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Hey all. My family and I (me-20 , two older brothers 24/26, and my mom) are heading to St. Thomas in June for 7 days. This is going to be the last time in a while that we are together being that we all work in different places in the country, so we want to make sure we get in as much stuff as possible in the time we are there. I just wanted to get a few ideas from any locals or people who have been there on some stuff that is a must do while in the USVI. We are open to all possibilites, from hiking, boat tours, snorkling, fishing, pretty much anything. We are staying at the Marriot, supposed to be pretty nice, but then again we didnt care much for our hotel hoping we would be out doing stuff all the time. I know my Mom would love to go shopping and do some relaxing stuff, while my brothers and I are more into the extreme stuff. Is there any skydiving, bungee, stuff like that in the USVI? On a side note, how do the locals react to military? Being in the military and visiting different places, some people shun or are rude to people in the military. I know there is no military presence in the USVI, and hopefully nobody else is visiting because I want to distance myself from that for a week or so. I dont act like it but by my appearence its obvious, just wondering what I should expect. Thanks for your time!
I personally thank everyone I see in uniform, so...
We have a large National Guard contingent. People are very appreciative. The military has always been a huge part of VI history.
When I think of "extreme", I think of made up stuff. If you come with an open mind, enjoy what there is, I believe you will be happy. Do you like sailing, diving, scuba, boating? Oh, well, there is other stuff, too,
And by the way, did I thank you yet for your service? 😉
Hi Firsttimer,
As you can see by the sky diving thread on this forum their are military families that travel here, or in my case split my time stateside and on island. My thanks for you and your family for your service to our country. Without brave people like you, our freedom that we enjoy today could have been a thing of the past.
Some of my suggestions:
Hiking on STJ
Day sail over to the BVI"s, make sure that you pick one that will take you to the Cave's at Norman Island, awesome snorkeling
Scuba Diving (if you are new to this you can try Discover Scuba at Chris Sawyer Dive Center at the Wyndham, or at Coki Beach)
Snorkeling at Coki, Secret Harbor or travel to STJ and try out Trunk Bay
Surfing at Hull Bay
Para sailing (I think that you can do this at Sapphire, if I'm wrong please chime in)
Drink's at Duffy's, happy hour is a sport in STT
Shopping for mom, if you are renting a car, I would shop at the Havensight Mall, easier parking. If you take a taxi, go downtown, the historic area is fun to walk around and shop, but parking can sometimes be a problem.
The Marriot should have a concierge desk to help you with any reservations for day sails or specialty trips.
If you really like extreme vacations, you should try out Costa Rica sometime. They have bungee jumping from bridges, whitewater rafting, rock climbing up waterfalls, hiking around the Arenal Volcano (it is a live volcano). The canopy tour that was not what I thought it would be. They take you to the top of a mountain, give you a leather glove as your only break and stearing mechanism and then off you go hooked to a zip line traveling tree to tree above the rain forest, sometimes several hundred feet in the air for a couple of hours. They also have deep sea fishing, where we were joined by a pod of dolphin's, spotted giant sea turtles.
Sorry guy's, I know that this is the USVI forum, but when she mentioned extreme, I couldn't help myself.
Firsttimer, have a great time with your family, I know you'll love it here as much as we do.
Molly
The Baths at Virgin Gorda. My favorite place on this planet.
Thanks for all of the suggestions! A couple of questions. Would a trip to the BVI mean I would need a passport? One of the reasons we are going to the USVI is because we all dont have passports yet and they arent coming in till after the trip. Also how about fishing. Does anyone know from personal experience whether it is worth taking a day trip with someone who has a boat to fish (looks expensive i looked it up) or are there local areas you can fish that are more affordable? There is nothing like the thrill i get of jumping out of airplanes but I cant wait to get to some stuff in the water!
Hi Firsttimer-
A quick note about passports. . .
I applied for my passport here in Pittsburgh at the end of February and had it in hand 2 weeks later. Here's hoping yours comes as quickly! There have been a number of posts on this board from locals, boat captains, etc. who say that you may enter the BVIs with a birth certificate with a raised seal. I decided not to take any chances and renewed mine for my trip in June.
Best of luck and have an awesome trip!
Hi Firsttimer!
You and your family picked a great spot for a vacation! I'm not sure about excursions on STT but I do know of some on STJ. It's just a 15 to 20 minute ferry ride across. Look up www.calypsovi.com. This is a great company for excursions. They have a sail boat catamaran, dinghy rentals and they just bought a 49' power cataraman. The powerboat and sail both have trips to theBVI's. And no, you do not need a passport to enter the BVI's. However, you do need an original birth certificate (with a raised seal) and a valid, current drivers license. If you and your brothers want a thrill, google SOMA USVI. I have friends on St. John that say this excursion can get pretty crazy sometimes. (For the thrill you guys are looking for). If you talk to Calypso, ask for Sheree and tell her Fran from Michigan referred you. They are great people there and will take good care of you when setting up your trips.
If you want to dive in St. John, look up Low Key Watersports. They are just right of the ferry dock when you pull into STJ. They also have a website.
Hope this information helps you out. And thank you so much for your service and keeping us safe! 🙂 Have a great trip!
Firsttimer- Duffys!!!Best sweet tangy fiji wings...And when the sun goes down the place gets jumping. Sunset or Day sail with Motoryacht Cinnamon Bay to The Caves at Norman , or snorkeling at Waterlamon Cay STJ> I'm jealous, and we just got back yesterday. Have fun, and eat some of those wings for me!!
Wishing I was you-
MJ
Hi First-timer!!
Although my father is a local in STT, my favorite place on earth is Coral Bay, STJ. Take a wild ride out there,and you will not be disappointed. This is a haven for starving artists, boaties, tourists, donkeys, etc.
(We're all here because we're not all there)
Hit up Skinny Legs for a cheeseburger at lunch!
Gotta agree withhmgrindle,there. We just got back from Coral Bay;-stayed at the top of the driveway just passed Aqua Bistro, and a stones throw from Island Blues. We walked to and from both bars more than night or two.
Serene!!!-Especially after the thrill ride from the North Shore beaches,(Maho was literally 5-10 mins. away-), and Cruz Bay.
Must see!!!
MJ
Must do...
Relax, unwind, recharge the soul. Don't just hear the island breezes and gently rolling water, listen to them. Take in 'island time' and get to know your Mom & brothers. The islands can offer many things but so many 'tourists' leave without experiencing the best they have to offer.
For excitement, I always get a charge seeing what lies below the water. Nothing like swimming along looking at fry, parrot fish, squid, rays and then coming across a sea turtle or shark.
Kudos, Chris At Work...Hey! Wait a minute!-Who are you calling a "tourist"?! (just joking...) We saw a gigantic stingray off of Waterlemon, 3 turtles at Hawksnest, and hundreds of different types of beautiful fish on the swim from Big Maho to Little Maho. It was glorious, and sensational. It usually takes me @ 1/2 way into the first day to become completely catatonic with the islands' views, scents, and flavors. Sitting on any beach and watching the pelicans float by can put anybody on 'island-time'. Sometimes it's almost pointless to make plans, because we never seem to be in a rush to leave anywhere we find ourselves. I find the smell of the air and breezes completely captivating, as well as intoxicating. We returned home this past Saturday, and I miss it so much, already. St. John truly owns a big piece of my heart. I realize that this thread is about STT., but the relaxation is undeniable on both sides of Pillsbury sound!
Smiles-
MJ
