Located 40 miles east of San Juan, St. Thomas is 32 square miles (13 miles long and 4 miles wide), with a population of about 52,000 people. The US Virgin Islands(50 in total) have flown many flags in their time. They were at one time controlled by Spain, England, France, Holland and Denmark, before being purchased in 1917 by the United States for 17 million dollars. Residents are not, however, protected by the U.S. Constitution, do not vote in Presidential Elections and have no vote in Congress.
For years St. Thomas only had one Cruise Ship pier, the West Indian Company Dock (WICO) in Havensight and it was cool to see all the ships that were in port as they lined up one behind the other. The popularity of the island paired with the introduction of Mega ships created the need for a second pier and in 2007 Crown Bay opened on the other side of town.
The first time we docked in St. Thomas I was struck by the lush landscape that was sprinkled with houses and buildings. Literally love at first sight, it is one of my favorite islands because it has changed very little in the last 17 years.
Points of Interest:
Before you hit the beach or open your wallet, there are a few places in St. Thomas you should consider visiting.
Paradise point, which is located close to the West Indian Company Dock is a nice perch to take in the beauty of this island. You can ride to the top in a gondola or make the trip up in a car.Don’t forget your camera because the view is beautiful and you will get some nice shots of the island from the top. (Adults – $21, children (ages 6-12) – $10.50, ages 5 and under – free)
If you chose to do an island tour you will likely stop at Mountain Top. Located on the opposite side of the bay from Paradise point, you can get a nice side shot of the cruise ships lined up at the WICO pier, while enjoying one of their famous banana Daquiris. There is some shopping & free wifi so you can share your gorgeous view with friends at home!
Shopping
The shopping in St. Thomas is second to none in the Caribbean. In town you will find a good mix of shops that sell perfume, souvenirs, liquer and electronics, along with a vast number of jewelry shops. Actually its staggering the number of gold and diamond stores there are on Main Street in Charlotte Amalie. If you aren’t in the market for a new ring or bracelet you will find lots of other items to bring home. Beach covers, straw hats, wood carvings – they sell everything.
Note: If you are visiting St. Thomas on a Sunday the shops (and many attractions) in downtown Charlotte Amalie are open only from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m
Beaches
In most of the literature that you read about St. Thomas the beach that will be mentioned the most is Megan’s Bay. At some point it was named one of the top 10 beaches in the world and someone photocopied it and made it law that every vacationer that visited the island should go there. Don’t get me wrong, Megan’s Bay is pretty, but it is also normally packed with tourists all day long. There is a fee ($4 pp, $2 for locals) to get in, but the water is normally quite calm, which makes it perfect for families. The men will like that there are beach side waitresses that are dressed in bikinis to bring them drinks all day long. Also famous at Megan’s Bay are the Pina Coladas. I was a bartender for many, many years and couldn’t taste a hint of alcohol in mine – it was
that smooth. They are good, but at $9 each they are also expensive. The water is pretty on a sunny day and the cove that the beach sits in is shaped like a heart, which the locals like to point out. From the Crown Bay ship pier it is $9pp to get to Magens Bay.
Coki Beach
A couple years ago, on the recommendation of a friend who had worked on a cruise ship, we visited Coki Beach for the first time while in St. Thomas. Located in the East End of the island this beach is smaller than Megan’s but crystal clear and right beside Coral World. We liked this beach both times we visited but found it highly populated with locals who don’t always get along. While we were climbing the stairs from the beach to Coral World there were a lot of locals sitting on the rails in front of the shops arguing with each other. We found the same situation when we were waiting across the street for our taxi to return. It is a shame because this beach is pretty and Coral World is a cute spot for the kids to get up close with stingrays, nurse sharks, lorikeets and huge iguanas.
Sapphire Beach
While looking to see more of St. Thomas we were recommended Sapphire Beach. A little remote, I have a special place in my heart for this beach as it is where I was engaged. At that time there was a small restaurant to get some snacks at if you were visiting. I have read online that this establishment has since closed, leaving the beach without amenities for those visiting for the day on cruise ships. The beach itself is nice and calm and it is positioned directly in front of the Crystal Cove Beach Resort.
Visiting St. John
St. Thomas is just a short ferry ride from fellow U.S. Virgin Island, St. John. The Charlotte Amalie Ferry, which is 45 minutes each way, will cost you $12 per trip. When you get off the ferry there are taxi drivers waiting to take you around the island. My parents visited Cinnamon Bay during a recent to St. John and practically had the whole thing to themselves. The trip was $8 pp per way and was about 15 minutes from Cruz Bay where the ferry docks. Cinnamon Bay is pretty but there aren’t any amenities so if you are looking for a bar or restaurant the popular Trunk Bay may be a better choice.
Every year the U.S. Virgin Islands host about 2 million visitors, many of whom visit on cruise ships.
When you visit, the sky is the limit as to what you can do for fun! Whether you are snorkeling from land or on a catamaran, touring the island or just exploring on foot, there is so much to see and do for all vacationers.
What started from a love of aviation has grown into an impressive collection of showpieces and historical memorabilia.
My son loves mighty machines so I was excited to take him somewhere he could see them up close.
When I arrived I wasn’t sure what to expect. I really only expected to see a few planes, but was pleasantly surprised when I opened to the door to the hanger and there were about 40 full size aircrafts lined up.
Even more excited was my son, who immediately seeked out the ones that he could ‘fly’. There are a few aircrafts on display that can be sat in but the majority are behind the ropes.
Not all of the aircrafts are shiny and beautiful. There are also a couple that are still being restored. This is also neat to see.
On the day we visited the museum was hosting an event for more than 400 people so some of the aircrafts that would normally be parked on the left side of the hanger were outside.
A volunteer told me that we were welcome to go out and check those ones out as well, but that we just needed to be accompanied by a staff member.
Something that is very cool about the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is that many of the aircrafts that are on display actually still run. If you are a member(and 18+) you can upgrade your membership to ride in one for 20 minutes.
Have always wanted to ride in a bomber? For the price of $575 +HST($125 membership plus a $450 upgrade) it can be arranged!
The plane rides actually start much lower at $185($125 membership plus a $60 upgrade) to fly in a Dakota DC3 or the Beech 18 and go up to $2625($125 membership plus a $2500 upgrade) for a flight in the the Avro Lancaster.
The center piece of the left side of the hanger is undoubtedly this black beauty.
With the support of the Sulley Foundation, the Lancaster was acquired by Canadian Warplane Heritage in 1977. In 1979 the aircraft was moved to Hamilton via a Chinook helicopter airlift. It took almost 9 years to restore but the massive plane, which was built in 1945, is in good enough shape that it can be flown regularly.
On top of housing a striking vintage aircraft collection, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum also has many educational displays for visitors to look through.
At 4, my son’s knowledge of planes is very limited but visiting the museum and touring the exhibits allowed me to broaden his understanding in a very short time. The volunteers are also a wealth of knowledge and are scattered through out the building to answer any questions you may have.
Plus, if you look carefully you may also see some of the men who flew these planes strolling through the museum as well. I overheard a gentleman telling his granddaughter stories about his time in the war. It’s nice that they have a place to come and see such incredible pieces of history preserved for generations to come.
I highly recommend visiting the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum if you are in the Hamilton area. There is lots to see and lots to learn. We will definitely be back – likely a few times.
UPDATE: We visited again a couple weeks ago and made this video of our trip. Please check it out!
