There's something about St. Croix
that makes you want to stick around
for a while, exploring its wide-open spaces, gazing at its
beautiful scenery, luxuriating in its slow pace
and
sampling the wide diversity of
activities.
If you can,
arrive by seaplane—the flight is just a short hop from St. Thomas. It’s thrilling to land in the
waters off Christiansted and taxi up to the dock. Built by the Danes in
the mid-18th Century, this small and charming town is composed of graceful
neo-classical buildings, many of which contain hotels, shops and restaurants.
Everything is lovingly maintained; each block is filled with unique
architectural details and fascinating historical artifacts. In fact, the
entire area around the wharf has been designated the
Christiansted National Historic Site,
including yellow-brick Fort Christiansvaern (1749), which once protected
townspeople from pirates.
The
island’s other large town is Frederiksted, where cruise ships come to
call (though not nearly as many as in St. Thomas). Rent a bike if you want to
really explore the ins and outs of the town and its Victorian gingerbread
architecture. Every other Wednesday Frederiksted hosts “Harbor Night,” an
evening celebration with outdoor bands, dancing, art, and food.
Honeymoon splurge:
The U.
S. Virgin Islands (and its neighbor, the British Virgin Islands) are famed
for fabulous sailing. That's why the area is an easy place to charter a
fully-crewed yacht (always a captain, often a cook as well, and more crew
if it's a big, expensive boat). You work out the itinerary with the
captain, decide how you want the galley stocked, and then you'll just
relax as you glide across the sea with halyards clinking and the mainsail
filled with wind.
You'll anchor in
out-of-the-way coves or lively harbor towns, sleep in a comfy cabin,
thrive in the sun and salt air. This kind of trip is a dream, really—one
you'll always remember. BTW, if you already know how to sail, bareboat
charters are easily available.
»»Read about
other honeymoon splurges around the world
A visit to St. Croix
comes in two basic flavors. You can stay in either
Christiansted or Frederiksted, enjoying the hybrid European/Caribbean town life right outside your front door;
or you can book into one of the island’s remote resorts. In either case,
you’ll probably want to venture out and explore the rest of the island. The
easiest way to get around is to rent a car, but taxis and busses are also
available.
One route
you’ll want to follow is the 28-mile
St. Croix Heritage Trail, which teems with historical and cultural sites. Easy-to-follow
markers lead to crumbling sugar plantations, the ruins of stone windmills,
sugar-cane factories, and living cultural treasures such as the
Lawaetz Museum. A 19th century “greathouse” with original furnishings, it’s
still lived in by descendants of the original owners. Another stop is
Whim Greathouse Museum, with its unusual, beautifully-restored 18th
Century sugar plantation mansion, windmill, cookhouse, and many other
buildings.
While pursuing the Heritage Trail, be sure to stop at Smithen
Garden, a simple roadside stand that offers sugar cane juice by the
cup—far less sweet than you’d imagine. It’s fun to watch the cane being pulped
for your serving, while all around you the tall cane—the last surviving cane
field on the island—bends in the ever-present trade winds.
Another good idea:
16-acre St. George Village Botanical Garden,
set amidst the restored buildings and ruins of a 19th century Danish sugar
plantation. It's a great place to wander while soaking up a heady combination
of history, island culture, and nature. You'll find more than 1500 native and
exotic species, including bromeliads, cactus, succulents, and ferns. A
conservation garden is planted with rare/endangered plants of the USVI and
Puerto Rico. More than 60 species of orchids live here, many thriving in trees
and some native to St. Croix. A Sansevieria garden has been planted around the
sugar factory's former molasses cistern (now converted to a fountain and
pool), and the Fern House (photo) is dazzling. A half-acre naturalized forest
allows you to walk through trees, shrubs and vine that are strictly native to
the island. There's much more here, including a delightful gift shop.
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Do
treat yourselves to an excursion at
Buck Island Reef
National Monument. The
only underwater national monument in the U.S., the 176-acre island and 704
acres of surrounding water/coral reef have been protected since 1948. Many
endangered species (e.g., hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtles) have
critical nesting areas here. An extensive elkhorn coral barrier reef contains
extraordinary coral formations, deep grottoes, sea fans, and a sealife rich
enough for even the most experienced diver to appreciate. A marked snorkeling
trail is easily maneuvered by first-timers.
Also
See: Caribbean Index |
Antigua & Barbuda |
Aruba |
Bahamas |
Barbados |
Bermuda |
Caymans |
Curaçao |
Grenada |
Jamaica |
Martinique |
Puerto Rico |
St. John |
St. Lucia |
St. Thomas |
Turks & Caicos |
Virgin Gorda/BVI
More Info:
U. S. Virgin Islands Tourism Department
