Perfect One Day in St Thomas Itinerary For Cruisers (2024)
This guide to one day in St Thomas is perfect if you are also visiting as a port on a Caribbean cruise to maximize the best things to do and see.
St Thomas is a United States Virgin Island, a beautiful destination in the Caribbean, and a very popular cruise port. I’ve visited at least 5 times in my life, always as a cruise port.
St Thomas is known for luxury resorts, white sand beaches, bright blue water, and amazing island vibes. If you have the opportunity to visit, absolutely take it.
This vacation guide to St Thomas explains what to do in St Thomas, where to stay, frequently asked questions, and other great travel tips for your visit.
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Itinerary for One Day in St Thomas
With only around 10 hours in St Thomas, it’s hard to decide what to do. I spent my most recent visit lounging at Magen’s Bay, and let me tell you, it was amazing.
After a red eye flight to Puerto Rico, a busy day boarding our Southern Caribbean cruise, and a busy life in general, I was craving a lazy beach day.
Below is how I recommend spending your day in St Thomas.
First Stop: Magen’s Bay Beach
Magen’s Bay is one of the most popular beaches in St Thomas, and for good reason. Out of all 6 stops on my recent southern Caribbean cruise, Magen’s Bay was the most beautiful beach we visited.
The beach is a large crescent shape and is in a protected bay. The beach has the softest white sand and brightest blue water.
From the cruise port, take an organized taxi from $10 per person. At the beach, visit the gift shop to rent a chair and umbrella for the day. A chair costs $10 and an umbrella $8.
Yes, this seems like a steep price for a chair and umbrella rental because it is. However, I can guarantee that your beach day will be more comfortable if you do it.
The beach bar serves amazing drinks and ok food. Their bar menu includes all your tropical favorites from margaritas to local island beers.
I highly recommend ordering a painkiller (rum, orange, pineapple, coconut, nutmeg). If you are super hungry, they have a grill, but only expect to find overpriced burgers and other American food.
While not a super adventurous day, you cannot go wrong with your toes in the sand, a cold drink in your hand, and occasional dips in the warm Caribbean Ocean.
Second Stop: Mountaintop Viewpoint
After spending most of your day at Magen’s Bay, head to mountaintop, a viewpoint tourist center, for amazing panoramic view of the island.
Be sure to try their world-famous banana daquiri when you’re there. There are also a lot of souvenirs if you are interested but be prepared to spend a little extra $$ since it’s a popular tourist spot.
Other Fun Things to Do in St Thomas
If a beach day doesn’t appeal to you or you have more than one day in St Thomas, the below activities are other great things to do on the island.
As mentioned above, I’ve been a handful of times and have done all the below activities at one point or another. It was well before my blogging days, but you can still trust me that these activities are worth your time.
Charlotte Amalie Food Tour
During your Caribbean vacation, you need to experience the local food at least once. The best way to do that in St Thomas is on this Charlotte Amalie food tour.
This specific tour include 10 food stops and a walking tour of the city. It’s a great way to learn about the island from a local while sampling the amazing food.
Snorkel Tour
There is amazing snorkeling off of almost every Caribbean Island and I will never pass up an opportunity to set sail on the stunning Caribbean waters.
This small group tour is great because it visits a snorkeling spot known for sea turtles and a beautiful beach with a world-famous beach bar.
St John Day Trip
If you have been to St Thomas before or have multiple days, a day trip to St John is a great way to find variety in your trip. I love this St John day trip because it’s like a quick crash course on the island.
From St Thomas, simply take a water taxi to the neighboring island of St John. There, start this full-day tour that includes kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking.
This is sure to be an active and adventurous day, almost opposite of how I spent my recent day in St Thomas. If activity and adventure is your speed, this is a great option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions about St Thomas
Before we get into the details of this guide to one day in St Thomas, here are some quick answers to some of the most asked questions about visiting.
When is the best time to visit St Thomas?
St Thomas is an amazing destination all year, besides hurricane season from June through September. You’re almost guaranteed to have sunny skies and warm temperature year-round.
How to get a taxi from the St Thomas cruise port?
If you are visiting St Thomas on a cruise, your first step will likely be finding a taxi from the cruise port in Charlotte Amalie. The port makes it super easy to get transportation at their official taxi stand.
The attendants will ask your destination and guide you into a truck taxi accordingly. You could probably find cheaper rates outside of the port, but I recommend using the official taxi line for the easiest and safest option.
You can also arrange for the same driver to pick you up to return to the port later in the day.
What is the currency in St Thomas?
Since it is a US Virgin Island, the official currency is the US dollar.
What is the official language of St Thomas?
For the same reason as above, the official language in English.
How to get to the US Virgin Islands?
There are direct flights to St Thomas from many major cities in the eastern United States, with many flights from Puerto Rico and Florida.
What are the US Virgin Islands?
The US virgin islands are an unincorporated organized territory of the United States. The other two US Virgin Islands are St John and St Croix.
Where to Stay in St Thomas
If you get to stay for longer than one day, lucky you! There are many resorts all around the island at various price points.
If you are visiting St Thomas for a luxury vacation, there are two resorts I highly recommend:
Marriott Frenchman’s Cove
I am a Marriott Bonvoy girl through and though. I love the reliability of the brand, their quality of service, and am obsessed with racking up points.
The Marriott Frenchman’s Cove is a colorful, hillside resort that reminds me a bit of the Italian coast. The entire resort is made up of condo units with a kitchen and private bedrooms. The rooms have amazing ocean views, there are multiple pools, and easy beach access.
The Ritz Carlton St Thomas
I always get excited when I find a Ritz Carlton in a destination. This brand (also under the Marriott umbrella) has the highest reputation for refined luxury, incredible service, and beautiful properties.
The Ritz Carlton St Thomas is the most luxurious resort on the island.
The rooms are bright and luxurious, while still beachy. The resort has multiple pools, an amazing spa, and beach access with private chairs and umbrellas.
Summary of One Day in Charlotte Amalie St Thomas
If you do any of the above 5 activities in St Thomas, I 100% guarantee you will have an amazing time. The island is beautiful, the people are kind, and the weather is (almost) always perfect.
If you are fortunate to spend more than one day in St Thomas, I’m jealous. I recommend doing one of the above activities each day of your trip.
If you have one day, choose one or two activities, and don’t stress yourself to see it all. You can always visit again!
For more information on Southern Caribbean islands, check out my complete guide to a Southern Caribbean cruise.
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