28 Awesome Things to Do in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

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. It’s a perfect destination for cruise itineraries for all the major cruise lines. In addition to being simply stunning, it’s 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 haven’t 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.

Things to Do in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Being a US territory, you can expect the best security, convenience in ease of transaction, communication, and movement. With all these amenities and supporting features, one would have to try hard not to have a good time here. But don’t take our word for it, check out the following 15 awesome things to do in St. Thomas.

1. Explore Charlotte Amalie

After docking in St. Thomas, you can start by visiting the nearby town of Charlotte Amalie. This town is also the Capital city of St. Thomas. It will take you about 10 minutes to reach downtown from the Havensight cruise terminal.

Note there are two cruise docks in St. Thomas, Havensight is the larger of the two and the default cruise port. However large vessels the likes of Oasis and Allure of the seas are forced to dock at crown bay, the second cruise port.

You’ll need good travel walking shoes when exploring this cruise destination.

While it’s easy to get to the town on foot from Havensight, it’s not so easy from Crown Bay, and you would need to take a taxi. When there are many ships in this port, other vessels are forced to dock offshore. In such instances, guests are usually tendered right up to the heart of Charlotte Amalie.

St. Thomas is very famous for its duty-free shopping, and the great thing is that shopping starts right there in Havensight where most cruise ships docks. You can start your retail therapy there or visit the gorgeous town of Charlotte Amalie for more attractions.

Charlotte Amalie is a busy, colorful town that is a host to Danish colonial architecture with a modern metropolitan touch. Enjoy walking down the beautiful streets of the town and taste the flavor of the island. One of the major tourist attraction is the historical district where most of the island’s ancient 17th-century buildings are found.

Marvel at the genius of ancient civilizations as displayed in the intricate designs and structures created by them. While you practice your photography skills.

2. Duty-Free Shopping

Have you been looking for affordable souvenirs in your travels with no luck? Then prepare to find them in St. Thomas. Enjoy the best duty-free shopping that the Caribbean has to offer.  Splurge a little on some retail therapy in this island and save yourself the extra bucks.

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The island has every souvenir you would want to carry home. Enjoy tax and duty-free shopping and take home, perfume, jewelry, clothes, fine china, paintings, souvenir, and every other item that catches your eye.

Shopping takes place at the main street in Charlotte Amalie, Havensight Mall, Yacht Haven Grande, Red Hook, and Crown Bay Center.  Remember to keep your receipts in order in case you wish to send gifts back home.

3. Visit the National Heritage Sites

St. Thomas has something for everyone, including the History Buff.  St. Thomas used to be a Danish colony in the old days. The historic district has over 500 ancient buildings. The most notable of this include Black beard’s castle, Fort Christian and St. Thomas Synagogue.

Black Beard’s Castle

Black Beard’s Castle is located on government hill. Visit this site for scenic views of the island. Black Beard’s castle rumored to have been home to a famous pirate back in the day was built in the late 1600s. It was built to serve as a watchtower, to keep an eye out for Dane’s enemies. Take guided tours of the castle and learn the heritage and history of the port

Fort Christian

Fort Christian is centrally located in Charlotte Amalie. The fort was also built in the 16th century and served as military grounds. It now hosts the St. Thomas museum and bears artifacts and history of the island.  It’s hard to miss this brightly colored fort on your way from the cruise pier to the town.

St Thomas Synagogue

Visit a historic synagogue, the second oldest synagogue in continuous use in the US. St Thomas synagogue is found north of the central business district at Charlotte Amalie. This synagogue was built in 1833 and offers the history lovers the perfect place to explore the culture of the island.

4. Explore Underwater

St. Thomas is strategically located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its tropical climate provides the best environment for fish and sea creatures to live in. When in St. Thomas, make sure to visit Coral World Ocean Park. Here you will meet and greet sea lions, sea turtles, pet iguanas, and stingrays. You will also observe a wide variety of fishes in their natural environment, including nurse sharks.

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There are three different events to engage in at Coral World Ocean Park, the helmet dive, swimming with the sea lions and the turtle encounter. Though time and money might only allow you to engage in one or two of these events, you won’t want to miss any, all are fun and will leave you with an experience that you won’t soon forget.

Afterward, you can have lunch at the burger place in the park and do some more snorkeling at Coki beach right next door. You can also shop for some souvenirs at the gift shop in the reserve. To make this even more memorable, a professional photographer takes photos of you interacting with these magnificent creatures and avails them at the end of the session for a fee.

5. Drake’s Seat

When you first visit St. Thomas, you will realize it’s surrounded by green rolling hills dotted with brightly painted residentials. This means you can enjoy panoramic views of the island and its surrounding neighbors on some of its high points.

To start with, there is Drake’s seat, which has a complete overview of Magen’s Bay. It’s a beautiful place to stop by, enjoy the view, rest a bit and take great photos before continuing your tour of the area. History says that this was sir Drake’s lookout point to spy on enemy ships and order attacks on them.

6. Mountain Top

Speaking of observation decks, the Mountain Top is another great area. Found 1500 feet above sea level, this is one of the highest points on the island. It affords you an advantageous view of the bay and several other islands.

Besides the panoramic views, it’s also home to the world-famous banana daiquiri. I know a banana drink isn’t anyone’s first choice for a great drink, but you will love this drink. It’s made with Cruzan Rum originally made on the island and is very tasty. Other than enjoying delicious daiquiris, the best duty-free shopping in St. Thomas is found at the mountaintop. Enjoy shopping for clothes, jewelry, accessories, perfumes, and many more. And at the best prices on the island.

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7. 99 Steps!

To enjoy the beauty and architecture of this island climb the 99 steps up government hill that lead to Blackbeard’s castle. St. Thomas’s landscape is a hilly one, and most residential areas are built on the mountainsides.

The Danes used to build staircase streets up the hills to make navigation of the place easy. There are many such stair cased streets on the island, but the most popular is 99 steps. This staircase has simple short steps and is lined with flowers on either side. Its steps are made out of bricks that were brought from Denmark. Enjoy the architecture of the lovely houses found on either side of the staircase while utilizing this perfect photo op.

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8. Paradise Point

Ride the view on your way to the Paradise Point sky ride, one of the most popular things to do in St. Thomas for cruise ship visitors. Not for those who fear heights. The sky ride will elevate you 700 feet above the water as you cross the bay from Havensight to Charlotte Amalie. The 7-minute ride is the best way to see all of St. Thomas and the bay beneath dotted with numerous boats and yachts. The trip also affords you spectacular views of the mountainside and its residential houses.

Once you get to the observation decks at Point Paradise, you will have even more advantageous views of the island’s majestic bay and neighborhoods. The place also features a restaurant for when you get hungry or thirsty. Enjoy signature drinks, great meals, and spectacular views.

9. Ecotours

An eco-tour of St. Thomas is one of the best tours you can take in the Caribbean. Visit the mangrove lagoon on this tour and go kayaking, snorkeling, or even paddle boarding in this delicate ecosystem. The mangroves arrange themselves in small islands, and their cover offers a natural home for sea and animal life. Enjoy snorkeling and exploring this tropical paradise. Cruise lines and local tour operators offer tours.

10. Dive in St. Thomas

St. Thomas has an abundance of coral reef systems that support the over 500 fish life in its waters. Book a diving excursion and dive in any one of the many sites around the island. Dive to underwater wreck sites where you will see plenty of fish.

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Dive at Coki beach, cows and calf’s, and tunnels of thatch dive sites for more variety. Beginners can also get in on the fun and even learn how to scuba through certified-professional divers on the island.

11. Magens Beach

Longing for a perfect beach day? Then enjoy one at St. Thomas. This island has plenty of beaches, and you would have to visit the island for a more extended period to experience them all. Among the four best is Magen’s Bay beach, Sapphire Beach, Lindquist Beach, and Coki beach.

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Magens Bay beach stretches one mile between the two peninsulas jutting out at either end. Found on the northern side of the island, the beach is perfect for swimming, sunning and water sports. The beach has calm, warm, shallow waters courtesy of the North Atlantic conditions and the two protective peninsulas on its side. Enjoy a beach day here on the long stretch of clean, soft sandy beach, to complete your cruise vacation.

The beach charges $4 for use and in return provides clean amenities for use. There is a restaurant on the beach as well that serves a hearty dish of salt fish.

12. Sapphire Beach

If you love snorkeling, then sapphire and Coki beach are the places to visit. Sapphire beach is found on the eastern side of the island. It’s a bit rocky and has a lot of coral, but it also has the most crystalline waters and is suitable for snorkeling. There are plenty of shaded spots on the beach as well. Visit this beach for a beautiful day of rest and exploration

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13. Lindquist Beach

While Magen’s and Sapphire beach are excellent choices for beaches, they are also good choices for a few thousand others as well. If sharing beach space with a sea of people isn’t your thing, then try out the beautiful Lindquist beach.

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This is one of the secluded beaches on the island. It’s located on the eastern side of the island and is completely secluded. Enjoy a tranquil beach bum day at this beach. It charges $4 for access, and $2 for parking and the only amenities available on the beach is a clean bathroom and lifeguard services. Thus, carry your lunch and beach towels to enjoy your day here.

14. Tour to Nearby Islands

Island hopping in St. Thomas is also widely practiced by tourists visiting the island. Visit the nearby uninhabited water island and enjoy its perfect beaches or visit the natural parks in St. John. All in all, book a trip to these islands found 20-30 minutes away from St. Thomas by boat.

15. Taste of St. Thomas

Enjoy the taste of St. Thomas with its Mediterranean and Caribbean menu. Don’t just go back to your ship for lunch but try out delicious cuisines such as callaloo, pate (a St. Thomas version of empanadas), and the funjee (a favorite side dish made from salted cornmeal).

You can also have the delicious bull’s feet soup, conch fritters, and Indian inspired roti’s.  For your sweet tooth, enjoy Johnny cakes and dumb bread at local café’s. Notable places to visit for these dishes include Cuzzins, Bumpas, island flavor, Jen’s Café, and Glady’s café. For drinks try bushwhacker, banana daiquiri, and the painkiller.

16. Experience Winter in the Sun at Magic Ice

Opened in January 2012, Magic Ice is the world’s largest permanent ice gallery. It features a spectacular ice-sculpture gallery that depicts island life.  Located on Veterans drive facing the waterfront near Pizza Hut, Magic Ice is easy to find and a nice stop.

Take a break from the hot Caribbean sun and cool down in the sub-zero temperatures. Explore the magic at the winter wonderland where everything is made out of ice, including the glasses you drink from. Slide down the ice slide for a new experience.

It will take you about 20 minutes to tour the 8,000-square-foot museum.

17. Snorkel at Coki Point Beach

Coki Point beach is a snorkeler’s paradise with warm, crystal-clear waters, ideal for swimming and snorkeling. A snorkeling adventure at the place invites you into the world of thousands of rainbow-hued fish swimming among the beautiful corals.

Other than snorkeling, the beach itself is a vast stretch of soft white sand that is perfect for sunbathing, tanning, or even reading a book. Coki offers chair rentals with umbrellas and facilities such as changing rooms. The beach has no entrance fee.

Taxis are usually on hand, and the proximity of Coral world is an added plus but do beware of pickpocketers.

18. Go Ziplining

The views in St. Thomas are simply out of this world. Experience breath-taking views of Magen’s Bay, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, and St. John. Traverse 6-8 platforms as you soar high above the forest canopy at St. Peter Mountain.

This excursion is available on major cruise lines, or you can make a reservation with the Tree Limin Extreme Group. The tour operators ensure safety is observed and group you into manageable teams for the best fun.

19. Escape to Secret Harbour

Secret Harbour is a quiet beach resort on the East end of St. Thomas. And just as the name suggests, this beach is remote and unknown to many.

Secret Harbour is a breathtaking wide swath of soft white sand, shady palm trees, and turquoise blue water. But the main draw is the calm, clear waters that make snorkeling here, a pure joy.

The restaurant serves up delicious pizza, burger, and other BBQ choices. While the water concessions shop on the beach rents out, beach chairs, umbrellas, and diving gear. Visit this secret gem while in St. Thomas and enjoy quiet, tranquil beach time.

20. Beach Bum at Water Island

Water Island is just a short ferry ride from St. Thomas cruise port. A 10-minute boat ride from Crown Bay Marina will take you over to the small island. Water Island, which was historically a watering place for pirates, is about 500 acres big.

This quiet sleepy island has a lush outdoor and some great attractions to see. If you rent a golf cart ($40) or a bike you can tour the island in about an hour and visit the town area, the old hotel ruins, the deserted fort, which has an incredible lookout at the top and Honeymoon Beach, the main draw of the island.

Honeymoon beach is a pristine tropical beach with palm trees, sugary white sand and clear turquoise water, warm and shallow enough for some swimming and floating about.

One exciting feature on the beach is the Dinghy Beach Bar. It has such a lovely atmosphere and serves excellent food and drinks to boot. All in all, Water Island is a quiet, tranquil, and perfect place to relax.

21. Frederick Lutheran Church

Known to be the oldest Lutheran Church in the Americas, Fredrick Lutheran Church is estimated to be at least 350 years old. It was the first church to be built in St. Thomas.

The Georgian style building with an ornate façade bears a lot of Danish colonial history of the island. It’s a beautiful stop to attend church, learn more, explore, and probably pose for a snap or two.

22. Go Hiking in Hassel Island

Hassel Island is the island on the western edge of St Thomas harbor. Cruisers can get a beautiful view as the cruise ship arrive and departs the port. It was a peninsula before the Danish government separated it from the main island to create better water circulations.

Nature lovers, hikers, and all outdoors people will love this island. It has excellent hiking trails and plenty of attractions to explore. The island bears several old ruins including forts and government buildings.

The roughly 136-acre island was open to the public and makes for a great excursion while in St. Thomas. Unfortunately, the island is currently closed as it undergoes repairs from the devastations of the 2017 hurricanes.

23. Go Fishing

Inshore fishing in St Thomas is a fantastic experience for new and experienced fishermen alike! There is plenty of fish, perfect weather, and the currents are often mild. For families that love fishing, inshore fishing trips are the best because of the calm waters and short travel times.

Some of the fish you will see on an inshore fishing trip include Kingfish, Barracuda, Bonito, Jacks, Yellowtail and Snapper. From Charlotte Amalie harbor you can charter a boat and spend a few hours on this exciting activity.

24. Offshore fishing

Experienced Anglers will enjoy St. Thomas’s offshore fishing where the big game is found. Wrestle and snag a White Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Blackfin Tuna or Mahi Mahi.

At Charlotte Amalie harbor, you will have plenty of boats to choose from. Find the right captain, and charter a fishing trip to remember.

They have trips that last half a day trips (4 hours) or three-quarters of a day (6 hours). Fishing charters offer different rates depending on the length of a journey, the size of the boat, services, and equipment provided.

25. Pirates Treasure Museum

Just a short distance from the cruise pier is one of the unique things to do in St. Thomas. In the heart of Havensight is Pirates Treasure Museum, an impressive museum that displays great pirate exhibits.

Here is where you will find recovered pirate’s treasure and artifacts from sunken pirate ships off the coasts of St. Thomas and the entire USVI.

There is also a great deal of information about a pirate’s life and history. Visit this fascinating second-story museum. Learn a thing or two about pirates. Practice your scallywag, visit the brig, and spend a day with Captain Jack Sparrow’s double.

You can also experience a hurricane, collect coins with the aid of a robot, or walk the plank. Once done you can purchase souvenirs from the gift shop (some are actual salvages from shipwrecks).

All this just for $16(USD) for adults and $12(USD) for children. Please note, Pirates Treasure Museum only opens at 9:00 a.m. on cruise ship days.

26. 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.

27. Plantation Crown and Hawk Botanical Garden

Go on an off-the-beaten-path adventure while in St. Thomas at Plantation Crown and Hawk Botanical Garden found on top of Crown Mountain.

This five and a half acre tropical paradise is filled with many exotic plants and flowers, the likes of heliconias, bromeliads, orchids, bamboo, and more. This botanical garden also has animals such as peacocks, turtles, macaws, iguanas, and plenty of bird and fish life.

The gardens themselves are set in an 18th-century sugar plantation with a few ruins visible here and there. Paths are meandering throughout the garden that takes you to beautiful attractions such as waterfalls, ponds and perfectly manicured grounds for weddings and such like events.

Being on top of a hill also means the place has incredible views of Charlotte Amalie. A visit to this garden will leave you refreshed and with something to write home about. This is a must visit place while in St. Thomas for the nature lovers and gardening enthusiasts.

28. Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden

Escape the intense heat of the Caribbean and seek respite at Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden. Just near Plantation Crown and Hawk is this other 2acre tropical paradise.

Patsy, the garden’s owner, started it 20 years ago with a vision to inspire, educate, and relax people with beautiful nature. Her work surely has borne fruits. On your way up Crown Mountain stop at this lovely place and enjoy the wide selection of orchids, bromeliads, and air plants.

Come with the kids too. They will love the petting zoo complete with a peacock and parrot. Walk through the garden learning about different species of plants from the knowledgeable and gracious hosts. When tired, relax on a bench and have a picnic if you carry lunch. The garden’s strategic position allows visitors to have beautiful views of Magens Bay and the nearby islands.

Phantasea Gardens also has a gift shop where you can buy some beautiful blooming flowers for your garden back home. They charge $10(USD) for adults and $5 (USD) for children ages 5-12

Also Read: Things to Do in San Juan, Puerto Rico for Cruisers

Conclusion

As you can see St. Thomas is full of fascinating features and a whole list of activities to engage in. So, it might come as a shock, that this is not an exhaustive list. There are more things to do in St. Thomas such a teeing in the famous golf course on the island, fly and sport fishing, visiting botanical gardens and butterfly farms, and much more.

Now that you know what to expect, plan your cruise accordingly, and enjoy the charm of this beautiful place. That’s all for now. Do have a lovely cruise. Happy Cruising.