By John Roberts
One of the world's busiest cruise ports, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, is a launching point for a wide range of activities on the splendid island.
St. Thomas, a U.S. Virgin Island constituency, along with St. John, St. Croix and other smaller islands in the region, was spotted by Columbus in 1493 during the explorer's second voyage to the "New World." The island was home to pirates and various small settlements before a European power, Denmark, chose to occupy and claim it and other islands in 1671. In 1917, the United States bought the Danish West Indies from Denmark for $25 million, leading to U.S. Navy rule of the three "Virgin Islands of America" until 1931. Governors have since led the government on the islands.
We've been to St. Thomas three times. If you go, we recommend a few things to try while you're there.
One of the world's busiest cruise ports, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, is a launching point for a wide range of activities on the splendid island.
St. Thomas, a U.S. Virgin Island constituency, along with St. John, St. Croix and other smaller islands in the region, was spotted by Columbus in 1493 during the explorer's second voyage to the "New World." The island was home to pirates and various small settlements before a European power, Denmark, chose to occupy and claim it and other islands in 1671. In 1917, the United States bought the Danish West Indies from Denmark for $25 million, leading to U.S. Navy rule of the three "Virgin Islands of America" until 1931. Governors have since led the government on the islands.
We've been to St. Thomas three times. If you go, we recommend a few things to try while you're there.
Laze at a beach. You don't have to go far offshore to find some wonderful snorkeling. We've had a great time trying out different beaches on St. Thomas. You can plop down on a chair, grab beers and food, head out for a snorkel and swim then back to your chairs to relax and sip another beer. Nothing beats a day in the sun playing out that cycle a few times. We've had great luck at Sapphire Beach and Secret Harbor.
Cuddle up to an iguana. Well, don't really get to close. They can get ornery. But you're likely to see plenty of the interesting creatures sunning themselves or moving around the beaches. I find the dinosaur-looking animals to be fascinating photo subjects.
Swing into Mojo's. A short walk from the port is one of the coolest outdoor bars we've hung out at in the Caribbean. Mojo's Rum and Surf Shack sits at the edge of a strip mall parking lot, but duck in under its thatched roof and hop into a barside swing seat and you'll never want to leave. We enjoyed a couple of beers, sports on the TV and friendly conversation with bartender Rob, who has the right idea. He left the mainland three years ago and never looked back.
Flavor to savor. St. John Brewers creates Virgin Islands beers in a range of flavors. We've loved every one we've tried. The story of the company is really cool, too. College roommates from the University of Vermont quit their jobs and headed to St. John and launched the craft brewing company just about a decade ago.
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