie Overlook, and Mountain Top overlooks. Spend midday at Magen’s Bay Beach. In the evening, have dinner in Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook.

Day 2: In the morning, visit Water Island and Honeymoon Beach or go shopping and visit the sights in Charlotte Amalie. In the afternoon, take the VI CAT tour to Buck Island or hike out to Mermaid’s Chair (depending on the timing of low tide).

Three Days in St. Thomas

Day 1: Visit Drake’s Seat, Charlotte Amalie, and Mountain Top overlooks. Spend midday at Magen’s Bay Beach. In the evening, have dinner in Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook.

Day 2: In the morning, visit Water Island and Honeymoon Beach. You can stay all day or in the afternoon, visit the sites in Charlotte Amalie and have dinner at Prime at Paradise Point.

Day 3: In the morning, visit Mermaid’s Chair or take the Cas Cay Eco Tour. In the afternoon, spend some time on Lindquist Beach or Secret Harbor Beach. Alternatively, you can spend the day on a private charter cruise of St. Thomas and St. John.

St. Thomas + St. John

With one week, you can visit both St. Thomas and St. John. Read our detailed 7 day Virgin Islands itinerary to learn more.

Where to Eat

Greengo’s Caribbean Cantina. Located in Charlotte Amalie, this is one of our favorite restaurants. They serve tacos, enchiladas, nachos, margaritas, and a very good cantina bowl.

Greengo’s Caribbean Cantina Bowl

Pizza Pi. Pizza Pi is a boat in Christmas Cove that serves traditional NY style pizza. It gets great reviews but to get here, you will need to be on a boat (a private charter or a snorkeling/scuba tour).

Prime at Paradise Point is a steakhouse that gets rave reviews. The sunset views are phenomenal.

Duffy’s Love Shack. This fun place has a strange location in a parking lot, but once inside the vibe is great. It’s a great spot for American and Caribbean food and tropical drinks.

Dinghy’s Beach Bar and Grill. Located on Water Island, this restaurant sits right on the beach. We had one of our best meals here (I loved the Ahi Tuna poke bowl).

Virgilio’s is an Italian restaurant in Charlotte Amalie. The food is very good and local artwork covers the walls. However, Pesce Italian was our go-to spot for Italian food in St. Thomas.

Sunset Grille. This restaurant has an excellent location right on Secret Harbor Beach but we thought that the food was so-so.

There were only so many meals that we could eat, but The Tap & Still, Glady’s Café, and the Old Stone Farmhouse also get good reviews.

The view from our room at Marriott’s Frenchman Cove

Where to Stay in St. Thomas

LUXURY: The Ritz-Carlton. The Ritz-Carlton is located on the east end of St. Thomas, near Red Hook. It gets good reviews. The downside of staying here is a longer drive to many places on St. Thomas.

UPSCALE: Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove. This is where we stayed and had an awesome experience. This property is located just outside of Charlotte Amalie, so the location is great. There is an onsite gym, restaurant, pool, and beach. Take your pick from 2 or 3-bedroom villas, making this a great option for families. The VI CAT tour to Buck Island leaves from this property. On a return visit to St. Thomas, we would stay here again.

Marriott’s Frenchman Cove

UPSCALE: Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham. This property gets good reviews. Rooms range from a standard hotel room to two-bedroom suites that can accommodate up to eight people. There is an outdoor swimming pool, onsite restaurant and bar, and fitness center. This property is located on the east end of St. Thomas near Coki Beach.

MID-RANGE: Breathtaking Views of Sapphire Village. This property is located near Red Hook and Sapphire Beach. It gets exceptional ratings. Each room can accommodate a max of two people and some rooms have sea views.

MID-RANGE: Limetree Beach Resort by Club Wyndham. This resort is located on the beach on the south coast of St. Thomas. Take your pick from studio rooms or one-bedroom apartments.

If you have any questions about the best things to do in St. Thomas, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to the US Virgin Islands & the Caribbean

St. Thomas US Virgin Islands Travel Guide