Sun. Sand. Surf. I’ve yet to meet a teen who can’t be convinced to take a vacation with the parents when the destination promises this trifecta. My husband and I recently spent time in the US Virgin Islands with our two teenage sons. USVI is made up of three islands: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Because of the ease of air travel and wider variety of accommodations, we decided to base ourselves on the east side of St. Thomas, away from the cruise port and capital city of Charlotte Amalie. From the east side, you can catch ferries to St. John and the British Virgin Islands. Truth be told, our real reason for visiting USVI rested on St. John — more on that later.
KidTripster Tip: Surprise! USVI is the only place under an American flag where you drive on the left side of the road; strangely though, the cars themselves have the driver’s wheel on the left, like in the USA. Roads are narrow with hairpin turns and lots of hills. Still, I think renting a car (or better yet, a Jeep) is the way to go.
Here are my top six picks for what to do with active teens while visiting this corner of the Caribbean.
1. Go parasailing in USVI’s blue skies
Board a boat with Parasail Virgin Islands from Sapphire Marina near Red Hook on the east side of St. Thomas. (Trips also depart from St. John.) You’ll then be strapped into a harness and lifted from the boat’s rear platform 300 feet into the air; you can fly single, tandem or triple, depending on wind conditions. You’ll have a bird’s-eye view of St. Thomas, St. John, and dozens of other islands that dot the turquoise blue Caribbean. Other than dipping your toes in the water, you don’t get wet on the ride… unless you’re my sons. I suggested to the captain that they get a bit of a dunking. They loved it! Your time in the air lasts about 10 minutes. Cost: Parasailor $110, Observer $40; ages 6 & up.
KidTripster Tip: If you have a GoPro camera, bring it. I wouldn’t risk taking a cell phone on the ride itself, but a fellow passenger can videotape from the boat.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re prone to motion sickness, medicate before you leave or maybe sit this activity out. You can get a little queasy in the air.
2. Take the ferry to St. John & visit Virgin Islands National Park
Admittedly, my family and I are national park junkies. We have a goal of visiting all 62 national parks in the USA. Virgin Islands National Park on St. John was number 48 for us.
To reach St. John from St. Thomas, book a reservation with Love City Car Ferries for the short 20-minute trip. Once on the island, you can use your own car to discover the park. (Alternatively, you could take the People’s Ferry to St. John and then rely on taxis to get around the park, but honestly, it’s a hassle.)
KidTripster Tip: Be forewarned. To load your car on the ferry, you’ll need to back it on to the boat. We saw a lot of people struggle with this maneuver. Make sure to have your most confident driver behind the wheel.
More than half of St. John is designated as a national park. However, if you only have a single day to spend here, I’d focus on the northern coast. Stop at the visitor center and pick up a park map; there’s no entrance fee. Skip the Lind Point Trail here and instead head east to Peace Hill where a .2-mile trail leads to a better photo op with an old stone windmill. From there, I’d suggest going as far as Maho Bay and then working your way back.
Just before you reach Maho Bay Beach, stop at the viewpoint to snap an Instagram-worthy photo. The water color is truly stunning. Once on the beach, you’ll find the water itself is warm, shallow, and crystal clear. Yes, you’ll see fish while snorkeling, but the real draw is the sea turtles. Your kids will love swimming with them!
KidTripster Tip: Make sure to pack your own mask and snorkel for your trip to USVI. You’ll use them every day.
KidTripster Tip: Unlike any national park we’ve ever visited, you’ll find a bar and food truck (actually, it’s a VW bus) just across the street from the beach. The burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches are killer.
After lunch, head back west to Cinnamon Bay Beach. If you’re looking for a beautiful backdrop for photos, this is it. Cinnamon Bay Beach has wide stretches of sugar white sand. There aren’t really any snorkeling opportunities here, but the water is warm and clear.
Make your last stop of the day at Trunk Bay. This beach is a popular spot with lots of amenities like rentals and food. It also has a marked underwater snorkeling trail. While it’s appropriate for beginners, it’s deeper and rougher than Maho — making it questionable for young children. It’s also the only one of the three beaches that charges: Kids Free; Adult $5, Parking $2.
KidTripster Tip: If you have extra time, sneak in a stop at Honeymoon Beach. It’s another stunner.
This day was my favorite of the trip. I’d definitely recommend the trip to St. John. Plan to stay at least six hours on the island.
3. Ride an underwater scooter
I’ve traveled to islands all over the world, but this experience was a first: underwater scooters. Book a trip with BOSS Underwater Adventure on St. Thomas. I’ll admit, as our boat headed out into the open water between St. Thomas and St. John, I got a little nervous about jumping into cold, deep and unprotected water. To my relief, we anchored off a small island in Shipwreck Bay. The captain then briefed us on the process.
Each scooter is tied to a buoy in the water. You jump in the water and swim to your scooter. The scooter has an attached bubble helmet filled with air. You slip underwater and then come up inside the helmet; the bottom of helmet is open, but it doesn’t fill with water. You sit on your scooter, and then a diver will slowly descend the scooter to about eight feet. Here’s the tricky part: as you go down, you need to equalize the air pressure in your ears by plugging your nose and blowing air into your closed mouth. My boys and husband did this easily; me not so much. But it was fine. Instead of descending, I rode my scooter just below the surface and still saw everything that everyone else did.
The scooter steers like a bike; you push a single green button to go. You follow the diver in a small group of about ten people. The diver leads you by a shipwreck and makes sure that you see fish by baiting the water. There’s also a photo op area where the diver will take your family’s picture underwater, so be sure to take your own underwater camera. While other groups go, you’re free to snorkel in the bay on your own. On the day that we went, visibility wasn’t great, but we still appreciated the experience. Cost: Rider $100; ages 10 & up and minimum 4 feet tall.
KidTripster Tip: There’s another spot in the Caribbean where you can ride underwater scooters: Roatan, Honduras.
4. Go beach hopping
While you’ll find lots of beaches on St. Thomas, they aren’t all created equal. Some are narrow and crowded; others have rough waters. For example, I don’t think Coki, Lindquist or Sapphire Beaches are worth your time.
If you have small children, you can head to Secret Harbor Beach on the south side of the island. It’s calm and quiet with good snorkeling. You’ll find free parking in a lot up the hill, just pass the beach.
However, my family’s favorite beach on St. Thomas — hands down — is Magens Bay Beach on the north shore. Yes, you have to pay $5 per adult (kids are free) and $2 for parking, but it’s worth it. The waters here are calm, clear, and warm. The shallow edges of the bay are perfect for snorkeling, especially for younger children. You’ll see hundreds of colorful fish and maybe a turtle or two. Our KidTripster Teen even spotted a ray! You’ll find a counter-service restaurant and paddle board and kayak rentals, but honestly, I’m not sure why you’d rent any equipment. The water is warm and accessible.
KidTripster Tip: Before you head down to the beach, make sure to get a photo from above at Drake’s Seat.
5. Dine al fresco
One of the joys of the US Virgin Islands is the predictable sunny, warm weather. On most days, it’s 75 to 80°F. Soak in all that Vitamin D while you eat al fresco! Our go-to breakfast spot nearly every day was Lattes in Paradise in Red Hook. For lunch, the burgers and chicken sandwiches from Tap & Still Red Hook were a hit (not to be confused with the location in Havensight). And for dinner, I recommend the global fare of Pangea.
KidTripster Tip: While we could have cooked at our Airbnb condo, we opted to eat every meal out. As you’d expect with a vacation destination, it was expensive. And on the whole, our family found the food to be average with few standouts.
6. Rent a dinghy & order pizza from a sailboat
If you have an extra day in the US Virgin Islands islands, consider renting a boat yourself. To be clear, there are lots of charters — either captained sailboats or powerboats — that will charge you a pretty penny for a day on and in the water. As I mentioned earlier, you don’t need to take a tour to find first-rate snorkeling spots. But if you have experience driving a boat, you can rent a 20-foot dinghy for a half or full day from St. Thomas Boat Rental at Sapphire Marina. Hug the coast on your way down to Christmas Cove for good snorkeling. Then order lunch off a sailboat, called Pizza Pi. Boat rental cost: Full day $475 including gas.
There are more affordable options on St. John. You can rent a 16-foot dinghy from Cruz Bay Watersports located at The Westin. Cost: Full day $325 including gas. Or you can rent a 16-foot Boston Whaler from Ocean Runner. Cost: Full day $350 plus gas cost.
Important: Do not consider crossing from St. Thomas to St. John on your own, especially in a small watercraft. And be mindful of the weather and wind. The islands often have small craft advisories which should be taken very seriously. When in doubt, don’t go.
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