Quick Tour of St. Croix

Estate St. George Botanical Garden

Consisting of lush woods and rich land, the Garden covers 16 acres and contains ruins of a 19th-century sugarcane village and rum factory including workers’ homes, manager’s house, a bake oven, stone dam, a blacksmith’s shop and foundations of a watermill. A small admission fee is charged.

Buck Island Reef

Here is the only United States National Monument (we call it a “National Park”) that is underwater. The Park itself covers over 850 acres including the island proper, with a sandy beach, picnic tables and barbecue pits. The reef has two major underwater trails — Turtle Bay Trail and East End Trail. Numerous boats operate off the dock in Christiansted; your hotel has specifics.

Cramer Park

A very nice place to relax the day away during the weekdays. The Park has a  beautiful beach and picnic area. On weekends the park is transformed  into a outdoor bar atmosphere with DJ’s and music.

Cruzan Rum Distillery

Out on West Airport Road you can visit the distillery and see them making Virgin Islands rum. The tour includes a walk through the plant by long, flat sections of kegs, up ramps past the distilling, through fumes as intoxicating as the rum itself, to bottling and labeling. Check at your hotel for visiting hours.

Eastern End of the Island

You’ve gone as far as you can go in the United States on the easternmost point of St. Croix, Point Udall. The spot is barren, but beautiful. Bring your camera.

“Eye to the Sky”

Less than a mile from Point Udall, the National Science Foundation has funded the installation of a giant $5-million-dollar antenna — 82 feet in diameter. This 260-ton dish will be used to explore the unknown universe. Visit the site, where guides will explain that the antenna is identical to nine others around the U.S. Together, the ten make up a single radio telescope, sharing their data over the Internet.

Rain Forest 

As you head towards Frederiksted, you’ll come upon Creque Dam Road and the 15 acres of the Rain Forest. The dam itself is 150 feet high. You will also go along Mahogany Road, which is lined with beautiful mahogany trees, yellow cedar, and Tibet trees (also called “mother’s tongue” because of the pods that rustle in the wind). The air is filled with the scent of many of our island fruits, and also the call of mountain doves. The Forest is private property; the owners have graciously consented to let visitors tour.

St. Croix Leap

Also in the Rain Forest, you will find a group of talented woodcarvers. You can order wood sculptures and chairs and tables all made from local mahogany and have them shipped to your home.

Salt River

Here’s where Columbus first arrived in the Virgin Islands in November 1493 on his second voyage to the New World, with 17 ships and 1500 men. He called this island Santa Cruz.

Whim Greathouse

A restoration of one of the finest greathouses from the late 1700s. There’s the main house, windmill, watch house and bathhouse, cookhouse and apothecary; also a museum and gift shop. This is one of St. Croix’s showplaces. Small admission fee.

Fort Christiansvaern

Built in 1774 to protect the town’s harbor, the handsomely restored Fort has battlements to photograph and dungeons to visit. Small admission fee.

Government House 

Impressive and imposing, a beautiful example of Danish architecture, this structure dates back to 1747. You can go inside, and walk up the majestic staircase to the magnificently appointed Ballroom.

Outdoor Market

If you’re putting together a picnic, here’s the place to visit. The people of the island bring their fruits and vegetables to sell here. You can get mangos, papayas and many other delicious things.

Steeple Building

Here is where you’ll find a small museum of Arawak and Carib artifacts, and a display on the workings of a sugar plantation. There also is an interesting chronology of the African people’s history in the Virgin  Islands; and the history of the diverse architectural styles throughout the  centuries.  The Old Customs House is being used as an Art Gallery for art exhibits all year round.

Churches

You’ll also want to visit some of the lovely old churches in  town, including the Gothic St. John’s Anglican Church and the hugeMoravian Church (the oldest of their sect under the American flag). 

Fort Frederik

The first foreign salute to the U.S. flag was given at Fort Frederik in 1776. At the Fort on July 3, 1848, Governor General Peter Von Scholten emancipated the slaves in the Danish West Indies. The Fort has been restored in brick red and white, to the way it looked in 1840; the Fort actually dates back to the 18th century. The restoration includes the courtyard, the stables, the old soldiers canteen where tobacco and beer were purchased, and the old garrison, is an art exhibit area. Open daily Monday through Friday.

The Old Danish School

In the middle of Prince Street, it was designed by the well-known Danish architect Hingleberg in the 1830s.

St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church

At the corner of Prince and Market Streets, it was built of coral stone in 1842.

Other historical churches include:

The Market

Just one block across on the corner of Market Street is a historical place that still lives today. It has been here since the  earliest days of Frederiksted in 1751.