St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

Should you stay in Christiansted or Frederiksted?

We took a 10-day trip to St. Croix, for the first 5 days we stayed at an Airbnb right near the pier in Frederiksted. I loved Frederiksted, it’s a much smaller town than Christiansted, full of historic buildings, many being reclaimed by nature. I found the best beaches to be on this side of the island. Rainbow Beach, Dorsch Beach and Sandy Point (only open during certain months and days, due to turtle nesting) are all fantastic. Dorsch had amazing snorkeling just offshore with several turtles and rays. It's also the best area on the island to watch the sunset. We really enjoyed spending the evening watching the sunset from the pier, then walking into town for dinner. Our favorite places to eat on this side were Turtle's Deli for lunch and Ciboné for dinner. 

For the second part of our trip, we stayed in Cane Bay. Cane Bay is a great area, perfect if you want to be equal distance to Frederiksted and Christiansted, with a laid-back Jimmy Buffett vibe. Cane Bay is a good place to swim and snorkel, but the beach can get crowded. Our hotel was close enough to walk, but parking looked like a hassle, especially on the weekend. Off The Wall was a fun little bar to hang out with great views and The Landing had good food with a classic beach bar feel. I highly recommend the tuna sandwich with mango chutney! They also had a walk-up window for food and drinks if you’re hanging out at the beach. You can rent beach loungers and umbrellas at Cane Bay.

We went to Christiansted twice, it’s as close to a city as you will get on the island. If you are into shopping, nightlife, and a wide variety of restaurants, this is the best place to stay. Crowds aren’t my favorite, so while I enjoyed an occasional day trip here, I personally wouldn’t stay in this area.

Note: The cruise ships dock in Frederiksted, and this can impact how crowded the beaches are. You also can’t snorkel near the pier when a ship is in port. We went in October, when there weren’t any cruise ships. To see the cruise ship schedule for St. Croix, click here.

Best Places to Stay on St. Croix

• The Waves at Cane Bay, ideal for honeymooners or romantic getaways
• Sand Castle On The Beach, ideal for people who want great snorkeling right out front and a nice beach. Adults only.
• The Fred, charming boutique hotel in the heart of Frederiksted
• The Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort, best place to stay if you want to be at a true resort or near Christiansted
• The Landing, cute little beach bungalows at Cane Bay

Our favorite activities on St. Croix

We did a half day on Buck Island, for us that was plenty of time. It’s a beautiful beach and worth an afternoon, but it’s not very big. It’s an easy, short boat ride from Christiansted.

We also did the bio bay kayak tour with Sea Thru Kayaks VI. I’ve lived in Puerto Rico, so I’ve done bio bays, and this one was the best one I’ve done. The see-through kayaks make a ton of difference, it’s an amazing light show under your feet. The bioluminescence bay is an easy kayak trip from the harbor, even for a novice kayaker. The closer you can book a tour to a new moon the better, the lack of light makes the glow brighter. If your trip is during a full moon, check the moon rise time, if it doesn't rise until after the tour, that works too! Check the moon phase and rise times here.

Additional Information

I found a car to be absolutely necessary, a Jeep is not. We rented through Centerline. They were fine, the cars are a bit beat up but that’s kind of what you want to drive there. The roads are pretty good, some potholes on the drive between Cane Bay and Frederiksted, but they are manageable. Wi-Fi and power were not a problem at all, which is impressive for the Caribbean.

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