Top Destinations in the U.S. Virgin Islands

My passion for the Caribbean is well-known; I visit the region at least four times each year to sink my toes into its golden beaches, dance to the vibrant soca beats during Carnival, and find peace among lush rainforests or at a hidden rum bar.

In April, I took my first trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, which comprise the main islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix, along with 50 smaller islands and cays. I had hesitated for years, concerned that its ties to America would bring too many familiar comforts. Thankfully, I was mistaken; my week-long journey through St. Thomas and St. John was as Caribbean as any I’ve experienced, filled with lively music and the vibrant spirit of its people. Here’s how I explored both land and sea.

St. Thomas

The capital of St. Thomas, Charlotte Amalie, is a vibrant city bustling with cruise ships, duty-free shops, and a variety of restaurants. While it has a lively commercial scene, there are also beautiful beaches like Lindbergh Bay. The Caribbean Carnival, celebrated with soca music, rum, and festivities, fills these streets for a week each April and features concerts by renowned soca artists, including USVI’s Adam O and Trinidad’s Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons. As a devoted reveler, I was thrilled to experience the same joy on the streets of St. Thomas that I cherish throughout the region.

In addition to cultural events like Carnival, St. Thomas presents a wealth of activities for visitors. For stunning views of the island from 700 feet above the main harbor, take a quick 5-minute drive from the capital to catch the 10-minute Skyride aerial tram to Paradise Point. Among the popular beaches is the picturesque Magens Bay on the north side, and just 15 minutes away, you'll find the more tranquil resident favorite, Hull Bay.

When I felt hungry, I satisfied my appetite at the laid-back Gladys’ Cafe, where I enjoyed West Indian specialties like callaloo and conch fritters. At Cutlass & Cane, an oceanfront dining spot in Charlotte Amalie’s harbor, I savored dishes of tender octopus on a bed of arugula, along with fall-off-the-bone braised oxtails.

St. Thomas was the launchpad for my land-to-sea adventure, with numerous companies offering day trips to nearby islands. With RED Hospitality & Leisure and Cruz Bay Watersports, guests start at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas to board a luxury catamaran for a 6-mile, 45-minute journey to St. John. There, you can spend the day snorkeling in a secluded bay and exploring Cruz Bay’s shops and restaurants. These day tours also feature the Caribbean’s only floating taco bar, Lime Out, where hungry guests can enjoy delicious options like rum rib tacos and tamarind mezcal margaritas.

Accommodation Options

In St. Thomas, a scenic 30-minute drive from the airport along winding roads takes you to the picturesque Great Bay. I checked into the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, a stunning 180-room oceanfront resort nestled on a tranquil 30-acre estate. The property boasts a cabana-lined infinity pool, four diverse restaurants offering everything from Caribbean delights to exquisite Sicilian dishes at Alloro, a kids club, beach activities like kayaking, and a sunset catamaran cruise aboard its luxurious vessel, Lady Lynsey II. Guests can also indulge in a daily spiced rum tasting featuring local spirits. My spacious balcony offered a breathtaking view of the sapphire-hued ocean, the perfect welcome after a long journey.

Lovango

A 20-minute catamaran journey from St. Thomas brought me to the serene 118-acre private island of Lovango Resort + Beach Club. Upon stepping off Lovango’s wooden dock, enveloped by crystal-clear waters, I was welcomed to the beach club with a refreshing glass of rum punch. Lovango caters to day visitors from nearby islands eager to experience its restaurant and infinity pool, but it’s the overnight guests, like myself, who truly immerse in this eco-chic paradise by taking a golf cart to their charming tree houses.

For the next three days, I indulged in the inaugural Taste of Lovango, a culinary pop-up extravaganza featuring a spirited opening celebration with breadfruit spirits crafted by Mutiny Island Vodka from St. Croix and delicious bites like coconut polenta, baked peekytoe crab toast, and oxtail with braised greens spring rolls. Notable chefs participating in the May event included Food Network’s Tiffani Faison, Brian Arruda, a former chef for Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, James Beard Rising Star semi-finalist Robbie Felice, and the legendary “godfather of poke,” Sam Choy.

A six-course chef’s table experience set against a shimmering ocean backdrop featured pairings from Island Hope Wines, a boutique distributor in St. John that collaborates with local establishments to boost the island's economy. My highlight of the evening was a sumptuous lobster tail accompanied by mussels, morels, cognac, and lobster roe, crafted by chef Brian Arruda, founder of Executive Chefs at Home. It was paired with a herbaceous pinot noir from Oregon, making my taste buds dance. This festival is both intimate and lively—and I can see it becoming increasingly popular in the years to come.

Accommodation Options

This secluded property is the first new build in over 30 years in the USVI, offering a serene escape from its neighbors, St. Thomas and St. John. The eco-friendly resort operates entirely on wind and solar power, featuring 11 standalone glamping tents and tree houses with spacious outdoor showers and stunning views of palm-covered mountains.

St. John

Just a 10-minute boat ride from St. John, Lovango offered me a day filled with exploration of its palm-lined beaches, vibrant culinary scene, and stunning outdoor landscapes. While St. Thomas thrums with cruise ship activity and nightlife, St. John presents a peaceful haven of untouched nature, with nearly two-thirds of the island designated as the protected Virgin Islands National Park and over 11,500 acres of safeguarded land. The park boasts more than 20 hiking trails, ranging from easy to moderate. The beaches are equally impressive; I found myself at Trunk Bay, where I snorkeled through warm aquamarine waters and encountered underwater signs sharing intriguing facts about the radiant coral reef ecosystem surrounding me.

For a dose of history, Annaberg Plantation in St. John’s Leinster Bay, part of the national park, once served as a sugar plantation. Here, the labor of over 600 enslaved West Africans during the 18th and 19th-century sugar boom helped drive the island’s economy, much like many Caribbean regions. Visitors can explore the grounds and learn about the history of Indigenous and enslaved peoples in the area.

Cruz Bay, the main oceanside strip in St. John, is vibrant with bars and restaurants bustling with day-trippers and locals alike. My top pick was the Mediterranean-inspired La Tapa, clearly a favorite among diners as evidenced by the line. Guests flocked to enjoy small plates of flavorful gazpacho and duck confit crafted by chef-owner Alex Ewald and her team. A rotating selection of freshly caught fish, like grilled mahi, and hearty paellas sourced from local fishermen completed this unforgettable dining experience, where I spent my final evening under a sky so clear I could see St. Thomas and Lovango in the distance—truly a full-circle moment.