Thread: St. Croix Is the Sweetest Virgin Island

St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands - Things to Do with a Day in Port St. Croix Is the Sweetest Virgin Island

By Linda Garrison, About.com Guide


Estate Whim on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a restored sugar mill plantation
St. Croix Photo (c) Linda Garrison

St. Croix is the largest U.S. Virgin Island, and because it was once covered by sugar cane plantations, it may be the sweetest! This beautiful Caribbean island does not have nearly the number of cruise lines visiting as does St. Thomas and St. John. However, if you have a port of call or vacation travel day on St. Croix, I do not believe you will be disappointed if you realize that St. Croix is NOT like its saintly brothers. The island is quieter, less bustling, and extremely interesting in its own way.

My husband the About Fishing guide and I visited St. Croix for 10 days a few years ago, and we were both enchanted by the island. We were not on a cruise, but stayed at a small inn and spent our vacation time touring via rental car, snorkeling, or lazing on our second floor screened-in porch that hung over the surf below. I have visited St. Croix since that vacation on cruises, and have always enjoyed my time on this quiet, sweet, U.S. Virgin Island.

With 84 square miles of diverse landscape, St. Croix is the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands. It is about 40 miles south of St. Thomas, and its far eastern shore, Point Udall, is the easternmost point in the United States. The island has a dramatic history, and sugar cane cultivation was much more important here than on St. Thomas or St. John. Seven flags have flown over St. Croix, but the nearly 250 years of Danish influence seem to predominate throughout the island. The island has a contrasting variety of scenery. The northwest is covered by a lush rain forest, the East End is dry and barren, and palm-lined beaches touched by clear aquamarine water ring the island. The South Shore is dominated by industry, providing a stark contrast to the natural beauty found elsewhere on the island.

The ruins of great plantation houses and more than 100 sugar mills dot the island's landscape. Wonderful names of the old plantations are still used to describe the small communities and districts of St. Croix.

If your cruise includes a day on St. Croix you have several choices. You can rent a car and explore the island and the two major "cities" of Frederiksted and Christiansted. If you are squeamish about driving on the left, you can rent a taxi for a day or half day. Snorkelers should probably go to Buck Island for the day if the weather permits. Those who are fascinated by the old plantations might want to spend a few hours at the Estate Whim Plantation Museum, and those who are fascinated by old forts should use their time to tour Fort Christiansvaern in Christiansted or Fort Frederik in Frederiksted. The Cruzan Rum Factory distills the famous Virgin Islands rum, and offers tours to the public. Finally, if you are into gardening, you might want to stop at the St. George Botanical Gardens. These are only a few options to explore on St. Croix. As you can see, this Virgin has a little of everything!

Driving around the island can be challenging. Not only do you have to drive on the left, but often the roads need repair, so you spend some of your time dodging pot holes. The island is flatter than its two saintly brothers, so we found the driving somewhat easier than on St. Thomas. Many of the roads are unmarked, but remember that getting lost may be part of the adventure. Your cruise ship will probably offer a circle island tour, and taxis are also available for hire. Just be sure to get the daily or half day rate before striking out in one! Buck Island is a snorkeler's dream. The park covers about 850 acres of land and water surface and lies about 1.5 miles off the northern shore of St. Croix. Buck Island has been a part of the park service since 1948, and the pristine waters offer wonderful snorkeling. There are a couple of snorkeling trails, and several outfitters offer day trips to the island. We sailed on Captain Heinz's Teroro II, and thought the captain and his excursion were great.

The Estate Whim Plantation is only about 2 miles from Frederiksted, and was restored by the St. Croix Landmarks Society. The oval-shaped plantation house is really special. It has only three rooms, and its walls made of stone, coral, and molasses, are three feet thick. The chateau-like house is surrounded by a dry moat, which helps cool the house. In addition to the old plantation house, you will find other fascinating exhibits such as an apothecary, cook house, and windmill. There is a small admission fee, but it is well worth it to get a sense of life on a sugar cane plantation of the 1800's.

St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix Photo (c) Linda Garrison

Fort Frederik in Frederiksted was completed in 1760, and it houses a number of interesting historical exhibits. The fort has been restored to its 1840's look. Some historians claim it was the first foreign fort to sound a salute to a U.S. flag in 1776. It was at Fort Frederik that Governor General Peter von Scholten emancipated the Dutch West Indies slaves in 1848. Fort Christiansvaern in Christiansted is probably the best-preserved colonial fort in the Virgin Islands, and is a U.S. National Monument.

Where there is sugar cane there is rum. The Cruzan Rum Distillery on West Airport Road will give you a tour, and then some free samples. The factory also sells rum at bargain prices. The factory was closed when we visited, so we shopped for our Cruzan Rum at a place recommended to us--KMart. Yes, there is a KMart on St. Croix! Rum prices were very low, and make a good story for your friends back home!

My husband loves gardening, and we both enjoyed the beautiful gardens at the St. George Estate on Centerline Road between Frederiksted and the airport, near the Estate Whim. The 17 acres of gardens feature lush flora amongst the ruins of a 19th century sugar cane plantation village. Every ecosystem on St. Croix is represented here, which makes for quite a variety of plant life.
With only one day on St. Croix, you may have a difficult choice to make. All of the above will give you a good taste of this largest, quietest, sweetest Virgin Island!

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This is a great article.

Makes ya wanna go there, eh?

Any island (almost) in the Caribbean is worth going to. Especially in these lovely winter months we are all having.

St. Croix is always worth it to us!

Wonderful to see that cruise ships are calling there once again!

Why did they stop?

I've been to St. Thomas and St. John, and really liked both of them!

Originally Posted by MCcruiser

Why did they stop?
!

There were some safety issues for tourist.