US Virgin Islands Itinerary: 7 Days In St Thomas, St John & St Croix

My US Virgin Islands itinerary will provide all the details you need to have an amazing seven days in the Caribbean. I’ve visited the USVI on several occasions, including flying directly to the islands on holiday and as day trips from Caribbean cruises. Here’s how to plan a week long adventure in the US Virgin Islands.

The USVI is an appealing choice for a few reasons. First, it’s not terribly far from many cities in the USA and Canada. It’s possible to soak up the sunshine after a speedy two to three hour flight. Next, the US Virgin Islands are part of the United States, so US citizens will not need a passport to visit.

This US Virgin Islands itinerary will divide your time between the three main islands: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. We’ll also visit smaller islands, Water Island near St. Thomas and Buck Island near St. Croix. For the first four days, we’ll stay in St. Thomas and for the final three days, we’ll stay in St. Croix.

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US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 1 (St. Thomas)

We’ll spend the first four days based in St. Thomas. Fly to Saint Thomas Cyril E King Airport. As St. Thomas isn’t a huge island by any means, the airport is only a short distance from Charlotte Amalie, the capital and largest city in the US Virgin Islands.

Since you’ll likely be a little bit tired from this travel day, we’ll take it easy on the first day of this US Virgin Islands itinerary. Take a wander around the pier and downtown Charlotte Amalie. There are many great shopping opportunities, an artist alley, and cobblestone streets to explore.

Take the Skyride to Paradise Point, an aerial tram that transports you to an amazing lookout point. From 700 feet above the harbor, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the most amazing panoramic views. There are also restaurants, a bar, souvenir shops and the new Skywalk attraction at the top.

Another great thing to do in Charlotte Amalie is climb the 99 steps. Walk up this historic staircase (which actually has 103 steps in total) to reach Blackbeard’s Castle, one of the island’s three National Historic Landmarks. The castle itself is closed for renovation and has been since Hurricane Irma in 2017. However, you can still see the tower and a few statues.

Where to Stay in St. Thomas

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 2 (St. Thomas)

One main reason to visit the US Virgin Islands is for the beautiful beaches. For our second day in Saint Thomas, we’ll make this one a relaxing beach day. There are quite a few stunning beaches in St. Thomas and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. I’ve made a short list of the best beaches in St. Thomas with the pros and cons so you can decide which one works best.

Most of the beaches won’t be within walking distance from Charlotte Amalie. The best way to get to the beaches is by taking a taxi. St. Thomas does not have Uber or Lyft, so hailing a taxi is the easiest and best way to get around the island. Taxis are readily available around downtown Charlotte Amalie. Take a shared taxi to save a bit of money over a private taxi.

Magens Bay

Magens Bay is the most popular beach in St. Thomas. It’s going to be busy, but it’s quite spectacular. There is a small fee to enter the beach, though there are facilities like restrooms, beach equipment to rent, picnic areas, and a restaurant and bar. It’s been named as the “Best Beach in the Caribbean” and “One of the Ten Most Beautiful Beaches in the World” by esteemed publications.

Sapphire Beach

Sapphire Beach is another gorgeous beach in St. Thomas. It’s located on the east end of the island and it is famous for its sparkling turquoise waters. This is also a great spot for snorkeling and the best place on the island for windsurfing. While Sapphire Beach is still pretty popular, it’s going to be less crowded than Magens Bay.

Cas Cay

If you’d rather take a snorkeling tour and see the nature of St. Thomas, I highly recommend this third option, Cas Cay. This adventure in Cas Cay is a half day tour where you go kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking around the Cas Cay Mangrove Lagoon Marine Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary.

It’s the best eco-friendly tour in St Thomas and involves plenty of soft adventure to paddle and see amazing local wildlife. There’s also a short hike and the opportunity to see intriguing rock formations carved by the waves for thousands of years.

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 3 (St. John)

For day three of this US Virgin Islands itinerary, it’s time to venture off the island of Saint Thomas to the incredible neighboring island of St. John. There are a few different ferries that service St. John from St. Thomas. There’s the Charlotte Amalie ferry (seasonal), Crown Bay ferry and Red Hook ferry.

Depending on where you’re staying, you might be able to walk to the Charlotte Amalie ferry and Crown Bay ferry. However, it might be worth the taxi ride to Red Hook as the Red Hook ferry is only a 15 minute ferry ride to Cruz Bay in St. John.

In St. John, spend the day at Trunk Bay, part of the Virgin Islands National Park. Trunk Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole world. Relax on a glorious white sand beach or go snorkeling along the 225-yard long underwater snorkeling trail. Bring your own snorkel gear so you don’t need to worry about finding any to rent.

Don’t feel like planning out your day? There’s also this fantastic snorkeling tour to Trunk Bay where you’ll take a private boat ride to the beaches. Meet your small group tour at Red Hook and your guides will ensure that you have an amazing time.

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 4 (Water Island)

I first visited Water Island many, many years ago, long before I was a travel blogger. I got a tip from the Cruise Critic forums that Water Island was a great place to escape the crowds on this tiny island. Ferries depart on the hour from Crown Bay – and by ferry, it’s a small red boat – and you buy your ticket using cash directly from the captain.

Upon my arrival to Water Island, a friendly local in a golf cart pulled up and offered to give me a ride to Honeymoon Beach. Now that Water Island is quite a bit more popular, I’m not sure if you’ll receive such personalized hospitality, though the locals of this residential island are quite friendly.

And that’s right, there aren’t any buses or taxis, only golf carts. You can rent a golf cart (reservations highly recommended) or you can walk from the dock to Honeymoon Beach. There are two restaurants on Water Island: Dinghy’s Beach Bar on Honeymoon Beach and Heidi’s Honeymoon Grill, a short walk from the beach.

Honeymoon Beach is a picturesque sandy beach lined with palm trees. Swim in the calm, turquoise waters. Once you’ve enjoyed your day on Water Island, take the small ferry boat back to St. Thomas. Ferries depart Water Island at a quarter past the hour, on the hour. The last ferry leaves at 6:15pm, so don’t be late.

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 5 (St. Croix)

On day five of this US Virgin Islands itinerary, we’re departing Saint Thomas and venturing over to the third main island of the USVI, Saint Croix. There are a couple of ways to travel between St. Thomas and St. Croix. The least expensive option is the passenger ferry, which departs daily except for Tuesdays. You can also fly between St. Thomas and St. Croix. The third option is to travel by seaplane (the most expensive option).

Once you’ve reached St. Croix, we suggest that you stay at The Buccaneer Resort. There are beautiful, serene beaches, restaurants, bars, tennis courts, a golf course, and other activities. Here’s our full review of The Buccaneer Resort and why it’s a great place to call home for a few nights.

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 6 (St. Croix)

Now that you’re all settled in St. Croix, it’s time to explore the island. We took a half day island tour as arranged by The Buccaneer Resort that visited the botanical gardens, Frederiksted and Christiansted. Out of the two towns, Christiansted is the closest to the resort and I suggest spending more time there. The waterfront is quite lively and there are plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars.

If it’s possible, I highly suggest renting a car in St. Croix. Since the island’s resorts are quite remote by comparison to the towns and other attractions, it can be difficult to get around the island without a car. If you don’t rent a car, take the half day island tour and perhaps a taxi to Christiansted to stay for a longer amount of time.

Another wonderful thing to do in St. Croix is walk to the Carambola Tide Pools, located near the Carambola Beach Resort. The hike to reach the tide pools can be a little bit strenuous, especially if it’s hot outside. There is a bit of a dangerous rock scramble towards the end. Once you reach the tide pools, it’s time to go for a swim!

US Virgin Islands Itinerary: Day 7 (Buck Island)

On your final day in the USVI, let’s take a day trip to Buck Island Reef National Monument, one of the few underwater national monuments in the country. Buck Island has a rich marine life ecosystem and two thirds of the island is surrounded by an elkhorn coral barrier reef.

Naturally, Buck Island is an amazing place to go snorkeling with the opportunity to view fish, coral reef and sea turtles. To visit Buck Island, you will need to book a half day or a full day tour with an approved boat company.

The half day tours usually include snorkeling and viewing the coral reef, while the full day tours add on an island hike. You can take a tour directly from Christiansted with Llewellyn’s Charters, Caribbean Sea Adventures, and Big Beard’s Adventure Tours, among others.