St. Thomas Itinerary, USVI: How To Spend 6 Days in Paradise
Looking for the ideal St. Thomas Itinerary for your trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands?
St. Thomas, USVI, holds a special place in my heart. It was one of my most memorable family vacations, the first place I traveled without my parents and then where I spent my honeymoon.
So, since I’ve had the chance to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands multiple times, I created a complete St. Thomas itinerary to share what’s so special about it!
It holds the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure and is an amazing, underrated spot for a couple’s getaway. Combine that with the ease of getting there from anywhere in the south or along the east coast of the US, and it makes one of the best honeymoon islands near the U.S.
This itinerary will show you the best way to spend a week in St. Thomas, followed by some of my top tips for enjoying this island.
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General Tips for Visiting St. Thomas, USVI
- St. Thomas is a US Territory, and they use US currency, so you do not need a passport (though it may be handy if you want to take a day trip to the British Virgin Islands).
- They drive on the opposite side of the road, but the steering wheel is still on the left side of the car (weird, right?).
- I have never felt unsafe in St. Thomas, but I take some precautions. I don’t go into Charlotte Amalie at night, and I’m usually with another person when I leave the resort.
- If you’d like to see more of the USVI, it’s easy to take a ferry to St. John, and you can visit St. Croix by a short plane ride. But I think St. Thomas has enough to fill your USVI itinerary for at least a week!
- If you choose not to rent a car, bring plenty of cash for taxis. There is no ride-share service like Uber or Lyft.
One Week in St. Thomas (6-Day Itinerary)
This St. Thomas guide follows exactly how my husband and I spent our honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands because it honestly could not have been more perfect.
You’ll notice there are only 6 days, and that’s because in this St. Thomas Itinerary, we have not included travel days. You should expect to spend one day on each end of the trip flying to/from the islands.
Day 1 – Day Trip to The British Virgin Islands
Jump into island life full-force and take a British Virgin Islands day trip. Two companies that I have gone with are New Horizons & Breakaway Charters – though it looks like they are no longer running this tour – and Stormy Pirates. I would highly recommend either company.
You must bring your passport if you want to go on this excursion. This is one of the best tours in St. Thomas though, so I can’t recommend it enough.
Before you leave the marina in Red Hook, stop by Lattes in Paradise and grab a breakfast sandwich and morning brew. I loved it so much that we went back again for breakfast later in the week.
As soon as you get on the boat, the captain or first mate will go over safety precautions and then offer you a drink. One captain told us drinking before noon doesn’t make you an alcoholic, it makes you a pirate (lol).
The first stop on the trip is Baths National Park in Virgin Gorda. Here, you’ll find beautiful views on a hike down to the beach, with incredible rock formations surrounding you on your way down.
Once you make it to the beach, there’s a little bar, and you get to spend about half an hour here enjoying the view and wading in the ocean among the towering boulders.
A taxi will take you back to your boat, and then depending on what trip you take, you could either be headed to Pusser’s for lunch or to White Bay on Jost Van Dyke. If you go to Pusser’s, you’ll also get to snorkel for a bit after lunch then head to White Bay.
White Bay is known for the Soggy Dollar Bar, which is named because your dollars may literally be soggy when you leave!
There are no docks at the bay, so the boats anchor near the beach, and you have to swim to land. Most captains will hand around a dry bag, so you don’t have to jump in with your wallet in your pocket.
🛥 Check prices for cruise & sailing options here. 🛥
On the way back to Red Hook, you do have to stop at Cruz Bay in St. John to go through Customs. It’s a very simple process.
We were so tired once we got back that we went to our room and crashed. If you feel like going out though, head to one of the best restaurants in Red Hook, Island Time Pub, for a lively atmosphere, a beautiful view, and great food.
Day 2 – Relax at the Beaches and See Marine Life
Today is much more relaxing and laid back.
First, head to Coral World Ocean Park – one of the most popular St. Thomas attractions. On the way there, grab a smoothie for breakfast from Martha’s Smoothies at Coki Beach (right next to Coral World).
Coral World is perfect for any animal lover. It’s like a small zoo or aquarium; the main attraction (in my opinion) is an underwater observatory where you can watch animals swim in the open channel.
Something I enjoyed that I wasn’t expecting was the presentations with the animals made by the staff. We saw a show with a sea lion, a sea turtle feeding, and an interactive presentation at the touch pool. If you can’t tell, I’m very much a kid at heart.
🐢 Book your tickets for Coral World Ocean Park here. 🐢
After you’ve had your fill of animal education, you can head right next door to Coki Beach. It is a 2-minute walk (if that), and you’ll pass a stand selling snorkels and flippers. They rent for a reasonable price (around $10).
You can also rent chairs on the beach to place your things, and waiters will come around and take your drink order from the beach bars. Though it may not look like much, be sure to order fish from the place with a wooden bar where you can sit. If you like seafood, you won’t be disappointed.
While you are snorkeling, be sure to keep your chairs in view. I’ve never had anything stolen, but you never know.
After a relaxing afternoon at one of my favorite beaches in St. Thomas, go back and get ready for a night out in Red Hook.
For apps and drinks, head to Duffy’s Love Shack, which is a must for the atmosphere alone. It’s a tiki bar in the middle of a parking lot. They offer endless creative drinks and bar food if you’re hungry.
Once you’re ready for dinner, you can walk down to Tap & Still for the best chicken sandwich on the island. Their burgers are pretty good, too. Their fries are served in brown paper bags where you can see the grease stains from all that fried deliciousness.
Day 3 – Day Trip to St. John
Set out on another adventure to a different island, staying within the US Virgin Islands. Take the ferry from St. Thomas to St. John, which is about a 30-minute ferry ride if you leave out of Red Hook and one of the best St. Thomas day trips.
Leave early in the morning and grab breakfast at North Shore Deli in Mongoose Junction. If you have a small soft-shell cooler that fits in a backpack, I highly recommend some of their grab-and-go foods for a picnic lunch on the beach.
After you’ve fueled up for the day, catch a taxi out of Cruz Bay and head to the Cinnamon Bay Trailhead in the Virgin Islands National Park – one of the most beautiful National Parks on the East Coast.
The trail begins on Centerline Road and winds down to some sugar plantation ruins and, ultimately the most beautiful beach you have ever seen.
Note: The trail is about 1.8 miles long and rated moderate-strenuous. I wore my Chaco sandals and was so glad I did. They are one of my favorite gifts for outdoorsy women! Also, make a great gift idea for hikers.
When I first visited, all of the amenities at Cinnamon Bay had been removed in the hurricanes. But now it seems like all of the Cinnamon Bay amenities have been rebuilt and look absolutely amazing.
Food trucks occasionally set up near the beach and there is a cafe at the campground. This does mean there may be more crowds, though.
You can also grab a quick taxi to Trunk Bay, where there are more food trucks and even a snorkel trail through the national park!
Be sure to rent snorkels for the afternoon.
Once you’ve had enough of lounging on the beach, head back to Mongoose Junction in Cruz Bay for some shopping and dinner.
If you get back a little early, I recommend stopping by The Tap Room by St. John Brewers for some snacks and cold beer.
Then, for dinner, walk back towards the ferry dock to Cruz Bay Landing, where you may even get some live music. Tyler and I loved just chilling on the patio and people-watching!
You can check the ferry schedule here. Be sure to catch the last boat out, or you’ll have to stay the night on St. John.
If you have the opportunity to spend a week in the USVI, you should definitely take one day in St. Thomas to visit another US Virgin Islands, and St. John is a fantastic choice!
Day 4 – Local Cuisine and Sunset Cruises
Assuming you stay at one of the USVI’s amazing resorts (I’ll talk about my favorites in a minute), you should spend the morning by the pool, taking the warm weather and island views.
We chose to take a food tour for lunch with St. Thomas Food Tours. The Historic Downtown Tour gives you an interesting overview of the history of St. Thomas and Charlotte Amalie.
You also get to see some interesting sights off the beaten path, like a mural in the post office and the Taphus – a brewery behind the Billabong store.
Of course, the main attraction of this St. Thomas food tour is the local cuisine you’ll try. Callaloo, conch fritters, and fungi are just a few dishes that we sampled. You’ll also get a good idea of some restaurants to come back to if you’d like.
🥘 Book your St. Thomas Food Tour here. 🥘
After the food tour, you can explore and shop in downtown Charlotte Amalie. Some of the best shopping can be found along Dronningens Gade, or if you’re looking for something more high end you should have a look at Havensight Mall.
Finish the day off just as relaxing as the morning with a sunset cruise. One is offered out of Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove on the VI Cat, and New Horizons & Breakaway Charters offers a cruise out of Red Hook.
Sunset cruises are one of my favorite types of boat tours in St. Thomas. They are magical!
Bottomless painkillers (a local cocktail) are served on the cruise, as well as hors d’oeuvres. You’ll also have incredible views of the island as the sun gradually makes its way down. Sunset sails are very popular for a St. Thomas vacation!
If you didn’t fill up with snacks on board, then head to Amalia Café for dinner after you dock. You can sit out on the patio and enjoy a nice drink with delicious Spanish tapas.
Day 5 – Mangrove Lagoon (Kayaking, Hiking, and Snorkeling)
You’ll be glad you took yesterday to relax because today is another adventure, and this one will surely tire you out!
Virgin Island Ecotours offers a full-day Kayak, Hike, and snorkel Adventure at Mangrove Lagoon if you’re up for it. I do recommend only taking this trip if you are in semi-decent shape but it’s one of the best snorkeling tours in St. Thomas.
Kayaking is what can get difficult, especially when you are coming back at the end of the day.
Tyler and I decided to do individual kayaks, but it’s probably so much easier if you’re in a tandem kayak. They also offer shorter tours if you don’t feel like you are up for the full five hours.
This was one of my absolute favorite days of the trip, and that’s saying a lot. Kayaking through Stingray Alley and between the little islands with mangrove trees all around is breathtaking.
You won’t find a better location for kayaking in St. Thomas. We also got to stop and take a hike to some tidal pools that were full of marine life.
Our guide, D’Haden, was fantastic and knowledgeable about the plants and animals we encountered.
He led us to Cas Cay next, where we had a packed lunch of sandwiches and watched a hermit crab race. The hermit crabs were a little unnerving as there were so many, and they were EVERYWHERE.
After a short hike on Cas Cay, it was finally time to snorkel. I’ve been lucky enough to snorkel at many places around the world, but this was by far my favorite. There were schools of colorful fish, lobster, octopus, and we even saw a stingray and barracuda!
🤿 Book your Kayak, Hike, & Snorkel Tour here. 🤿
It truly was an adventure to remember. A must on any Virgin Islands itinerary!
Once we made it back to the room, we did have to take a nap before going out that night. Even then, we were still pretty tired!
We do love going out to one fancy restaurant each time we go on vacation to St. Thomas, and this time we chose the Old Stone Farmhouse. The name perfectly describes the complex, as it’s a stone building from an old sugar plantation.
The food, presentation, and service are all incredible, and if they still have it on the menu, I highly recommend the bread sampler appetizer and Key Lime Pie dessert.
Day 6 – Beaches and Fishing
Start the day with breakfast at Margaritaville. They have huge omelets that any savory breakfast lover will enjoy, or for those that prefer sweet, the French Toast will hit the spot.
Once breakfast is over, make your way out to Magen’s Bay, but try to get there a little early since it gets super crowded. in the afternoon. This is the most popular beach on the island, but in all honestly, it wasn’t our favorite.
It costs $5 to get into the beach, and while they do have a nice bar and space to rent chairs/umbrellas, it was SO crowded. We got there late morning and snagged one of the last shady places at the bar to sit and people-watch for a while.
Book an afternoon fishing excursion with Ocean Surfari or Double Header Sportfishing. Whether it’s your first or fiftieth time out on the water, the captains will ensure you have a great time.
While you aren’t guaranteed to catch fish, most people don’t go home without a little bit of excitement at least.
The first time I went fishing in St. Thomas, my dad caught a Blue Marlin, and the last time I caught a beautiful African Pompano!!!
Not only is it a great trip if you love to fish, but the scenery is unmatched, too. Depending on the time of the excursion, you might even get a second sunset cruise!
Once you make it back, head out to the Caribbean Fish Market for the last meal on the island.
Love Caribbean destinations? Check out this guide to spending a day in Nassau.
More Tours in St. Thomas
Where to Stay in St. Thomas (Best Resorts)
If you’re traveling with family, then Mango Tree Travel recommends staying at Secret Harbour. They love staying here for the spacious rooms, great location, and calm beach.
There are a few resorts that I’ve personally stayed at and really enjoyed in St. Thomas. Whether you can budget a full week or just 3 days in St. Thomas, here are the best places to book a room!
Wyndham Margaritaville St. Thomas
Wyndham Margaritaville St. Thomas certainly did not disappoint with this property. My parents are Wyndham Timeshare owners, so we have been to many of the resorts in the southeast, and I do believe this one tops them all in my experience.
The fun Caribbean atmosphere, friendly staff, and amenities truly set it apart. The Margaritaville Restaurant on-site should not be missed, and there is a reasonable convenience store with a deli in case you forget anything from home or need a quick bite.
The two pools and a private beach offer many places to relax. My favorite is the hillside pool with a swim-up bar. Each room has its own margarita machine, so buy the supplies and have an afternoon of bottomless margs from your own balcony.
If you keep debating where to stay in St. Thomas, this one gets my vote.
Sapphire Beach Resort
Located on the beautiful Sapphire Beach, equipped with a water sports center, Sapphire Beach Resort has it all. The beach is a destination in itself, while the gorgeous pool is for guests only.
The adjacent marina offers almost any excursion you can think of, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for there, book one out of Red Hook that’s less than a mile away. Red Hook also offers shopping and many dining options.
Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove
This charming resort will make you wonder if you’re in a quaint Italian seaside village instead of the Caribbean. The Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove Resort is conveniently located near Charlotte Amalie, the capital of St. Thomas.
The poolside restaurant has a gorgeous ocean view, and chairs are available on the beach for lounging. Frenchman’s Cove also has a small marina where sunset cruises set sail. Check with the concierge for other offerings.
When To Visit St. Thomas, USVI
The peak season for travel in St. Thomas is December to March, when the weather is absolutely perfect for all of us sun-lovers. 70s-80s with a mild breeze. April to June shoulder season is my favorite time to visit, as you should still have great weather with fewer crowds.
Hurricane season is from June to September and can last into October. The last few seasons have not been good for the islands. Planning a trip during these times could be a gamble. But hey, we’re in the middle of a Pandemic right now, crazy things happen all the time.
If you are planning a larger US Virgin Islands itinerary, this also goes for the other islands.
FAQ for St. Thomas, USVI
How much are flights to St. Thomas?
This varies, of course, but you can find deals on the East Coast that are in the $200s. It can get up in the $1,000s, though. If you are wondering how to find the best flight deals, I use Google Flights for all my flight searches.
When is the best time to visit St. Thomas?
The best time is shoulder season in April – June. The most popular time with the best weather is December – March.
Is St. Thomas safe?
I’ve been four times and never felt unsafe. However, I always travel with another person and am never outside of the resort or in downtown Red Hook after dark. I always try to take precautions just as I would anywhere else.
How do you get around St. Thomas without a car?
It is very easy to get around using taxis, and I even prefer that over renting a car on the island. The driving style there is much different than here in the US, and I would not be comfortable driving myself around.
Final Thoughts: One Week in St. Thomas Itinerary
St. Thomas is one of the most special places in the Caribbean to me. Even after visiting multiple times, I can’t wait to go back.
There are just so many things to do that your St. Thomas itinerary will never feel repetitive or bland, especially if you base it on the outline I just provided. Make sure to budget for a few excursions, too, since this is the best part of staying in St. Thomas!
As someone who loves trying new things, my favorite part of this itinerary is the day we spent kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling in St. Thomas.
But if you are visiting on a romantic holiday or honeymoon, then you can’t skip the sunset cruise with New Horizons & Breakaway Charters!
I hope you enjoy the St. Thomas, USVI, as much as I do!
Have you ever been to St. Thomas? Do you have anything to add to this itinerary or tips?
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