The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a Danish colonial history you can still walk through in Christiansted and Frederiksted — quieter and slower-paced than its sister islands St. Thomas and St. John.
St. Croix is the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, roughly 40 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John — closer to Puerto Rico than to its sister islands. Under Danish rule until 1917, its two main towns, Christiansted and Frederiksted, still show that colonial history in their architecture, unlike anywhere else in the USVI. View map →
The island has a noticeably slower, more local pace than St. Thomas — fewer cruise crowds, more rum distilleries, rainforest and reef. Read the full fact sheet →
Nationality: U.S. citizens (no vote in presidential elections) · Size: 214.66 km² (82.88 sq mi) · home to Buck Island Reef National Monument
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Car Rental STX specializes in providing you the best car rental rates in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Secure your car rental on Saint Croix USVI before you arrive.
★ Cool factor: Best rates on island! Visit site
St. Croix Environmental Their mission is to promote the conservation of environmental resources, provide education and advocate for environmentally responsible actions that benefit St. Croix. Their members are their strength. Benefits of membership include free or reduced admission to regular events, leatherback sea turtle watches, discounts in their SEA shop, and - most important - the knowledge that you are supporting and helping with a vital effort to protect our island environment.
★ Cool factor: Education Conservation Advocacy Visit site
Latitude 17 Scuba St. Croix. They specialize in personalized, private PADI dive instruction from Discover Scuba through Divemaster, and guided diving here on beautiful sunny St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. They have great diving year round with water temps from 77 degrees in the winter to 84 degrees in the summer.
★ Cool factor: Year round diving! Visit site
US Virgin Islands Each of our three major islands has a unique character all its own. St. Croix's Danish influence is perfect for visitors who prefer a laid-back experience. Two-thirds of St. John is a national park. Its comfortable pace is perfect for enjoying the island's world-renowned beaches. St. Thomas boasts one of the most beautiful harbors in the world. As the most visited port in the Caribbean, downtown Charlotte Amalie offers elegant dining, exciting nightlife, duty-free shopping and even submarine rides.
★ Cool factor: No passports required for US citizens Visit site
gandor.tv specializes in creating, maintaining, hosting and promoting websites in the Caribbean. They are known for their customer service, maintenance packages, fast response, e-commerce, booking systems and social media magic and creation of advertisments.
★ Cool factor: They create, maintain, host and promote websites. Visit site
Olympic Rent A Car is located at 1103 Richmond in Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Olympic Rent A Car is the oldest and largest independent car rental agency on St. Croix. At Olympic Rent A Car you'll get old school personal service, free pick-up & deliveries and better quality vehicles. Since 1973.
★ Cool factor: Free pick-up & deliveries Visit siteNo businesses in this category yet.
Real, lived-in advice from travellers and locals — trip reports, packing lists and the tips that make a Caribbean vacation go smoothly.
These St. Croix tours or activities are independently operated. After booking, the tour operator will contact you directly with your reservation details.
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The stories behind the postcard — a few things worth knowing before you go.
St. Croix was under Danish rule until 1917, when the U.S. purchased the Danish West Indies — the island's colonial architecture in Christiansted and Frederiksted is unlike anywhere else in the USVI.
A blend of Danish, African, French, Spanish and American influences shows up in the island's food, architecture and Crucian dialect — a distinct identity within the USVI.
A protected marine park just off the north coast, with one of the Caribbean's best-preserved barrier reef systems and a marked underwater snorkeling trail.
The island's two historic towns each carry their own character — Christiansted's Danish fort and waterfront, Frederiksted's Victorian architecture and famous sunsets.
Local specialties like kallaloo, fungi and saltfish reflect the island's mixed Caribbean and Danish colonial roots — distinct from the food traditions on St. Thomas and St. John.
Ranked by locals — the St. Croix essentials.
See the island before you go.
“Virgin Islands March”
St. Croix passed through French hands in the mid-1600s before being sold to the Danish West India Company in 1733. Christiansted became the seat of Danish colonial government in 1734, and the island developed into a major sugar-producing colony, worked by enslaved Africans on plantations still visible in ruins across the island today.
In 1917, amid concerns over German naval power in the Caribbean during World War I, the United States purchased St. Croix along with St. Thomas and St. John from Denmark for $25 million in gold under the Treaty of the Danish West Indies — the islands have been a U.S. territory ever since, with residents gaining U.S. citizenship in 1927.
That Danish inheritance still shapes St. Croix today: Christiansted's fort and warehouses, Frederiksted's Victorian streets, and a local Crucian culture distinct from — and quieter than — its sister islands.
A small, calm private island beach just offshore from Christiansted, reachable by a short ferry — good swimming and easy access to town.
A palm-lined, resort beach near Christiansted with calm water, watersports rentals and easy public access along the shore.
A quieter south-shore beach with good swimming and reliable trade winds — a popular spot for a slower afternoon.
Famous for shore diving right off the sand — the Cane Bay Wall drops off into deep water just a short swim out.
A wide, less-crowded west-side beach near Frederiksted with calm, clear water and some of the island's best sunset views.
Tips by Liz Strauss, an experienced traveler and piano entertainer. www.lizpiano.com · Disclosure
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