You can do without a car for a week but do be prepared to put quite a bit of money aside for taxis which charge per person. The rates are regulated and you can find the rate schedule by scrolling down on the "St Thomas" link above. To be right on a beach you could take a look at Secret Harbour Resort or condo rentals East End on www.vrbo.com with particular attention to Sapphire/Crystal Cove which are both located on beautiful Sapphire Beach.

Getting around on foot really isn't doable here. It's a volcanic island with steep inclines and twisting turns, no shoulders on the road and just not built for walking, combined with the fact that things are spread out and not on one long boardwalk. The Red Hook ferry terminal is on the East End of the island with passenger ferries running regularly to St John and to the British Virgin Islands - info on that is under "Quick Links" top right this page. It's only a 10 minute ferry ride to STJ so you can do a day trip with ease. IF you rented a car you could take it over on the car barge to explore on your own. Getting to STX for a couple of days isn't really feasible for such a short stay - it's a long way to get there and entails a flight. You'll have more than enough to do between STT and STJ! Hope that helps start you off!

Thank you! your links are very helpful.
This site does have plenty of information and Im just getting started so your directions help.
We'll look into vrbo and taxi rates.

Do you happen to know if STX is more pedestrian friendly?

STX is flatter than STT or STJ but still not pedestrian-friendly. It's a much larger island so things are spread out even more. Hopefully some people from (or more familiar with) STX will pop in with their thoughts.

you can and do it like the locals by taking the 'local' taxi. $2.00.
you need to know which are local and which are the high priced taxi's.
we do it all the time from red hook to kmart, to budget marine, post ofc on main st.
its a great way to get around.

For my trips to the islands, rushing is just not part of the plan. Rushing isn't part of most other people's plans there, either 🙂

> Also, would it make sense to visit St John for 1 day and STX for 2 days?

We made our first foray onto STX at the end of a week-long trip to STJ and found it wasn't long enough to get the smallest sense of St. Croix. We rented a car on STX, stayed on the west end and exhausted two days without seeing Christiansted (save lunch at ) or the east end. (We stayed at Sand Castles, walked into Fredriksted, dined at Sand Castles -- loved the restaurant and its wine list more than the lodging --, drove through the bush, and left.) Taking the sea plane to STX from STT could land you in Christiansted and you could spend a couple of days just exploring what's in town and on a day sail to Buck Island (if you snorkel).

If you just want a half-day tour of the most beautiful place on earth (if not in the universe :-), then a day trip to STJ would be enough. If you want to explore a few different beaches (Salomon, Leinster/Waterlemon Cay, Haulover and Hurricane Hole have fairly different ecosystems and are worth a day of snorkeling if that's your passion), then maybe STJ should be your base.

How do you want to spend your time? You'll find a week passes quickly, and will want to put your so-so stuff at the end so it can slide off without making you too upset.

If you rent a car you will better off. To go to STJ it will cost you 11 on the ferry each and then cab fares. You can get the car ferry for about 50. It also depends on where you stay. If you are on the Safari bus routes it will cost you 1 to go around to TuTu and Red Hook. It will cost you 2 to go down town. So you need to stay at Crystal Cove, Sapphire Beach Resort, Sapphire Village, or Sugar Bay or Pineapple.

I would suggest that you go on VRBO to get a resort.

You will probably NOT go to STX as the flights cost an arm and leg.

billd

Rent a car. I've tried it with and without a car. The Safaris are great and I really enjoy them. Good way to talk to interesting people and see the island but they are somewhat limited in their scope. As STT Res says, the roads are definitely not made for walking. Having been clipped by a van I speak from experience. When i take Girlfriend down with me we always get a car. Also when walking and crossing streets be sure to look BOTH ways. I've met more than one person who looked left and then stepped out right in front of a car.

We have been to STT several times in February. Stayed for 2 weeks each time at Emerald Beach. We did not rent a car. We went to most tourist things.Enjoyed walking thru the alleys downtown, MegansBay, Red Hook and different restaurants each day. We used taxi's to go someplace every day, just had them pick up back up at a certain time. .We did take the Safari bus once but it is not dependable and not fun standing in 90 degree heat waiting for it. When all was said and done we did not spend as much as we would have if we had rented a car and this way we didn't have to drive or try and find a place to park. We did not go snorkling, boating or hiking. We just wanted a relaxing vacation where it was warm. Whatever you decide, you will enjoy it. It is a special place to be as busy or laid back as you want..Hope this helps you somewhat.

No

You can definitely do without renting a car on St. Thomas. We never rent a car and get along fine during our week-long stays. However, using taxis exclusively is best when the number in your group is small and if you are not planning to make frequent/long taxi trips each day. We stay on the East End where ferries, groceries, beaches, restaurants, and water sports are easily accessible and a taxi ride to Red Hook (one way) is $5/person. We hire a taxi driver to take us to places further away on occasion and for two of us, I think their cost is reasonable. We spend most of our time at the beach with one day for a trip to town and around the island and 1-2 trips to St. John -- we like the slower pace and not having to rush anywhere, but if "exploring the islands" is a top priority for you, then a car is probably better.