My husband started it. That is, my obsession with tropical beaches with water so blue that you can’t take your eyes off of it. I had always dreamed about experiencing this amazing hue, but hadn’t gotten the chance to see it in person. Until our honeymoon in Hawaii….
Well, let’s just say I was hooked from that first Hawaiian beach we laid eyes on. The clear, azure water was absolutely mesmerizing and just as amazing as I had pictured in my mind. Since then, we have been lucky enough to enjoy many, many other beaches in Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas. They’re all different and most are beautiful in their own way – but there’s still just something about that blue, blue water.
If you’re looking to find a tropical island to visit with incredibly blue water, here’s our list of 12 Tropical Islands with the Most Amazing Blue Water to start with. Are these the only ones? Heck no. As you can tell by the number of entries, it was very hard to narrow it down and there are so many more islands worthy of a mention. We could have actually named several entire island chains with incredibly blue water – such as the British Virgin Islands, Exuma Cays, Abacos, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Islands, etc…, but space prohibited listing them all. These are some of our favorites to date for the amazing blue color of their water. Be sure to leave a comment with your favorites below!
We started hearing about a new floating bar/restaurant in St. John, USVI, in the Spring of 2019. It originally was anchored in Hansen Bay, on the East End of St. John. We were familiar with the area, having spent a bit of time at the old Angels Rest floating bar in Hansen which unfortunately was destroyed in the hurricanes of 2017.
As we planned our trip for Spring 2020, Lime Out was on the list of places we wanted to visit. Then suddenly we read that there was a problem with their location in Hansen Bay and they had to close for a while. We kept our fingers crossed that it would reopen in its new location by the time we got their, and fortunately, it did!
Lime Out now sits in Coral Bay – also on the East end of St. John. If you are visiting by boat, you can pull up and anchor close by. If visiting by car, you can no longer swim or kayak out to Lime Out. Instead, park at The Oasis in Coral Bay and take the boat shuttle out to Lime Out ( currently $13pp round-trip).
Oasis Restaurant, Coral Bay – great Southern comfort food!
Boat ride to Lime Out
The ride out takes just a few minutes and you have to swim/walk a short way (not very deep) from where the boat leaves you off to Lime Out.
Approaching Lime Out
Swimming in
We swam up and took a seat at the bar.
Beverages are served in tumblers
There are bar stools in the water next to Lime Out, or you can grab a seat on one of the vibrant rafts. Order your food and drinks and they’ll float it out to you.
Lime Out is known for its tacos and they are GOOD! We ordered the Rum Rib Tacos along with a couple of beverages and grabbed a seat on a raft.
A half eaten Rum Rib Taco. They were so good we forgot to take a pic until we were halfway done!
A family from Vancouver asked if they could join us and we had a great afternoon chatting and enjoying more drinks.
The shuttle runs every half hour or so and we reluctantly decided to head back.
We had a great day at Lime Out. Well worth a visit in our book. To find out more, check out their website, Facebook page and Instagram.
St. Croix is the largest island in the United States Virgin Island (USVI) chain. The southernmost USVI island, St. Croix offers a wide variety of activities and experiences and a diverse landscape, including a sub tropical rainforest, a bio-luminescent bay, the best wall diving in the Caribbean, three national parks to explore and beautiful sandy beaches. In addition, St. Croix is home to the Cruzan Rum Distillery, the only golf courses in the USVI (Mahogany Run on St. Thomas closed after the hurricanes in 2017 and its future is still in question), a number of excellent restaurants, and historical sights to explore. Read on to find out why you should plan a trip to St. Croix, USVI.
US Residents Don’t Need a Passport to Travel to St. Croix
As with St. Thomas, St. Croix is a US Territory so US residents don’t currently need a passport to travel to St. Croix. (However, you may need proof of US citizenship to re-enter the US mainland, which may include a birth certificate and a government issued ID – be sure to check with your airline to make assure you have the required documents).
In addition, there are daily non-stop flights from several major US airports including Miami, Atlanta and Ft. Lauderdale so you can get to the beach faster! Are you finding better flights flying into St. Thomas? Consider taking the seaplane from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Christiansted, St. Croix. It’s only 25 minutes from “downtown to downtown”!
Beaches
Before visiting St. Croix for the first time, we heard that the beaches were…just o.k. Not so! We’ve enjoyed several amazing beaches during our visits to St. Croix and look forward to our next return to find more! Some of our favorites?
Sandy Point Beach
Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. The gorgeous 2 mile white sand beach at the Sandy Point Wildlife is the longest in all of the US Virgin Islands. The beach and surrounding area serve as a protected area for the endangered leatherback turtle. It is closed to the public from April to August during turtle hatching season and is only open on Saturday and Sunday the rest of the year. Read more here.
Turtle Beach, Buck Island
Turtle Beach, Buck Island. Buck Island is a small, uninhabited island off the northeast coast of St. Croix. Designated a National Monument in 1961, the 176 acre island is home to several endangered species such as the hawksbill turtle. In addition to enjoying the gorgeous white sand beach with views of St. Croix in the distance, you can hike the island, and snorkel the underwater trail in crystal clear water with vibrant coral and fish below. There are excursions that can take you to Buck Island for 1/2 day or full day trips.
Shoy’s Beach
Shoy’s. Not far from Christiansted, this pretty, secluded beach is a great place to relax, unwind and just listen to the waves lap the shore. Usually not crowded, Shoy’s doesn’t have any amenities and is a little harder to access and that could be why it’s nice and quiet. There is some good snorkeling, and the beach is great for walking or just digging your toes into.
Jack and Issacs Beach
Jack and Isaac Beach. Access the hiking path down the hill from close to Point Udall. Do you want to watch the sunrise on the beach in St. Croix? This is the place!
Rum
Like rum? You’re in luck when you visit St. Croix. There is not just one, but two rum distilleries that you can tour and rum flows freely at restaurants and beach bars. Want to enjoy learning about and tasting rum on St. Croix? Here are a few ways.
Cruzan Rum Distillery. The Nelthropp Family began making rum on St. Croix in the 1800’s and today award winning Cruzan Rums are well known to rum lovers. Cruzan offers really informative tours that take you into the actual rum making process and at the end of the tour there is a rum and rum drink sampling. Find out more about St. Croix Rum Distillery Tours here.
Captain Morgan Rum Distillery. Not far from Cruzan Rum (so you can tour both in one day!) is the Captain Morgan Rum Distillery. Built in 2011, Captain Morgan offers a different kind of tour than Cruzan, but both are worth exploring. Again, rum samples are provided at the end, so you might want to take a taxi!
Beach Bars. There are several fun beach bars to be found on St. Croix and…shock…they all serve rum! One of our favorites? Rhythms at Rainbow Beach. Not far from Fredriksted and the cruise ship pier, this can be a rockin’ place to hang out. Beach volleyball, a great beach, live music and spectacular sunsets make this a place to enjoy and enjoy a drink or two. Try a Cruzan Confusion or a Cruzan Chaos!
Frank Robinson at BES Craft Cocktail Lounge
Restaurant/Bar. We were blown away by BES Craft Cocktail Lounge and it’s owner, Frank Robinson. Located in Christiansted, we enjoyed some terrific food and originally crafted rum cocktails while there. It was so good, we returned the next night! Find out more here.
Other Things to See and Do on St. Croix
Crab Races at the Divi Resort
Crab Races – looking for something different and surprisingly fun to do with the family? Bet on your favorite crab at the crab races! Find out more about this popular St. Croix event here.
Point Udall
Point Udall – said to be the easternmost point of the US, Point Udall is marked by the Millennium Monument and offers stunning panoramic views of the sea surrounding St. Croix. Great place to catch the sunrise. Find out more about Point Udall here.
Dive the Wall – St. Croix has a number of great dive sites, but the best know site is simply called “The Wall”. This dive site can either be accessed by boat or by swimming out from the shore at Cane Bay Beach. Find out more about Diving the Wall here.
Beer Drinking Pigs at Mt. Pellier Domino Club
Beer Drinking Pigs – take a drive through the subtropical rainforest on the West End of St. Croix to the Mt. Pellier Domino Club to enjoy a beer with the resident pigs! Although the pigs are only given non-alcoholic beer, they certainly enjoy their beverage! Check out some photos of our visit here.
Explore the History of St. Croix with the St. Croix Heritage Map. Check out some of the highlights here.
Still want more ideas of what to do during your St Croix vacation? Check out a list of 100 Things To Do On St. Croix here.
What to Bring Home
St. Croix Hook Bracelet – available at several stores, but we chose to purchase ours at Sonya Ltd. in Christiansted. Sonya is said to be the originator of the St. Croix Hook Bracelet.
Cruzan Rum – available at the distillery and, well, mostly everywhere in the VI. Some flavors (aged and Single Barrel too) are even available stateside, but if there is a flavor you fall in love with, be sure to bring a bottle or two home with you!
St. Croix Food and Wine Experience Book – Featuring recipes from Top Chef and Iron Chef contestants and James Beard and A Taste of St. Croix award-winning chefs, this is a keepsake full-color 9×9 cookbook and island guide to St. Croix.
St. Thomas, one of the 4 main islands in the US Virgin Island chain, is a top cruise ship destination, offers an array of fun tropical attractions and amenities, and is also a convenient base when wanting to explore other nearby islands. As the second largest and most populated island in the chain, there’s a myriad of options to fill your days there, from duty-free shopping to just lounging the day away under a palm tree with a drink in your hand and everything in between. Here is a list of reasons that we think might make you consider planning a trip to sunny St. Thomas, USVI.
US Residents Don’t Need a Passport to Travel to St. Thomas
Because St. Thomas is a US Territory, US residents don’t currently need a passport to travel to St. Thomas. (However, you may need proof of US citizenship to leave St. Thomas, which may include a birth certificate and a government issued ID – be sure to check with your airline to make assure you have the required documents).
In addition, there are daily non-stop flights from several major US airports including New York, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Chicago and Ft. Lauderdale. Less travel time = more beach time!
Lindquist Beach at Smith Bay
Beaches
St. Thomas is approximately 32 sq miles in size and dotted with scenic beaches. Many are easy to access and some have amenities such as beach bars or snack bars, restrooms and showers. A few of our favorites?
~ Magens Bay on the north side of the island. It’s incredibly scenic, good for walking the beach and swimming. There is an entry fee and a parking fee. (note: can be very busy when there are a lot of cruise ships in port) More about Magens Bay here.
~ Sapphire Beach on the east side of the island has a pretty stretch of white sand and is good for watersports and swimming. There are a few additional amenities such as a beach bar, restrooms and a restaurant within the Sapphire Beach development.
~ Lindquist Beach at Smith Bay is also on the east side and has gorgeous white sand fringing usually calm, turquoise water. It’s great for swimming and has picnic areas, restrooms and showers. There is an entry fee and a parking fee.
Shopping
Due to the high volume of cruise ship traffic, there are excellent shopping opportunities in historic Charlotte Amalie, in the kiosks at the harbor, Havensight and the high end, Yacht Haven Grande. Best things to buy? Paintings, artwork and jewelry from local artisans, spices and hot sauces, sea glass gifts and rum! Speaking of rum…
Rum
Although there are no rum distilleries on St. Thomas, there is no shortage of rum. Best places to enjoy a frosty rum drink in our opinion?
~ Bones Rum in Charlotte Amalie. Pour your own Bones rum drink – an excellent stop after a day of shopping. You might want to bring back a bottle or two as although it is now available in a few states in the US, it’s not available everywhere. Read more abut Bones Rum here.
~ Rum Island Pub in Charlotte Amalie. It’s under new ownership, but I can’t imagine they don’t still pour tasty, RIP’s – Rum Island Punch!
~ Duffy’s Love Shack – a restaurant bar in a parking lot in Red Hook. Try their signature drink, a Lime in Dee Coconut. The food is great too! More about Duffy’s Love Shack here.
~ Paradise Point, the skyride behind Havensight and the cruise ship dock. Try a Bushwacker while looking at the spectacular view of Charlotte Amalie from above- frozen chocolate and rum deliciousness, but be careful – they’re strong!! Read our post about Paradise Point and Bushwhackers here.
Adventure
Want to do something a little more adventurous? Here are a couple of great options.
~ Tree Limin’ Extreme – soar through the trees with an amazing view of Magens Bay on an exhilarating zipline with six ziplines, two foot bridges, and eight aerial tree platforms. Book ahead of time if possible – this zipline adventure fills up fast!
~ If you like hiking, take the trail down to Mermaid’s Chair (on the west side of the island). The hike is paved, but strenuous (mostly the hike back), but you will be rewarded with a view of a beach where the Atlantic and Caribbean waters meet.
~ Get on the water! Rent a stand up paddleboard (SUP), kayak, or jet ski, go snorkeling in the crystal clear water or take a half or full day excursion on a catamaran!
Those are just a few of the reasons why we think you should plan a trip to St. Thomas, USVI. Who’s ready to go?!
We make a stop at The Longboard in Cruz Bay whenever we are lucky enough to get to St. John. Simply put, we are big fans of their hand crafted cocktails and their delicious, innovative dishes. Our recent visit to The Longboard was no exception. Despite the fact that when we visited it had only been 7 months since “the hurricanes”, and despite the fact that The Longboard served several thousand meals for the Red Cross to hurricane victims for a month after the storms even though they sustained some damage themselves, The Longboard reopened for business again in January and is just as good as ever.
Check out a few photos of our recent visit, and be sure to stop by and check out The Longboard for yourselves during your next visit to St. John. Pretty sure you’ll become big fans of The Longboard too!
We recently had the chance to meet Sharp & Margaret Kemp of Big Blue Excursions during our recent trip to St John and just love their story. Here’s the abbreviated version.
Sharp grew up on the coast of North Carolina on and around boats. As he grew, he developed an insatiable desire to be on the ocean and to travel. He began working and hopping around the Caribbean and Central America searching for perfect waves to surf and places to go fishing any chance he got. Once, while surfing in Costa Rica, he met a girl named Margie who had a passion for sailing, surfing, and traveling as well. She was living in the Virgin Islands.
Margie is a 100 ton master captain. Like Sharp, she grew up on and around sailboats and with her family, experienced incredible sailing adventures around the world. The longest leg was the four thousand mile intense journey across the Bearing Sea from Russia to Alaska. She also sailed across the English Channel in a tiny little boat with some old salty dogs at age 19. She said it was some of the gnarliest sea conditions she’s ever seen. At 26, when Sharp and Margie were married, she had been working as a sailboat captain for years in the islands.
They moved aboard their 46’ Pan Oceanic cutter to live, laugh, surf and sail their way around countless islands in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. In 2016 they sailed more than 13,000 nautical miles from their home on St. John through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. They really enjoy creating new memories and meeting new people.
Upon their return to St John, they purchased a boat excursion company named Big Blue Excursions – a mere 2 months before not just one, but two Cat 5 hurricanes hit the Virgin Islands…
Even though they lost two of their boats in the storm, this couple exudes an infectious positivity, pleasantness and zest for life, possibly, in part, derived from the amazing things they’ve seen and experienced. Although rightfully a bit frustrated with the wait time for insurance reimbursement, Sharp and Margie look forward to re-building and expanding their brand and company on St. John and with the unique experiences they offer, I know they will. Even thought the tourism traffic in the VI is not yet back to where it was before the hurricanes, they are experiencing strong bookings and great reviews.
Your day, your way, your pace is Big Blue Excursions motto. We had the pleasure of spending a day on the water with them on their boat “Gypsea Girl”, during our recent stay in St. John. When asked what we most wanted to see and do, we said “everything”! We ended up requesting some time in Jost Van Dyke to check on the progress since the hurricanes and then asked Sharp – our captain for the day, to choose the remainder of the days itinerary.
We met Sharp at 9am on the St. John National Park Dock for our full day excursion. Margie was there to welcome us too, but was unable to join us for the day. After an introduction and safety tips, we were off to explore.
Honeymoon Beach, St. John
We headed out, passing the scenic St. John north coast as Sharp passed on interesting information on the different beaches and landmarks as we cruised by.
The rest of the day was spent exploring and enjoying beach and beach bar time on White Bay and Great Harbour Jost Van Dyke,
Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke White Bay, Jost Van Dyke Gypsea Girl in White Bay checking out beautiful Sandy Spit (even without any foliage!),
Waiting for lunch at Pizza Pi, Christmas Cove, USVI and enjoying a delicious Blumin’ Onion pizza at Pizza Pi in Christmas Cove, St. Thomas (delicious pizza made on and picked up from a boat!). To top off the day, we spent some time snorkeling on the south side of St. John in Rendezvous Bay before heading back, sun kissed and full of the day’s adventures. Captain Sharp packed a lot into our day just as we had requested, and we enjoyed every minute of it.
If you’re heading to St. John or St. Thomas soon (Big Blue Excursions can arrange pick-ups in St. Thomas too), be sure to give Sharp and Margie a call. They offer full and half day excursions for your group of up to 11 people and will tailor a VI adventure just for you. Although all of the Big Blue Captains can take you to not only the well-known spots, they would absolutely love to show you the hidden VI gems that not everyone gets to see and experience. Want to snorkel all day? No problem. Island hop and catch a lobster? Check. Lounge on beautiful beaches and visit the local beach bars? Yep. Your day, your way, your pace! Contact Big Blue Excursions to set up your perfect Virgin Islands excursion!
By phone: (340)201-3045 Email: [email protected] Online (includes a 10% discount!) Click the Book Now button on the lower right of page: BIG BLUE USVI
Before flying over to St. Croix from St. Thomas recently, a friend told us, “Be sure to check out the Scooter rental shop that’s also a bar in Christiansted”. Hmmm. Quite the combination. Sounded just strange enough that we wanted to check it out.
(Update: 6/2021. A recent search for contact information for Cruzin Scooters indicated that they may be permanently closed. If this is not correct, please let us know so that we can update this information.)
We caught a quick glimpse of Cruzin Scooters & Full Bar as we walked out of our hotel in Christiansted on our way to the boardwalk. It was right across the street, just off the boardwalk, and during the day, looked like a normal shop. Later that night, after returning from a relaxing evening at BES Craft Cocktail Lounge, the quiet shop had transformed into a rowdy little bar. All of the scooters and bikes were parked out front, making room for a small dance floor, and the musician was really rockin’ on the keyboard.
We walked in to see what was happening and were greeted by owner Philip who asked if he could get us a drink. We tried to chat a bit over the music and asked how he’d come up with the idea to put a bar in a scooter rental place. He said it just seemed like a good idea, after all, people tended to congregate in the area, so he applied for a liquor license and got it. Of course, the liquor is available only after rentals shut down for the day- scooter rentals by day, bar by night!
The musician, Zenith Apollo, was just killing it on the keyboard. Originally from the states, he had music in his blood; learning from his musician mom who’d performed at the Grand Ole Opry. He’d been friends with Philip in the States, and had come down to visit Philip and ended up staying.
Zenith Apollo would sing and play for a while and then he’d accompany a friend or a friends child as they sang a tune or two.
The vibe was super casual, biker-bar(esque) and we had such a good time that we stopped in once again the next evening to enjoy an ice cold beer at a most unique Caribbean bar.
Have you stopped by Cruzin Scooters to rent a scooter or enjoy a cold beer while on St. Croix? Tell us about it!
Staying on St. Thomas and looking for some ideas of what to do while there? Although it’s hard to list all of the attractions on this pretty, but busy island, here is a list of 21 Places to Explore on the Island of St. Thomas to help you start your planning!
Starting from the airport and traveling west, the list takes you clockwise around the island.
1. Brewer’s Bay. A pretty beach close to Cyril E. King airport and just across from the University of the Virgin Islands. Go for smaller crowds, spectacular sunset, local food trucks and to see occasional airplanes landing.
2. Overlook of airport from 30. From Brewer’s Bay, head up the hill on 30 to a small overlook of the airport. On a clear day you can see all the way to St. Croix!
3. Hike to Mermaid’s Chair. A somewhat strenuous hike brings you to a beautiful strip of beach that separates the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Be sure to time your visit to arrive at low tide – otherwise the strip of beach may be underwater!
4. Stumpy Bay. Not easy to get to (Four-wheel drive needed for a very bumpy road), but those that have made the journey have reported that the deserted beach at Stumpy Bay is lovely, quiet and serene…ahhh…
5. Neltjeberg Bay. Accessed only by sea or by a long hike from Dorthea Beach, Neltjeberg is considered by some as one of the islands most beautiful and secluded spots. Explore the nearby Neltjeberg Ruins, an 18th century sugar cane plantation that was devastated by a powerful hurricane in 1867 (the same hurricane that sunk the HMS Rhone at Salt Island).
6. Hull Bay. A quiet little beach fringed with seagrape trees. Hull Bay Hideway, a bar & grill just off the beach, is a great place to get fish tacos and a cold beer.
7. Mountain Top. Can be extremely busy when a lot of cruise ships are in port, but we thought Mountain Top was worth a visit due to it’s great view of Magens Bay and a plethora of Cruzan Rums for purchase. Sip on a Banana Daiquiri while enjoying the view.
8. Tree Limin’ Extreme. Zipline through lush foliage with spectacular views of Magens Bay and other islands at Tree Limin’ Extreme. A little adrenaline and a lot of fun!
9. Drake’s Seat. Yet another phenomenal view of Megans Bay and beyond. The bench is named after Sir Francis Drake who is said to have climbed to this point to identify potential ships to plunder.
10. Magens Bay. Frequently listed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, this one mile stretch of white sand is fringed with verdant hills and palm trees. Megans Bay is a very popular beach and can get very crowded. Go early or later in the afternoon to enjoy the beauty with less people.
11. Skyline Overlook. Offers a panoramic view of Charlotte Amalie, Water Island and Hassel Island.
12. Mahogany Run Golf Course. (Permanently closed) Scenic and challenging, this Tom Fazio designed course is nestled between the green hills and beautiful shoreline on the North side. Test your skills on the Devil’s Triangle – a challenging 3 hole stretch that includes a par 3 hole situated 200 feet over a rocky inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. Didn’t bring your clubs? No problem, they can provide complete rental sets and hopefully lots of extra golf balls.
13. Coki Point & Coral World. Experience sea turtles, sharks and stingrays and more in this 5 acre marine park. Afterwards, spend time swimming and snorkeling on Coki Beach.
14. Lindquist Beach at Smith Bay. Recently renovated with restrooms and showers. Although it’s gotten busier, this, in my opinion is still one of the prettiest beaches on the island.
15. Duffy’s Love Shack. The best parking lot bar in the world! Order one of their specialties like a Lime in Dee Coconut or Shark Tank (served in a fish bowl!)
16. Iggie’s Beach Bar & Grill. Go for live entertainment, Wednesday night Carnival Night, Full Moon Parties and Voodoo Juice…
17. Skyride at Paradise Point. Great view and Bushwackers!
18. Yacht Haven Grande. Check out the little boats (wink, wink) and pick up a trinket or two at the high end shops.
19. Blackbeard’s Castle. Take a guided walking tour of this historic 5 acre site to learn about the different buildings dating back to the 1600’s and the islands pirate legacy.
20. Rum Island Pub. Great little bar in Drake’s Passage, home of Husband Day Care, try their RIP (Rum Island Punch).
21. Bones Rum. Stop by for a pour-your-own rum drink and be sure to take some Bones Rum home with you – it’s not available outside of St. Thomas yet!
Ready for a day excursion or tour while on St Thomas? Check out some great ideas here!
What’s your favorite thing to do on St. Thomas? Tell us about it!
All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit. Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC
St. Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands, not only has beautiful beaches, top-notch culinary experiences and a wide variety of great accommodations, it offers two distinctly different, yet interesting, rum distilleries tours for rum lovers – or those that would just like to learn more about rum.
Cruzan Rum and Captain Morgan are the two distilleries found on this, the largest US Virgin Island. Cruzan Rums have been crafted on St. Croix by the Nelthropp family for generations while Captain Morgan opened it’s St. Croix Distillery in 2011 and a visitor center on the site the following year. What does that mean for rum lovers like you and me? You’ve got two completely different tours to experience on St. Croix and you can easily do both in one afternoon!
We began our rum tour by getting a lift in Christiansted from Joseph, of Joseph’s VIP Taxi Tours (contact him at 340-277-6133). We knew we would be enjoying the rum drinks at the end of each tour and hiring a taxi is the way to go. Joseph was a great tour guide and was recently voted taxi driver of the year on St. Croix. He was warm and welcoming, and gave us some great info on St. Croix along the way.
First stop? The Captain Morgan Experience Center. Here we started the tour with a short and entertaining movie about Captain Morgan, then followed a tour guide through the Information Center, learning about the history and current Captain Morgan products.
Outside, we boarded a small tram to take a short tour through the distillery, learning about the distilling process along the way.
Once back at the facility, we were treated to two rum drinks of our choice and tastes of any the different types of rums, if desired.
At the end of the tour, you can peruse through the Captain Morgan shop and take home a souvenir of your visit.
Joseph was waiting for us outside and we boarded the van for our next rum experience. Just a short hop away, we entered the Cruzan Rum facility.
We were immediately taken by the Cruzan rum culture and our first view of a sugar mill surrounded by the flags of the seven nations that have ruled St. Croix – the most of any of the US Virgin Islands.
Walking up to the Visitors Center, we enjoyed the sights of a generations old facility.
Our tour guide took us through the actual distillery and we loved being so close to the process, smelling the molasses and watching it ferment.
In one of the storage rooms, filled with barrels and barrels of the delicious aging elixir, she explained the aging process and the color variations of different rums.
At the end of the tour, we were deposited in the Cruzan tasting room – not a bad place to be, where we enjoyed our choice of several different Cruzan Rum cocktails and again could sample the individual rums, if we wished (we did…).
After a few minutes of shopping, we headed back to find Joseph, who was waiting patiently for his, then, very happy crew, and we made our way back to our home for the night, Hotel Caravelle in Christiansted.
Have you taken the rum tours on St. Croix? Tell us about it!
The Longboard, a Caribbean-inspired coastal cantina located in Cruz Bay opened its doors in May of 2015, but we had yet to experience it – that is, until our trip to St. John last month.
Passion Pitted The Longboard is easy to find – from the ferry dock, walk straight past Strand Street in Cruz Bay to the next intersection (King Street), turn left and The Longboard is on the right.
Focusing on fresh, local and flown-in ingredients, The Longboard continues to innovate their food concept and bring a new approach to dining on St. John with a healthy menu inspired by coastal flavors around the world. We loved the extensive fish and seafood offerings on their new menu including local fresh catches such as rainbow runner, wahoo, conch and octopus as well as Pacific fish such as Hawaiian Opah (Moon Fish) and Hawaiian Ahi. Non-seafood entrees include Island Wings (spicy mango glazed wings) and Grilled Portabella, Chimichuri Marinated and Grilled Skirt Steak or Spicy Jerk Braised Pork Tacos & Bowls. Delicious new bar offerings and house-shaped cocktails include a Passion Fruit Frosé.
After being seated on the patio, we ordered a couple of rum drinks – a Rum Julep,
Rum Julep and a new offering called Stoked, a tropical concoction of aged rhum, Plantation Overproof Rum, housemade orgeat, blackstrap bitters, housemade pineapple shrub and lime juice – impressively lit afire at our table!
Stoked Our appetizer consisted of a trio of ceviche’s served with yucca chips and tostones. We then sat back in our chairs enjoying the food, drink, view and the warm St. John air from The Longboards open aired patio.
Mixto (trio of ceviche’s) After polishing off our appetizer, we moved on to our entrées, ordering the Longboard Sliders made with a coconut crusted fresh catch-of-the-day,
The Longboard Sliders
and an Ahi Tuna Bowl.
Each dish had its own special Caribbean flair and incorporated local spices, locally-caught seafood and locally-sourced herbs, greens and fruits. Mmmm – delicious!
Our only regret? After our satisfying dinner, we had no room to sample one of their famous Frozen Painkillers. Can you imagine how that would taste after spending a day on one of St. John’ beautiful beaches?
Find out more about The Longboard by visiting their website, and following them on Facebook and Instagram.
Have you enjoyed dinner (or at least a Frozen Painkiller) at The Longboard yet? If so, tell us about it!
A special thanks to The Longboard and Rebecca for arranging our delicious dinner!
