Two Islands, Two Speeds
St. Croix runs at an unhurried pace. Days unfold without traffic, without crowded beaches and without the sense of being one of thousands of visitors. Locals call themselves Crucians. The island has a stronger everyday culture than its tourist-focused neighbor. Christiansted, on the northeast coast, has the yellow Fort Christiansvaern, arcaded sidewalks and a boardwalk of bars on a reef-protected harbor. Frederiksted, on the west end, is quieter still, with Victorian storefronts and the island's best sunsets. The east end is dry and windswept, with cactus and scrub instead of forest.
St. Thomas is busier and more polished. Charlotte Amalie fills with cruise passengers on busy mornings and the central hills carry a lot of traffic. The east end around Red Hook and Great Bay is calmer, with white sand, sailboat moorings and resorts that face St. John across the water. It feels more like a classic resort holiday and less like living on an island for a week.
Under the Water
This is St. Croix's strongest card. Buck Island Reef National Monument, a short boat ride from Christiansted, has elkhorn coral and a marked underwater trail, followed by time on Turtle Beach, one of the prettiest strands in the Caribbean. Off the north shore, a steep wall drops into deep water close to land, which makes for spectacular diving. Certified divers can explore the Frederiksted pier pilings after dark, looking for seahorses, octopus and sleeping turtles. Plan Buck Island for your calmest day, since the wind affects the crossing.
St. Thomas has good, easy snorkeling at Coki Point on the north shore and at Secret Harbour on the east end, plus calm swimming at Magens Bay. Its real advantage is reach: the national park reefs of St. John are a 20-minute ferry away and full-day sails head to Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island or The Baths on Virgin Gorda. Bring passports for those BVI trips. For dedicated divers, St. Croix wins. For couples who want a few relaxed snorkel days, both work.
Days on Land
St. Croix fills a week easily. Drive to Point Udall before dawn to watch sunrise from the easternmost point of the United States by most measures. Spend an afternoon among the trees along Mahogany Road, then tour the historic Cruzan distillery on the old Estate Diamond plantation and the newer Captain Morgan facility. Pours are generous, so pick a designated driver or book a guide. After dark, kayak Salt River Bay with a guide near a new moon and watch your paddles glow blue-green. The same park marks the spot where a Columbus expedition came ashore in 1493.
St. Thomas is about short, easy outings. Walk the 99 Steps and the shaded alleys between Danish-era warehouses in Charlotte Amalie. Then see Fort Christian, which dates to the 1670s. Take the small ferry from Crown Bay to Water Island's Honeymoon Beach. Ride the Skyride gondola to Paradise Point for sunset drinks. Couples who like to explore by car will prefer St. Croix. Couples who want someone else to drive will prefer St. Thomas.
Where You Would Stay
St. Croix's stays are smaller and more varied. Christiansted is the most practical base, with small hotels and condos within walking distance of dinner and boats to Buck Island leaving from the harbor. The Buccaneer, a family-run resort just east of town that has welcomed guests since the 1940s, spreads over a former sugar estate with several beaches, tennis and golf. In Frederiksted, The Fred is a kid-free boutique hotel on the waterfront near Rainbow Beach. East end villas near Point Udall offer privacy on dry, breezy hills.
St. Thomas is the resort island. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas sits on Great Bay with a calm swimming beach. Secret Harbour has suites on a sheltered cove with good snorkeling. Near Charlotte Amalie, the rebuilt Frenchman's Reef complex has reopened under Marriott brands. Red Hook itself is a lively marina village. Hillside villas around Magens Bay and Hull Bay come with big views and steep driveways. If a full resort with a spa matters, St. Thomas has more depth.
Price Check
St. Croix generally costs less for comparable comfort. As a rough guide, small hotels and condos often run about $250 to $450 a night in high season, with resort rooms costing more. Restaurants range from local lunch spots serving pates and johnnycakes to chef-run dining rooms in old stone buildings, with Savant a long-standing favorite for a special dinner.
On St. Thomas, good east end beach resorts commonly run about $500 to $900 a night in high season, with top suites costing more. Dining is more varied and more competitive, from Frenchtown seafood to Red Hook happy hours to West Indian plates at Gladys' Cafe.
Factor in transport. On St. Croix, a rental car is close to essential, because distances are larger and taxis are not set up for casual touring. On St. Thomas, fixed-rate taxis and open-air safari taxis can cover most of what you need. Airfare may also tilt the math, since St. Thomas has more competition on its routes. All prices here are approximate and fall from May onward.
Flights and Timing
St. Thomas is far easier to reach. Cyril E. King Airport (STT) has nonstops from Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, New York JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Washington Dulles, Baltimore and Orlando, plus seasonal flights from other cities. East end resorts are 30 to 45 minutes away.
St. Croix's Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) has year-round nonstops from Miami on American, with seasonal service from Charlotte, Atlanta and Chicago plus a Saturday flight from Newark on United. Many travelers connect through San Juan or St. Thomas. Check that your return falls on a day with direct service. Either way, allow time for US Customs at the airport before security.
Both islands share the same weather pattern. December through April is dry and breezy with highs in the low 80s Fahrenheit. May and June bring calm seas, lower rates and, on St. Croix, excellent diving. Hurricane season peaks August to October, when some hotels and restaurants close for a few weeks. The Crucian Christmas Carnival fills St. Croix lodging from late December into early January, while St. Thomas Carnival usually lands in late April or early May.
Pairing Them
Short commuter flights connect St. Croix and St. Thomas, which makes a two-island honeymoon simple to arrange, though small carriers change schedules often. A good plan for a week to ten days: start with four or five nights on St. Croix for Buck Island, the bio bay, a distillery afternoon and sunsets in Frederiksted. Then hop to St. Thomas for three nights at an east end resort, with a ferry day to St. John for turtles at Maho Bay.
Finishing on St. Thomas keeps you close to the airport with the most flights home. It also means you end with the spa and room service after a week of driving, diving and exploring.
If you only have five nights, choose one. Go to St. Croix if the sea and discovery are the point. Go to St. Thomas if ease is the point. After dark on either island, take a taxi back from the Christiansted boardwalk or Charlotte Amalie rather than walking quiet streets.
