Family holidays with children in US Virgin Islands - attractions and entertainment

The U.S. Virgin Islands – Saint Thomas, Saint Croix, and Saint John – are a paradise for beach recreation, divers, and nature fans. This is a comfortable resort even for small children who are not forgotten here. Local tourist infrastructure tries to create a comfortable environment for visitors of all ages, making sure that both kids and their parents enjoy a great vacation. There are certain visa requirements for parents with small children who plan to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands. For example, if a child travels with only one parent, the other parent must sign notarized permission that allows the child to leave the country of residence. If all family members are present, this document is not required.

Almost all beaches on the U.S. Virgin Islands are made in lagoons formed by coral reefs. Because of this, strong currents do not reach the shore. Waves crash into reefs, and lagoons are relatively shallow and have a flat bottom. One needs to walk dozens of meters in the water until it becomes deep, and this fact makes local beaches perfectly suitable for tourists with small children. The only thing that somewhat scares beginners at first are pelicans - these birds snorkel into the water in search of food and do not pay any attention to people. Watching these birds quickly becomes an interesting pastime.

Saint Thomas Island is famous for its white-sand beaches, palm trees that grow close to water, and clear turquoise water. There are pelicans on nearly all beaches. They jump into the water as long as they see a fish and do not care if there are people nearby. Local water is transparent, and it is possible to see colorful fish of different sizes from time to time. Fish easily gets scared and swims away quickly – children love this entertainment very much. There are iguanas in all parts of Saint Thomas. There are really many of them and they are everywhere. These animals are not dangerous and do not mind when people take pictures of them. It is even possible to hand feed some iguanas. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Saint Thomas is a great destination for a family vacation. Many hotels organize special activities for guests with children – they hire professional animators, make special swimming pools for babies, playgrounds, and sports areas. Some even have own aqua parks. There are many hotels of this type on the island. Here are just some of them: Cala Blanca Sun Hotel, Roc Lago Park, Floramar Aparthotel, Nelva Resort & Hotels, and Hotel Aguamarina. Some hotels (Club Ciudadela, Carema Club Resort, Hamilton Court) partner with professional tutors who do their best to help vacationers with children.

The Sol Falco Hotel offers a wonderful stay without any extra fees. However, all-inclusive hotels are not popular on the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is more common to charge money for everything. By the way, tourists do not necessarily need cash as bank cards by major payment systems are widely accepted at all hotels. Other hotels are not so obviously targeted at vacationers with children but they expect guests with kids so they can add children beds to hotel rooms (Apartamentos Sol Ponent, Sunset Son Bou).

Saint John Island is a true paradise for everyone who loves nature. The island is rich in beautiful bays, capes, beaches, and hills. 364 meters above sea level is the highest point of the island. There is a national park with a beautiful tropical forest that is home to wild monkeys. The picturesque views of the park are worth seeing. In Christiansted (Saint Croix Island), there is an interesting weekly event that takes place on Mondays – lobster “racing”. This is a funny event for the whole family. There is one more interesting event at the same location – the Fishing Festival. This is an exciting celebration with delicious food. Fascinated kids and pleased parents – the festival will leave only warm memories.

It is not a problem to find suitable food – the islands offer European, American, and Asian cuisines. An interesting fact – even though the islands are a part of the United States, there are no McDonald’s cafes. Restaurants in hotels offer delicious food and try to please their guests with original serving methods. Apartments have their own kitchens, so tourists can cook their own food from ingredients that they buy in shops or markets. Food in shops is mostly imported and is more expensive than in the continental United States. Local food is cheaper and is available only in markets.

The biggest island, Saint Thomas, has public transport that has only one fixed route, but that route doesn’t cover the whole island. If you need to get to an area that has no public transport, taxi is the only solution. The taxi services are several times more expensive than public transport. Taxi price often depends not on the length of a ride but on the number of passengers present. If a child sits near, he/she can be considered one more passenger. The tropical sun is dangerous. It is easy to get sunburnt quickly if you don’t apply any protection. In order to prevent this unpleasant condition, do not forget to use sunscreens and wear a hat. It is also a good idea to stay indoors or in shady areas during the midday.

A couple of words about safety. The crime level is very low on the islands. Everyone understands that tourism is the main source of money for the islands, so locals try not to offend tourists. This is not just some pathetic statement – tourism brings as much as 80% of all earnings. Many local venues are targeted exclusively at foreign guests. For example, there are many shops with jewelry, cosmetics, perfumes, and souvenirs. Islanders do not need these items because they mostly have a modest lifestyle. Of course, there can be pickpockets at festivals and in popular public areas, but thieves usually arrive together with tourists, so thefts are quite rare. Generally speaking, the U.S. Virgin Islands are safe for tourists.