Things to do in  Cruz Bay

The majority of St. John is covered by the Virgin Islands National Park, a stretch of preserved wilderness that offers protection and preservation for fish, corals, marine life, and tropical and migrating birds. The park also protects the island’s reef, with public access at the mangrove bay of Hurricane Hole, east of Coral Bay. Snorkeling is a popular activity all along the coastline.

Sitting in the middle of a coral reef encircled by sand and the waters of Leinster Bay, the tiny island of Waterlemon Cay off of St. John is a favorite among snorkelers. It’s home to a wealth of coral and marine life, which is why it ranks so high with travelers. From the Leinster Bay Trail on the north side of St. John, visitors can catch a view of Waterlemon Cay.

Maho Bay, perched on St John’s northern shore, is named after the Maho tree, which you can identify by its heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers. The coconut palm-lined stretch of sand allures with its calm, shallow waters and a coral reef just offshore popular for snorkeling.

Located on the northwest shore of St. John and part of the Virgin Islands National Park, Honeymoon Beach is an idyllic tropical paradise of white sand, palm trees, and clear shallow waters. A concession offers cabana and chair rentals, amenities, and food and drinks, making for an easy and relaxing day on the beach.

Thanks to its curving arc of white sand and its bright blue water, Magens Bay is St. Thomas’ most popular beach. The area is surrounded by forests and palm trees, and the bay offers calm waves for swimming and kayaking. For stunning views of the bay’s unusual rectangular shape and mile of beach, head to the nearby Mountain Top lookout.

Coki Beach is considered St. Thomas’ party beach and is always full of families, revelers, and vendors. Snorkelers and scuba divers love the clear water and sea creatures here, while beach-goers enjoy the white sands, sunshine, and wandering vendors who offer drinks and snacks, souvenirs, sunscreen, and hair braiding.

One of the top family-friendly attractions in the US Virgin Islands, Coral World Ocean Park combines both indoor and outdoor observation facilities which showcase the region’s diverse and plentiful marine life. Highlights include the hermit crab, starfish, and sea cucumber touch pool and the 50,000-gallon Deep Reef Tank, home to moray eels, tarpon, and plenty of sharks.

Trunk Bay’s talc-soft sands, turquoise waters, and lush green backdrop make it one of the most photographed and most famous beaches on St. John Island. Just offshore of this earthly paradise, a marked-out underwater trail serves as a popular snorkeling spot, with information about coral formations and sea life. It’s a great activity for beginner snorkelers, kids, and older adults.

High above Charlotte Amalie is Skytsborg (“sky tower”), a round defensive tower built by the Danish in 1679 to watch for enemy ships which might attack Fort Christian and other harbor settlements. While there was a real pirate called Blackbeard (Edward Teach) who prowled nearby waters, his association with the site owes more to tradition than history. And anyway, who needs a history lesson when you have one of the great Caribbean views laid out before you. The visual feast encompasses dramatic green slopes, bobbing yachts, hulking cruise ships and outlying islands. Facilities at the site include a swimming pool and snack bar.

One of the smaller snorkel spots in St John, Whistling Cay is a deep-water snorkeling area, with depths of 40 feet or more. The clear waters allow visitors to see down into the deep to view large coral formations; they can either snorkel the surface and admire the coral from afar or free-dive down to explore them up close.

A historic fortress built in the history-rich St. Thomas town of Charlotte Amalie, Fort Christian has been a cultural highlight here since 1672 and acts as one of the finest treasure troves of ancient artifacts in the small Caribbean island’s long history. This Danish-built fortress serves as a beautiful example of Dutch-Caribbean architecture in the Gothic-Revival style and as a modern-day museum.

One of the most beautiful and convenient beaches on St. John, Hawksnest Bay is a favorite for families with children and visitors coming from the ferry docks at Cruz Bay. Swaying palm trees and sea grapes line the narrow beach, which has restrooms, grills, and a shaded picnic area.

During early colonization of the Caribbean, tall ships used huge stones as ballast in their hulls, then offloaded them while stocking up on spices and other goods, leaving the stones as a reminder of their visit. Residents of Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas then used these stones to build steep stairways such as 99 Steps up the town’s hills.

Perched on the scenic southeast coast of St John, Salt Pond Bay shimmers with crystal clear waters fronted by a rocky, white-sand beach. The beach offers an escape from the crowds of Cruz Bay, with calm waters for swimming, tide pools filled with marine creatures, and a coral reef in the middle of the bay for snorkeling.

Back in its heyday, the Annaberg Sugar Plantation was one of 25 facilities on the island producing sugar, along with molasses and rum. All that remains today are ruins, but they are an important reminder of St John’s past, and visitors can walk a trail that leads through important structures such as slave quarters, windmills, and factory remains.