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.
The 7 Best St Croix Beaches
Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach has calm waters, perfect for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding or snorkeling. You can also rent jet skis, and do jet ski tours at the West End from Rainbow Beach. Plan to spend the day here, rent some beach chairs and an umbrella for shade and treat yourself to lunch at the beach side restaurant and bar. This is also a very popular spot for cruise ship guests visiting St. Croix for the day. There is usually live music, and a volleyball net set up on the beach for players.
Sandy Point Beach
Sandy Point is located on the West End of St. Croix and is absolutely stunning. It boasts a crystal clear blue water and a 2 mile long stretch of sandy white beach – one of the longest in the Caribbean. This beach is typically not as crowded as many of the West End beaches, but there is little to no shade here and no facilities. This beach is only open on the weekends (including holiday weekends), with the exception of April-August when it is closed entirely due to turtle nesting season.
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Frederiksted Beach
Frederiksted Beach is the most easily accessible beach from the cruise ship pier. There are some trees here that provide relief from the sun, and the park across the street is a great spot for young kids to play. With public restrooms, picnic tables, and plenty of space to spread out, you could easily spend the entire day here, relax, and then watch sunset. This beach has calm water, making this a area for paddle boarding, swimming and snorkeling.
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Pelican Cove Beach
Pelican Cove Beach is located on the North Shore of St. Croix, a short drive from Christiansted. Pelican Cove’s long stretch of sandy beach dotted with swaying palm trees has something to offer for everyone. Parts of Pelican Cove Beach may be rocky, but there are areas conducive to swimming, just be aware as there can be strong current in this area. There is a stretch of reef just off the beach that is great for snorkeling. The towering palms lining the beach provide great natural shade, should you want to escape from the sun.
Cane Bay Beach
Cane Bay Beach is a popular place for families to spend time with their kids, and dogs, because it’s a one stop beach that has everything. With access to several bars and restaurants right from the beach, it makes for an easy and enjoyable beach day. There is plenty to do to keep you occupied. Bask in the Caribbean sun, play volleyball, rent some beach chairs and dive into a good book, or take a dip in the clear warm water. Scuba diving and snorkeling are the most popular pastimes here, as Cane Bay offers easy access from the shore to great snorkeling, and shore diving the world famous Wall.
Turtle Beach, Buck Island
Turtle Beach is located about one and a half miles off the northeast coast of St. Croix…and it is beyond gorgeous. It is a long stretch of sugary white sand and crystal clear waters. Lay on the sun-kissed sand and bask in the warmth of the suns rays. The current here is generally calm, and makes for a great spot to swim and test out your snorkel gear. You can also choose to go for a stroll along the beach, or if you’re feeling up to it hiking up the island. If you want to take part in a hike, please make sure you pack good walking shoes. There is not much shade provided on this island oasis, so be sure to pack your sunscreen and a hat.
Jack’s Bay and Isaac’s Bay
Jack’s Bay and Isaac’s Bay beaches are located on the very East End side of the island. Accessible only by foot, you have to hike a little ways to get there. Hiking there just makes it all the more rewarding though when you reach these gorgeous beaches…there are no other words, except magnificent. These beaches are typically a great spot if you’re looking to get away from it all and enjoy some privacy. The sand on these beaches is powdery soft, and offer a great spot to simply spread out your beach towel and enjoy the Caribbean.
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
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Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. If you have just a few days, I’d start with Rainbow Beach for the fun atmosphere and perfect swimming, then head to Sandy Point Beach for its stunning natural beauty and long stretch of untouched sand. Cane Bay Beach is a must for snorkeling or diving the famous Wall, and finally, take a boat to Turtle Beach on Buck Island — it’s truly one of the most breathtaking beaches in the Caribbean. Those four give you a wonderful mix of relaxation, adventure, and the authentic St. Croix vibe.
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.