Spend The Day At Beautiful Magens Bay
Magens Bay is probably at the top of nearly everyones list of the best things to do in St. Thomas. Or at least close to the top of the list.
Whether you want to dive into crystal-clear waters or take tropical Facebook photos, youre in for a treat at Magens Bay. This beach is an escape like no other with the soft sand and gleaming turquoise water.
Magens Bay is located on the north side of the island. Theres a small fee to visit the beach. Children under 12 are free, but its reported to be $5 per adult. Your cruise ship is sure to offer half- or full-day shore excursions.
If your stomach starts to growl, head to Magens Bay Beach Bar and Café. Here youll find everything from grilled sandwiches to pizza plus pre-made salads and sandwiches.
Youll quickly forget about your worries of paying to be on the beach once you set eyes on the area. Visitors have reported their visit to Magens Bay is worth every penny and more.
Many local private companies offer boat tours of the area. Check with your cruise line about their shore excursions to Magens Bay, too.
French Heritage Museum St Thomas
The French Heritage Museum is located in Charlotte Amalie. It educates visitors on the French immigration history to St. Thomas and their economic and cultural influence on the island.
The museum displays a collection of old artifacts like fishing nets, accordions, mahogany furniture, pottery, tools and photographs that tell the story of the French-Caribbean people that settled on the island.
Volunteers run the museum and are typically open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 1 pm. Visit the museum to acquaint yourself with the French culture and history of St. Thomas.
Hike Up To Drakes Seat
Follow in the footsteps of Sir Francis Drake and head up to Drakes seat where he supposedly kept an eye out for enemy Spanish ships.
It may be hard not to believe it once youve seen the incredible vantage point of the ocean from the top. You wont have to worry about Spanish invaders, just breathe in the fresh air and take a few pictures.
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Drive Over To Sapphire Beach
Just a short, scenic 25-minute drive from Charlotte Amalie town center, lies Sapphire Beach, and its well worth the trip.
The pure, white sand is partially sheltered by sea grape trees, where you can relax on the shoreline with food and drink within arms reach as there are local vendors serving the beachgoers all day!
Have A Pint At Leatherback Brewing
To sample some beer from the islands, head to Leatherback Brewing Company. Brewed with Caribbean grown ingredients, the beers at Leatherback are made both in St. Croix and in St. Thomas at Havensight Plaza not far from the cruise port.
A celebration of life in the Caribbean, the signature beers are Beach Life, Island Life, and Reef Life. With these beers and a selection of other ales, IPAs, hefeweizens, and more, Leatherback has a broad offering to please a range of palates.
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Explore Coral World Ocean Park
St. Thomas sightseeing is a great way to get a feel for the island, but you can cool off by diving deep into the waters of Coral World Ocean Park, located on the east side of the island by Coki Beach.
Guests can purchase general admission tickets to explore the five acres of land. There are extra excursions available to purchase. These extra excursions include dolphin kayak tours, a shark encounter, and a sea trek.
If you arent interested in purchasing additional opportunities, youll still have plenty to do with the sea animal touch pools, stingray lagoon, and the underwater observatory tower.
Are you with your kids and/or grandkids? This park offers educational opportunities that teach visitors more about local sea creatures and underwater habitats.
Where Does Royal Caribbean Dock At St Thomas
St. Thomas has two cruise ports: Crown Bay Cruise Port and Havensite Cruise Port.
If you are on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas or the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, you will dock at Crown Bay Cruise Port.
If you are on one of the smaller Royal Caribbean ships, you will dock at the Havensite cruise port.
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The Taxis In St Thomas Cruise Port: Getting Around St Thomas From Cruise Port
St. Thomas has open-air trucks or shuttle buses for transportation.
Ill admit it. Im not a fan of the taxis in St. Thomas.
The taxi drivers in St. Thomas tend to wait until their vehicle is completely full before leaving. So, expect to be crammed into a truck or taxi in St. Thomas.
When my mom and I took a taxi to Crown Bay Marina, our taxi driver jam-packed the taxi full until he had 14 people in it.
However, the shuttle buses do tend to be air-conditioned well.
Spoil Yourself With A Sunset Cruise
St. Thomas isnt short on stunning sunsets, but theres no place better than on the deck of a boat, cruising out across the Caribbean waters.
Hop on a two-hour cruise across the shoreline, with champagne to toast the end of the day, before being brought back safely to shore, at the foot of amazing restaurants, just in time for dinner.
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Zip Line Above The Trees
If youre looking for a little adventure, head to Tree Limin Extreme ziplining, the first zipline park in the Virgin Islands. This experience isnt for the faint of heart, as you zip up to 35 miles per hour above the trees.
Tree Limin has six ziplines and two sky walks that will get your adrenaline pumping and provide incredible views of Magens Bay, Jost van Dyke, Tortola, and beyond. Its a must do in St. Thomas for kids or anyone looking for a bit of a break from the beach.
Pick Up A Perfume At St Johns Fragrance Company
St. Johns Bay Rum is one of the most famous perfume ingredients, dating back 70 years to John Webb who created the iconic masculine fragrance using bay leaf and other Caribbean spices.
Head on over to St Johns Fragrance Company and pick up a bottle of the incredible smelling liquid that so many other perfumers try to replicate!
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Ride The Tram To Paradise Point
One of the best ways to see St. Thomas from above, Paradise Point, is located within walking distance of the cruise ship. The gondola ride takes you up 700 feet above the town, which takes about 7 minutes to get to the top. The sky-ride has 6 cabins that can each hold 12 people each. From here you have a gorgeous view of the clear blue water, the lush green trees, and the white homes along the hills. Paradise Point allows you great views of the harbor, Water Island, and even Puerto Rico. You can truly sit here and enjoy the scenery all day if youd like. With gorgeous views of the ocean and the island, its definitely a must-do while on St. Thomas during a cruise.
Once you purchase a ticket for the tram, the ticket is valid all day, so you can ride the tram again if youd like. There is a restaurant, bar, and shops at the top, so its a nice place to relax and enjoy the views. Included in your ticket price, is a taster of the Bushwackers Bailey, which is their singature drink. We didnt stay long as we had other places to see. But if you are staying the nigh in St. Thomas, I can imagine this would be the perfect place to watch the sunset.
**You can also take the taxi to the top and bypass the sky-ride, if you want to save some money
Stop By Blackbeards Castle
Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Irma, this attraction is currently closed off from the public. But even if you cant go inside, see if you can still get a peek at the outside. Serving as one of the most popular St. Thomas tourist attractions, this castle takes you deep into a pirate-packed past.
Youll find this landmark in the city of Charlotte Amalie at the highest point of Government Hill. Its hard to miss due to its high vantage point and size. Almost all motorcoach tours of Charlotte Amalie stop for a photo op at Blackbeards Castle.
Blackbeard, formally known as Edward Teach, was rumored to have used the castle as a lookout point for his pirate plots.
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Flyboarding & Beach Adventure
The newest and most exciting water sport ever invented, the Flyboarding Adventure will have you soaring above the Caribbean Sea like you never have before. With this activity youll swim like a dolphin and fly like Iron man using a water powered jetpack strapped to your feet.
This excursion includes detailed one-on-one training with a certified instructor, as well as a visit to the pristine waters and sands of Emerald Beach where you can relax after your exhilarating ride.
Try The Tree Limin Extreme Zipline
If youre an adrenaline junkie, one of the best things to do in St. Thomas for you could a ride on the famous St. Thomas zipline. Anyone between the ages of 5-95 years can experience the thrill of a zipline ride!
Tree Limin Extreme Zipline starts high up in St. Peter Mountain. Youll catch amazing views of Magens Bay on your way down. Soak it all up as you soar through what looks like a National Geographic ad.
Do you need a break after your zipline experience? Relax at the da Lime in da Coconut bar that features flavors of Caribbean rum youve probably never tried.
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Ferry Over To St John Island
If you are familiar with St Thomas, I suggest taking a scenic ferry ride over to St John, the smallest of the three Virgin Islands located four miles east of St. Thomas. The island boasts incredible nature and a large part of it is covered by a nature reserve.
St John is known as a great snorkeling and diving spot and has breathtaking beaches, among which Trunk Bay and Honeymoon beach are the most popular ones.
You can take an open-air taxi and tour around the Virgin Islands National Parks coastal swamplands and sugar plantation ruins, or relax and snorkel at one of the beautiful beaches. The capital Cruz Bay offers visitors a wide range of restaurants, bars, and locally handmade items, so you can take a break at one of the charming cafes overlooking the picturesque harbour.
The only way to get to St Johns is to take a taxi from St Thomas to Red Hook Ferry Station, located around 12 km from Charlotte Amalie. The rate is around $20- $30 per taxi and the ride takes approximately 15 minutes. Ferry rides over Cruz Bay take 20 minutes and cost between $6 $8.50 one-way. Round-trip ticket cost varies between $12 $16.30 per person. The ferry runs hourly from 6:00 am to midnight.
Cast A Line From A Fishing Charter
St. Thomas is teeming with aquatic life, making it one of the favorite destinations for fishing enthusiasts. If you hop on a fishing boat, youll get the best chance of reeling in a kingfish or barracuda.
Better yet, theyre also set up for snorkeling and spearfishing so whatever your style, youll enjoy the waters on this tour!
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Awesome Things To Do In St Thomas Us Virgin Islands
Take a look at some of the best things to do in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands for cruise ship visitors. We’ve got excursions, beaches and more!
One of the most visited cruise ports in the Caribbean is St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The island is conveniently found in the Lesser Antilles near the British Virgin Islands. Its a perfect destination for cruise itineraries for all the major cruise lines. In addition to being simply stunning, its best known for being a favorite duty-free shopping place in the region, just one of many things to do in St. Thomas!
St. Thomas mixes the laid-back vibe of the Caribbean with the modernities of a metropolitan society to create a modern paradise. All this evidenced by the constant calls cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America make to this destination.
If you havent been to this well-known cruise destination, then you should add this to your travel plans as you are truly missing out on a gem at sea. Your trip to this island will welcome you to gorgeous views, beautiful beaches, tasty cuisine, the best shopping, and a world of fun on the water.
Foodie Experiences In St Thomas
Along Main Street in Charlotte Amalie, there are many local restaurants and bars where cruise travelers can enjoy the day. There are also some food and drink tours that are available.
23. St. Thomas Food and Rum Tour
If you love sightseeing, food and culture, then a food and rum tour is a great way to visit and experience St. Thomas. This tour takes place in the Downtown Charlotte Amalie Historic district, and includes eating Caribbean dishes at local restaurants.
Youll also sample and learn to make one of the St. Thomas local drinks, the Painkiller.
Heres a video about how we spent our day in St. Thomas at Magens Bay on a recent cruise on Crown Princess
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Island Hop To Trunk Bay St John
If the beaches at St. Thomas dont excite you, you can catch a ferry over to St. John. We would have done this if we had some more time, but its an all-day event and sive we were only in St. Thomas for one day we wanted to explore St. Thomas. Trunk Bay is consistently voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, so I can only imagine the beauty. Trunk Bay is part of the National Park and has an entrance fee of $5/person.
There are two passenger ferries: one in Charlotte Amalie and one in Red Hood. Red Hood is the only one that will take cars across as wel.. The ferry from Charlotte Amalie will take a little longer, but there may be more traffic getting from the cruise port to Red Hood, so it may end up being the same time. The ferry from Charlotte Amalie to St. Johns is $13/one way and takes 45 minutes. Its a 5 minute taxi ride to the ferry from the cruise ship. From Red Hood to St. John its $7/one way and only takes 20 minutes, however its a 17 minute taxi ride to the ferry dock which will cost about $10/person. There are more ferries that leave out of Red Hood, so you will have more options. Once you arrive at Cruz Bay, there are taxis to take you to Trubk Bay for $6/person. Id recommend heading straight to St Johns right when you get off the cruise ship, so you can spend as much time as possible on Trunk Bay, and then spend the remainer on St. Thomas before boarding the cruise ship.
Get Back To Nature On St John
St. John
The smallest of the three US Virgin Islands, sleepy St. John is a world apart from its busier neighbor. National park occupies more than two-thirds of the island, and as such, the beaches here are completely unspoiled.
Here, long swathes of white sand are backed by bottle-green shrubs and palms with coral reefs offshore. Youll still find rustic restaurants and beach bars, but St. John attracts a more outdoorsy, nature-loving crowd than its chic neighbor.
One of the loveliest beaches is Trunk Bay, named after the leatherback turtles which are endemic here and are known locally as trunks. Theres great snorkeling, following a self-guided coral reef trail that stretches 650 feet through shallow water. Signs embedded in the rock tell you what youre looking at, so this is an educational experience and fun for all ages.
Take time away from the beach and try out some of the Caribbean hiking trails while youre here. Youll spot green iguanas draped across branches in the trees, and you may encounter wild donkeys on your hike. Turtles lay their eggs on the beaches here, so follow the advice of the rangers when it comes to avoiding turtle nests.
St. Thomas
If youre already dreaming of basking on sugary beaches and swimming in the warm, turquoise Caribbean, make your fantasy a reality on a luxury cruise to St. Thomas. Browse Caribbean cruise itineraries on our website and start planning the perfect vacation.
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Explore The Ancient St Thomas Synagogue
Built in 1833, the St Thomas Synagogue is the second oldest in the entire United States. Located right in the heart of the US Virgin Islands capital Charlotte Amalie, this is a great stop for a walk through town.
With so many interesting landmarks and photo opportunities in the area, its worth hopping on a guided audio tour that makes sure you dont miss any of the hidden gems.
