Things to Do in St. Thomas: Insight from a First-Time Visitor

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As someone who has been top pretty much all of the Caribbean islands, I have always been excited to visit St. Thomas, and it’s always been on my list. When I first started planning the trip, I had all of the Caribbean visions of white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and thoughts of all the fun things that I wanted to do while in St. Thomas. Whether you are planning a visit for a long weekend, a week, or docking from your cruise, I am sharing the best things to do in St. Thomas based on my firsthand experience and things I think you will absolutely love too!

Introduction: Things to do in St. Thomas

St. Thomas is located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which means if you are a United States citizen, you do not need your passport to visit. I was only in St. Thomas for a short time, but I was able to experience so much of the island, the history, and really had the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. In this post, I will talk you through the best things to do in St. Thomas, share some tips I learned along the way that will help you plan your own incredible visit to this beautiful island.

1. Magens Bay Beach

Magens Bay Beach was my first stop on the trip after a full day of exhausting travel. This beach absolutely blew me away. The soft white sand beaches, the clearest water that I think I have ever seen, and tons of spots, both in the sun and in the shade, where you can rent a lounge chair and relax all day. The water was calm, warm, and very swimmable, and I literally spent hours in the water. There is a small entrance fee to get into this beach, but absolutely worth the visit. Also, there is a beach bar where you can easily grab food and drinks at your leisure and enjoy your perfect day at one of the best beaches in St. Thomas.

2. Drake’s Seat

After a relaxing day at the beach, if you have a car, take a drive to this incredibly scenic overlook. Drake’s Seat gives you panoramic views of Magens Bay and is a must-see spot. You only need about 15-20 mins here to take some pictures and enjoy the views and is honestly the perfect way to end your beach day at Magens Beach. If you love scenic viewpoints, the Drake’s Seat is a quick, free, and amazing detour to add to your list of things to do in St. Thomas.

3. Snorkeling in St. Thomas

Honestly, the options for snorkeling in St. Thomas are endless. I wasn’t able to make it here, but Cocki Beach has some of the best snorkeling on the island, and you can snorkel without be taken out on a boat. I overheard some other travelers that did snorkel there, and they saw tons of colorful fish, an octopus, and lots of stingrays. On my trip we went snorkeling at Mangrove Bay which was apart of an excursion we did. Was it everything I had hoped for? No. But the water was clear, warm, and we honestly still had a great time snorkeling, even though we saw literally one fish. So, if you are headed to St. Thonmas, and want to go snorkeling, I would recommend checking out Cocki Beach as your snorkeling spot!

From Magens Bay to Coki Beach, here are the top things to do in St. Thomas based on my personal experience visiting for the first time.

4. Blackbeard’s Castle

Make sure if you are in the city of Charolette Amalie, that you add a visit to the Blackbeard’s Castle to your list of things to do in St. Thomas. You have to climb 99 steps to get up to the castle, but once you are there, it’s just such a cool spot to wander around, take pictures, and admire the Danish architecture. It honestly looks like a European village, and you could spend several hours just walking around and looking in the shops, have a cup of espresso in one of the cafes, or walk around the Pirates Treasure Museum.

5. Little Buck Island

One of the best things to do in St. Thomas, in my opinion, is to take a half day trip on a catamaran and go snorkeling at Little Buck Island. There was honestly so many fish, turtles, stingrays, and vibrant and colorful coral reefs. Snorkeling here was incredibly magical, and probably some of the best snorkeling that i have ever done. The vibe on the catamaran was super fun, and everyone was having a great time after snorkeling. It felt like a mini vacation from my vacation.

6. Mangrove Lagoons

Another fantastic excursion was kayaking through the Mangrove Lagoons. Now, I am not going to lie, this was much more difficult than it looked, especially with some of the strong currents we encountered. But nonetheless it was really fun, and I did get a great arm workout in! We kayaked for a few hours, went snorkeling, and did a little hike to a water hole, which was very cool to see. This area of the island had such a different vibe and feel to it and it gave me a new perspective to some of the plants (one being extremely fatal), and other marine life in the area.

Conclusion: Things to do in St. Thomas

St. Thomas was honestly everything I imagined it to be. With its clear waters, white sand beaches, and amazing people, it’s definitely a Caribbean island I will be back to. Whether you a relooking for a chill beach and water vacation, or something more adventurous, St. Thomas has something for you. I hope this guide has helped you narrow down some of the best things to do in St. Thomas and that your trip to the island is as memorable as mine was!