Planning a trip to St. Thomas and wondering how many days you actually need? The answer depends on how much you want to see and how much time you want to spend actually relaxing. You can have an incredible day in St. Thomas if you’re visiting on a cruise, but staying for longer gives you the chance to explore more of the island, take a day trip to St. John, get out on the water, and spend some time doing absolutely nothing.
One Day in St. Thomas: Make It Count
If you’re only in St. Thomas for one day, you’re likely visiting on a cruise. With only a few hours on the island, you won’t be able to see everything, so choose two or three things that give you a good feel for St. Thomas.
Start your day with an experience rather than spending the morning shopping. If adventure is your thing, a zipline tour at Tree Limin’ Extreme is a great way to see the island from a completely different perspective, with six ziplines, two sky bridges, and views across the mountains toward Magens Bay. If you’d rather keep things slower, you could spend your morning exploring Charlotte Amalie or visiting one of the island’s scenic overlooks.
Whatever you choose to do in the morning, leave time for the beach. Magens Bay is one of the most recognizable spots on St. Thomas and an easy choice for a first visit. After an active morning, there’s nothing wrong with spending the afternoon in the water, grabbing a beach chair, and enjoying a Painkiller before heading back to your ship.
If you’re only visiting for the day, taxis are a perfectly practical way to get around. You don’t need to deal with renting a car for a few hours, and taxis can get you between the cruise port, activities, beaches, and town. Just keep an eye on the time and leave yourself plenty of room to get back to the ship.
The goal for one day isn’t to see all of St. Thomas. It’s to have a really good day on St. Thomas.
Three Days in St. Thomas: The Perfect Long Weekend
Three days gives you enough time to experience several sides of St. Thomas. This is a great length for a long weekend because you can combine adventure, sightseeing, beach time, and the water while still leaving some room to relax.
DAY 1: ADVENTURE + BEACH
Use your first day to get out and experience the island. Start with an adventure such as ATVs, ziplining, or jet skiing then spend the afternoon at the beach. Magens Bay is an obvious first choice, but you can also explore another beach like Brewers Bay, Secret Harbor, or Lindquist. After a morning of activity, keep the afternoon simple: swim, grab lunch or a drink, and enjoy the Caribbean views.
DAY 2: SEE THE ISLAND
This is a good day to explore St. Thomas by car. Stop at scenic overlooks such as Drake’s Seat, explore Charlotte Amalie, browse the shops, visit Mountain Top and drive through different parts of the island. Leave room to pull over when you see a view you like or stop somewhere that looks interesting.
DAY 3: WATER + RELAXATION
Spend your final day on the water or at the beach. Snorkeling, sailing, or boating gives you a completely different way to experience the islands. You can also take a charter out to explore our neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John and Water Island. For a truly memorable stop, head to Lime Out, the floating taco bar in St. John, for tacos and drinks right on the water.
Staying for three days? Rent a car. Having your own transportation gives you much more freedom to explore St. Thomas, especially if you want to visit multiple beaches, viewpoints, restaurants, and activities during your stay. Just remember that we drive on the left and the island’s roads can be steep and mountainous.
Five Days in St. Thomas: Explore Beyond the Highlights
Five days gives you enough time to see the major highlights of St. Thomas and start exploring beyond the typical first-time visitor itinerary. You can fit in an adventure, several beach days, a day on the water, and a trip to St. John without making every day feel packed.
DAY 1: GET YOUR BEARINGS
Start with one of the island’s signature experiences. That could mean ziplining through the trees at Tree Limin’ Extreme, spending time out on the water, or taking a hike to explore nature.
DAY 2: EXPLORE ST. THOMAS
Take the car and see more of the island. Visit scenic overlooks, drive through the hills, explore Charlotte Amalie, stop for lunch, and check out a beach you haven’t visited yet. This is also a good day to experience some of the island’s history and local culture instead of spending the entire vacation at the beach.
DAY 3: SPEND THE DAY ON THE WATER
Book a snorkeling trip, go sailing, take a boat excursion, or find another way to get out on the water. Exploring St. Thomas by boat is something you don’t want to miss.
DAY 4: TAKE A TRIP TO ST. JOHN
With five days, a day trip to St. John is well worth considering. You have two main options for getting there: take the car ferry and bring your rental car, or take the passenger ferry and explore on foot. Bringing your car gives you the freedom to explore more of the island, including beaches, hiking trails, scenic spots, and areas beyond Cruz Bay. If you opt for the passenger ferry, you can spend the day exploring Cruz Bay’s restaurants, bars, shops, and waterfront without worrying about parking or driving. Either way, a day on St. John is an easy way to add another island experience to your vacation.
DAY 5: CORAL WORLD + COKI BEACH
Spend your final day exploring Coral World Ocean Park, where you can get up close with marine life and learn more about the Caribbean’s underwater world. Afterward, head next door to Coki Beach for some time in the water. Coki is a great spot for swimming and snorkeling, so bring your mask and spot some unique sea life. It’s an easy way to finish your five-day St. Thomas vacation with a mix of exploring and relaxing at the beach.
The Bottom Line
You can see St. Thomas in a day, but you don’t have to. Whether you’re here for a cruise or staying for several days, make time to explore, relax, and experience the island beyond the typical tourist stops.
Want to add some adventure to your trip? Zip through the trees with Tree Limin’ Extreme.
