Are you in search of someplace truly epic to travel to this year?
Well, if so, you're in luck!
Because in today's video, we'll be discussing the abundance of incredible things to see
and do in St. Thomas!
This beautiful island, which can be found in the US Virgin Islands, is downright paradisaical.
Known as the gateway to the Caribbean, St. Thomas makes for the ideal starting point
for your dream island holiday.
Whether you're taking your family on vacation and traveling with kids or planning a romantic
honeymoon getaway, you can find the perfect combination of activities and attractions
in St. Thomas to make this one trip that you will never forget.
Now some of you probably only associate St. Thomas with relaxing on a beach while sipping
on a fruity little handmade cocktail with one of those little paper umbrellas.
While you’ll certainly be able to find a lot of that if you’re looking for it, St.
Thomas isn’t quite as one-dimensional as that.
On St. Thomas, you'll discover salty ocean adventures like scuba diving, snorkeling,
paddle boarding, and sailing.
The locale provides year-round warm weather with endless sunny days – so, don't forget
the sunscreen.
And let's not forget about those unbelievably clean and serene beaches with their ivory
white sand, emerald waters, and gently swaying palms.
Once again, you'd be hard-pressed to find another place on earth as Paradise-like as
this one.
Although you could easily make an entire trip out of kicking back on the beach, dining on
fresh seafood, and letting loose by getting to the end of a bottle of rum, there are so
many other amazing attractions in St. Thomas that deserve your attention.
Join Viewcation as we take a deep dive into the culture, sites, and attractions that make
St. Thomas one of our favorite tropical vacation destinations.
This is our definitive list of the best things to do in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
Paradise Point
Regardless of whether you’re planning on visiting for a week or just a day, the Skyride
over to Paradise Point ranks very high on our favorite things to do in St. Thomas.
The view is fabulous and one of the best in the island chain.
After taking in the sights, grab a bite to eat at the fantastic steakhouse, Prime.
Charlotte Amalie
This city is the largest in the US Virgin Islands as well as the oldest in the Caribbean.
It was established back in 1671 by the Danes.
Throughout the centuries, the city has gone through many transformations.
These days, while repurposed, historic buildings dating back to the 17th century still abound.
Main Street, especially, is lined with jewelry stores offering travelers a duty-free shopping
experience.
Water Island
With departures every hour leaving from Bay Marina, this ferry ride brings visitors to
what is considered by many to be the 4th US Virgin Island, Water Island.
This minute island is just a hop, skip, and jump away from St. Thomas and makes for a
great day trip destination.
There are a few lovely beaches that line the coast and many adventures to be had if you
know what to look for.
The best way to explore the island is via a golf cart.
Rentals are available at kiosks located right outside of the ferry station.
After getting the keys to your cart, you’ll be free to zoom around the island’s winding
roadways.
Be sure to make your way to Honeymoon Beach and the world war two-era fort.
Swim With The Sea Turtles
Wildlife is abundant in the Virgin Islands waters.
From every hue of colorful tropical fish that you can imagine to the flourishing coral reefs,
you'll be blown away by the biodiversity!
Turtles are an easy favorite for travelers of all ages to appreciate.
You can see them up close and personal by booking a snorkeling or scuba diving tour.
Throughout your aquatic adventure, you'll see leatherback, hawksbill, and enormous green
sea turtles peacefully swimming among the seagrass.
There are countless world-class snorkeling sites on St. Thomas, but for your best chance
of seeing these majestic creatures in person, we recommend taking a tour of Turtle Cove
at the Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Go Parasailing
From the moment you step foot on St. Thomas, you'll be enamored by the breathtaking views
of the Caribbean and its stunning islands.
What better way to take this view than from the sky?
An exciting parasailing tour is an adventure that travelers of all ages can appreciate.
We can't imagine a better way to take in the boundless beauty of the islands than by soaring
through the sky over sparkling turquoise waters!
The scenes you'll be treated to by this means looks like they came straight out of a storybook!
Parasailing tours take adventurous visitors through the air while being pulled by a boat.
You can book tours either in St. Thomas or St. John.
It might not be the cheapest way to spend a day in the US Virgin Islands, but we guarantee
it will be a memorable one.
Mountain Top
At a staggering height of 1,500 feet above sea level, this spot offers an incredible
360-degree view of both the US and the British Virgin Islands.
From this vista point, visitors can see a total of 20 islands.
In fact, National Geographic once rated Mountain Top and its view of Magens Bay as being one
of the top 10 best views on the planet.
In addition to the scenery, the spot also features a casual shopping area perfect for
window shopping.
There is also a bar that is home to the famed Banana Daiquiri.
Coral World Ocean Park
Coral World Ocean Park is an open ocean sanctuary that is sure to impress travelers both young
and old – especially if you’re traveling with children.
The dolphin encounters on offer are sure to be a unique experience that your little ones
will absolutely adore.
Don’t expect some kind of Sea World-esque scripted show.
This is the real deal.
A trained marine mammal specialist introduces these highly intelligent marine mammals while
teaching the audience all about their behavior and habitat.
You'll quickly become best friends with these lovable dolphins.
You can even interact with them from a platform that extends into the water.
If you're feeling a little gutsy, you can wade out into the water and even swim the
dolphins!
Where else can you experience something like that?
Tickle Your Tastebuds With Authentic Caribbean Cuisine
We could easily devote an entire video just to covering the cornucopia of fantastic eateries
that await you in St. Thomas – and honestly, we'll probably do just that in the near future
– but in the meantime, we wanted to give a shout-out to some of our favorite restaurants
on the island.
We highly recommend venturing outside of your hotel, guest house, or resort to experience
the wide range of cuisines that can be found in St. Thomas.
From local Kallaloo to fresh-caught seafood to three-course authentic Italian dining,
there is no shortage of exquisite places to indulge your senses.
Red Hook over on the east end of the island boasts at least 8 restaurants featuring various
cuisines.
Then you have Frenchtown, which as it's name suggests has a distinctly French vibe.
Sure, you can get your escargot on there, but numerous other flavors await you as well.
Last but not least, we have Downtown St. Thomas, where the majority of restaurants are open
only for lunch.
That being said, there are several that serve dinner as well.
Drake’s Seat
One of the best vista points on St. Thomas is Drake's Seat.
This overlook provides a panoramic view of Magens Bay and the US and the British Virgin
Islands out to the east.
It's one of the most popular stops on any cross-island taxi tour and can get pretty
crowded at times.
The best time to visit is in the late afternoon.
It's a particularly lovely spot to stop and enjoy a colorful sunset.
According to legend, British privateer St. Francis Drake who was commissioned by Queen
Elizabeth I, used the spot to spy on enemy vessels from the Spanish Fleet as they passed
through what is now known as Drake’s passage.
Botanical Gardens
Of all the things to do in St. Thomas, leisurely strolling through the tropical plantlike and
exotic gardens might just be the most serene and meditative.
If this sounds like something that's up your alley, then you're in luck because St. Thomas
has not one, but two, botanical gardens to choose from.
You've got Phantasia Tropical Botanical Garden and Hawk Botanical Garden.
Both of these destinations are pretty remarkable.
Spending a few hours at either option can be an educational, peaceful, and refreshing
affair.
Climb The 99 Steps
One of Charlotte Amalie's most popular and photo-worthy landmarks is the 99 steps.
This staple of St. Thomas Vacation photos was initially built by the Danish colony in
the 18th century using bricks that they brought over from Denmark aboard sailing ships.
Charlotte Amalie, being a port city, is known for it’s many hills.
The Danes built this iconic staircase to make getting around town easier.
The 99 steps are lined by lush plants and vibrantly colored flowers.
It makes for the perfect place to go for a scenic walk or do an impromptu photoshoot,
so long as you don't mind a bit of a climb.
Once you've made your way to the top, you'll be able to spot other notable points of interest,
such as the National Historic Landmark Blackbeard's Chest.
The views from atop the stairs are nothing short of phenomenal.
Even if you're not much of a hiker, we highly recommend taking the journey up to this world-famous
landmark.
Also, just to totally confuse you, the staircase is actually comprised of 103 steps.
We imagine that 99 just had a better ring to it!
After spending a few days enjoying everything that St. Thomas and the US Virgin Islands
has to offer, we recommended setting out to explore the British Virgin Islands.
Be on the lookout for a video covering everything that that equally-impressive island chain
has to offer.
Before we sign off, we’d love to hear from you.
Have you ever been to St. Thomas and the US Virgin Islands?
If so, what are a few of your favorite attractions?
If you’ve not yet had the pleasure of visiting St. Thomas, what are you most excited to see
on your upcoming trip?
Let us know in the comments.