Nov. 24, 2014
I read/heard that you should avoid this beach, the most popular (of 44 in total!) on St. Thomas on the days that the cruise ships are in. But we visited on a day that 3 cruise ships were in port and you can see from the picture, the crowds weren't bad at all. There were other people there, sure, but it never felt "crowded." This is due in part, I'm sure, to the fact that not only is it the most popular beach, but it is also the biggest (1 mile long), so it's easy to spread out and have a lot of people there without really feeling it.
Cost of Admission: $4/person
Cost of mat rental: $8
Floating around with your daughter on "one of the world's most beautiful beaches": Priceless
I feel so accomplished to have visited the very last thing in the book! Too bad, I have over 800 places in the middle yet to go :)
Verdict: Hmmmm...... I'm undecided on this one. Yes, if you're in St. Thomas, it is definitely worth checking out. Yes, it is an absolutely fabulous beach. Soft sand, beautiful, warm water, amenities such as bathrooms, showers, gift shop, food, nobody hassling you trying to sell you things, chair/umbrella/mat/kayak/paddleboard, etc rentals. But I've been to several very nice beaches in my life, so I'm not necessarily sure this is a "must see" above some of the others. And if you're interested in surfing or snorkeling, you won't find what you're looking for here.
