St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, is known for beautiful blue-water beaches, outdoor adventures, and unique culture. In this article, we’ll share some of the best things to do on St. Croix.
Whether you’re a local looking for unique activities or visiting St. Croix and want to enjoy a memorable experience, there’s something for everyone. From kayak tours and shopping to sailing adventures and beer-drinking pigs, there’s no shortage of fun activities on St. Croix.
Below, we’ll explore our favorite activities with insider tips from St. Croix locals.
1. Take a Boat Trip to Buck Island
Visiting Buck Island is easily one of the most magical St. Croix adventures! Buck Island Reef National Monument protects the small, uninhabited island about a mile and a half north of St. Croix.
Buck Island is only accessible by boat, and Big Beards Adventure Tours offers half-day and full-day trips. You can take Big Beard’s catamaran to Buck Island to snorkel, play in the clear, blue water, and walk along the sandy beach—all while experiencing picture-perfect Caribbean scenery.
2. Visit Point Udall
Point Udall is at the East end of St. Croix and the easternmost point of the United States. The drive to scenic Point Udall is incredible, with panoramic views of blue waters.
There's a unique sundial at Point Udall known as the Millennium Monument, built for New Year's in 2000 to represent the first US sunrise of the new millennium.
Point Udall is a popular place to take pictures and enjoy the views. You can also take a relatively easy hike at the nearby Jack and Isaac Bay Trail, which takes you to a beach.
We also highly recommend stopping at Ziggy's Island Market on your way to or from Point Udall. Ziggy’s is a gas station, convenience store, and bar with a relaxed atmosphere and some of the best food on St. Croix.
3. Kayak the Salt River Bay
One of the most fun and unique things to do on St. Croix is kayaking the Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve. This is one of our favorite ways to get outside, enjoy nature, and relax.
Salt River Bay is a preserved natural area with more than 2,000 years of history. It's also home to only ten studied super glow biobays worldwide, meaning it glows year-round.
Virgin Kayak Tours offers several guided kayak tours, including the Bioluminescence Bay, Sunset & Moonlight, and Historical & Ecological. You can also rent kayaks and standup paddleboards if you prefer to explore the bay on your own.
The best part about Virgin Kayak Tours is the foot-pedaled kayaks, which means all you have to do is move your feet back and forth to go. This offers a relaxing experience for all skill levels, and you can keep your hands free to take pictures or agitate the water to see the bioluminescence glow.
4. Drink Beer at Leatherback Brewing Company
Leatherback Brewing Company is a St. Croix staple that is kid and adult-friendly. It’s conveniently located a few minutes from the airport and serves delicious food and drinks, including pizza, craft beer, and cocktails.
We love visiting Leatherback to enjoy traditional beers and those made with Caribbean-grown ingredients. They have a few delicious year-round options and always have unique seasonal beers, like the Biobay Double IPA and the Caribbean Trail Pilsner, which support local causes.
There are also regular events at Leatherback, including live music, crab races, fundraisers, and movie nights.
5. Go Hiking
One of the best free things to do on St. Croix is hiking. There are many amazing hiking trails throughout the island for all skill levels, each offering different scenery.
Some of our favorite hikes are:
Goat Hill - A moderately challenging 3.5-mile hike leading to 360° ocean views
Annaly Tide Pools - A moderately challenging 4-mile hike to a popular area with tide pools in Frederiksted
Hams Bluff Lighthouse - An easy to moderate 0.8-mile hike to a historic lighthouse and beautiful scenery
Mount Eagle - A moderate hike about a mile long, depending on where you park, to St. Croix’s highest point (The road to the trail is rough, and you can stop along the way or continue driving until you see a small parking area.)
6. Support Ruff Start Animal Rescue
Ruff Start is a local non-profit organization that rescues stray, neglected, abandoned, and surrendered animals.
We highly recommend supporting Ruff Start while you’re visiting St. Croix by:
Attending a local benefit event, which you can find information about on Ruff Start’s Facebook page
Visiting Ruff Night Hair of the Dog Bar, a fun dog bar with drinks and music (all proceeds go to Ruff Start)
Sign up to fly a rescue dog back to their forever home in the States at no extra cost to you
7. Explore Christiansted
Christiansted town is in the center of the island and has many things to see and do. It's one of the best areas for eating, drinking, and shopping. You can park on the street or in the Christiansted parking lot to walk around and explore.
A few of our favorite places, all of which are on the Eastern end of Company Street, are:
Eden South - A small shop with local art and other Crucian gifts
Sonya’s Fine Island Jewelry - A local jewelry store selling the original hook bracelet and other unique pieces
Christa’s Art Gallery - A gallery and shop with cultural art, gifts, and home decor
Mitchell Larsen Studio - A large store with locally made glass art pieces, including ornaments, plates, picture frames, and more
Barbara Art Studio - A studio and gallery with locally inspired art
Jump Up Deli & Dem Tings - A delicious deli and Caribbean-inspired gift boutique
Common Cents Pub - A restaurant and bar with great dinner and late-night food, cocktails, live music, and indoor and outdoor seating
Shupe’s - A bar and grill on the boardwalk with made-to-order food; open all day and ideal for late-night food and drinks
Dazzled - A bar with tapas, cocktails, live music, and salsa dancing
If you’re looking for places to have a nice dinner in Christiansted, we recommend checking out Too Chez Restaurant and Bar, Hamilton’s, or Savant. We also love hanging out on the boardwalk to eat, drink, shop, and enjoy views of the Christiansted harbor.
8. Hang Out at the Beach
Another one of the best free things to do on St. Croix with kids, friends, or alone is hang out at the beach. St. Croix has some of the most beautiful blue-water beaches, all offering a unique vibe.
Here are some of our favorite beaches on St. Croix:
Cay Beach - Get to Cay Beach with a short boat ride from the Christiansted boardwalk. It’s at Hotel on the Cay, which has a beach bar and live music on the weekends. You can also rent chairs and umbrellas.
Mermaid Beach - The Buccaneer Hotel on the east side of the island has a beautiful public beach where you can rent chairs and umbrellas. You can also order food and drinks to enjoy on the beach.
Cane Bay - This stunning beach is on St. Croix’s north shore. It’s popular for hanging out, snorkeling, and diving. It’s also across the street from The Landing, a great beach bar and restaurant.
Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge - On Saturdays and Sundays, from April through August, you can visit Sandy Point’s long, sandy beach.
Dorsch - Relax on the beach, go snorkeling, and hunt for sea glass at Dorsch Beach in Frederiksted.
Rainbow Beach - If you’re looking for a lively beach, Rainbow Beach is perfect. It has a beach restaurant and bar, and you can rent jet skis, chairs, and umbrellas.
These are some of the more popular beaches. If you want to find a secluded area, drive past Rainbow Beach, and you'll see pull-offs for more private beach spots.
9. Go on a Sailing Adventure
Stanford Joines, author of The Eighth Flag, spent 30 years sailing the Caribbean. Now, he leads historical sailing tours on St. Croix with 8th Flag Charters.
Take a private tour with your group and no other sailors, aside from your guide, to explore the beautiful Salt River Bay in St. Croix. You can take a two-hour historical tour, fun for anyone, or a romantic sunset sail.
10. Take a Guided Fishing Trip
If you want to go fishing on St. Croix, Silver Kings Fishing offers a fun experience! The most popular option is inshore kayak fishing, but you can also take a guided beach fishing trip.
Silver Kings Fishing has everything you need for a successful fishing trip, including rods, reels, lures, flies, and baits, which have landed almost 30 unique tropical species. Various tour options include small groups, larger groups, and personalized trips.
11. Snorkel or Dive at the Frederiksted Pier
While there are tons of incredible snorkeling and diving opportunities on St. Croix, the Frederiksted Pier is one of our favorite spots. The pier is where cruise ships dock, and the waters are home to sea turtles, fish, and other marine life.
There are a couple of shops across from the Frederiksted Pier where you can rent snorkeling and diving gear and also take a guided scuba diving trip: Cane Bay Dive Shop and SCUBA (St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures) dive shop at Molly’s.
If you want to grab a bite to eat before or after your adventure, there are several restaurants and bars nearby.
12. Go to a Local Event
Attending a local event on St. Croix is one of the best ways to enjoy the culture. With many events throughout the year, there’s almost always something going on.
Here are some of the best local events on St. Croix:
Art Thursday - An art event in Downtown Christiansted on the third Thursday evening of every month from November through May
Jump Up - A festival in Downtown Christiansted four times per year
Agricultural and Food Fair - The largest agricultural festival in the Caribbean during President’s Day weekend
Carnival - Festivals and parades over the last week of December and first week of January every year
13. See Beer Drinking Pigs at Domino Club
Mt. Pellier Domino Club is an unassuming restaurant and bar in St. Croix's rainforest, where you can serve non-alcoholic beer to pigs. Guided visits to see the pigs are every half hour, but they are well taken care of, so visits may be limited if they need rest.
Make sure you try Domino Club’s famous Mama Wanna, a local rum soaked over island roots, herbs, and spices. They also serve beer and cocktails and have a small but delicious food menu.
While the road to Domino Club is a bit bumpy, and there’s little to no cell service, it's one of the most unique spots on the island and well worth a visit. It’s also cash only, so be prepared!
14. Zipline Through the Rainforest
Another fun St. Croix rainforest experience is ziplining with Carambola Zip Line – a fun activity for those ten years and older.
Take a scenic safari bus ride to the top of St. Croix, then zipline through the lush rainforest for some of the best views in the Caribbean. There are three ziplining adventures, with tons of cool photo opportunities throughout your experience.
Best Things to Do on St. Croix: Conclusion
We hope you’re excited to enjoy St. Croix’s unique and fun activities! From kayaking the beautiful Salt River Bay and enjoying blue water beaches to attending local events and visiting beer-drinking pigs, there’s something for everyone in St. Croix, USVI.
If you’re ready to start planning your St. Croix experiences, book a kayaking adventure with Virgin Kayak Tours.
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