US Virgin Islands Travel: A Visit to St. Thomas and St. John

With COVID-19 vaccinations becoming more of the norm in our "new normal" lifestyle, U.S. travelers are making more trips out of the country. A destination outside the continental 48 that is a must right now is the U.S. Virgin Islands. And let's be honest: The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) serves as a beautiful reminder of why we all must travel again. Blue waters. Stunning land visuals. Beautiful climate. Great food. In a word, breathtaking. A trip to the USVI personally was quite memorable. It served as a honeymoon trip, but it also was where a longtime friend got married. Needless to say, the USVI received huge marks - for a variety of reasons.

Give credit to the USVI: The U.S. territory has managed to keep COVID-19 numbers very low. That said, the USVI is still at a Level 4 (very high) when it involves COVID-19 - precautionary for good reason - by the CDC. Prior to traveling, all travelers are required to have a negative COVID test within five days of travel. It's requested that travelers self-quarantine days before travel.

Purchasing rental cars for those visiting the USVI - primarily Americans - probably isn't the best idea. The reason being, everybody drives on the left. Rather than risk driving on the wrong side of the street and being a part of a nasty accident, it's best that you let the professional natives handle the driving. The best part about taxis is that they are relatively inexpensive. St. Thomas is 13 miles long and four miles wide. You can easily get to where you need to go, from one end of the island to the other, in roughly an hour. The hilly makeup and multiple curves force all transportation to go speed limits no faster than 55 mph. For the most part, taxis are going anywhere from 25-35 mph.

A weekend in St. Thomas might have you looking at the people in your hometown with a side-eye. There's a noticeable niceness with the natives, something that you may have been missing with your normal work environment or your routine trips to the grocery store or the bank or the mall. St. Thomas features people of all races and backgrounds. Many inhabitants are of African origin, but there are also many of French, Spanish, Puerto Rican, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and Danish ancestry. They'll all say the same things: St. Thomas is a loving place.

The downtown district of St. Thomas is Charlotte Amalie, which also is the capital of the USVI. Charlotte Amalie has a few places tourists need to frequent, including Main Street, Emancipation Garden and A.H. Riise Mall. We stayed in Charlotte Amalie at Bluebeard's Castle, a renovated property with historic values dating back to the 1600s. Bluebeard's Castle sits atop a hill, which allows outstanding views for visitors. It's quiet; it's relaxing, and the views make for excellent photo opportunities.

If you're in St. Thomas, it's a must to take a short ferry ride to St. John. The ride from St. Thomas to St. John is roughly 15 minutes, and it's a reasonable rate for a round-trip experience. St. John is where beach action seems to happen. Beautiful beaches and a few vendors make St. John the perfect place to relax. We saw a lot of swimming, a lot of snorkeling and a lot of people simply laying on the beach and taking in sun.

Simply put, St. John's most popular outdoor attractions are its multiple beaches. For tourists, there are very few spots considered a bad idea. Trunk Bay was a nice getaway. It was a popular spot, but the water and overall view explained why it was fairly crowded. Cruz Bay was another one that earned high marks. Sapphire Beach and Coki Beach are two other spots to frequent in St. Thomas. Each spot allows you to simply push your cares aside and enjoy the sounds of the Caribbean Sea.