I agree - don't be confined at the resort all week.

By all means - explore. See St Thomas...Magen's Bay and Charlottee Amelie at a minimum.

Day trips can be a fun way get a glimpse of the other islands...

Consider a day trip to British Virgin Islands (bring passport). One option is trip to Virgin Gorda to visit The Baths. Another option would be a day trip to Tortola, Sandy Cay (snorkel) and Jost Van Dyke (visit Foxy's and Soggy Dollar Bar - try a world famous Painkiller)...a really fun trip. Many of the daysails on St Thomas offer these trips.

Also, you must take at least one day (if not two) for a trip over to St, John.
Here's a really fun, full day on St John if you're up for it:

Take an early ferry (every hour on hour from Red Hook - perhaps Frenchman's offers there own?), grab rental jeep, bring snorkel stuff if you have it, cooler with water (other drinks too) is big bonus as many of beaches to not have anything available. Or buy drinks after you get car and before you leave town.

If it's early enough, have breakfast at Chilly Billy's up the hill. Otherwise, drive to one of north shore beaches for a while (my family likes Trunk and Cinnamon which are full service, others are excellent too) to beach and snorkel. We saw barracuda, turtles, rays and of course fish and coral at Trunk our last visit - try the west end (left) of beach on Trunk, in addition to the park service offering around the island - don't be afraid to snorkel quite a ways away from beach to the west.

Then off to Francis Bay - snorkel out a ways to the east end where the beach gets rocky to swim with turtles and rays. Go out about half way to the sailboat buoys. There's something about swimming with the turtles...

Then drive over to Coral Bay, have late lunch and great frozen drinks at Shipwreck Landing.

Keep heading away from Coral Bay to Salt Pond Bay. Be very sure you have water before you go to Salt Pond. It is on the very arid side of island. It's a quarter mile to beach from road, downhill is easy, uphill afterwards is tougher - save some water. Good hikes here - Ram's Head is cool. Snorkel on left side and out very deep...octopus, eel, squid, turtles here last visit. Then hike back up hill to jeep.

Head back to Coral Bay and take Centerline back to town. Stop at Chateau Bordeaux for drink and to soak in unbelievable views. Finish drive back into town. Find a spot to park (good luck) - better yet, return your rental first. Frozen libations for a while then dinner at The Lime Inn (many other good eateries)... Then late ferry back after a great day.

Try it. You won't regret it one bit.

bob

Good, inexpensive, will give it a shot. Cuzzin's Caribbean Restaurant, Alexander's Cafe, Hook, Line, and Sinker, Greenhouse, Pizza Amore... to name a few.
Ronnie

Wow Bob, that sounds like a great day on St. John. Do you think we could do all of that in one day? Especially with us not knowing where we're going? heheheh

Do you have any idea how much it costs to rent a Jeep for the day?

It's a full day, but we've done something very similar twice...just leave St Thomas early- maybe grab coffee and rolls, etc at the hotel and have "breakfast" on the ferry ride rather than on St John. Its not that big an island.

As I recall, a jeep was around $85 for a full day during high season - maybe less now?

No need to worry about getting "too" lost...there's not that many roads. Grab the touristy cartoon map you'll find everywhere...it has everything on it. That's all you need. Driving is an adventure - left side of road, very narrow roads, mountainous, with many shape turns - but not a "bad" adventure. It's just about impossible to drive faster than 20-25 mph so it's all pretty much under control. Rental gives you much more flexibility - go when and where you want more easily.

Here's the other "day on St. John" that's a little less "hectic". Ferry to St. John, breakfast at Chilly Billys. Rather than renting, rely on taxis. You can easily do taxi's, but then you are pretty much limited to visiting one beach, maybe two. It's very easy to get a taxi to take you anywhere from town, a bit harder to get picked up at the more remote locations. Taxis are prevalent at Hawksnest, Trunk, Cinnamon and Maho. We relied on taxi's our first visit and it went fine.

Two beach suggestions (both good options). Bring your snorkeling stuff if you have it, otherwise you can rent it at either place. Cinnamon Bay for the day......very easy, relatively quiet. Snorkel on reef on east (right) end of beach. Or, Trunk Bay (tends to be more crowded with the day trips from cruise ships)... Snorkel the National Park trail around the island then head west (left as you face the water) and snorkel the rocks off the end of the beach. Unfortunately the coral is not what it used to be a few years ago - something about dust from Africa - if you can believe that. If you go to Trunk, bother to walk an extra 100 yards west on the beach to a more secluded location rather than plunking down right off the path with all the cruisers. I don't know why people do that, it drives me nuts. It'll be a lot quieter and more enjoyable. Both beaches have a snack stand for burgers and the like, also beverages (water, soda, beer - not cocktails), sailboat/board rentals, etc.

Also freshwater shower/changing facilities so you can make a quick change before heading back to town for a little shopping at Mongoose Junction then fozen drinks and dinner before grabing a late ferry back.

There, now you have options 🙂

bob