St. Croix- the best of the US Virgin Islands- has incredible diversity in only 84 square miles! Our little island is truly a nature lover’s vacation paradise.
St. Croix is an island with two personalities. Cut in half by a range of high hills that divide its rainfall, the historically agricultural island has microclimates that grow everything from flowering cacti in the desert conditions at the far east end, to lush rainforests along the west coast of the island with mango and other fruit trees growing wild. You’ll find white sand beaches, high cliff hikes, twin historic towns. In the evening, you’ll find both gourmet restaurants and roadside shanties. But everywhere you’ll find sunny weather with gentle trade winds and a median temperature of 85 degrees.
St. Croix is the largest and easternmost of the three United States territories collectively known as the U. S. Virgin Islands. Located within the Caribbean chain of islands, St. Croix is approximately 100 miles south-east of San Juan, Puerto Rico and 1,100 miles east south-east of Miami, Florida. Shuttle planes including seaplanes run from St. Croix to sister island St. Thomas nearly hourly, and the flight takes about 20 minutes.
St. Croix is only 28 miles long and 7 miles wide at its widest (so everything is relatively “near”!). Our island enjoys a relatively low population of 60,000, with only two major towns and a lot of rural farm areas. It is a much quieter and quainter island than bustling St. Thomas.
St. Croix is a United States territory, the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands. Our relationship to the U.S.A. makes St. Croix easy to access, while retaining a lot of Caribbean flavor in our food and culture.
The US dollar is our currency, the official language is English, stateside cell phones work well here, WiFi is available, and basic infrastructure is in place on St. Croix for you to accomplish the basics: get cash from an ATM, check email, receive competent medical care if needed, shop for groceries, have an excellent meal, and feel more at home than you might in a foreign country. At the same time there are differences that will give you, if desired, a sense of adventure far from home.
Our small Island offers
- beautiful beaches
- historical points of interest
- duty-free port shopping
- unique locally made artisan jewelry & tings
- hiking trails
- guided ecology hikes
- local farmer and vendor markets
- Buck Island National Park Monument
- snorkelling
- scuba diving – walls and wrecks
- watersports
- golf and tennis
- horseback riding
- bike tours
- fine and casual dining
- after dinner entertainment
- sunset jazz concerts
- art galleries, exhibitions, and studios
- self-guided heritage tours
- eco-tourism attractions
- petting zoos
- Caribbean cultural events, parades etc.
St. Croix is not heavily developed, leaving unspoiled nature in its purest form all around you. The south shore, a local favorite spot for permit and reef fishing, delights the viewer with its long stretches of beautiful hills and many scenic bluffs and bays, overlooking the Caribbean Sea. In 2011 the south shore area surrounding Longford Hideaway was approved as a proposed new National Park, and we were not surprised by the news, as the beauty of this area is pristine! Walks to the nearby beach or hikes through the surrounding pastures and rolling hills will add to your enjoyment of this rural setting.
Buck Island National Monument is a jewel on the North Shore of St. Croix’s east end. Named a National Monument by the Federal Government, and managed by the National Park Service, Buck Island boasts maintained nature trails, picnic facilities, and some of the best snorkeling in the Virgin Islands with an underwater snorkeling trail. Buck Island National Monument is accessible by boat, and a number of concessionaires are licensed to take visitors for a day sail and snorkel tour. A 30 minute hike takes you to the top of Buck Island’s steep hills, where the 360 degree view of the reefs surrounding the Island, the boundless sea and calls of seabirds, will make you believe yourself an ancient explorer of the unspoiled Caribbean islands.
Buck Island is a federally protected nature preserve, which is in turn complimented by the territorially protected East End Marine Park, also a nature preserve with limits on fishing. These coral reef areas are home to many species of tropical plants and animals, and are important breeding grounds to replenish local fishing grounds. The Nature Conservancy also manages a large wilderness area on the southeasternmost tip of St. Croix, Jacks and Isaac’s Bays, with maintained trail systems.
Longford Hideaway 