the good thing is, when you arrive, there will be plenty of information available. i would not stress out and plan too heavily, as there is so much you can possibly do.

that being said, check out an issue of st. thomas/st. john this week. there you will find not only activities but ferry schedules. there are also ferry schedules on this web site (link at the top right).

kid-friendly restaurants?
i like: tickle's in crown bay, molly malone's in red hook, and at the coral world ocean park there is a nice restaurant in addition to the fantastic array of child-friendly fun at this popular attraction.

there is a butterfly farm here too!

paradise point on st. thomas is quite a lot of fun too.

st. john ferries run often from both red hook and downtown charlotte amalie (more frequently from red hook)... if you rent a car, make sure you can barge it over, and take an island tour of st. john, or take the people ferry over and grab a taxi for a quick island tour of jaunt to the beach. there are generally lots of folks there to help you right there at the dock.

your lodging provider may already have some agreements in place with licensed, vetted local vendors and venues, so include them in the conversation as well.

www.ticklesdocksidepub.com/ (tickles)
www.mollymalonesstthomas.com/ (molly malone's)
www.coralworldvi.com/ + coral world supports the butterfly farm as well, see this story for more info http://www.discoverusvimagazine.com/sightseeing/butterfly-farm.htm (coral world + butterfly farm)
http://www.sttparadisepoint.com/ (paradise point)

Anita thank you sooo much!!

Anita pretty much said it all and I only have a couple of general comments. Unfortunately you picked Hertz for a car rental which is the only agency which doesn't allow their cars on the car barge to St John, so you'll have to take the passenger ferry and utilize taxis. It's a shame as when you take the barge over you can load your vehicle with all your gear, a cooler and, of course, all the baby's necessities as well, while the price is all inclusive regardless of the number of people.

Definitely go to Magens as it's a gorgeous beach. Check the cruise ship schedule (it's on this site) and pick a day when there are minimum ships visiting. I should add that even with a lot of ships in port, Magens is a mile long beach and most of the cruisers hang out around the concession area. If you follow the road to the left there's ample parking further up and plenty of clear and relaxing room away from the masses! It's also the perfect place to get your little one into the water for a first swimming lesson!

As Anita said, don't over plan. Getting around is very easy here. Enjoy a wonderful vacation!