Briz,

Megan's is a gorgeous beach and a great spot for the kids. Please be aware of the political situation on St. Thomas right now, it's not good.
I would urge you to look into St. John. It's much safer and we're blessed with our own water supply.

What is the political situation you are talking about? We are coming mid-February (6 of us).

Yes, what "political situation"? And, FYI, the water shortage problem has pretty much been resolved if that's to what you're referring, while the OP and family won't be here until July/August.

briz5: where exactly is the villa you're looking at? Unless you particularly want to be right on a beach, location isn't that important as nothing is too far from anywhere. Magens is a beautiful beach with full facilities. The only thing it can't boast is good snorkeling but you can find that at Coki, Sapphire and Secret Harbour on the East end as well as on beautiful St John where you can easily take day trips from St Thomas. If you rent a vehicle from anyone other than Hertz you can take the car over to St John on the car barge so you can explore to your heart's content. You'll find the inter island ferry schedules and rates listed under "Quick Links" top right this page.

July and August are lovely months and, although in hurricane season, we rarely get any kind of blows that early. However, to be on the safe side, it's always wise to take out trip insurance when traveling to the Caribbean in general during hurricane season. It's not expensive at all.

Hope that helps for a start. Happy planning!

just read this, and we have a reservation from hertz, can we not take the car to st johns? thanks!

Read the terms and conditions on your reservation, some companies will allow you to take the car over some won't.

Gutzy,

Read a few of the local papers or set up a google news alert for St. Thomas. The VI government is battling some maor corruption issues, the local utility companies are having difficulty operating and we have a serious drug problem. STT and St. Croix have the highest murder rate in North America. I'm not discouraging people from coming down here, it really is beautiful. Just be aware that there is a lot of poverty and that it's not all palm trees and beaches. For the most part, the tourist areas are fine but one would be well advised to steer clear of downtown CA at night.

I'd would also point out that the major resorts - Ritz, Frenchman's etc have excellent securtiy and do a great job at keeping thier guests out of trouble. Same story for the cruise ships, the terminal has its own secure shopping area and they do an excellent job of offering a variety of day trips/excursions. My main point here is that those planning a trip to St. Thomas should have a very clear understanding of where they are going. Great island but there are definitely places to avoid.

briz5, The north side (by magen's) is lovely: very tropical, quieter than the crowded "East End" condo / hotel complexes, good choice.

In all fairness, STJ has the same "political problems" as STT and STX: same territorial government, same public utility, same cops. The "problems" are endemic. STJ cost more, has more national park beaches, better roads (because of the park), less coastal development (because of the park) and a snootier overall tone.

The earlier in the summer the better. Most days are pretty nice. The frequent light showers don't keep us inside often. Typically more tropical storms later in the summer. Unless you enjoy strom watching, better to avoid late August.

Plan ahead when taking the STJ car ferry, wait can be long and hot especilly for kids, bring books, cards, snacks, a cooler. (Avoid brining expensive electronics (I-pods, i-games, cameras) to the beach or even locked in the car.) Be sure to save some cold drinks (one beer for mom and dad) for the return wait. And hit the head BEFORE jumping in the ferry line--trust me on this!

If I were renting a vacation Villa on STT, STJ STX I'd ask the following:
1) What happens WHEN the power goes out? Generator on site?
2) What happens WHEN the water stops running? How often is cistern checked? Will it be full upon arrival?
3) Is there off street parking?
4) Can the doors be locked at night and still allow for air flow?
5) Is there an alarm system?
6) Is a safe or secure lock-up available for guests?
7) Are there interior entrances to the bedrooms?
8) Is there cell service, which carriers?

For snorkeling try Secret Harbor. Coral World is fun for a few hours especially if you can catch some of the informative sessions (well run, clean, safe). BUT Coki Beach and the surrounding Smith Bay hood is super sketchy. Much of what you read on the competing travel forums is posted by resturant owners and rental agents posing as "experts" to promote personal business interests. Be careful.

Don't forget to bring a big hat and some water toys to Megen's: Frisbee, noodles and my kid's latest thrill, knee deep wiffle ball. Pack a small soft sided cooler with froozen meats and bring it as lugage form home. Don't over pack. You won't need alot of cloths, but do bring 2 swim suits per person.

Forgot to add... Sapphire is nice choice for few hours. The beach has shade and is normallly breezy and cool in the summer months The snorkeling is ok, not great. Beach chairs are for rent (very pricey). The mood is pretty friendly and you won't get too much "stink eye" for not being a condo guest--unlike the RITZ and Morning Star. Check the curise schedule. Sapphire has a tendency to be over run with ship passengers on busy days, Ritz' beach ain't that great. Small area of good snorkling off to far right, Be prepared to get hassled (BIG TIME) if you explore too far right. If the conditions are correct, MorningsStar has body surfing and boogie boarding. Smith bay park (outside smith bay proper) is ok: can get choppy, water entry can be rocky, shade and rarely crowded. For really good beach snorkeling head over to ST John.

krmlaw: Hertz is the only car rental agency whose contract specifically notes that their vehicles are not to be taken to St John (no "s"). If they find out about it they impose a $1,000 fine (also stated in their contract). There are plenty of car rental agencies to choose from and those who receive consistently good customer reviews are Dependable, Discount and Amalie. Enjoy your visit!

General PS: The spelling of Magens is just that. No second "e" and no apostrophes. Not uncommon for visitors to get it wrong but it's a little disappointing when people who apparently live here don't get it right. The Magens family came from Denmark via St Croix in the 19th century and settled the beautiful Magens Estate. Thanks to the generosity and perspicacity of its last owner, Arthur Fairchild, who donated it to the Government of the Virgin Islands, it remains (and will remain) unadulterated by development and one of the most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere.

Coki Beach is a lovely spot and has very good snorkeling but on a heavy cruise ship it's a madhouse of bodies and vendors. Go on a quieter day and it's much more enjoyable, unless you enjoy a bit of a frenzy! I don't believe the new vendor's section is yet complete but new bathrooms with handicapped access and shower facilities recently opened. It's not advisable to walk around one particular section of Smith Bay in the wee hours of the morning (as if you'd do that anyway!) but during the day it's an interesting little community. If you're interested in fresh local fish to cook during your visit, one of the local fishermen sets up his truck at the entrance road to Coki on the Smith Bay Road pretty much every day with his catch of the day!

More about Smith Bay: Sometimes a guy sells fish from the trunk of his car. Also my favorite road side stand offers fruits and veggies from PR. Park directly in front of the stand make your selection. Jump back in the car and drive away. If you decide to dine in smith bay, please choose an establshment with on site securty: one well known Italian place with a good reputation. (name?) Please be careful "wandering around" "interesting" Smith Bay. I wouldn't do it--very rough hood--any time of day--in my opinion. Granted, I am no "expert" on Smith Bay. STT RESIDENT knows more about Smith Bay because she owned a bar there for many years.

St Thomas has so much to offer! Why waste valuable family vacation time and money on a weird-o booze-fest beach and dicey run-down hood?

PS sorry about the spelling and grammar. English is not my first language and I rely heavily on "spell check". Lo siento.

With all due respect, blu4u, I find your general vilification of Smith Bay not only misinformed but offensive. Yes, until recently I owned and operated a restaurant in Smith Bay for 15 years and am very familiar with the neighborhood. You do of course realize that Estate Smith Bay not only encompasses the tiny area which you apparently find so distasteful but also a huge area encompassing Frydendahl, Emerald Hills, the whole of Smith Bay from Cassis Hill into Red Hook (including all the resorts en route) and, guess what, Red Hook itself?

You will gather from this post that you've severely irked me so consider your obvious intent to have been accomplished. You can't even get simple facts right. The hard-working local fishermen don't sell their catch out of "the trunks of their cars" but out of the back of their pick-up trucks in which they transport their catch in iced coolers (which I mentioned in my last post). Most of those roadside vendors get their produce from either the local wholesale food distributor whose warehouse is right up the street or from the DR (Dominican Republic), not from PR (Puerto Rico). This information is not designed to denigrate the vendors but simply to put a crimp in your comments which I've tried very hard to avoid since re-signing in on this forum.

If English is indeed not your first language then you disguise that fact very well.

If you feel that spouting negativity about the island upon which you reside is key then first know about what you speak and, second, either create a blog or contribute to one replete with those such as yourself who endlessly spew vitriole sans knowledge.

When I plan a trip to Anywhere World I research with due diligence on many different sites and appreciate the ability to delve through all the pros and cons in order to make measured decisions about my activities. If I came across a post such as yours and/or that of poster cruzan1 I would most certainly have substantial doubts about including STT on my itinerary if VINow were my only source of information.