Sunsets in St. Thomas

Wow! Wow! Wow! If you have been sleeping on this little vacation gem it is time to wake up! St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is the BOMB!!! We had no idea of how fabulous it would be but now it has become one of our favorite vacation destinations.

You’re probably wondering, “What makes St. Thomas so great?” Well to begin with this island is located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea where you’ll experience warm turquoise waters on beautiful white sand beaches and some of the most breathtaking sunsets I've ever seen. Since it is surrounded by other islands and islets, gazing out at the horizon is a sensual treat for the eyes.

Once a dense jungle, the interior of St. Thomas has transformed into an exciting blend of vibrant developed areas and lush, mountainous regions still rich with tropical vegetation. This island is a playground of possibilities, offering an incredible array of activities like shopping, zip lining, snorkeling adventures, and a lively nightlife scene!

Our stay on this gorgeous island was enhanced by our fabulous accommodations at the Marriott Frenchman’s Cove, overlooking sparkling Pacquereau Bay. Our 2-bedroom ocean view villa was furnished with all the amenities of home: a fully equipped kitchen, washer & dryer, beautifully decorated dining room, living room and bedrooms, each of which had access to balconies to soak in the amazing view.

From the moment we entered the lobby and reception area at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove we were treated like family. We were offered refreshing rum drinks in hand and were driven directly to our villa by the bellman.

The pool area is a lounge chair paradise, so no need to engage in early morning chair wrestling matches. Plus, there's a beach view that’ll make you feel like you’re in a postcard. We spent a lot of time at the onsite Sunset Cove Bar and Grill which is conveniently located adjacent to the pool, serves delicious food, strong cocktails and has a weekly Karaoke night, that proved to be a highlight of each trip. I highly recommend trying their signature cocktail, the Pain Reliever. However, its not for the faint of heart because it definitely has a kick. You won’t be feeling any pain all night! Everything on the menu is scrumptious, but if you’re watching your wallet, hit up happy hour from 3pm-6pm. Your taste buds and bank account will thank you!

We love taking a ferry from St. Thomas to St. John for a day filled with snorkeling and beach hopping. St. John boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, offering pristine, uncrowded shores and crystal-clear waters.

Some trip highlights:

The Skyride tram to Paradise Point. The view at the top from 700 feet above St. Thomas Harbor is simply magical. One night we went to "Taste at Paradise Point" for Happy Hour and dancing to the music of a live band. On another occasion we went to "Prime" at Paradise Point for a quiet romantic candlelight dinner. "Prime" is a very expensive steak house but I don’t recommend splurging on the food because it wasn’t that great, but the incredible view more than made up for the mediocre meal. For those afraid of heights, there is a back rode you can drive to the top if you don’t want to ride the tram. Definitely go before sunset so you can see the view in the daylight, watch the sunset and also enjoy the sparkling city lights at night.

One thing that caught us off guard was how many iguanas are roaming around St. Thomas. They are EVERYWHERE! They are not aggressive but they certainly aren’t shy. So personally, I kept my distance from these miniature Jurassic Park looking creatures.

Having a rental car on the island is useful if you plan to leave the resort for activities or to do grocery shopping, like we do. However it is important to remember that in St. Thomas, like the rest of the US Virgin Islands, drivers drive on the left side of the road. That had me too afraid to drive so my husband had to do all the driving while we were there.

We are adrenaline junkies that enjoy zip lining every chance we get in every country we visit. However, we would definitely not recommend Tree Limin' Extreme in St. Thomas because of their poor safety measures. The guides we had were arguing with one another and not paying attention to the customers as they zipped across the jungle. The landing pads were far too short and didn’t have adequate padding. One of the people in our group actually got injured and we considered ending the whole experience but did not want to walk back the rest of the way through the jungle, so we completed the last two lines. Needless to say we would not do that again.

The night before our departure we took a Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Cat, a family friendly catamaran that conveniently sailed from the dock at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove. The food was plentiful and delicious. The music was entertaining and the drinks were abundant. The sail included the harbor where we saw multi million dollar yachts.

To say the least, we are absolutely in LOVE with St. Thomas and can't wait to return! If you haven't been already, you just have to go!!!