if you are within a 1/2 mile of magens bay keep in mind you will be walking up or downhill on the way to the beach... there are no houses right on the beach with a few exceptions.

highly recommend you speak with your rental agent about provisioning since i expect you won't be able to walk to anything for groceries or eating out - anything even nearby is a bit of a hike, on a highway with very small shoulder.

enjoy your time here!

It all depends on where you are in this 1/2 mile away from Magens. Tutu Park Mall, which includes the Plaza Extra Grocery Store, might be near you. It's a very popular store with locals and tourists, though be prepared for some sticker shock, and be flexible regarding your menu.

You can stop at Pueblo Grocery on your way from the airport for breakfast items and maybe first night's dinner, but Plaza Extra generally has a larger selection. Neither is a good source for fresh seafood or quality meats. Gourmet Gallery or some other store may be better.

Depending on where you are in relation to Magens, there may be at least one convenience store in your immediate area. You won't be so isolated that nothing is available, but be prepared to pay a little bit more or have a limited selection. The closest restaurants may be at Mahogany Run or Magens Point. You can Google for their locations in relation to where you will be staying.

Hope this helps.

I recommend that you rent a car, possibly a 4WD. There are so many things to see and do. And before you plan to do any island hopping, don't forget to drive ( 1/2 hour) to Red Hook, the eastern end of STT, to catch the car barge (20 min) over to St John for
at least a day or 2.

You don't need a 4WD on St Thomas but should definitely rent a vehicle- maybe even two since there are six of you. I'm assuming you'll definitely want to do some provisioning with that many of you and you could rent a vehicle or vehicles when you arrive and drive to your villa, stopping en route at CostULess or Plaza Extra to pick up what you need.

There are plenty of opportunities for island hopping from numerous daysail charters to boat rentals (Nauti Nymph and Pocket Yachts come to mind) as well as ferry options. Under the "Select" bar top of this page you'll find a ton of information as well as on the "Quick Links" option.

A few years back, my wife and I stayed on Water Island and were fortunate enough to meet Alfred at the airport and he became our driver on STT for the duration of our stay. The thing is you don't need a car on Water Island(a golf cart will do) and you can get most everything you need at Crown Bay Marina. If your staying anywhere on St Thomas, renting a vehicle pays for itself. Especially if your staying on the north side. Unless you plan on staying put for the week you should rent a vehicle.

Nauti-Nymph is an excellent idea if you want to explore some snorkeling options on St Thomas or St John and you are familiar with the waters. St Croix is too far away and visiting the BVI requires clearing customs both ways, which can be time consuming when you need to be back filled with fuel by 3:00 pm. St John's north shore is a beautiful place to explore by boat and is only 3 miles or so from Red Hook.

There are many things to see and learn about St Thomas and you would be cheating yourselves without a vehicle. I've been there many times and have never stayed at a resort so renting a villa is something I'm familiar with. We've turned our attention lately to St John (we were there in October and will be there again in March), but still have not finished exploring St Thomas and will be back.

The best advice I can give you is to greet everyone with a good morning or good afternoon and if you forget, apologize and start over. Be a good guest will make your stay much more enjoyable. Have a great trip.

Megans is a beautiful beach!

daydreamer wrote:
Megans is a beautiful beach!

And, if only it were spelled correctly, the Magens family wouldn't be turning over in their graves so often. It's Magens Bay with no apostrophe between the "n' and the "s". No offense intended, just that history is important to preserve. Cheers!

Oops! Posted from my personal phone and Autocorrect recognized 2 friends named Megan that are in my contact list. Sorry about that! Have a great day!

Rent a vehicle for sure! Being dependent on a taxi for everything will be costly. Save yourself some serious aggravation!

Yes you will need to provision before heading to the North Side. Also I am with the rent a car crowd. The 1/2 mile walk will seem like 3 any place around Magens think up hill both ways :-). Also going out to eat or into town or to Red Hook or to any of the other beaches will be expensive by cab. Think 10 to 15 dollars per person per trip each way. So it will be $120 to $150 round trip to go just about any place from the north side for six people. Get a mini van or a six passenger SUV.
Jay