Travel to Saint Croix – Episode 787

Hear about travel to St Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kat Roy and Phil Shantz from stayingafloatblog.com about their trip to this tropical island.

They say, We’ve “always been interested in the Virgin Islands. Ultimately, we actually decided on St. Croix. We were really interested in the fact that if you do any research on the island itself, there was a lack of information on St. Croix. We do like to try and find some off the beaten path destinations when we can so so that was ultimately how we ended up on St. Croix. St. Croix is definitely an outdoorsy destination. Ecotourism is a big part of its very diverse landscape from Cactus desert on the east side to tropical rainforest on the west. It’s one of the Caribbean islands that you can visit from the U.S. without a passport.”

One of the best pieces of advice they received was to rent their own vehicle and to rent a 4-wheel drive. The roads ran the gamut from paved to semi-visible. Oddly enough for a U.S. territory, they drive on the left in St. Croix. The island is only 28 miles across at its widest point.

The recommend an 8 day itinerary:

• Day One – Fly In, Captain Morgan Experience
• Day Two – Cane Bay
• Day Three – Christiansted & Protestant Cay
• Day Four – Point Udall, Jack & Isaac Bay
• Day Five – Annaly Bay & Frederiksted
• Day Six – Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge
• Day Seven – Salt River & Estate Mount Washington
• Day Eight – Cruzan Rum Distillery, Fly Out

One piece missing from their itinerary was a trip to Buck Island Reef National Monument because they were unable to get there as their excursion was cancelled. So if you want to get to this unusual park which includes an underwater nature trail, you may want to book it earlier in your trip.

Their trip included not a few beaches and distilleries. They tried the local rum, of course, but also vodka made from breadfruit and many different versions of the local drink Mama Juana. 

You can visit historic sites on the island like where Columbus landed (Salt River Bay National Historical Park), Fort Frederiksted, Christiansted National Historic Site, and Estate Mount Washington. Estate Mount Washington is one of the original estates dating back to the 1700s when the Danish owned the island and the economy was built on sugar and slavery.

Divers will enjoy diving the section of coral reefs on the North Shore known as “The Wall”. Snorkelers will find good snorkeling in places such as Cane Bay Beach and Frederiksted Pier. All who love sea life should explore the tide pools at Annaly Bay.

Whether you come for the beaches, the rum or the rum cake, hear about a tropical territory of the U.S. a bit off the beaten path.

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Show Notes

Staying Afloat Blog
Saint Croix
La Reine Chicken Shack, St. Croix
Captain Morgan Visitor Center
Christiansted
Mama Juana
Sprantnet Beach Bar, St. Croix
Nauti Bar and Grill
Tamarind
Cane Bay Beach
Cane Bay Dive Shop
Christiansted National Historic Site
Protestant Cay Beach
40 Eats and Drinks
Mutiny Island Vodka
Sion Farm Distillery
PotFish
Johnny Cakes
Point Udall
Beaches, Jack’s Bay and Isaac’s Bay
Cheeseburgers in America’s Paradise
Chenay Bay Beach Resort
Blues Backyard BBQ and Grill
Carambola Beach Resort
Annaly Bay Tide Pools
Frederiksted
Frederiksted Pier
UCA House Kitchen And Rastafarian Cultural Center
Fort Frederik
Sandy Point – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
St. Croix’s Chaney
Montpellier Domino Club – Beer Drinking Pigs
Rainbow Beach
Rhythms at Rainbow Beach
Columbus Landing Site
Baobab Tree in Frederiksted
Estate Mount Washington Plantation
Quiet Reflection at the Labyrinth
Hams Bluff Lighthouse
Leatherback Brewing
Cruzan Rum Distillery
How To Spend 8 Days In St Croix

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