You can't beat the beaches on St. Thomas, that's for sure. And it's not a matter of THE beach, it's WHICH beach. There are 44 on St. Thomas, and while not all are accessable by care, they are accessable by boat and all are public. The ones I always liked best are Sapphire (especially on Sundays when there are bands playing in the pavilion by the beach), Magens is pretty (and makes great pictures), Secret Harbour and the beaches by the Ritz are nice, too. Brewer's Beach is nice, as well as Hull Bay Beach (good snorkeling, and Bryan's Bar is good for dinner).

I don't know if your sons would be into shopping...but if you are, you can't beat that with a stick, either. I liked going shopping in downtown Charlotte Amalie as opposed to Havensite. I liked the hole-in-the-wall shops in the REALLY old buildings. Something about it is a little more charming than the mall-like atmosphere of Havensite.

Your sons would probably like going out on something like the Wild Thing (party catamaran) or renting a boat for the day. There are a few places to do that in Red Hook.
Or take a charter boat cruise (Limnos is always a good bet).

If you are into historic sites, try the Fort in St. Thomas, as well as the government buildings and 99 Steps. One of the oldest places of worship in the New World is on St. Thomas (the syngogue), and it's simple and beautiful.

Take a day trip (or two) to St. John and go to some of the beaches there, as well. Or Ferry to Tortola (slower pace) or to Jost Van Dyke if you are there on a weekend.

There's plenty to do, or you can do absolutely nothing and still be happy!

Enjoy your trip!

You should have went to St .Croix instead or all three Virgin Islands. You're missing out by limiting yourself to only St. Thomas. Maybe you should take a day trip over to St. Croix for a day on the seaplane. The seaplane is an exhillarating (sp?) experience....

Linda,

Spending a day sailing and going over to Jost Van dyke is a blast. Many people say it is the best day of there holiday. There are some great boats. Scubadu is a catamaran with lots of space and does private trips. They are listed under sport/activities. LA

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I was looking into boat trips (1/2 or full day...not sure yet) to some of the other islands. What is so special about Jost Van Dyke???? We are definately going shopping. My birthday is the week after we leave and I'm planning of getting a great piece of jewlery!! The historical sites are also going to be on our list.

We are all totally excited to go on this vacation. We are planning on making some great memories during that week.

Jost is like the unspoiled paradise island that comes to mind when people think of the Caribbean. There are only about 150 full time residents, and no real development outside of a few tiny hotels and campgrounds, and lots of beach bars. White Bay (home of the famous Soggy Dollar Bar) is in my opinion the nicest beach in the VI. Great harbor is home to Foxy's, another great restaurant and bar run by the legendary Calypsonian/Entrepreneur/Renaissance Man Foxy Callwood. Foxy's has been named among the top 10 places to ring in the New Year, when hundreds of boats pack the harbor. Foxy's has also begun hosting several reggae concerts each year in the field behind the restaurant. So yes, Jost is definitely worth the trip. Another favorite (but lesser known) stop on Jost is the One Love Bar, down near the west end of White Bay, run by the equally entertaining (and skilled magician) Seddy.

It's decided....we're taking the family on a day cruise to Jost. Now, what charter should we use. Would like to have a smaller, more private boat. The boys want to sail, but we're open to suggestions. Will it be difficult to get a reservation with our trip being only three weeks away?

There are lots of charters out of Red Hook. You shouldn't have a problem finding someone when you get down here. Just look them up in the phone book. Good Luck
Matt