St. Croix Island Guide: Things to Do

The only casino in the U.S. Virgin Islands is located on St. Croix.

Culture in the Virgin Islands is Caribbean meets American, so plan on enjoying it by taking in a local event, trying local food or listening to a local band perform. You might plan your visit around Carnival or during the Jump Ups.

Enjoying the magnificent waters around St. Croix will be the highlight of your vacation. Sail or motor into quiet coves, snorkel beautiful reefs and just bask in the delightfully warm sun and tropical breezes. A visit to Buck Island is a must! Or take a sunset sail and enjoy the tranquil beauty and romance of Caribbean evenings.

Explore the wonderful natural environment around St. Croix by taking a guided kayak, hiking or snorkeling adventure trip into ecologically fascinating areas. Tours typically include a guide that describes history, ecology and fauna as you go along. A popular area for eco-tours on St. Croix is Salt River.

Some 21 world records in fishing have been set in recent years in the Virgin Islands; evidence of the amazing experiences that are in store for anglers! Take an offshore fishing charter and test your luck at catching a marlin or enjoy a few hours of inshore fishing for snook and bonefish. More Information

The Virgin Islands is home to four golf courses, three of which are located on St. Croix. Tennis courts are available at most island resorts.

To truly appreciate the “rain forest” on St. Croix a leisure horseback ride is superb. Your guide will introduce you to rain-forest flora and fauna, St. Croix folklore and history. Experienced and inexperienced riders, adults and children are welcome. Prices for horseback tours start at around $50 per person. Beach rides are also available

The Virgin Islands (USVI and BVI) are made up of more than 120 islands and cays. There are eight inhabited islands, four in the U.S. Virgin Islands and four in the British Virgin Islands. Each island has it's own unique atmosphere. Ferry service and inter-island air travel makes island hopping possible.

St. Croix is known for its beautiful vistas, historic buildings, scenic drives and just gorgeous scenery. How you take it all in is up to you. The most popular option is an island tour by taxi, but you can also take a walking tour of the historical sites or how about an aerial tour. St. Croix has two distinct landscapes, tall green forest on one end of the island and dry, windswept scrub and grasslands on the other. A scenic drive enables you to appreciate the vast differences in the scenery. The Heritage Trail, a 72-mile driving tour, connects historic sites and attractions and includes many significant natural areas.

Kayak rentals are available at some beach resorts and provide an invigorating way to explore the beach and coastline.

Interested in enjoying the waters around St. Croix and want to feel the exhilarating rush of knowing how to sail whether on a basic level or advanced. You can, sailing schools are available on St. Croix with different level courses.

Explore corals and gorgonian forest of sea fans. Swim among turtles, parrotfish, blue tangs and so much more. Dive operators are familiar with the various dive locations and can safely guide you to and around them. They can take you out for the first time, teach you to dive, get you certified and instruct you for higher levels of dive certification.

With the use of a mask and snorkel you can float on the surface and admire marine life below or super snorkel and explore from under water. View gorgeous coral reefs and an abundance of fish.

Several spas on island offer massages, body wraps, facials and an assortment of other services to help you pamper yourself while on island. Private masseuses are available too.

While many people come to the Virgin Islands for beaches, snorkeling, sailing, scuba diving and a great number of other water sports, the waters around the islands also beckon surfers to challenge the waves and winds!

Several beaches on St. Croix are turtle nesting beaches. The St. Croix Environmental Association and other environmental groups monitor these beaches and turtle activity to protect and preserve these beautiful and fascinating marine animals. Environmental groups offer turtle watches and educational trips at various times during the year; some of these trips are limited to members.