St. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands and is known for its scuba diving, rum making, marine sanctuary and 18th-century forts. St. Croix is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands and is an island paradise complete with lush tropical hills, warm and brilliantly turquoise water, a rich history and a wonderfully tropical climate. It is the hidden gem of the Caribbean! You will find beautiful white sand beaches, tropical weather, great dining and restaurants, lots of duty free shopping, incredible SCUBA diving, three golf courses and two historic and charming towns, all wrapped up in a friendly and laid back island atmosphere. You won’t find the crowds that many other Caribbean destinations can have, and it’s easy to travel to St. Croix from the mainland. U.S. citizens don’t need a passport. St. Croix is only a 30 minute flight from the international airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and direct flights from the states on American Airlines (via Miami), Delta (via Atlanta) and JetBlue (via San Juan). St. Croix is part of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. To learn more about all the beautiful beaches on St. Croix, visit here. Now view our St. Croix travel guide to help plan your next St. Croix vacation!
St Croix Weather – When to Visit
St. Croix has some of the finest weather in the world. The temperature averages 82 degrees year round and it only varies about 7- 8 degrees between the summer and winter months. Easterly trade winds generally keep it comfortable and keep the humidity down. Its the tropics, and with that comes some rain. Don’t worry though, because most of their rain comes in brief showers and many of them happen at night so they won’t interfere with your fun in the St. Croix sun. Hurricane season runs from July to November and most tourists plan their getaways accordingly since temperatures do not really fluctuate throughout the year.
Many people like to come to St. Croix for the fabulous Christmas festival, the Crucian Christmas Festival which is full of costumes, music, parades, and celebration. This is the time that the people of St. Croix celebrate Carnival and it is their largest celebration of the year. New Year’s Eve brings more reason to party as does “Caribbean Night” the following day. The early part of the month of January is full of events as a part of Carnival, making it a great time to come to St. Croix and thus avoid winter.
St Croix Attractions
Christiansted National Historic Site
Christiansted National Historic SiteThis historic site includes several structures. The most impressive is Fort Christiansvaern (1749), a four-point citadel occupying the deep-yellow buildings on the town’s east side. Built out of Danish bricks (brought over as ships’ ballast), the fort protected citizens from the onslaught of pirates, hurricanes and slave revolts. Cannons on the ramparts, a dungeon and latrines with top-notch sea views await inside.
Frederiksted Pier
The Frederiksted Pier is one of St. Croix’s most iconic sites and an attraction that everyone visiting St. Croix should see. The Pier is located in the heart of Frederiksted town on the West End. It’s biggest claim to fame is that it is considered one of the best micro-dive locations in the world. Simply put, the diving is incredible, day or night. You’ll see a lot of colorful fish, octopus, seahorses, squid, pufferfish, and other amazing creatures.
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Buck Island Reef National Monument
For such a small land mass, Buck Island draws big crowds. It’s not so much what’s on top but what’s underneath that fascinates: an 18,800-acre fish-frenzied coral-reef system surrounding the island, protected as Buck Island Reef National Monument. The sea gardens and a marked underwater trail create captivating snorkeling on the island’s east side.
Cane Bay
Cane BayA long, thin strand along Rte 80 about 9 miles west of Christiansted, Cane Bay is deservedly venerated. It provides easy access to some of the island’s best dives, and it’s also the gateway into the rain forest’s steep hills. The beach has several small hotels, restaurants, bars and the Cane Bay Dive Shop.
Cruzan Rum Distillery
Cruzan Rum DistilleryTo find out how the islands’ popular elixir gets made, stop by the historic distillery for a tour. The journey through gingerbread-smelling, oak-barrel-stacked warehouses takes 20 minutes, after which you get to sip plenty of the good stuff. The Nelthropp family, Cruzan Rum’s owners, have been perfecting the recipes since 1760. Cash not accepted; credit cards only.
Things to Do in St Croix
Big Beard’s Adventure Tours
Sail on our 42′ Catamaran Renegade for a relaxing all-inclusive trip to Buck Island. They provide snorkel gear to each guest and snorkel lessons on the beach if needed. After the beach they take everyone to the lagoon in small groups through the underwater trail. After you’ve seen the snorkeling, Renegade will sail to Big Beard’s private beach for a barbeque lunch — all you can eat (burgers, dogs, fresh fish and assorted chips) and drink (rum punch and fruit punch). Telephone: 1-866-773-4482 Web: Big Beard’s Adventure Tours.
Blind Charters
Private Sailing Adventures for up to six passengers! Prepare yourself for an exhilarating day on the Caribbean Sea in the East End Marine Park Sanctuary. Sail as much or as little as you like, and even take the helm yourself or just relax and unwind. Swim with sting rays and snorkel the barrier reef where they’ll guide you to the very best coral reef habitats. This sailing excursion is perfect for couples, families, a group of friends, or small company outings. Telephone: 340-514-2270 Web: Blind Charters.
Virgin Kayak Tours
Virgin Kayak Tours offers unique and custom kayak tours of: Salt River Bay National Park; The Bioluminescent Bay; The East End Marine Park; Altoona Lagoon; Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge; Ruth Cay Wildlife Refuge; Cane Bay; Annaly Bay; Maroon Hole and Frederiksted! They specialize in small groups, and focus on history, ecology and cultural landscape. Each tour is designed to be a fun learning adventure! Telephone: 340-514-0062 Web: Virgin Kayak Tours.
Caribbean Sea Adventures
Join them for all of your Watersports needs! Their fleet features 6 boats allowing them to create the perfect day on the water no matter what you are looking for. They offer daily Buck Island Snorkeling & SCUBA Diving, Private Charters, Sunset Sails, Buck Island Reef National Monument is a must for every visitor whether you snorkel the underwater trail or just enjoy the beach! Telephone: 340-773-2628 Web: Caribbean Sea Adventures.
West End Water Sports
They are you’re all in one beach day and water sports company with the best jet ski rentals on island. They are located at the famous Rainbow Beach, on the west end of St. Croix. They have lounge chairs and umbrella’s for you to rent, snorkel gear, kayaks, Stand Up Paddle boards, floats, and what beach would be complete with out a volleyball net. Telephone: 340-277-8295 Web: West End Water Sports.
Best St Croix Restaurants
Savant $31 – 60
Savant is located near the Danish fort in Christiansted. The outdoor patio is romantic and unbeatable on pleasant evenings. Savant’s chefs buy fish directly from fisherman at the nearby dock. The daily special will be something caught within the past few hours, so definitely worth considering. Telephone: 340-713-8666 Web: Savant
Rum Runners $11 – 30
The view is as stellar as the food at this highly popular local standby. Sitting right on the Christiansted boardwalk, Rum Runners serves a little bit of everything, including a to-die-for salad of crispy romaine lettuce and tender grilled lobster drizzled with lemongrass vinaigrette. Heartier fare includes baby-back ribs cooked with the restaurant’s special spice blend and Guinness stout. Telephone: 340-773-6585 Web: Rum Runners.
The Deep End $11 – 30
A favorite with locals and vacationers, this poolside restaurant serves up terrific burgers, steak, and seafood, as well as delicious pasta dishes and popular salads. To get here from Christiansted, take Route 82 and turn left at the sign for Green Cay Marina. Telephone: 340-718-7071 Web: The Deep End
Zion Modern Kitchen $31 – 60
Zion Modern Kitchen’s creative chefs use local ingredients and sustainable products whenever possible. The mixologists prepare craft cocktails from custom infused blends, using local ingredients, rather than buying flavored liquors. Both use fresh herbs from the onsite garden. Telephone: 340-773-9466 Web: Zion Modern Kitchen
Cheeseburgers In Paradise $11 – 30
A perennial favorite with local and visiting families, this open-air restaurant in the middle of a field serves up terrific New York strip steak, burgers with toppings that run from mushrooms to fried onions, and, of course, cheeseburgers. There’s room for kids to run around before dinner. Telephone: 340-773-1119 Web: Cheeseburgers In Paradise
Best St Croix Bars & Nightlife
Beach Side Cafe
Dining at the Beach Side Café is truly an extraordinary experience. Lunches are casual, breezy, and scrumptious, and dinner is simply a magical moment wrapped up into a perfect evening. The Iguana Lounge features daily Happy Hour specials and small plates to accompany your favorite cocktail. Web: Beach Side Café
The New Deep End Bar & Grill
The New Deep End is a casual yet classy beach bar with a beautiful view of the Caribbean Sea, white sand beaches and an abundance of friendly faces. Both locals and visitors alike enjoy the wonderful ambiance and yummy food. The menu and entertainment caters to locals and tourists as well as the young and the old! Crab races on Friday nights has the little ones as well as their grandparents cheering on their hand picked crabs to victory! Telephone: 340-718-7071 Web: The New Deep End Bar & Grill
Rhythms At Rainbow Beach
Rhythms at Rainbow Beach is run by cool people who make the best drinks! Consistently recognized among the top bars & restaurants in St. Croix, Rhythms at Rainbow Beach is the ideal place to imagine yourself relaxing on the beach with a frozen drink in your hand or a lively day out with your friends. Telephone: 340-772-0002 Web: Rhythms at Rainbow Beach
Off The Wall
A favorite stop for both St. Croix locals and island visitors, Off the Wall Beach Bar in Cane Bay offers up delicious meals prepared to order from fresh ingredients. You’ll experience friendly service at the bar, and a chance to meet a congenial crowd at perhaps the best view on the entire North Shore. Telephone: 340-718-4771 Web: Off The Wall
Castaways
Castaways is a bar and restaurant that is for locals and tourist alike. Great food and drinks at great prices, with an atmosphere that feels like a pub with an ocean view. Play horse shoes, foosball, darts, or watch your favorite team on game day. Telephone: 340-719-0019 Web: Castaways
Best St. Croix Hotels
The Buccaneer
Founded in the 17th century and family-run for generations, St. Croix’s Buccaneer is the Caribbean’s longest running resort. Both historic and modern, the resort blends old world charm with warm hospitality and the amenities expected by today’s traveler. Featured on ABC’s The Bachelor, The Buccaneer is a premier destination resort for golf, tennis, water sports, weddings, honeymoons and family vacations.
Sandcastle on the Beach
Offering a beautiful setting on Frederiksted Beach, Sand Castle on the Beach features well-equipped studios, a gym and 2 outdoor swimming pools. The terrace overlooks the Caribbean Sea. Each air-conditioned studio at Sand Castle on the Beach has bright, Caribbean-style décor. There is a microwave, coffee maker, free Wi-Fi and cable TV. The Beach Side Café serves brunch, international cuisine for dinner and tapas dishes during the afternoon. There is also a bar and live music on a Saturday evening.
The Fred – Adults Only
The Fred – Adults only Hotel provides beachfront accommodations in Frederiksted. Featuring a shared lounge, this property also provides guests with a grill. The tour desk can help arrange some activities and free WiFi is available. At the resort, each room includes a desk. Every room comes with a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries. Guest rooms will provide guests with a microwave. The Fred – Adults only Hotel has a terrace. The area is popular for snorkeling and hiking, and car rental is available at the accommodation.
Company House Hotel
Company House Hotel is a historic Caribbean property located in downtown Christiansted on the island of St. Croix. With 33 completely renovated rooms, a new bar and lounge, a salt water filtration swimming pool featuring artworks by award-winning glass maker Jan Mitchell, Company House hotel is Christiansted’s newest boutique hotel. A place where accents of modern whimsy sit naturally beside classic Caribbean history.
Club St Croix Beach & Tennis Resort
Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, Club St Croix Beach & Tennis Resort offers an array of amenities designed for travelers like you. It offers guests an array of room amenities including a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a refrigerator, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available. The resort offers a concierge, to make your visit even more pleasant. The property also features a pool and an on-site restaurant. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.
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What a thorough overview of everything St Croix has to offer. The weather is perfect for a beachside vacation and being fewer crowds than the bigger locations in the region, this makes it even more appealing. There are so many places to visit, and stay at that look very appealing and the food looks and sounds delish. It’s good to see there’s heaps of activities to do while you visit and relax here. Certainly a place to add to my list of preferred destinations.
Great Kat, glad you enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for visiting my St Croix Travel Guide.
Never been to this part of the US Virgin Islands although have been fortunate enough to visit some of the others.
Right now, we’re experiencing a heatwave in Scotland so I’m enjoying quite a bit of rain but come winter, this place will pop right back in my head and I’ll have to check back and see the best way to get there all the way from here.
Thank you for writing this post and for giving me something to look forward to.
I guess my travel bucket list is getting a little bit longer today.
Glad you enjoyed Kevin. Yes, my travel bucket is quite heavy but I am working on it. it is my favorite past time for sure. Thanks for visiting my St Croix Travel Guide.
This is so inspiring especially as I’m staring out of the window at the rain at the moment. Glad St Croix was spared the full force of the recent hurricanes and hoping to visit in the future sometime. The places you mention look so awesome and your descriptions have whet my appetite for travelling. I’ve started a ‘wonderful holidays’ pot.
Great, keep coming back 🙂 I will push you over the edge to where you just have to go! Thanks for visiting my St Croix Travel Guide at beachtraveldestinations.com!
Aloha from Honolulu! Wow, I didn’t realize how beautiful St. Croix is… Will definitely have to visit one day! I love how comprehensive your article is and I hope it looks just as beautiful after they fix it from the hurricane damage. Thanks for the travel tips and I also just learned from you that there’s no sales tax there! Woohoo!! Love it… Adding St. Croix to my list! 🙂
Good, it is a great place to visit. And yes, no sales tax is always good. More money to spend on things to enjoy. Glad you found the information informative 🙂
Only varies by 7-8 degrees all year round and is the finest weather in the world. I’m sold! I’d imagine coming from Australia I’d have to get a connecting flight from the US, would that be correct? St.Croix certainly looks idilic. I’ll have to wait until my kids are a bit older, they can stay at home and I’ll take the MRS.
Yes, the ideal location would be to fly into Miami and then over to the U.S. Virgin Islands 🙂 Thanks for reading all about the wonderful beach destination, St. Croix!
Very good article on St croix, and now i really want to go to this place and meet…. you know what ? i put on my bucket list, when i have enough money, i’ll jump on the plane and direction St croix and enjoy all the distraction you write it
Thanks! You will love it! How awesome would it be to be in St. Croix sitting on a beautiful beach with a nice frozen concoction in hand! My perfect way to spend the day!
You know I’m gonna put St. Croix on my bucket list. It sounds delightful and I especially like that it seems to be less crowded and less expensive than some of the other islands.
It sounds like there’s lots to do and lots of nice restaurants and night life
I’m definitely gonna put it on my list of places to go. Xmas sounds like a great time to go It’s often hard to figure out a good place to go at Xmas. Thanks for all the info.
You bet 🙂 You will love St. Croix and it is a little cheaper and less crowded, but just a beautiful!
Thanks for a great overview of St Croix! It makes me want to visit! I love to snorkel, which I did for the first time while visiting Hawaii. I’m wondering if there are many places to rent snorkel equipment on the island and if there are many places to go snorkeling besides the pier? Also, are there bicycle or moped rentals? Thanks!
Yes, of course you can rent snorkel gear on most of the beaches. You can also rent bikes, mopeds, and scooters as well 🙂 Thanks for reading my St. Croix travel guide!
Thank you for this article. Me and my wife were recently watching HGTV and seen a couple moving to St Croix and realized how beautiful it was and have been planning to go there for vacation. We have no idea what o expect and where to go so your article has helped us a lot with the nervousness of going to a place that we both have never been. We will definitely be continuing on with our vacation plans after seeing the many amenities we can enjoy thanks again
You and your wife will enjoy Marquis. It is a wonderful place. Please let me know if you need any help with your planning or any additional information!
Thanks for sharing this nice travel guide about St. Croix. Seeing those pictures I would love to visit St. Croix right now :). It is a pitty that the island was affected by the hurricane, thanks for informing about this!
Do you know if there are any safety problems, e.g. incidents with stolen bags, walking home at night alone, etc.?
St. Croix is a pretty safe place to visit. As with anywhere, precautions can be taken to avoid theft. You won’t have safety issues. And yes, the hurricane did damage, but they are quickly working on the affected areas 🙂
I’m so happy that it sounds like the majority of St. Croix made it through the line-up of hurricanes we’ve had in the past month and a half. I’ve not yet been there, and hadn’t been to St. Maarten either, although it’s fate was much worse from what I’ve gathered. I didn’t realize till reading this article that there’s no sales tax on the island. Or that Christmas and New Years is such a big celebration! I was thinking about spending Christmas up in a cabin in Banff this year… but a tropical paradise is also enticing 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
You are so welcome Courtney and thank you for reading and visiting BeachTravelDestinations.com. Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
I love researching different travel destinations, especially near the Caribbean, and this is one of the most comprehensive travel guides I’ve seen! It has eliminated the need for me to go between sites and gives great, in-depth recommendations on the topics that it touches on. Do you have any suggestions of where to stay while traveling there?
Stay at the Arawak Bay The Inn at Salt River or The Buccaneer Hotel. Both are great. I am glad you enjoyed reading my St. Croix Travel Guide. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
So sorry to hear about the damage caused by hurricane Maria. It must be really tough for everyone affected. St Croix sounds like a very special place, a real paradise. Snorkelling around Frederiksted Pier sounds amazing and Buck Island National Park sounds like a great place to scuba dive. The kayak tours look fantastic too – Bioluminescent Bay sounds like a trip not to be missed. What an amazing part of the world.
I would agree that it is an amazing destination for sure. Being in the Caribbean with the beautiful beaches, on top of being a little less crowded and a little less expensive, makes it a great getaway beach destination.