Twice the money, half the clothing.

Seriously, we would need to know your travel details. Are you in a villa or hotel? How long are you staying?

We will be spending one week at Sapphire Beach Resort on STT, two weeks on STJ (one at Hillcrest Guest House and one at Coconut Coast Villas). There will be just two of us--my husband and myself, both active fifty-somethings.

Shorts, cotton shirts, confortable walking shoes, sandals that can maybe water shoes also (i.e., TEVA type). Lightweight/simple dress and-or skirt. Good quality sunglasses. Sunscreen (lots of it). Hat/Visor(or buy when you get there!). Bathing suit coverup. Lightweight Longsleeve shirt and lightweight long pants (I always take in case I get sunburned but still want to play outside/on the beach). Whatever you choose, consider the culture of the VI and its people. Respectful and modest (And, this is not meant to be prude-ish)....casual dress should be appropriate for the culture. Daisy-do shorts, middrift, skimpy tops.....might not be appropriate. Of course, in the end, its a personal choice.

Rojako has it right. I would add bug repellant. Maybe your own snorkeling equipment.

Good books for reading on the beach, and good sunglasses are a must! Also, I find some of the evenings a little cool so a light sweater and long pants/skirt. Some good hiking shoes if your'e planning on hiking. Ditto on the sunscreen. Lots.

Binoculars - camera - insurance card - refill your prescriptions (if you have a need to) so you'll have a minimum of 4 weeks worth - (high blood pressure here) - we transport all of our beach and snorkeling equipment into a collapsible cooler - your there 3 weeks, you'll need a cooler for the beach
Hope you have the best 3 weeks for your vacation

Water shoes for those beaches with a rocky entrance.

You've gotten terrific advise so far. Please just remember that its always hot and the higher you go, the hotten it'll feel around midday so think LIGHT. Also, unless you love to lug around luggage, think LIGHT again and minimize the amount of clothes, you'll wear more sunscreen than anything else! I didn't notice, did someone mention sunglasses and hats (us 50's types don't need any more wrinkles!)

Ditto on what Bluewater said. I just got back from St. John about 10 days ago. I had way too many clothes. I wore mostly my swimsuits and cover ups. I wore shorts and tank tops in the afternoon and evening. No one really dresses up much. I brought a dress and wore it, but felt overdressed, even at ZoZo's. I ended up being able to wear shorts and some tops more than once because I only had them on for a few hours. Pack light and have fun!

The old adage is put the clothing that you plan to take on your bed and then pack half of it.

I came to st. croix for a month long pre-move visit. I brought probably 4 parir capris, 6 pair shorts,8 tops, a dress, a skirt, and a couple bathing suits & coverups.

I haven't taken but 3 shirts out and 1 pair capris and 2 pair shorts. The dress and skirt I wore to job interviews. The rest is stuff I bought for the trip and still has tags on them - never taken out of my luggage.

I've been here 16 days. Don't see me going into the bags for anything else. Here they do have laundry - so I wear what is comfortable and wash when needed.

Have fun!

Linda

Hey everybody....I really like these tips. I am bringing my wife and son (3 years old tommorrow). Anyone have suggestions for the little one? We are staying at Concordia Eco-tents.....The little man is a seasoned camper so he will be used to this, but not to the beach scene. Also I am hearing mixed reviews about what ID he needs to have to get back to the US. My understanding is that as long as both parents are with him and he has his birth certificate, he doesnt need a passport. Please advise!

Rich

No passports needed for the little ones. Only birth certificate as long as both parents present.

Also get a "neat sheet" for the beach. I think Walgreens and Walmart both have it. Water shoes are also good (Tevas for adults). SPF 50 for the 3 yr old. Bug spray or skin so soft by Avon to keep the "no-see-ums" away.

Have fun!

I am packing for my trip now (5 days and counting!!!). Do I need any sort of light sweater? I'll be kayaking/camping for 5 days. Will I need it at night?

No light sweaters needed unless your circulation is really, really bad. The humidity keeps it very warm, even at night, even with a breeze. Tank tops, shorts, flip flops.

For the little ones... We brought long sleeve surf shirts for the kids, with UV protection in the cloth. This worked out SO well. It kept it easy when it came to putting on sunblock (face, ears and legs) and it kept their tummy's unscratched when they were playing in the sandy waves and surf. My kids thought they looked super cool in them too 🙂

Another tip: we always bring a few ziplock bags. When we leave our blanket on the beach to go swimming or snorkeling, we put the wallets and watches in a ziplock and bury it under the blanket.

We also bring some scented garbage bags to put our sweaty, dirty clothes in so they don't stink up the room!

Aloe, afterbite, or some kind of Benadryl spray would be wise. I always end up itchy from something.

If I think of anything else, I'll post later. I have my full list at home. ENJOY EVERY SECOND!

Lisa in CT

My husband reminded me of another great item to have... Baby Wipes. Pack a small package of them, throw them in your cooler and take them everywhere. They're great for messes, sticky hands on the beach, or just cooling off your neck and face if they've been in the cooler.

Great tips.....I want this to be a great, relaxing vacation...Since this is a surprise for my wife I am researching this alone and its pretty overwhelming with my male ADD mind.....