The Caribbean - St Thomas - Suggestions?

We will be in USVI (St Thomas) for a MR next week. We have 1.5 days. Any suggestions to what to do? Food? Do we need a car? Thanks!

Certainly pack snacks, but for 1.5 days I wouldn't go too crazy on food. All you really need is a bathing suit, a short and t-shirts and a nice coverup that will second as a dress. It's great snorkeling. We usually pack our snorkel equipment, but for that short of a duration, we'd probably rent it so we could make do with just a carryon.

If you want to do a lot of exploring, you might want to rent a car, but the public transportation system on St. Thomas is very good.

Don't forget the sunscreen! And have fun!

Just returned from a "business meeting" ;) there...you can take taxis everywhere, but be advised that fares are per person. Stay away from downtown if you can - it's just lots of shopping. Stick to the beaches, or the wildlife refuge...where there are kayak tours, if you are interested. Or you could take the ferry from Red Hook to St. John for better snorkeling than on St. Thomas.

For food, if you like fish/seafood, Off the Hook in Red Hook (on St. Thomas) is my absolute favorite. I admit I was won over even before I saw the menu, because as we waited for our table, a couple of fishermen brought in 3 huge mahi-mahis from their boat at the pier, through the restaurant seating area, to the kitchen. Those were to be served the next day, but the mahi-mahi I had, caught that morning, was terrific. Others liked their tuna, lobster, and I don't remember what else. Good drinks too, though that you can find lots of places on the island!

Have fun!

Thanks for all the suggestions. Taxi seems to be very expensive at St Thomas. We were able to rent a car on the second day to explore the island. What a wonderful place to relax. Cuzzin's was great and I wish we were there longer to try other restaurants.

You are absolutely right about the taxi fares. I have a place there, and cringe every time I have to take a cab (which I don't do often). My friends made the mistake of taking a private car from the Ritz Carlton to Red Hook, a trip of approximately 3 minutes (if you drive really slow). Cost: $50.00!!!

Here is the absudity of some of their fares:

Airport to Red Hook $90.00 (private car-note: if you don't take a private car, they will pile in as many people and destinations as they wish and you could get to your stop a whole lot later than you planned). Non private car is approx $18 per person.

Private car hourly rate: $40.00

Actual transit time from the airport to Red Hook-approx 30-35 minutes.

But you aren't allowed to book the hourly rate from the airport....

And the hotels/condos are forbidden to have their own pickup service.

Go to Lindquist Beach, the best beach on St. Thomas. See here (http://www.threebestbeaches.com/centralamcarib/usvi/2006/05/lindquist-beach-st-thomas-usvi.html) and here (http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/article.jsp?ID=3562).

The beach is in between the Wyndam and Red Hook on the East End of the island. Don't look for signs for Lindquist; you won't see it described as such. Instead, look for the sign for Smith Bay and turn down the unpaved road.

Go to Lindquist Beach, the best beach on St. Thomas. See here (http://www.threebestbeaches.com/centralamcarib/usvi/2006/05/lindquist-beach-st-thomas-usvi.html) and here (http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/article.jsp?ID=3562).

The beach is in between the Wyndam and Red Hook on the East End of the island. Don't look for signs for Lindquist; you won't see it described as such. Instead, look for the sign for Smith Bay and turn down the unpaved road.

+1 for Lindquist. So many folks are enamored by Magens Bay (which is beautiful as well) and end up overlooking this spot. I always enjoyed the unpaved roads...means less tourists...like me.

:cool:

If I'm supposed to be arriving in STT at 3:15PM tomorrow...will I have trouble making the last ferry to West End, Tortola?

If I'm supposed to be arriving in STT at 3:15PM tomorrow...will I have trouble making the last ferry to West End, Tortola?

If you can get to the Charlotte Amalie port by 4:30pm, you would be on the last ferry to West End,Tortola. (note that it shows 4:30/5:00. I don't know what days the change refers to, sorry). See my link below.

If you miss that ferry, you can take the one from Red Hook that leaves at 5:30pm. This only runs Thurs-Sun.

http://www.vinow.com/general_usvi/interisland_ferry/#Charlotte%20Amalie%20to%20West%20End

Yeah I had been looking at that...I need to call them. I'm wondering if it's not just a safer plan to go straight to Red Hook and go for the 530 ferry. Hows the traffic at that time? If I miss the ferry, do I have any options apart from hiring a boat?

Yeah I had been looking at that...I need to call them. I'm wondering if it's not just a safer plan to go straight to Red Hook and go for the 530 ferry. Hows the traffic at that time? If I miss the ferry, do I have any options apart from hiring a boat?

Assuming (yes, I know) that you actually land on time and get your luggage in a reasonable time frame, you are only 5 minutes by taxi to the Charlotte Amalie ferry port from the airport. So a 4:30 departure is well within reason. On the other hand, if you're running really late, all bets are off!

During normal time periods, it takes approx 1/2 hour to get to Red Hook from the airport (+/-). "Rush hour" might add 15 minutes. One IMPORTANT thing to remember-taxis all share rides unless you pay them SPECIFICALLY for a private taxi. This means that if you get into a taxi with other passengers, you might be driven all over the island before you get to your destination. Cheaper, but could take a lot longer. Airport to Red Hook by private taxi is $90.00. I don't know what a private taxi to the Charlotte Amalie ferry terminal is, sorry. I believe it's around $50 or $55. Taxi rates are my personal pet peeve on St Thomas.

You might also want to call the ferry service and see if they take reservations. I've neve taken that trip and don't know if they fill up or not.

.......... If I miss the ferry, do I have any options apart from hiring a boat?

Charter a plane, or ...swim.. :cool:

We will be in USVI (St Thomas) for a MR next week. We have 1.5 days. Any suggestions to what to do? Food? Do we need a car? Thanks!
Get on the first ferry to BVI lol!

Or at the very least St. John.

Cheers,

Get on the first ferry to BVI lol!

Or at the very least St. John.

Cheers,

In the past few years the people that work on the St. John ferry have became so ill-humored that having to ride the ferry is a necessary unpleasantry.

In STT for a family wedding, then vacation extension. Yah, it sucks...! ;)

Read this with great interest; Wyndham I beleive is our top choice from website input. Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Club is at one end, and at the other sits the beautiful Sapphire Beach Resort

We'd also looked at the idea of Westin in SJ (too secluded for a trip w/teens?), Marriott Frenchman's (too noveau riche, and minimal beach), and also the Ritz. We're really looking for: a casually upscale place, relaxed but with a fair amt of action and people watching for the teen, amazing beach, etc. In other years, we've enjoyed Iberostar, RUI, Couples type of properties.

Has anyone stayed at any of these properties to be able to compare them? We'd probably not even be doing USVI unless we were there for a wedding, and the cost to fly back to SJU or other islands is just too prohibitive. Ideas??

Poor you, it breaks my heart to hear stories like yours. Let me know if I can be of any assistance, like carrying your bags, seeing that your food is warm, or that your beer is cold. :D

http://www.caneelbay.com/ no doubt about it!