Recommended Tours

Day 1

All of St. Croix is delightful to visit, but if you only have one day on this United States Virgin Island, plan a walking tour of historic Christiansted, the island’s main town. With construction starting in 1735, the town’s architecture is mostly 18th-century European in style. The streets slope gently uphill from the harbor, traffic is minimal and the sidewalks are wide.

Start with a stop at the National Park Service Visitor’s Center, located in Fort Christianvaern, which is the centerpiece of Christiansted National Historic Site. This mustard-colored landmark has served as a sentinel over Christiansted Harbor since construction began in 1749. Park rangers answer questions, provide brochures and offer tours through the fort, an imposing edifice complete with dungeons, ramparts and cannons.

In front of the fort sits the Danish Customs House. It dates to 1734 and now houses National Park Service offices. The Scale House is nearby. It contains a scale once used to weigh incoming and outgoing goods. On nearby Company Street, the Steeple Building serves as a Christiansted National Historic Site museum depicting island history. Dating to 1753, the building was once a Lutheran Church.

The U.S. Post Office building, located along Company Street between Hospital and Church Streets, served as the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. It was built in 1749.

Protestant Cay sits just across the water from the fort. Once the burial ground for Protestants who were not allowed in the Catholic cemetery, the small island is home to Hotel on the Cay. It has a small beach, a water sports area and beachfront restaurant where all are welcome. A water taxi service runs day and evening from the Christiansted boardwalk to the cay.

Head up Company Street to Queen Cross Street, where you will find the historic Apothecary Hall Museum. It was once a pharmacy and gracious home set in a courtyard, but now offices, restaurants and shops have taken their place.

Further along Company Street at Prince Street, stop for a look at Holy Cross Catholic Church built in 1828 in the form of a cross.

Turn downhill on Prince Street to King Street. Heading toward the water, you’ll see the recently renovated Government House. Now the local government seat, it was once two gracious homes built in 1747, its ascending staircases leading to a gated courtyard and ballroom.

In addition to the above landmarks and sites, the town teems with charming shops, duty free stores, places to eat, picturesque gazebos, and galleries.

Visitors often split their day in St. Croix into a morning of strolling and shopping and an afternoon of sun and snorkeling at Buck Island Reef National Monument. Sign up for a sail at your hotel or at water sports centers located in the towns and at marinas.

Day 2 and 3

Frederiksted

If your plans allow more tour time, visit the cozy town of Frederiksted, located on the island’s west end. Charming colonial architecture, tropical gardens and covered walkways lend themselves to an easy stroll around the town. Benches along the waterfront are the perfect spot to stop for a rest.

Begin your walking tour at Fort Frederik, an imposing structure built in the 1750s and adjacent to the cruise ship pier. Now a museum, it contains refurbished military quarters and stables. The waterfront Strand Street and King Street, located one block inland, are the main shopping and restaurant areas. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, located on the corner of Market and Prince Streets, was built in the Gothic Revival style using limestone and yellow bricks. The adjacent cemetery is fascinating with above-and below-ground caskets dating to the 1700s.

St. Croix’s Rain Forest is only a 20-minute drive northeast from Frederiksted. Not a true rain forest, it is the home to centuries-old mahogany trees, samaan and silk cotton trees. There are also remains of former plantations and estates along Mahogany Road, the main road through the forest. A trip through the rain forest on the less-traveled and barely-improved Scenic Road–Route 78 or Creque Dam Road–Routes 58 and 78 requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Salt River National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, located along the North Shore off Route 801, has not been developed. However, it is fun to wander around the beach and inland areas. History tells us that Christopher Columbus skirmished with the Carib Indians at this location on his sail through the islands in 1493.

Outdoor adventures

Visitors with more time have many other options. Active visitors may enjoy a half-day mountain bike tour outside Frederiksted, a kayak trip through Salt River National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve on the island’s north shore, a horseback trip to the rainforest, or a scheduled hike to some remote location. Visit the St. George Village Botanical Garden—10 acres of beauty just off Centerline Road near Frederiksted or Whim Plantation Museum, located along Centerline Road outside Frederiksted. Of course, no tropical holiday is complete without some beach time and water sports activities. Reefs nearly encircle St. Croix, which makes diving and snorkeling one of the most popular activities. Try Cane Bay Beach, Northstar, Davis Bay, or Christiansted Harbor.

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