The yellow grandeur of Fort Christiansvaern. The bubbly brunch at The Fred. Torch-lit dinners at Savant. Lazy days on Cane Bay. St Croix is a vibe all its own, and the US Virgin Islands’ biggest island is increasingly a home for sophisticated, adventurous travelers.
Starting this fall, it’s getting even easier to reach. Beginning Dec. 6, American Airlines will be flying nonstop from Chicago O’Hare to St Croix’s Henry E. Rohlesen Airport. (It’s part of a broader USVI expansion that includes ramped-up daily flights from Chicago to St Thomas on Dec. 18.
The new St Croix flight will be operating every week on Saturdays, in another big boost for one of the Caribbean’s true culinary capitals.
Demand keeps growing for USVI travel, Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte told Caribbean Journal.
“This increased connectivity will not only enhance convenience for our visitors but also support our tourism-driven economy and the many businesses that rely on it.”
We love visiting St Croix, and the island has a very cool spectrum of hotels to choose from, starting with the venerable, beachfront Buccaneer (including one of our favorite, underrated golf courses in the Caribbean), with rooms at $500 per night.
But what you may not know is the sheer number of charming smaller hotels on the island. In Christiansted, you can choose intimate properties like the waterfront King Christian, right on the boardwalk ($216 per night); or the Company House in the heart of downtown ($178 per night).
In Frederiksted, there’s the outstanding The Fred, one of our favorite boutique hotels in the Caribbean ($266 per night), along with tiny properties like the timeless Cottages by the Sea.
If you want a really memorable stay, reserve a vacation at basketball Hall of Famer Walt Clyde Frazier’s St Croix retreat (he told us more about it in an interview in Caribbean Journal).
And then there are the beaches, from secret coves to national parks like Sandy Point, never crowded, always pristine.
So what about prices? The December Chicago-St Croix service is already bookable, with roundtrips starting at $525 in the main cabin.
If you just can’t wait, American Airlines flies to St Croix from Miami for $436 roundtrip right now, according to Google Flights.
What are some other must-dos in St Croix? Make sure you check out the aforementioned Fort Christiansvaern; stroll the boardwalk in downtown Christiansted; try a creative cocktail at the island’s top tiki bar; grab a bite at the Kendrick Family’s wonderful Too Chez; check out the famous beach at the Carambola resort; savor the scene in Frederiksted (and grab a coffee at Polly’s. That’s just a start.
Then, of course, there’s the Caribbean’s most famous Christmas festival.
