The Ultimate Guide To The U.S. Virgin Islands

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The U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Guide

The U.S. Virgin Islands are a beautiful set of islands in the Central Caribbean. Characterized by white sand beaches, multihued blue waters and tropical forests, the U.S. Virgin Islands are a true tropical getaway. Whether you’re visiting St. John to experience nature, St. Croix for the history or St. Thomas for the shopping, the U.S. Virgin Islands have a great smattering of Caribbean experiences.

Why Visit The U.S. Virgin Islands?

St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix make up this country which is a territory of the United States. This makes it a great place to visit for U.S. citizens because as a U.S. Citizen, you do not need a passport to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands. So this makes it a very attractive destination for Americans who are looking for an easy Caribbean destination. It also is an English speaking country, making it a great destination for Americans and other English speaking tourists.

Our Top 4 Things to do in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Snorkeling: These islands have some of the best snorkeling in the world. So many reefs are straight off the beach and they are in great shape.

U.S. Virgin Islands National Park: We love National Parks and this is the only U.S. National Park in the Caribbean.

Beach Going: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix all have amazingly wild white sand beaches to enjoy.

Finding Views: St. Thomas and St. John are both very hilly islands. This makes it really easy to find a great view. Just drive around and enjoy.

The best time to visit is between December and May. This is the dry season so you’ll have the best chance of clear skies for your U.S. Virgin Islands vacation.

The temperatures on the islands are pretty steady year round. However, outside of the dry season, you’ll get frequent rain storms that can put a damper on your day. Typically, you’ll get pop-up rainstorms throughout the day and then the storms clear off. It doesn’t bother us but it can be frustrating for some.

Typically, you can save money by traveling in the off season. However, prices in the U.S. Virgin Islands remain pretty steady year-round so we’d suggest visiting in the dry season.

Getting Around:

There are two main Caribbean travel styles: the island hopping and the resort vacation. If you choose to island hop, you can rent a car and drive most places or take a taxi around the islands. There is a ferry system that services all of the Virgin Islands, British and U.S, making transferring between them easy and affordable. If you stay in a resort, they will help you book paid tours throughout the country. Because the islands are small, it is still possible to see a majority of a single island by doing tours.

The U.S. Virgin Islands have two airports. One on St. Thomas, which is the best airport to reach St. John, and one on St. Croix.

Know Before You Go

Currency and Budget:

The US dollar is currency of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Credit cards are widely accepted as is cash.

For some, the U.S. Virgin Islands are a great place to go shopping. U.S. Citizens can bring back up to $1600 worth of goods duty free. So if you’re thinking of making a large purchase, the U.S. Virgin Islands may be the place to do it. St. Thomas, especially, is a great place to do that as they have many high end shops for making large purchases.

The U.S. Virgin Islands are expensive. Food costs about $50 USD for a full sit-down meal. Accommodations average around $260 USD/night. Tours typically cost between $75-150 USD for a half day tour. However, there are plenty of free beach activities to do for free, like snorkeling, swimming or just lounging.

Safety:

The U.S. Virgin Islands felt like a relatively safe place. It is a popular tourist destination and a U.S. territory so it does have some well policed areas. However, it is also an island in the Central Caribbean so it is also on the cocaine highway. We saw boats racing around the harbor trying to stop the drug trade.

The most common crimes are petty theft and pickpocketing so make sure to leave your valuables behind and be aware of your wallet/bags. Just be safe and make smart choices like everywhere else in the world.