St. Thomas vs St. Croix: Which US Virgin Island is Better?

The US Virgin Islands are a great Caribbean escape for a beachside vacation. The islands have rolling hills, white sand beaches, glistening turquoise water and coral reefs. If you’re from the US, they are just a short flight away and you don’t need a passport to visit. But which island should you choose: St. Thomas vs St. Croix?

So, why those two islands? There are three main islands to visit: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Two of the three islands (St. Thomas and St. John) are in close proximity and can potentially be done in the same trip.

A lot of people lump them together and it is easy to take a ferry between the two. And actually, if you do want to go to St. John, you’ll have to fly into St. Thomas first since St. John does not have an airport.

St. Croix is a little further south. While St. Thomas and St. John are about 6 miles apart, St. Croix is about 40 miles south from the other two. (St. John is just to the right of St. Thomas.) St. Croix also has its own airport so it is easily accessible as well.

If you’ve been to both of these islands, you’ll probably say that you can’t compare the two of them. And it’s true; they are very different islands. But this guide is mostly to give you an idea of what both islands are like so you can see which one is more your style. There’s no ‘better’ island, only which island is better for you.

About St. Thomas

St. Thomas is about half the size of St. Croix but the most visited of the US Virgin Islands. The capital city, Charlotte Amalie is a pretty big city and a major cruise port for travelers. There’s lots of shops and restaurants, and the island is pretty busy in general.

St. Thomas is also the most ‘American’ of the islands in terms of shopping and stores available. You’ll see lots of familiar chain restaurants, chain stores (even an Ace Hardware) and a large Costco alternative called Cost U Less (which you don’t need a membership for).

One of the main differences in my opinion, are how many houses are on the island. But the thing is, the populations are nearly the same. But because St. Thomas has less land, it seems as if the island is covered in neighborhoods–everything is just more condensed.

The island is very mountainous and you’ll find yourself driving up, down and around nearly every time you want to go somewhere. But you’ll also get some great views of the surrounding islands, the bays and the capital city.

About St. Croix

St. Croix, on the other hand, is the largest and least visited of the US Virgin Islands. It’s a quieter island where you can find secluded beaches and empty trails.

There are two main towns, the capital: Christiansted and another town, Frederiksted. The towns are smaller and quieter as well but you’ll still find restaurants and shops along the harbor. You also won’t find as many chain stores and restaurants here. In general, it’s less touristy and more local.

It is also a pretty mountainous island but the difference here is that there aren’t houses and neighborhoods everywhere. You can drive through ‘the rainforest’ and feel like you’re lost in nature. There are more places to explore that are a little more off the beaten path.

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St. Thomas vs St. Croix

While these islands are very different, there are a few things that they have in common. Both are mountainous islands with pretty beaches and hikes to tide pools. They both have historical forts and wild chickens running around. But let’s break it down to see which of these islands is more likely to fit your vacay style.

Getting There: Tie

St Thomas and St. Croix both have their own airports, so getting to either island is very easy. Depending on where you’re flying from, you may be able to find a direct flight there. We flew from Fort Lauderdale and both flights were about 3 hours long and direct.

Both airports are small and a little chaotic when you land. In St. Croix, the car rental places are right outside the airport and there were crowds of people around each one. Similar situation at the airport in St. Thomas. We bypassed that by booking car rentals from a place down the road–they picked us up and drove us there to get it.

Getting Around: St. Croix Wins

If you want to explore the islands thoroughly, you’ll need to rent a car. But take note: driving is on the LEFT side in the US Virgin Islands.

Both islands are fairly mountainous but St. Croix is a little more spread out and because of that, the roads aren’t as steep or sharp. We felt like St. Croix was pretty easy to drive around–the roads aren’t very busy and the quieter parts of the island are enjoyable to drive around and take in the scenery.

St. Thomas is a lot more crowded and the roads more winding. I don’t get car sick very often, but some of those roads are just constant turns and loops. We stayed up in the hills and had to drive those every day. There are also roads at 30º angles so if you come from the opposite way, you’re going to have to make a sharp turn (our airbnb happened to be on one of these roads).

The drivers also seemed impatient. Half the time we were wondering why everyone was honking but they just seem to honk for everything. If they have to wait for you to turn, they honk. If you don’t drive a second before the light changes, they honk.

Parking:

One of my favorite things about St. Croix is that you can find little pull outs near the beach to park your car. There are a lot of secluded beach spots and you can just drive along the road where you’ll find lots of grassy/sandy areas to park. It’s easy to throw snorkeling gear in the car and any other beach supplies.

St. Croix is also easier in terms of parking. In St. Thomas, we were struggling to find parking in Red Hook (a main restaurant/bar area) and often had to loop around several times. And in Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, there were main parking lots that you could find and then walk from at times, but it wasn’t the easy street parking like in St. Croix.

Accommodation + Food: St. Thomas Wins

We opted for an Airbnb on both islands and found comparable houses with similar prices. The main difference in accommodation is that St. Thomas will have more places and more resorts. Because of its density and popularity, there are just more options.

St. Croix only has a handful of resort-like places. We met a few people who were staying at resorts on St. Croix but the consensus was the same each time: they weren’t raving about it. One couple we met assumed there would be plenty to do on and near the resort, but found themselves wishing they had rented a car.

It’s the same thing with restaurants. There are simply more places to go on St. Thomas and more options. I always find it hard to compare food in places we visit since we are usually exploring and getting food along the way and not necessarily seeking out the top rated places. But, the cuisine is similar on both islands–Caribbean flavors, seafood and traditional American food as well.

Affordability: Tie

How expensive are the US Virgin Islands? Somewhat expensive, but not as expensive as I initially expected. Costs are pretty similar on both islands. We like to keep an eye on flights from Florida every now and then and we eventually found cheap flights for St. Thomas. But at first, St. Croix was the island that showed up consistently for having cheaper flights.

Our St. Croix Jeep rental was pretty expensive, but I think it would have been comparable if we initially booked a Jeep for St. Thomas also. We ended up booking the bottom tier though because Jeeps were too high. (We lucked out with a free upgrade.)

If you want a Jeep (lots of people drive these around the islands), I would recommend checking out a local place like Jeeps VI (though I haven’t personally rented from there), to possibly save money.

Restaurants on the islands were similarly priced and we actually thought it was more affordable then going to the grocery store at times. Unfortunately, grocery stores are what will put a dent in your wallet. It’s a bit of sticker shock!

At one point I was referring to the St. Croix grocery store as the Six Dollar Store–where everything you bought was $6, even if it was a small bottle of mustard. St. Thomas was no better. Bacon was $18, a box of cereal was $10…it was painful.

Capitals: St. Thomas Wins

The capital cities between the two islands are vastly different. Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas is pretty large. Since it’s a cruise port, there are lots of different areas to explore with many restaurants and shops. It’s also right next to the airport and more convenient for people staying there.

Charlotte Amalie has more options all around. There are several historical buildings, including Fort Christian, which is open for touring. You can also go on a historic walking tour which will take you to the 99 steps, an 1800s legislature building and Blackbeard’s Castle.

A lot of the shopping streets are filled with high-end jewelry stores. We thought that was a bit odd, but they definitely cater to cruise traffic.

We initially wondered who would be buying high-end jewelry on a trip but that was immediately dispelled when we met a couple who vacationed in St. Thomas every year. They loved going into the shops and told us that most of the jewelry stores offer you a free gift and a complimentary drink just for going in. It’s not our thing, but to each their own!

On the other hand, Christiansted in St. Croix is a small, quaint town with a handful of shops and restaurants along the harbor. The majority of the town is walkable and it’s easy to park along one of the roads and walk to the harbor from there.

It’s only several streets really, so there isn’t as much to explore. It’s also on the other side of the island than the airport, so it doesn’t have the accessibility that St. Thomas does.

You can find touristy shops here and Christiansted also has a fort to explore as well: Fort Christiansvaern. It’s a large, yellow fort that sits right next to the town and waters edge. Even though St. Thomas has more to offer in the capital city, I kind of preferred the quiet, easy town of Christiansted.

Beaches: Undecided

Beaches gets an ‘undecided’ because it depends on what we’re judging by. And it all just depends on what you like. If you like having beach chair and umbrella rentals, bathroom facilities, activities and beach side bars, you’ll find more of that in St. Thomas.

If you like a more secluded spot and are fine with your beach towel, St. Croix might be more your vibe. Both islands have a mixture of both, but for the most part, St. Thomas beaches are going to be more crowded and have more options in terms of activities and facilities.

Magen’s Bay is probably the most popular beach in St. Thomas. It’s a large stretch of sand with calm waters and a beach bar at the end. Not all beaches in St. Thomas are crowded and full of chair rentals though. You can definitely find some places that are more secluded and peaceful.

Though St. Croix has fewer beaches, you can easily find secluded spots where you might be the only one there. If you’re looking for beach bars and chair rentals, you can still find that here.

Rainbow Beach is a popular spot in St. Croix for activities and has a colorful beach bar near the sand. But a favorite is Sandy Point Beach, which is only open at certain times of the year due to it being a National Wildlife Refuge as well.

Landscape: St. Croix

As far as landscape goes, St. Croix wins this one. It’s mostly due to the fact that St. Thomas doesn’t have many areas that are void of houses. It also helps that St. Croix is just less developed. But on St. Croix, you can find areas that are still wild. There are hikes through the vegetation, empty coastlines with deserted beaches and a lush ‘rainforest’ on the western side of the island.

You’ll find ruins of old sugar mills scattered across the island that are overgrown with foliage and hikes that take you along the rugged coast. There are just parts to the island that are a little unkept, a little abandoned and a little raw–which make it a great island for exploring. You’ll find more natural surroundings in St. Croix where as in St. Thomas, you’ll find more houses and roads in those surroundings.

Hiking: St. Croix Wins

My husband and I usually like to go on a few hikes to explore different areas or see viewpoints and St. Croix had more options here. You can hike to Isaac’s Bay or Jack’s Bay to find some secluded beaches on the east end of the island.

The hike to Hams Bluff Lighthouse takes you through the forest near an abandoned military building and leads you to a rusted, old lighthouse. At the top, you’ll find wild goats and a beautiful view of the coastline.

Another great hike to do (or off-roading trail if you dare) is to the Annaly Bay Tide Pools. We started on the off-road trail, nearly got stuck, so we ditched the Jeep and hiked the rest of the way. You’ll come out on a rocky beach with tide pools along the edge.

In St. Thomas, a lot of of the hikes lead to beaches that are easily accessible–meaning, you can also drive to them. If the option to drive is there, I’m gonna drive. I prefer hikes that take you to places you can’t easily reach.

Hiking to Mermaid’s Chair leads you to a secluded beach and tide pools as well, but here’s the thing. It’s not really a hike. It’s a private neighborhood, but since beaches in the US Virgin Islands are all public, you can get permission to enter–but not in a car. So the hike, is not really a hike, it’s a walk down the private road.

It still leads you to an area that is more wild on the island. There’s a sandbar connecting to the tide pools and you have to walk through the brush to get to the other side. It’s a little adventure to have even though the walk down is just pavement.

Nightlife: St. Thomas Wins

If you’re looking for nightlife, you’ll have more options in St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie has its bars and restaurants but the locals told us it was too touristy. A popular area to go is Red Hook, which is on the east side of the island, so we went there instead. It’s full of bars and restaurants that you can walk to along the main road. You can still find places with tropical drinks and umbrella straws though, so I wouldn’t say it’s all a local vibe there.

Day Trips: St. Thomas Wins

From St. Thomas

Depending on how long you plan on staying on the island, day trips might hold more weight for you. As you can see in the map at the beginning, St. Croix is all by itself–south of the rest of the Virgin Islands. St. Thomas has several nearby islands, including St. John and the British Virgin Islands. One of our favorite things to do in St. Thomas was actually taking a day to St. John. There are some absolutely beautiful beaches on St. John and the island vibe there is very laidback.

You can also take a day trip to Hassel Island to explore the historic ruins or to Water Island, the unknown 4th US Virgin Island. Hassel Island and Water Island are in close proximity and only a few minutes away by ferry. Head to Water Island to relax on Honeymoon Beach or rent a golf cart for the day and explore the ruins of Fort Segarra.

From St. Croix

While St. Croix doesn’t have as many surrounding islands, it does have Buck Island, which is well worth visiting. A day trip to Buck Island consists of a visit to Turtle Beach, one of the best beaches on St. Croix. The sand is powder white and the water forms a turquoise ring around the island. Visiting this beach alone was worth the trip.

Buck Island Reef is actually a National Monument so you’ll get to snorkel the Underwater Trail. There are plaques underwater that you can read while taking a guided tour through the reef. I wouldn’t say I’m the most avid snorkeler, but this trail was awesome. The coral that you see is like going through a forest of spindly trees. It was pretty cool.

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Though St. Croix is more off the beaten path, it still has a lot to offer. If you stay for a longer time, you might run out of things to do in St. Croix. But for a week or less, you’ll definitely have enough options. It’s easy to plan a longer trip to St. Thomas since it’s surrounded by other islands. Several people we met were staying for weeks at a time and heading to the British Virgin Islands and/or St. John during their stay as well.

As I said in the beginning, there’s no clear winner here since they are very different islands. But hopefully you have a better idea of what to expect from each one and can make a better decision in the St. Thomas vs St. Croix debate. You’ll find pretty beaches on both, so–

Choose St. Croix: If you’re looking for adventure, seclusion, and a more rustic experience. This island is more for those who like to get off the beaten path and explore on their own.

Choose St. Thomas: If you’re looking for shopping, dining, nightlife and activities. This island is more for those who like a beautiful island but access to lots of amenities and different options for places to stay and eat.

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