Croix, Colony Cove, Long Reef -west of Christiansted and east, Coakley Bay, Schooner Bay at Gallows Bay, Carden Beach. On the north shore you will find Gentle Winds, Cane Bay Reef Club and Waves at Cane Bay. For the serious golfer, Carambola Golf and Tennis Club has a number of villas available for vacation rental which overlook their spectacular golf course.
St. Croix is known for its charming small inns (bed & breakfast hospitality); to name a few: Carringtons Inn, Arawak Inn, and the remodeled Comanche Hotel. If you should choose to stay in Christiansted, you will find yourself near many of the island’s finest restaurants and specialty duty-free shops. Located in town are a number of hotels that reflect the owner’s personalities, Caravelle, The Company House Hotel (once the Danish West India and Guinea warehouse), Holger Danske, Hotel on the Cay (a quick 3-minute boat ride), Kings Alley Hotel, and King Christian, most of which reflect the Danish architects influences. For further information on where to stay call The St. Croix Hotel &Tourism Association or for rentals try the various realtors.
Dining Out
Experience a little St. Croix history as you are dining in a plantation greathouse, a restored Danish colonial townhouse, or simply sitting by the water enjoying a beautiful sunset. Watch yachts and sailing craft from your harbor-front table, or beachfront table, or enjoy the panoramic view of the Caribbean from a restaurant tucked into an island hillside. There are a full variety of cuisines from West Indian, French, Danish, Continental, Cajun, Latin and American, to fast food and deli specialties.
For upscale dining in downtown Christiansted, try Thai food at the Galangal and intimate Savant, winner of the 2011 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence. For more casual dining in Christiansted, try: Rum Runners at Hotel Caravelle, Angry Nate’s on the boardwalk, Bombay Club, Paradise Cafe, Mexican food at Luncheria, and Maria’s Cantina, French at Christine’s. In Gallows Bay, The Golden Rail and No Bones offer casual and not too pricey dining. Just outside of Christiansted heading east is - opa! The Pickled Greek. The Buccaneer Hotel, with three restaurants, has elegant dining and entertainment. The Galleon at Green Cay Marina has been an island favorite for a long time. A well-known beachfront restaurant at the east end is Duggan’s Reef. The Cultured Pelican, located at Coakley Bay, offers pasta dishes, seafood and continental. Try the homemade pasta and the casual popularity of Cheeseburgers in America’s Paradise, just before Chenay Bay Beach Resort, and not far away at the Tamarind Reef Hotel, The Deep End Bar & Grill, and a little farther Blue Water Terrace. For authentic local fare try Kim’s Restaurant in C’sted, Gertrude’s on the Hess Rd or La Reine Chicken Shack in Kingshill or have a mean steak then shoot some pool at El Sol Bar & Restaurant. For the spice lovers there’s curry at ACE Roti Shop and Thali Indian Restaurant.
In Frederiksted, Blue Moon has great food and scheduled entertainment. Just north of Frederiksted there is casual dining at Rainbow Beach and Coconuts on the Beach - both on the beach. Sand Castle Beach Side Cafe (serving Wine Spectator awarded wines), Turtles Deli and Mahogany Run Grille are on the beach south of Frederiksted. Just outside of Frederiksted, off Queen Mary Highway, stop at Villa Morales for the Latin - West Indian flavors of roast pork and fresh seafood.
On the Northshore road try Carambola Resort, Bogey’s at Cane Bay, Reef Club, Waves at Cane Bay, Cane Bay Beach Bar, Sprat Net, and Off the Wall. Devotees of Wendy’s, McDonald’s, KFC, Dominos, IHOP, Pizza Hut, and Subway you will find them in several locations on the island. Some favorites for Chinese are Beijing Restaurant in Sion Farm, and Fung Kong in Golden Rock. Some of the above restaurants may close for the summer months, so be sure to call first.
Shopping Around
St. Croix is a duty-free port with much less hustle and bustle than St. Thomas, and that will make shopping easy. In Christiansted, a collection of galleries, mostly located on properties intersecting Company and Queen Cross Streets, displays the best works of talented local artists. There are art galleries at Henle Studios in Christiansted, Art at Top Hat, and the Betsy Campen Gallery (www.betsycampengallery.com). Several more galleries have opened; just ask around. Don’t forget the Caribbean Museum of Art in Frederiksted. One particularly fun way to take in the Crucian art scene is to attend one of Christiansted’s Art Thursdays, a November-through-June art walk in which galleries stay open late and provide refreshment and conversation about their work to visitors. For more information, visit www.artthursday.com.
Christiansted also has a lot of fabulous jewelry shops, offering handcrafted original pieces. Visit Sonya’s for the authentic ‘hook’ bracelet; Tropical Bracelet Factory for custom jewelry and gifts as well as the “hook” bracelet; Crucian Gold for the Crucian Knot bracelet; and the Gold Worker, and IB Designs for custom crafted jewelry. For great sunglasses, jewelry and bric a brac, visit Baci’s Duty free. Kmart and the major supermarkets also sell duty-free liquor. Duty-free means you can take up to $1600 in goods back with you. For cigars see Steele’s Smokes & Sweets. Unusual glass cut-pieces can be seen at the Mitchell-Larsen Studio on Company Street.
Island fashions can be found at the stores at King’s Alley Walk, Pan Am Pavilion, and Caravelle Arcade and duty-free perfume at Violette’s Boutique. If you are looking for Native crafts visit Many Hands, or the LEAP in the Rain Forest on route 76. LEAP specializes in locally carved wood artifacts ranging from custom furniture to smaller items made of 18 mahogany, Saman and Tibet. LEAP stands for Life and Environmental Arts Project, which is a special program established to train wood cutters/craftsmen in the utilization of the native woods of the island. There are boutiques, gift and souvenir shops in Frederiksted.
AROUND the ISLANDS....ST. JOHN
St. John is special. Lush mountains drop to white beaches and postcard bays. A getaway for the rich and famous and average Joes, this tiny island serves as a retreat for Crucians and St. Thomians. The Virgin Islands National Park, consisting of approximately two-thirds of the island, is a major attraction for the more than one million people who visit yearly.
If you are in St. Thomas, you can ride a ferry to St. John by going to the Red Hook Visitor’s Center, a 15-minute ride. In St. John, see the Cruz Bay Visitors’ Center for maps and tour information, and browse through the best collection of books you will find on the different islands. Taxis are available for island tours or you can rent a car. It can take a half day to see the island if you rush it, but you can relax and make it a full day, or plan to spend more time at one of St. John’s inns, condos, or hotels. You can also take a ferry from downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas versus the taxi ride to Red Hook at east end.
Established in 1956 by the U.S. Congress, the seeds for the Park were sown by philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller who bought and donated 5,000 acres of land on the island. Over the years, the acreage has expanded to 7,200 acres of land with 5,650 acres offshore.
The Park offers gorgeous beaches, camping, prime cruising, snorkeling, and hiking trails.The underwater snorkel trail at Trunk Bay, on the northwestern shore of the island, is world famous. For a glimpse at the island’s sugar legacy, visit Annaberg Estate Plantation on the northern shore near Route 20. Lovingly restored by Park artisans, the Estate’s stone mill dominates the skyline. The Park often has basket-makers, cooks and other crafts-people on hand to demonstrate and share their skills. On the southern side, the trip through the Reef Bay valley past ancient ruins and stone carvings called petroglyphs dating back to the day when sugar was king, gives hikers a real chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the Virgin Islands.
Visitors
