St. Thomas is a popular place to visit in the US Virgin Islands for many reasons. It’s a mountainous island with great views, lots of restaurants and it’s a central location in case you want to take some day trips (like to the beaches on St. John, Water Island or Virgin Gorda). But there are also over 40 beaches on the island to explore. So what are the best beaches in St. Thomas?
It’s always hard to determine a ‘best beach’ or ‘best destination’ because it always depends on you, the traveler. So instead of telling you what my favorite beach is (and I do have a favorite), I’m going to give you an overview of the most popular beaches and what you can expect at each of them. Because things I like in a beach, may not be what you like in a beach.
Magen’s Bay
Magen’s Bay is extremely popular and frequently named one of the best beaches in St. Thomas and one of the best beaches in the US Virgin Islands. It’s located along the north coast directly across the island from Charlotte Amalie. It’s in a large U-shaped bay and is nearly a mile long–the longest beach on St. Thomas. The beach is one of few that has an entrance fee which is $5 per person. Even still, it sees a lot of visitors and is a popular spot for cruisers to head to during the day.
The beach vibes at Magen’s Bay are pretty lively. The beach is typically pretty crowded and there are several servers that work the sand area. The closer you are to the restaurant, the more crowded it will be, as that’s where the music is and more of the beach tables and loungers. You can pick up a slice of pizza and bring it back to your towel or eat it next to the bar overlooking the water.
While it’s a pretty beach, it’s not a great snorkeling beach. But the water is calm, so it’s nice for swimming.
Facilities: At Magen’s Bay, you’ll find a restaurant and bar towards the west end of the beach. There are several restrooms along the beach near parking, picnic tables and lifeguards on duty. Rentals available: lounge chairs, kayaks and paddle boards.
Good For: People who want a nice, long beach with amenity options such as a restaurant, rentals and restrooms. Those who like servers on the beach who will take your drink orders from your towel!
Sapphire Beach
Another popular beach is Sapphire Beach. You can find this beach along the east side of St. Thomas, just north of Red Hook. It’s the second largest beach in St. Thomas and is a pretty spot to visit. It’s a narrower beach so there’s not much room between the lounge chairs and the water.
It’s also a pretty lively beach. The Sapphire Beach Resort is right next to the shore, so there’s a restaurant and bar nearby, lounge chairs for rent and rentals available. It was also pretty windy when we were there so the water was a little rougher and the kite surfers were out with some kites.
Sapphire Beach is also good for snorkeling–there’s a reef just a few yards off the beach and you can rent gear from a concession stand.
Facilities: The Sapphire Beach Resort: restaurant, bar and restrooms. Snorkeling equipment rentals.
Good For: People who want good snorkeling and a lively atmosphere as the chairs are pretty close.
Coki Beach
Coki Beach is a small cove with calm, shallow water and is a popular spot for snorkeling. It’s located on the east side of the island right next to Coral World, an aquarium with attractions. There’s also a dive center that offers rentals and certification classes.
Finding the ‘best beach’ is a very subjective thing. And Coki Beach is a great example of that. Travel and Leisure named Coki Beach as one of the best beaches in the Caribbean (2021) and I could not disagree more. While they say it’s more of a local flavor with fresh seafood and music, I thought the beach was touristy and just ‘eh’.
But if you like beaches with a lot going on, then this might be your happy place, because it can get pretty busy. For me, I like the more quiet and secluded beaches.
Facilities: Coki Beach has plenty in terms of facilities. You’ll find restrooms, beach chair and umbrella rentals, paddle board rentals, a restaurant and bar, etc. And since the beach is pretty small, all are easily accessible.
Good For: People who like to snorkel and who like amenities available and close by.
Secret Harbour
In a smaller cove just south of Red Hook is where you can find a cute beach called Secret Harbour. It’a another resort beach–Secret Harbour Beach Resort is just off the sand. The beach is quieter and the facilities make it feel a little more upscale.
It’s a great place for swimming since the cove is calm and a good place to snorkel near the ends as well. While some of the beach chairs and umbrellas are reserved for resort guests, you can still rent your own beach chair here.
There’s a popular restaurant called Sunset Grille that has a great bar and tables with a view. It’s a nice spot for a sunset dinner but can get a little pricey. Otherwise, they have a lunch spot in the same location called The Patio and a nice bar to sit at.
Facilities: Beach chairs and umbrella rentals. Snorkel and diving equipment available. Nicer restaurant, bar and restrooms.
Good For: Sunsets. People who want a quieter beach and nicer facilities.
Lindquist Beach
Another beach on St. Thomas that has an entrance fee is Lindquist Beach. It’s $5 per person and $2 for parking, but well worth it in my opinion. The beach is beautiful with soft sand and bright turquoise water.
It’s located on the east side just up from Sapphire Beach. It’s usually not very crowded and I think it’s because there aren’t many amenities here. You need to take a short walk from the parking area to the beach and there’s a restroom facility, but that’s about it. There are no restaurants or bars nearby and the beach is pretty quiet.
There’s minimal shade on the beach apart from a few larger trees along the shore. But there’s a reef not too far off the shore so it’s a good beach for snorkeling.
Facilities: There are restrooms and showers near the beach. A lifeguard is on duty and there are picnic tables by the sand.
Good For: People who like a quiet beach to read at with no music, bars or rentals around.
Lindbergh Bay
The closest beach to the airport is Lindbergh Bay and it is literally right next to it. I think that probably deters people from visiting but Lindbergh Bay is quite beautiful. The water is calm and sparkling blue, the sand is soft and palm trees sit along the edge. For being next to the airport, it was pretty peaceful when we went.
On one side of the bay is the Emerald Beach Resort and on the other side is the Lindbergh Bay Hotel. If you walk down the beach from Emerald Beach Resort, you’ll find a water park with different floats in the water for kids. Because there are resorts nearby, you have amenities available for rent and restaurants not too far away.
Facilities: Bar, restaurant and restrooms within the resort that is steps away. Waterpark for kids. Rentals available: chairs and umbrellas, snorkel equipment, kayaks and paddle boards.
Good For: Families with kids who want a nice, calm bay for swimming and things to do for kids. People who want lounge chairs and amenities available but also want a quieter beach.
Brewer’s Bay
On the other side of the airport is where you can find Brewer’s Bay. It’s a pretty long beach with a wide sand and grassy area. There aren’t too many tourists here and it’s a nice place to come and have a picnic. There are tables up near the street and some shade under the trees there. But since there is a pretty large grassy/sandy area, the majority of the beach is directly in the sun.
There’s not too much going on here but it’s a quieter place with lots of space. And when we were here the water was incredibly calm. There’s also some grassy seabeds in the area that you can check out for snorkeling.
Facilities: Restrooms and changing facilities. Food trucks potentially along the road.
Good For: People who want a large area to spread out and a beach with not many people. Families with kids who want to run around.
Vessup Bay
The beach at Vessup Bay is a lesser known area tucked behind some dirt roads. The dirt road leads to individual nooks for parking surrounded by trees and plants. The beach is pretty small but has a great view of all the boats in the bay. When we came here, there were only two other people at the beach.
The sand is pretty white here and the water was really blue, but it’s not the greatest beach for getting in the water. Because of all the boats nearby, the water can get rough. It was also pretty windy when we came as well, so not your best picnic spot. But is is very scenic.
Facilities: None
Good For: Scenic views, peace and quiet.
Hull Bay
Located on the north coast towards the center of the island is Hull Bay. It’s west of Magen’s Bay and another lesser-visited beach with more of a local vibe. The beach is divided by a boat ramp in the middle of it and on either side is a sandy area to put your towel down. You won’t find chair rentals or fancy amenities at this beach–it’s got more of a laid-back vibe.
It’s not the prettiest beach, but it’s calm, quiet and a nice place to just take your book and a towel. You can also (somewhat) watch the sunset here.
Across the street is a great beach bar called The Shack. It’s got a super cute bar with bar swings, tasty drinks and fresh seafood. There’s also a large outdoor patio with tables to hangout at. It’s a fun place to go to for lunch or after you get off the beach!
Facilities: Dive shop and restaurant & bar nearby.
Good For: Laid-back vibes, sunsets, snorkeling.
Limetree Beach
Limetree Beach is located on the south coast of the island, just east of Charlotte Amalie. The Limetree Beach Resort is on this beach, but parking is available and accessible to those who want to visit. The beach itself is smaller and pretty rocky, but there was hardly anyone there. Most everyone seemed to be at the resort pool just off the sand.
There’s a restaurant and bar on the edge of the beach, but otherwise it’s a quiet spot to get some sun.
Facilities: Dive shop nearby, Restaurant and restrooms within the resort.
Good For: Seclusion, beachside dining.
Frenchman’s Cove
Another beach that’s part of a resort property is Frenchman’s Cove. It’s part of the Marriott Hotel, but unlike other beaches that are off of resorts, this one is not very accessible for people who aren’t staying on the property. Beaches in the US Virgin Islands are all public, so you should be able to see it. But the staff here made us feel very unwelcome from the start.
We got many ‘why are you here’ looks and stern ‘don’t touch anything’ warnings before they finally told us how to get down to the beach (which is through like 4 elevators by the way). Even if you were a guest, the way to it is not great and takes awhile.
The reason we wanted to see it in the first place is because it’s listed in a lot of online articles as being one of the best beaches in St. Thomas. We had no idea it would be this hard/unpleasant to see. Is it at least one of the prettiest? Hard no. It’s incredibly small with a dock on one side, rocks on the other and lounge chair lined up in between.
Facilities: None unless you are a guest of the hotel! The beach is right next to the pool and a bar & restaurant. Lounge chairs are all around.
Good For: People who are already staying at the Marriott ha.
Bonus: Honeymoon Beach
If you have the time and want to explore some other nearby places, you can take a day trip over to Honeymoon Beach on Water Island. Water Island is the 4th US Virgin Island and is a smaller island just off of Charlotte Amalie. You can get there by taking a quick 10-minute ferry from the Crown Bay Marina which leaves every hour on the hour. It’s the perfect spot for a day-trip!
The beach is beautiful with palm trees lining the sand and calm, blue water. Depending on the day, this beach can get quite lively and there are often events held by the restaurant. It’s a fun place to grab some drinks and relax on the beach but you have to remember to make it back to the ferry in time as there aren’t many places to stay on the island!
Facilities: Honeymoon Beach has a bar & grill on the far side with tables and chairs, lounge chairs for rent, restrooms, and games such as ping pong or beach volleyball. If there’s an event going on, you might see the floating bar make an appearance but it was off to the side when we went. There’s also some permanent umbrellas along the beach for shade.
Good For: People who want to see some place new off of St. Thomas and don’t mind the extra effort of getting there. People who want amenities, food & drinks, and entertainment options.
Things to Know
- Renting a car is the easiest way to get around to the different beaches in St. Thomas. There are taxi services around as well but the island is large and having a car will let you explore more freely.
- If you head to some of the beaches without facilities, make sure to add some beach essentials to your Caribbean packing list.
- There are a couple beaches that require an entry fee–make sure to keep some cash on hand for those.
- Beaches in the US Virgin Islands are all public.
- There’s beaches all over the island, but some of the best beaches in St. Thomas are more towards the east half of the island.
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I highly recommend Magen’s Beach – but some of these look like worthy contenders! Can’t wait to return and check them out.