Explore the U.S. Virgin Islands: Your Guide to Untouched Paradise

Bring your appetite. The islands host food festivals throughout the year, including Love City Seafood Fest in January, AgriFest in February, Taste of St. Croix in April, King of the Wing in June (dedicated to everyone’s favorite chicken dishes), and Mango Melee Festival in July, where the island’s famed mangoes are served in creative preparations. The U.S.V.I. is also unique in staging three separate carnivals annually, with lively celebrations taking place on each island at different times of the year.

Frenchman’s Reef on St. Thomas, which suffered heavy damage from hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, has undergone a major $425 million redevelopment. The refreshed resort area now includes the Westin Beach Resort & Spa and Morningstar Buoy Haus Resort, Autograph Collection. Guests can choose from six new dining concepts, ranging from Spanish plates at SandBar to casual seaside fare at Salt Shack and poke and sushi with terrace views and an extensive rum selection at Sugarfin.

St. Croix is ideal for exploring marine life both day and night. Buck Island Reef National Monument protects a vast coral barrier reef surrounding much of the island and offers an underwater trail where snorkelers and divers can spot roughly 250 species of fish. On land, a 2.5-mile rainforest hike leads to the naturally formed Annaly Bay Tide Pools, rich with marine life. For an unforgettable nighttime outing, paddle a glass-bottom kayak through Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve to witness bioluminescent organisms that make the water glow like a sky full of stars.

If you prefer land-based adventures, visit Virgin Islands National Park on St. John. The park features about 30 trails winding through habitats like bay rum forests and cactus-studded scrubland. Along the way you can find Reef Bay Valley Petroglyphs, rock carvings left by the indigenous Taíno people dating back as early as A.D. 500. After hiking trails such as Lind Point, launch a kayak into the bay or watch sea turtles grazing on seagrass at Maho Bay Beach.

Art and local flavors converge on St. Croix at Bajo El Sol Gallery, Bar & Rum, which showcases regional art and handmade crafts, hosts poetry readings, and houses one of the largest collections of aged rum in the U.S.V.I. For moments of quiet, the windmill at Peace Hill Sugar Mill offers weekly meditation sessions—perfect for slowing down and embracing island time.

LODGING

The Fred

Housed in six restored historic buildings dating back to 1790, The Fred blends a boutique beachfront resort, spa, restaurant, and bar into a hip, characterful property named for King Frederik V of Denmark.

605 Strand St., Frederiksted, St. Croix
$$$$

Lovango Resort + Beach Club

This private-island resort offers a variety of accommodations—from villas and cottages to luxury treehouses and glamping tents—with access to the secluded Crescent Beach and the territory’s only beach club.

1 Lovango Cay, St. John $$$$$

Morningstar Buoy Haus Beach Resort at Frenchman’s Reef, Autograph Collection

At this new 94-room boutique hotel, dine with ocean views at Isla Blue or relax by the freeform pool just steps from the turquoise surf.

2 Estate Bakkeroe, St. Thomas $$$$$

DINING

Blue Eleven

Chef “Benji” presents tasting menus of seven, nine, or eleven courses that reinterpret Caribbean flavors in a dining room decorated in ocean hues and beach-inspired accents for an elegant, immersive meal.

Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas $$$$$

Morgan’s Mango

A long-standing favorite on St. John, Morgan’s Mango draws on Creole, Bahamian, Cuban, Jamaican, Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Mayan traditions to create vibrant, neo-Caribbean dishes.

18-1 Enighed Cruz Bay, St. John $$$$

Savant

Housed in a two-story brick Danish building, Savant offers farm-to-table and boat-to-fork cuisine, a well-curated wine list, and seating options that include a romantic, candlelit courtyard.

4C Hospital St., Christiansted, St. Croix $$$$

INFO TO GO

There are direct flights to St. Thomas (STT) from hubs including Atlanta (ATL), Charlotte (CLT), Philadelphia (PHL), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), and Washington, D.C. (IAD). Direct service to St. Croix (STX) is available from Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Fort Lauderdale (FLL). Ferries connect St. Croix and St. Thomas to St. John in about 30 minutes, and Cape Air provides inter-island flights between St. Thomas and St. Croix. Ride-hailing services like Uber are not available, so taxis and rental cars are the most reliable options for getting around the islands.