Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE
best
VIEWS IN ST. THOMAS
The
Paradise Point St. Thomas Skyride
(
&
340/774-9809;
www.stthomassky
ride.com) affords visitors a dramatic
view of Charlotte Amalie's harbor, with a
ride to a 700-foot peak. The tramway,
similar to those used at ski resorts,
operates six cars, each with an eight-
person capacity, for the 15-minute
round-trip ride. It transports customers
from the Havensight area to Paradise
Point, where you can disembark to visit
shops and the popular restaurant and
bar. The tramway runs daily 9am to
5pm. Reservations are required; the cost
is $21 per adult round-trip, $11 round-trip
for children 6 to 12, and free for children
5 and under.
For those who can afford it or who
simply aren't satisfied with the view
from Paradise Point, there's
Air Center
Helicopters,
Waterfront, Charlotte Ama-
lie (
&
340/775-7335;
www.aircenter
helicopters.com). The short but dramatic
rides go over the U.S. Virgins. A four- to
six-seater helicopter flies at a cost of
$750 per half-hour. Day trips to St. John
and St. Croix can also be arranged, as
well as trips to San Juan and the B.V.I.
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Attractions in the West
Route 30 (Veterans Dr.) will take you west of Charlotte Amalie to
Frenchtown
(turn
left at the sign to the Admiral's Inn). Early French-speaking settlers arrived on St.
Thomas from St. Bart's after they were uprooted by the Swedes. Many of today's
island residents are the direct descendants of those long-ago immigrants, who were
known for speaking a distinctive French patois. This colorful village contains a bevy
of restaurants and taverns. Because Charlotte Amalie has become somewhat danger-
ous at night, Frenchtown has picked up its after-dark business and is the best spot
for dancing, drinking, and other local entertainment.
Farther west, Harwood Highway (Rte. 308) will lead you to
Crown Mountain
Road,
a scenic drive opening onto the best views of the hills, beaches, and crystal-
clear waters around St. Thomas.
Attractions Around the Island
A driving tour is the best way to see the island; see the itinerary below for our sugges-
tions.
Tropic Tours,
14AB the Guardian Building (
&
800/524-4334
or 340/774-
1855; www.tropictoursusvi.com), offers practically the same tour of St. Thomas,
including Drake's Seat, the Estate St. Peter Greathouse, and Charlotte Amalie shop-
ping. The cost is $45 per person, $36 for children 12 and under.
Coral World Ocean Park
This marine complex, which is St. Thomas's
number-one tourist attraction, features a three-story underwater observation tower
100 feet offshore. Inside, you'll spy sea sponges, fish, coral, and other aquatic crea-
tures in their natural state. An 80,000-gallon reef tank features exotic marine life of
the Caribbean; another tank is devoted to sea predators, with circling sharks and giant
moray eels. Activities include daily fish and shark feedings. The latest addition to the
park is a semisubmarine that lets you enjoy the panoramic view and the “down under”
feeling of a submarine without truly submerging.
Nondivers can get some of the thrill long known to scuba aficionados by participat-
ing in
Sea Trek,
which is slightly different from Snuba (p. 84). For $68, or $59 for
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