Wife booked us a trip there. What to do besides lounge around and not give a rip about the rest of the world?

Magens bay, north side of the island. Take the ferry over to St.John and visit Trunk bay & Caneel bay, you'll be glad you did

Conch chowder and drinks at the Greenhouse bar/restaurant?

Been awhile since I've been there, but I recommend snorkeling. It was beautiful under water, the fish were amazing.

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What to do besides lounge around and not give a rip about the rest of the world?

I think you've covered everything. If you get tired of St. Thomas, take the ferry at Red Hook over to St. John and check out Cruz Bay. It's an impossibly beautiful place.

Ferry to St. John. Get your live music, grub, drinks and beach time at: Beach Bar St. John

It's been awhile but last time I rented a Jeep and we drove over to Megans Bay and then to Jersey Bay. There was a marina at Jersey Bay with very good hamburgers. We had been there eight years earlier and my wife didn't believe I remembered where it was, we'd gone by boat before.

Definitely snorkel! Get a guide or go with a tour to a remote area. I don't swim but spent hours in the water on two weeklong trips we did to the BVIs.

Not sure if you can get a tour to Jost Van Dyke, a small island in the BVIs. They have a great bar, Foxy's. Good food and a party every nite.

Leemur, I'm going to piggy back on your thread.


Getting married there in June, the CSM to be wants to send back her bouquet. Is this possible via mail? It being a US territory and all.

I was there many years ago. I forget the name of the hotel, but my travel agent said it was a couple hundred yards from the ocean. She failed to mention that the hotel was way uphill!
I agree on the snorkeling and St. John. It's a beautiful place, but there is a lot of poverty there as well. Lots of rum drunks. But again, my experience was many years ago.
I hope you have a great time.

My wife (and subsequently I) spent months there as part of a project she was working on.

A couple of observations:
1. the island is actually a solid rock and absorbs the Sun's heat and it is about 10 degrees warmer than the surrounding islands believe it or not..
2. the people for the most part are a beautiful blend of cultures but away from the tourists developments there is serious crime. I would never think of walking alone at night.
3. Despite it being illegal to own guns (for all practical purposes) many people do carry as a way to protect themselves from the rampant crime.

We first looked at buying property because it is so beautiful but after finding out more about the island decided not to.

BTW, the government is completely broke!

What is there to do in St. Thomas? Well, my avatar picture was taken in St. Thomas doing what I do very well...sitting at a bar having a Scotch and soda.

paradise point. Gondela up to the top overlooks the bay, drinks are served, food was good about 10 years ago.

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Originally posted by Leemur:
Wife booked us a trip there. What to do besides lounge around and not give a rip about the rest of the world?

Go to a different island. If you can I would switch the trip. St. Maarten would be my first recommendation. I'm a Yacht Captain and have been to every island in all of the carribean many times and St. Thomas is one of my least favorites, it's a larger island with not much to do. Honestly I'd choose PR over it any day of the week. But my most favorite island with a lot of stuff to do would be St. Maarten.

The only reason to go to St. Thomas is to take the ferry to St. John.

St. John is so much nicer and a lot less developed.

Been over a decade but went there several times to visit my daughter attending University of the Virgin Islands. It is a historical black college so she got a minority scholarship! I recall Megans Bay and very good milkshake on the way there. I agree St. John is better place to visit. Recall an underwater station also to see the sea life.

When it comes to the USVI they can be rated as follows: St John, St Croix, and last St Thomas. I've been to them all and that is how I'd rate them.

My wife and I went to a conference last year on St Thomas at the Marriott resort there

We got there early to spend half a week on St. John

St. John is fantastic. I'd go back there tomorrow

St Thomas is, as people have already said, not early what St. John is. Everything we needed was at our resort, which is good because Charlotte Amalie is a third world country. We went all over st Thomas as well. And parts of it are gorgeous. But it's hard to see past a lot of the poverty and ghetto that permeates the island

We still had a great time, but St. John spoiled us.

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The only reason to go to St. Thomas is to take the ferry to St. John.

St. John is so much nicer and a lot less developed.

Exactly. Before children spent a week at Caneel Bay and Little Dix Bay. Relaxed luxury without hassle. Expensive but worth every penny.

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Originally posted by 2Adefender:
The only reason to go to St. Thomas is to take the ferry to St. John.

St. John is so much nicer and a lot less developed.

Agreed.

Well, I'm not going to rain on your parade- I've never been to the islands, may never be able to afford the trip there, but I hope you and your wife have the time of your lives! Enjoy your escape!