Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You're likely to share the vista with a busload of folks on an island tour. The views you
get by simply driving east from here on Crown Mountain Rd may not be quite as spectac-
ular, but you will have them all to yourself.
Estate St Peter Greathouse & Botanical Garden
GARDEN
(
www.greathousevi.com
;
admission$15; 8am-4pm)
Like Mountain Top, this contem-
porary great house at the corner of Barrett Hill Rd and Rte 40 is a popular attraction for
tour groups. The 11-acre property overlooking Magens Bay has been the retreat of a French
consul, an island governor and the Johnson & Johnson Corporation. Largely destroyed by
Hurricane Hugo, the great house and botanical gardens have been restored. The house has
photos of hurricane damage, a local art collection and views of the north-shore bays from
an expansive deck. There are also a few shops, a bar and a cafe on the premises. The site is
open only when cruise ships are in port.
Beaches
Magens Bay
FAMILY BEACH
(adult/child $4/2; 6am-6pm; )
The sugary mile that fringes heart-shaped Magens
Bay, 3 miles north of Charlotte Amalie, makes almost every travel publication's list of
beautiful beaches. The seas here are calm, the bay is broad, and the vista of the surrounding
green hills is dramatic.
The beach and much of the surrounding land is protected as a territorial park (hence the
admission fee). In a sense, Magens Bay is the public beach for St Thomas. It has lifeguards,
picnic tables, changing facilities, a couple of food vendors and water-sports operators rent-
ing
kayaksandpaddleboats
($20 to 30 per hour). On weekends, when the locals come to
party, and on days when the cruise ships bus in their passengers, you'll find mobs of people
here, but the beach is so long that you may not feel claustrophobic. If you do, head for the
west end, which is always sparsely populated.
Snorkeling is not very good at Magens, but
swimming
and
walking
are. Children will
do well here since the water is calm and shallow. There's a
nature trail
about midway
down the bay that takes off into the bush, but be prepared for attack by biting insects if you
decide to venture forth.
No regularly scheduled public transportation stops here, but there's a taxi stand on-site
with bountiful cabs. A taxi to/from Charlotte Amalie costs $10 (it goes down to $8 per per-
son in a multi-passenger vehicle). If you drive, parking costs $2. Don't forget to stop at
Udder Delite Dairy Bar for a milkshake on the road down.
