Fun and Food in the U. S. Virgin Islands

Beaches often top the list of attractions for island-goers' travels. The U. S. Virgin Islands include gorgeous beaches with coral reefs, and multi-shaded blue waters. (see "Why I like the U. S. Virgin Islands So Much") There are water sports at many of the beaches. Snorkeling and scuba diving are also very popular in the clean, clear, warm waters. Many of the beaches may look rather similar on the surface, but they all seem to differ when it comes to popularity. The quieter, less crowded beaches are often the ones that are harder to reach! Hotels are not allowed to privatize their stretch of beaches, so most of the islands' beaches are public. And to get to some, you would have to walk through the hotel lobby, which is a sight in itself, and the topic of a future blog.

St. John is comprised of mostly a National Park, so it's also considerably less busy, but still rather popular for its own set of beaches.

And Magen's Bay on St. Thomas, rated as the 7th most beautiful beach in the world, is the only beach that charges admission. Personally, I am not terribly fond of it. I prefer Secret Harbour Beach on the Southeast side of St. Thomas.

Of course, those who aren't interested in the perfect beach can also find plenty to do. GOD truly blessed these islands, creating natural wonders and natural beauty which far surpass any others I have ever seen.

History also gave the islands many spectacular sites. From Colonial forts, to museums and historical buildings. Some buildings have even been converted into museums. And some historical sites into pleasant hotels.

On a more modern note, the Divi Carina Bay Resort on St. Croix is the U. S. Virgin Islands' only casino. Some are discussing adding an additional casino, but that still remains to be seen.

Many island specialties and restaurants abound if you want to truly experience the Caribbean. Of course, the major chain fast food stores and more traditional home-cooking-style restaurants are also feasible options. Even world-class chefs open restaurants in the U. S. Virgin Islands, and they truly make their marks in the Caribbean in so doing.

As could be expected, seafood, shellfish, and fresh fish are the most popular items on the menu. And many such items can't really be found elsewhere. I have yet to see yellowtail snapper outside of St. Thomas! Other Caribbean-specific foods include: whitefish, kingfish, wahoo, mahi mahi, bonito, soft shell lobster, whelk, conch, and saltfish, fungi, tannia, souse, and kallaloo.

Also, due to the location of the islands, resulting in more extended travel for some of the foods, the prices are a bit more expensive than many people expect. $20 per main entree for supper is deemed a fairly decent price. My personal favourite is the seafood risotto at the Agave Terrace at Point Pleasant, on the northeast side of St. Thomas. At last tasting, that was $32 alone.

Reservations are sometimes required, as are more formal dress codes. But, as this is the tropical Caribbean, some do not choose to follow either. It looks rather silly to see a tee shirt and shorts-laden man eating $27 foie gras next to a lady in a pink floral tropical dress eating a $12 hamburger.

Restaurants in the U. S. Virgin Islands go from roadside stands and beach bars to exotic dining locales overlooking the waters and outlying islands.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, tips are the customary 15 percent, but, there, the tip should reflect the quality of the service.

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