Hi Paula and Kerry,

Three weeks and four days and we'll be there! Sounds like you're having a good time...and certainly not starving.

Hi Kerry and Paula,

So glad you like the suggestions! Actually, the Bombay Club is the first floor of an old West Indian townhouse and the walls are the old coral and ballast, which was originally bound together with a molasses mortar (I'm just guessing it's been repointed sometime). You're absolutely right about appearances - my first couple trips to St. Croix I thought the place looked too dim to approach, but people kept recommending it and now it's our favorite "regular" place. The same with Savant. It's wonderful that these old buildings house such treasures.

I particularly like the Landmark Society store on Company street, also an old West Indian dwelling. I like to go upstairs just to experience the ambience - the first floors were usually the places of business, while the second floors were the home. The second floor "gallery" at this store and the openess of the layout really can take you back a century or two if you let it.

On your next trip you've got to try Shenanigan's for breakfast - I can get out of there for around $5 if I don't have a cool, refreshing adult beverage to start the day! The Golden Rail in the Gallows Bay marina is another economical breakfast choice and a nice brisk walk to start the day. Although the walk will take you through a somewhat economically depressed area, my sister and I have never had a problem ("Good morning" works everywhere). We've stopped to talk with fishermen cleaning their catch and met really interesting folks along the way - it's only about a half mile from downtown.

I'll be there in 23 days, but who's counting!

Hey Sandcrab. We are having a great time and I have never been known to starve wherever I am!! In my emails home I realized the other day that I base my reports around food instead of the sites we've visited. Paula told me to tell you that the sun is shining on Hotel On The Cay right now. You better start counting down faster.

Joanne, Shenanigans is usually full by the time we get to town so we haven't eaten there yet. My wife used to go there back in the 70's when her family lived here so it's been around awhile. It had a different name then. We haven't made the Golden Rail this trip but we did last time and it is a good breakfast spot as well. You are right about the location. Gallows Bay seems far from town but it really isn't. We particularly like The Case Place there. The crab dip there is a killer!

Well, we are staying 24 days this trip and it is going fast so the 23 or 24 days both of you have until you get here will be here before you know it. I hope you have as much fun as we are having.

Hey Kerry, I KNOW you're having a great time. I envy you. Don't forget to eat at Rumrunners; great happy hour, live lobster tank, and for breakfast, try the Eggs Benedict. All their food is fantastic.

Thanks for the posts, we all enjoy reading them.

Hey Barefoot Bubba. We are ahead of you there. We've done the Rumrunners thing a few times already. It is a good place to eat and everyone there is always really friendly. My wife likes to feed the crabs toast in the mornings when we eat there. Last trip an octopus swam by while we were eating there sitting at the waters edge. Really cool!

I should have know a regular visitor like you wouldn't miss Rumrunners. Have a great trip!

Hey Kerry,

Have you been to Rumrunners in the evening (around 7) when they feed the tarpon with the scraps from the sushi bar? It's quite a sight when those 4-foot-plus critters start swarming and churning the water. Way better than crabs!

Joanne

We have not seen them feed the tarpon at night but will try to make that. Thanks for posting that information. Since we haven't stayed in town during our visits we have had limited time there at night. Mainly just driving back through coming in from a restaurant or attending a Jump Up. We will be staying in town our last night here next week and maybe we can catch some of the night life then.

Hey Kerry (Hi Paula),

Three weeks from this coming Sat and we'll be at HotC. I figured out how to pay for my trip. I've had this metal detector sitting around for I don't know how many years (used it to find property stakes on my lake lot). I'm going to find doubloons, pieces of eight, and other great treasures out on Protestant Cay. Well, I might!

It's minus three here right now. Not bad for Feb.

Last year we ate a couple of times at a place called Pleasants (I think). It was like 100 yards or so behind Rumrunners or Ft Christian Brew Club ( I get those two mixed up). Anyway they had great bar type foods, big burgers, onion rings, etc. for reasonable prices. We figured we were always on the water at HOtC so eating at Rumrunners etc was no big deal. The main thing was: They had an ongoing special of Bud or Bud Lite bottles for a dollar, and rum drinks for 1.50. We always sat in the open air part but connected was a building that had a pool table inside and there seemed to be quite a few locals hanging out. We'll check that place out again but for our first week this year we have three other couples along including our two boys and their wives so I'm sure we'll hit the touristy areas. I may have to pawn my computer after this trip as the spouse says she's going to treat the daughter-in-laws to a trip at Sonja's bracelet place.

Sorry Islander...this maybe wasn't a proper post for this board.

Hey Sandcrab,

If your wife is going to Sonya’s with your daughter-in-laws, you better start brushing up on how to use that metal detector real well! You won’t get near enough selling your computer. I did the Valentine’s day thing with Paula there and could use a few extra pieces of eight right now. Great stuff there though.

Pleasants looks like a great place. It was the old Café De Paris at one time. When you go back there you will notice that they have gutted the King’s Alley Hotel and are completely rebuilding the rooms. It should be nice when they get through and a great location to stay right on the waterfront near some night-time hotspots. I’m surprised at how much progress they’ve made since we’ve been here.

We did the Frederiksted side of the island today. Lot’s of construction and clean-up going on there too. We rode all the way out to Hamm’s Bluff to the end of the road and the scenery was just awesome! Beautiful beaches and some great looking surf rolling in at the end of the road where the bluffs are high. We could just see the lighthouse peaking above the hillsides but it would be quite a hike to get to it. I don’t see how FOG got there very easily. We took the Creque Dam road back through the rain forest and that was just as awesome. We took Mahogany Road through there last year but this was even more impressive. Lot’s of deep ravines right off the road disappearing into cool green darkness in some spots. Interesting drive if you have the time. The map says 4 wheel drive but my rented Echo did just fine. As far as eating goes, we ate lunch at Changes In L’Attitude right on the beach. It reminded us of Off the Wall some but the menu is not as large. Prices are good and the beach is nice with people swimming right off the restaurant’s waterfront.

We took in St. Georges Botanical Gardens today as well. It was interesting but not a whole lot is in bloom right now there. It’s a good chance to crawl around in some ruins a bit and take some interesting pictures.

Well, time for a lot of Coconut Rum and Pineapple juice. Later……………

Kerry,

Yes, wife is going with daughter in-laws to Sonja's and possibly other places. My wife has never had much jewelry but after Diamonds International on our cruise a few years ago and now Sonja's...she is St Croix "hooked" (I always check to see which way the hook is pointed).

Ive been told (not asked) that the d-inlaws are going to get some complimentary jewelry...I know she's thinking bracelets. I guess it's not enough that we bought the airline tickets and rooms for the kids. Oh well, this may well be the one and only time. Wanted them to see St Crox once to see if they wanted to continue to travel or take over the timeshare after we craok. Unlike myself (retired military), they've really never been anywhere.

Sorry to hear that your paradise days are coming to a close. Got an email from Paula also about your latest adventures. She didn't mention though the Valentines thing at Sonja's. Have a wonderful last few days and God Speed a safe journey home.

It is so nice to see people talkin' about St.Croix, and the HOTC too!! The wife and I will be there from 3/4 to 3/11, can't wait.
24 days!?!??! I don't think I'd ever come home.

🙂

"It is so nice to see people talkin' about St.Croix, and the HOTC too!!"

Your time is getting close. Are you staying at HotC?

The wind tried to blow HotC away yesterday but it's still there and the sun is still shinin' on it. Great day today. The Regatta was cancelled yesterday due to winds but we got to watch a couple of days of neat sailing and racing from our balconey here at Caokley Bay. Really interesting for a land lubber like me.

I agree that more people should talk about St. Croix on here. I've been amazed at all the growth and construction on this island in the last 10 months since we were last here. VINow is still a great place to learn about vacation and residential stuff for all the islands. We certainly have learned a lot from here and it's made our stays a lot better. Thanks to all.

Yeah, we'll be landing in STX 3/4 about 4:15 (hopefully). I can almost taste the rum punch now. The wife and I got married at HOTC last March. We'll have to do the Island tour and get out more this time.

🙂

Kerry,

Yes, I read in a Virgin Islands newsletter that it had been unusually windy and cold...well make that cool. I think the wind needs a name if it's going to blow away HotC. Hugo couldn't even do it.

Joanne replied to my post about having a toddy. Sounds like we'll meet at Rumrunners for happy hour on the 14th.

ok all - sounds stupid, but what place is HOTC? Hotel on the Cay?
Also, for those who have spent quality (non-touristy) time on stx, where to go for the "living like the locals" feel while I'm there for a month in June?

This is a pre-move re-visit and I want to "become" like a local - if that makes sense to anyone.

This board has been great to learn from - thanks to all who post here.

Linda from Michigan

Yeah, HOTC is Hotel on the Cay (just easier to type HOTC). Can't help you on 'local' stuff, this'll only be my 2nd time to St.Croix.

Hi Linda

We've spent about a month on ST. Croix a couple of times in the past year. You can really relax when you have that much time and if you've already done most of the tourist things, then you are not pressed for time to get in all that sort of stuff.

We've found that there is plenty to do on St. Croix other than the tourist stuff. Be sure to by the Avis newspaper and check it out for upcoming things like local plays, art shows and special events coming up. On the radio, Mongoose 104.9 FM is a wealth of information and a great oldies rock station. For the month of February while we were here this time, they had the Agricultural Fair, Valentine's Jump-Up, a sailing regatta, several art shows, the home tours each Wednesday, a ruin ramble and other things like that. There won't be as much in June as it slows down a bit off-season but if you look around you will find plenty to do.

You should post this question on the moving message board and people like Linda J and Ric can give you a good review of how their days go on St. Croix.

Kerry