The US Virgin Islands is a popular vacation destination, not only because it’s easy to visit as an American but because of the beautiful beaches found on the islands. St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix all have numerous beaches to visit but here are some of the best beaches in the US Virgin Islands.
Magens Bay, St. Thomas
Location: North side of St. Thomas directly north of Charlotte Amalie
One of the most famous beaches in St. Thomas is Magens Bay and this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning it. Magens Bay is a nearly 1-mile long beach located along the north coast in a large cove. It’s about 15 minutes from Charlotte Amalie and a popular stop for cruisers.
It has frequently topped the lists of one of the best beaches in the Caribbean for its powdery sand and turquoise water. The water is calm and there’s plenty of space along the beach, though it can still get crowded.
The beach has a restaurant and bar, bathroom facilities and rentals. It’s a busy beach–one where you can order drinks from your towel or pick up a slice of pizza without leaving the view of the beach.
To get a bird’s eye view of Magens Bay, head to the viewpoint at Drake’s Seat. You’ll be able to get a view of the whole bay from this scenic lookout.
Trunk Bay, St. John
Location: North side of St. John
Trunk Bay is one of the best beaches on St. John if not the best. The sand is powdery white and the water a beautiful turquoise. It’s a great calm spot to swim in the water and just overall gorgeous.
There’s a place to get snacks as well as chair rentals and restroom facilities. But this beach feels a little bit calmer than some of the other popular beaches.
St. John has a mountainous road near the coast and most of the beaches have an overlook, Trunk Bay included. Make sure to stop before of after visiting to get a great view of the beach.
Sapphire Beach, St. Thomas
Location: East side of St. Thomas, north of Red Hook
Another popular beach in St. Thomas is Sapphire Beach. It’s located to the north of Red Hook and has several resorts along the water. While it’s the second largest beach, it’s also pretty narrow and it can feel a lot more crowded than it is simply because of sand space.
You’ll find lots of facilities here including the resort amenities which are just off the sand. If you want a beach chair right next to the water and right next to a bar/restaurant, this is a good option.
It’s also a popular beach for water sports. When we visited, it was pretty windy and there were several wind surfers out on the water. This of course means that the water was a little rougher too. But if it’s a calm, it’s a good snorkeling spot!
Turtle Beach, Buck Island, St. Croix
Location: Off the northeast coast of St. Croix
If there’s one thing you do in St. Croix, make sure you take a day trip to Buck Island. We were recommended this trip by multiple people and it ended up being one of our favorite things we did.
Buck Island is located just off of St. Croix, about an hour boat ride from Christiansted. You’ll need an organized tour to visit but it’s a great tour.
Turtle Beach is the main beach on Buck Island and it is stunning. There’s a turquoise ring around the sand with incredibly clear water. Plus you have a beautiful view of St. Croix from afar. The second part of the trip takes you to the other side of the island where you’ll do a snorkeling trail. Again, highly recommend–the beach and snorkeling trail were well worth it!
Cinnamon Bay Beach, St. John
Location: North side of St. John
St. John is filled with great beaches and most of them are side by side along the north coast. Cinnamon Bay is another beautiful cove with calm, clear water and powdery sand.
It’s similar to Trunk Bay and may or may not be a little less crowded. It also has food stands and bathrooms near the beach.
Make sure you walk down the beach to find the ruins. Right next to the sand are ruins from an Estate House from the 1600s which are the oldest on St. John.
Lindbergh Bay, St. Thomas
Location: Right next to the airport
There are two beaches on either side of the St. Thomas airport: Brewers Bay and Lindbergh Bay. After visiting Brewers Bay and finding it to be so-so, we didn’t bother making it to Lindbergh Bay until a future visit to the island. And though it’s oddly right next to the airport, it’s a very beautiful beach.
It was also pretty quiet when we visited as well which could be because the proximity to the airport deters people. But there’s a cute resort on one end, beach chairs and even a little floating obstacle course for kids at one end.
The water was also incredibly still–perfect for swimming and families.
Sandy Point, St. Croix
Location: Southwest corner of St. Croix
One of the best beaches on St. Croix also happens to be the least accessible. That’s because Sandy Point is part of a National Wildlife Refuge and is closed for a good part of the year due to turtle nesting.
If you happen to visit at the right time, it’s a beautiful beach. It’s open for visitors during the winter months and even then, you can only visit on the weekends.
Accessible From: September to March on weekends only
Salt Pond Bay, St, John
Location: Near the south tip of St. John
If you’re on St. John for a little while and have the time to explore, head away from the north coast beaches to explore the south. Salt Pond Bay is a quiet little cove with calm, shallow water, perfect for swimming. Just be on the lookout for sand stickers; they smart when you step on them!
Salt Pond Bay beach also happens to be the starting point for the Ram Head Trail, a popular hiking trail. The trail actually takes you across the beach, so don’t be surprised if you see hikers tromping past your towel. The trail continue along a rock path just off to the side and has amazing island views. Plus you can take a dip in the ocean when you come back!
Lindquist Beach, St. Thomas
Location: East end of St. Thomas, along the north side
One of the prettiest beaches in St. Thomas and one of the best beaches in the US Virgin Islands is Lindquist Beach. It’s along the northeast side of the island and is the only beach aside from Magens Bay that has an entrance fee.
There are bathroom and shower facilities in the area, but other than that, it’s a quiet spot to relax. You won’t find beach rentals and restaurants here, so if there’s anything you want to have for your beach day, you need to bring it. If you’re someone who likes amenities, this might not be your spot, but for me, it’s perfect.
The water color here is stunning but it depends on the day for how rough the water is. For the most part, you should be able to swim, but it can get rough and they’ll put out signs if so. There’s also someone patrolling the beach here.
Honeymoon Beach, Water Island
Location: the island is located south of St. Thomas near Charlotte Amalie
If you are spending plenty of time on St. Thomas, a fun thing to do is take a day trip to Water Island. Water Island is technically the ‘4th US Virgin Island’, though people only really know of the main three.
Water Island is a short 10-minute ferry ride from Charlotte Amalie and a fun thing to do in St. Thomas. It’s a small island with only about 200 people living on it and most people get around by golf cart.
The main beach on the island is Honeymoon Beach which has thatched umbrellas and palm tree-lined sand. It’s a fun, laidback beach (that can evidently get rowdy) where you can play games and hangout at Dinghy’s, the beachside bar and grill.
Not to be confused with Honeymoon Beach on St. John! That one is beautiful too but was closed due to reconstruction from a hurricane when we went.
Maho Bay Beach, St. John
Location: North side of St. John
Maho Beach is yet another stunning beach along St. John’s north coast. The water is shallow, calm and gorgeous and the beach in general has a more ‘beachy’ feel to it. You can park along the street and then walk across the road to a chill beach bar for drinks and snacks.
It’s also a popular beach to go snorkeling at. Along both ends of the beach are good snorkeling areas and it’s common to see turtles here. So make sure you bring a snorkel with you or you can rent one for the afternoon.
Isaac’s Bay, St. Croix
Location: East end of St. Croix
At the east end of St. Croix is where you’ll find two lesser visited coves: Isaac’s Bay and Jack’s Bay. Both are scenic spots and secluded beaches that require a hike to get to.
You can hit the hiking trail after visiting Point Udall (a giant sundial) but you’ll want to make sure you bring plenty of water with you. The trail takes you along the cacti-lined mountain edge but there’s very little shade along the way. There’s great views and you’ll likely have the beach all to yourself.
Secret Harbour, St. Thomas
Location: East end of St. Thomas near Red Hook
Secret Harbour is a great place to spend the day. The beach is fairly small but it’s a relaxing spot with umbrellas and lounge chairs available for rent. The Secret Harbour Beach Resort is located just off the side and it’s a calm cove for swimming
It’s also the perfect spot to catch the sunset. There’s a high end bar and restaurant called Sunset Grille located just off the sand that’s a great location for happy hour or a sunset dinner. Just make sure you make reservations for dinner.
Vessup Bay
Location: East end of St. Thomas
Vessup Bay is a little local spot near Red Hook. We took a sandy beach road to find it and ended up being some of the only ones there. It’s another beautiful beach spot with car pullouts to park your car and shaded sandy areas to relax at.
It was a really cute spot but we were under the impression that it’s one of those beach spots that people come to late at night to party at. Total speculation from the litter on the ground but we did have a cop car drive by while we were there. Even so, it’s a beautiful spot to watch the boats.
The US Virgin Islands has so many great beaches to explore. No matter which island you choose, you’ll have some beautiful scenery.
Heading to the British Virgin Islands? There are some gorgeous beaches on Virgin Gorda as well!
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I think St Johns may be the most beautiful beach in the world!
We have travelled all around the Caribbean and sadly have spent no time in the U.S. Virgin Islands. You have shown me several beach areas we will definitely need to plan to visit. That turquoise water will definitely call to us – both on the water and underwater. Will keep this as a guide for what facilities the different beaches have.