St. Croix US Virgin Islands is an Unincorporated U.S. Territory.
An Unincorporated Territory of the United States means that Congress has determined that only select parts of the U.S. Constitution apply.
St. Croix is known as "America's Paradise" in the Caribbean Sea, and the largest of the United States Virgin Islands. The other two US Virgin Islands are St. John and St. Thomas. Saint Croix is located 1100 miles south east of Miami, near the eastern tip of the Caribbean island chain. View Map.
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands is famous for it's coral reef, scenic drives, scuba diving and being the easternmost point of the United States.
1. Historical Significance:
St. Croix has a rich history, having been under Danish rule until 1917 when it was sold to the United States. This history is reflected in the architecture and culture of the island, blending European and Caribbean influences.
2. Diverse Culture:
The island's population is a mix of African, Danish, and other Caribbean influences, creating a vibrant cultural tapestry. This diversity is evident in the food, music, and traditions celebrated on the island.
3. Buck Island Reef National Monument:
Located just off the northeast coast of St. Croix, Buck Island is home to an underwater snorkeling trail and a beautiful white sand beach, making it a popular destination for visitors interested in marine life and natural beauty.
4. Christiansted and Frederiksted:
These two historic towns on the island offer visitors a glimpse into the past with their well-preserved colonial architecture, including forts, churches, and other buildings dating back to the 18th century.
5. Crucian Cuisine:
St. Croix is known for its unique cuisine, often referred to as Crucian cuisine. Dishes feature locally sourced ingredients such as fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and vegetables. Popular dishes include pate (a pastry filled with meat or seafood), saltfish (salted cod), and fungi (a cornmeal-based side dish).
St. Croix is a relatively flat island compared to St. Thomas, USVI. So if you're not going to spend all your time in the rain forest area, there's no need for an off-road jeep. Any car will suffice. We recommend you skip the taxis, they charge per person, and way too much. There are enough car rentals at affordable rates. Try Olympic Rent-A-Car.
St. Croix is a great getaway destination. Young people adore its fantastic beaches and breathtaking nature.
One such is Rainbow Beach. Placed along the west end shore of St. Croix, this beach is a realm of soft sand and clear, calm waters. Spend the whole day swimming and sunbathing, and charge your batteries to the full. Since this is the top favorite resting destination even for locals, if you want to avoid crowds, it’d b better to visit this beach on working days.
Read more about young couples favorite Saint Croix locations.
Enjoy your stay!
![St. Croix US Virgin Islands Caribbean Maps](images/maps/st-croix-usvi-maps-caribbean-info-travel-guide.jpg)
"Virgin Islands March"
- Shopping in St. Croix is like doing a sightseeing tour. Find trinkets and souvenirs in quaint shops, tucked in historic buildings made of cut coral, molasses mortar, and Danish ballast bricks from trading ships of the 1700 and 1800s. See interesting shaded courtyards, or stop for a drink in these restored houses that are now small shopping malls.
- Buck Island Snorkeling - Buck Island is a small, uninhabited island that is protected by the U.S. government as "one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea". It is not on the island of St. Croix, but a short kayak or boat ride away, making it a fun outing to get there. There are outstanding, colorful, clear-water, even legendary, underwater trails and a golden, fine powdered beach, called Turtle Beach, to frequent.
- Visit Cruzan Rum Distillery - www.cruzanrum.com. Once there were over 150 plantations on St Croix that produced rum. The Nelthropp family still does just that with Cruzan Rum, named one of the best in world. Weekday tours of the distillery, founded in 1760 in Frederiksted, make for a fun and informative day visit. You can see how this well-known rum is made, taste some rum and also explore the history involved.
- Kayaking St. Croix - St. Croix has many options for kayak lovers. You can either rent kayaks at various hotels (www.thebuccaneer.com or www.hotelonthecay.com) or there are some excellent guided kayak tours available at specific venues. Something special is evening kayak tours in the bioluminescent waters of Salt River Bay's National Historic Park & Ecolological Preserve, call Caribbean Adventure Tours at 340-778-1522. If that is not enough yet, try Sea Thru Kayaks VI, call 340-244-8696 - as the name suggests, the kayaks are see-through, so you have a perfect view in crystal clear waters while kayaking. Their Creepy, Crawly, Critter Tour is featured in the Virgin Islands Daily News and not to be missed.
- St Croix Hikes - If you are just looking for a light, fun experience, some recommendations are hikes to Jack and Isaac Bays, Creque Dam, or the Hams Bluff Light House. Also, the St. Croix Environmental Association & The St. Croix Landmarks Society sponsor regular hikes, and for a small fee you can get a guided ecological and historical overview of the area. The Bay Tidal Pools is a scenic, but a bit more challenging hike. The trail starts at the Carambola Resort, is about 2 miles long and you walk through rainforest vegetation and tall grass, with breathtaking views of Carambola and the Caribbean Sea. The hike ends at a rocky beach with beautiful, naturally formed tide pools.
- Hotel on the Cay/Protestant Cay. A short ferry ride away from Christiansted Harbor lies Protestant Cay, home of the Hotel on the Cay. The sandy islet beach looks like a little paradise oasis from the harbor and is fab for sunning and swimming. Watersports equipment is for rent, and lunch and drinks are served beachside. It has great views of Christiansted, so shopping in town in the morning and going to the beach in the afternoon is a popular day in Christiansted.
- The Buccaneer Beach (www.thebuccaneer.com) This is a great beach at The Buccaneer Hotel, so there is a per person fee of $4 to use the beach. On the way to the beach there is a charming shopping arcade and a golf course to make use of, depending on your time schedule, but press on and you will reach the beach! The beach is a typical island experience, with watersports, and lunch is served at the Mermaid Restaurant.
- Divi Carina Beach. At the fork on Route 82, turn right to the Divi Carina Resort Hotel. The beach is well-known for its great snorkeling. Watersport equipment is for rent, there is a day spa and the hotel has a shop, bar and restaurant. Stay later and you can also enjoy the casino there too.
- Cane Bay Beach. From Christiansted this is a rather long drive, but the coastal road along Route 80, St. Croix's north shore, is very scenic and worthwhile. Cane Bay beach is across from Cane Bay Plantation, has lots of shade and is world renowned as an excellent snorkeling and scuba diving spot. It is not a wide beach, but famous among divers because of the 1,000 feet plunge about 250 meters off shore. Divers often swim out and "jump off the wall" (know as the Cane Bay Wall) into the deep! There is a bar and restaurant adjacent to the beach while Cane Bay Dive Shop also offers special cottage accommodation nearby.
- Davis Bay Beach is a little past Cane Bay and part of the Carambola Resort development. At the resort's gatehouse they will direct you to the beach. Davis Bay has an unusual-for-St.Croix aspect to it - it has a surf and gentle waves. It is a long, white sandy beach, with a beach bar, hotel restaurant and boutique. Most of the other hotel facilities, except the golf course, are not open to the public.
How to fight mosquitoes in the Caribbean without dosing yourself with insect repellent chemicals? There's a natural route for everything. Lemongrass or lavender essential oil. Dilute either with water, pour it in a spray bottle, and voila, your skin will love you and mosquitoes will flee from you!