ST. CROIX
While
visiting the Island of St. Croix, make sure you sample Cruzan Rum, the Islands'
best and
most famous export. Experience the history of this popular liqueur
by taking a trip to the Cruzan Rum Distillery,
where this rum has been manufactured for over 300 years. Cruzan Rum
is bottled locally and on the mainland under
its namesake label. Guided tours of the distillery explaining the rum's role in
Crucian history, are conducted mornings and afternoons, Monday through
Friday. As an added treat, you will also receive a complimentary sample of
St. Croix's own, Cruzan Rum.
Among
the many attractions one must undeniably see when you visit the Island of
St. Croix, is Buck Island. This Island is an
880 acre nature preserve about a mile off St. Croix's northeast coast.
Buck Island's
Underwater Trail is St. Croix's most
popular tourist destination and getting to Buck Island is an adventure in
itself. Vessels
leaving Christiansted to take you on this captivating adventure, include motorized party
boats (some with
glass bottoms), cozy sloops and suave trimarans.
ST. JOHN
Whether
by taxi for hire or by minibus, there
are many ways one can explore St. John's unspoiled terrain, which leaves you
with an appreciation of nature and beauty. Jeeps, mountain
bikes and other
vehicles are also available for rent. An easy way to see the wide
array of exotic flowers and trees that St. John lays claim
too, is by hiking. St. John's 22 trails covering over 20 miles, will
take you on a journey that will make you breathless as you intake all the
beauty that this paradise of nature has to offer.
Just
five minutes from down town Cruz bay, take a trip to the
Elaine Ione
Sprauve Library and Museum, This tribute to the St. John of the past will help you to learn more about
the island's history
and culture. This restored plantation great house, has an interesting
collection of photographs, newspaper clippings, paintings, drawings and
handicrafts by local artists and artisans.
A
trip to the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation on the north coast of
the Island, will make a memorable stop. Here you can
tour the factory buildings and windmill which were established in 1733,
all the while getting sensational views of the Caribbean. While in taking
this view, you can observe local residents as they conduct periodic craft
demonstrations, such as basket weaving.
At
1,277 feet, Bordeaux Mountain is the highest point
on the Island of St. John. At the top of this breath taking view,
you will see scenes of splendid bay
trees, who's leaves are used in the production of bay rum, a
major industry on the island.
ST. THOMAS
Churches,
intriguing museums and cafes styled in delicately sculptured architecture, outline
the narrow streets of Charlotte Amalie, the territory's capital. This captivating
scene, makes St.
Thomas the very essence of Virgin Islands culture.
Located right on the waterfront in down town Charlotte Amalie,
Fort Christian is the oldest building still in use on the
island, with its history dating back to the 1670s. This architectural master
piece has been used as a courthouse, a police
station and a jail but is now houses the largest historical museum
in the Virgin Islands. To get a spectacular view of the harbor, take a
walk up Charlotte Amalie's famous 99 steps. There you will intake
all the fresh air and beauty that the St. Thomas harbor possess.
The
Seven Arches Museum is a striking example of classic Danish-West Indian
architecture. Named for the seven arches that support its
eleven out reached arms staircase, the little museum provides a
fascinating look into the lives of the people that once lived there.
The Time Sherbet-Hued Legislature Building, with its impressive Danish
architecture, has played an important role in the history of the Virgin islands.
This structure is the very location where the the Danes transferred the
Virgin Islands to the United States in 1917.
Now with this information, you can start on your journey and really see what the Virgin Islands has to offer, as you discover these beautiful Isles.
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