Virgin Islands suggestions...

[AaronR]

Is anyone here familliar with the USVI's?

I am getting ready to head out to the St. John/St Thomas area and was looking for suggestions of places to see, eat, dive, etc...
I have used the usual sources (tripadvisor, etc), but you just never know what mentality you are dealing with on the reviewers.....Any advice is appriciated
TIA
Aaron

 

[lemansnsx]

but you just never know what mentality you are dealing with on the reviewers.....Any advice is appriciated
TIA
Aaron

What sort of experience are you looking for? Do you like the "big resort" experience or something much more casual and laid-back? I've been to St. Thomas and St. John several times each and would be happy to offer suggestion if you can tell me just a little about what you are looking for.

 

[len3.8]

Is anyone here familliar with the USVI's?

I am getting ready to head out to the St. John/St Thomas area and was looking for suggestions of places to see, eat, dive, etc...
I have used the usual sources (tripadvisor, etc), but you just never know what mentality you are dealing with on the reviewers.....Any advice is appriciated
TIA
Aaron

Aaron, wait a minute! You just got back from some exotic location and now you are to another one? I need a job at Tirerack.
I don't have any advise, my wife is from St. Coix, We will be going back there in 06. Have fun.

 

[AaronR]

Re: Re: Virgin Islands suggestions...

What sort of experience are you looking for? Do you like the "big resort" experience or something much more casual and laid-back? I've been to St. Thomas and St. John several times each and would be happy to offer suggestion if you can tell me just a little about what you are looking for.

We are staying at the Wyndham Sugar Bay on the St Thomas east end, I have a room reserved that overlooks St. John. We are just looking to relax and chill, very low key, but in the nicest places we can find out there

From what I hear the beach on our resort is small (but private), so I am trying to decide on Coki beach, mangens bay, etc to check out a little more local flavor. I am only going for a short time so I really wanted to try and figure out the game plan before we go so we can get in as much stuff as possible. We want the best beach that is nice to just chill at. Otherwise we are open to day trips etc, I just can't beleve how many choices there are in such a small area!

Are there any nicer places to eat dinner that you would consider a must visit?

Thanks!
Aaron

 

[KGP]

I have only spent two days there (one X two crusies), but remeber being down by where your hotel is both times. One time we took a ferry over to St. John to go to a pretty secluded beach. The other time, I wanted to go fishing. Just walked along the marina, which is not far from your hotel, and just looked for people with their boats. Started talking to people, and next thing I knew I was out on a 50 footer fishing - for free.

 

[AaronR]

Re: Re: Virgin Islands suggestions...

Aaron, wait a minute! You just got back from some exotic location and now you are to another one? I need a job at Tirerack.
I don't have any advise, my wife is from St. Coix, We will be going back there in 06. Have fun.

I love the carribean, we go at least 4/5 times a year. I am trying to hit every country down there that we can I think Turks and Caicos is next after USVI. It's the whole, dual income, no kids thing that makes it possible

Aaron

 

[len3.8]

Re: Re: Re: Virgin Islands suggestions...

I love the carribean, we go at least 4/5 times a year. I am trying to hit every country down there that we can I think Turks and Caicos is next after USVI. It's the whole, dual income, no kids thing that makes it possible

Aaron

I hear you Aaron, do it while you can. Hopefully you'll always be able to. We are spending our 15th Wed Ani. Between Trinidad and St. Croix, also timing my wifes 20yr class reunion with the trip.
I will ask her when she gets in about some of the nice places to go on the different Islands. Are you going to any of the British Ilse at all?

 

[lemansnsx]

Re: Re: Re: Virgin Islands suggestions...

Are there any nicer places to eat dinner that you would consider a must visit?

Thanks!
Aaron

The place you are staying is very nice. From Red Hook you can catch ferry to St. John or see if your hotel has boat trip - many do - to Honeymoon Beach next to old Rockefeller place now big resort name escapes me.
Back on St. Thomas - Magens Bay must see - National Geographic Top 10 Beaches. Drive up to Mountaintop if you can handle windy twisty (NOT NSX territory!) bumpy roads in a jeep or taxi everywhere. Also many many nice restaurants - definitely go to Mafolie and dine overlooking the harbor from high on the hill over Charlotte Amalie. Some good places on the east end - West Indian, seafood, some casual shack type places, Agave Terrace is a good one.

 

[AaronR]

I hear you Aaron, do it while you can. Hopefully you'll always be able to. We are spending our 15th Wed Ani. Between Trinidad and St. Croix, also timing my wifes 20yr class reunion with the trip.
I will ask her when she gets in about some of the nice places to go on the different Islands. Are you going to any of the British Ilse at all?

I would really like to try and hit Tortolla or Beef Island, but the trip is short so we may have to save them for a whole seperate vacation. It does seem to be waaaaaaay cheaper to fly in to St Criox and St Thomas than the British iles though.

Have fun when you go too!

ps- below is the expedia pic from the resort we are staying at

 

[Lud]

Re: Re: Re: Virgin Islands suggestions...

I am getting ready to head out to the St. John/St Thomas area and was looking for suggestions of places to see, eat, dive, etc...

Diving in St. Thomas or St. John isn't anything special, but it's OK if you just want to go diving. St. Thomas has some reefs, wrecks and rock formations. St. John has some nice rock formations but not much else.

St. John is nice for getting away from the crowds a little bit and just hanging out. Nice beaches. Magens Bay is the best on St. Thomas IMO. I'm not really all that big on St. Thomas personally but it has it's points.

Are there any nicer places to eat dinner that you would consider a must visit?

Of course I'm sure you know to make reservations for sunset dining at any Caribbean restaurant with any kind of view... Anyway I've been to those two islands a few times, here's what I found:

St. Thomas:

Herve's is great. I think they call it French but seems heavily influenced by American and Caribbean to me. http://www.st-thomas.com/herve/about.html

Agave Terrace in Point Pleasant has a nice Caribbean menu, lots of seafood. http://www.agaveterrace.com/

Blackbeard's Castle is good, though I don't really care for the decor. Eclectic - American, Continental, Asian, Caribbean influenced. http://www.blackbeardscastle.com/

Tavern on the Waterfront is good. It's also pretty trendy and probably has the best odds for celebrity sighting if you care about that. French and Caribbean. http://www.tavernonthewaterfront.com/

Old Stone Farmhouse over by the golf course is supposed to be good but I haven't been there. I can't find a website for it either. I don't go to restaurants that don't have websites!


St. John:

Le Chateau de Bordeaux. Absolutely killer view from the highest peak on the island. French eclectic. http://www.viaccess.net/~winben/chateau.html

I've heard Asolare is good if you like the fusion Eurasian thing. Haven't been there myself. They are known for seafood and from their website it looks like they have a decent view as well. http://www.viaccess.net/~winben/asolar.html

Have fun.

 

[AaronR]

Lud, you are awesome!!!!!!

Thanks for the advice from all the other people too!
I went from a possibility of seeking advice to dinner reservations made! Sweet!

 

[AaronR]

Lud, thanks so much for the advice! We loved Chateau Bordeaux! I must agree on St Thomas as a whole, I didn't care for it at all. We ended up staying on St John all day and night every day of the trip. It was just so much nicer and more uncorrupted feeling. I will definitly be back to St John! Thanks again,
Aaron

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Good choice! My boss at work goes to St. John about 5 times a year and loves it. He is called "The Island Man" at work!

 

[JPS Europa]

My family and I love St. John and we go to Maho Bay Camps every year for a week or more (13 years in a row now). How much fun would it be to have a small nimble sports car on those roads...the NSX is really too big. I think I would be dead in a week if I had the Europa down there, though. I would either go flying off a cliff or get crushed by a water truck. If you go back, take a boat ride to the Baths at Virgin Gorda. The visibility is incredible. My wife went swimming out of Francis Bay (St John) this trip and ended up being able to play with a couple of dolphins, very cool. As for me, I was followed by a shark longer than I am tall and about 18 inches thick across in his middle. Time to head for shallow water...