Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Did You Know . . . ?
W
Columbus, the first tourist to St. Croix,
was driven away by a rain of arrows
from the Carib Indians.
W
Under FDR's New Deal, the federal
government produced a rum here
called “Government House.” FDR
designed the label himself.
W
Alexander Hamilton once worked in a
hardware store on St. Croix.
CHRISTIANSTED
The historic district of Christiansted has four main streets leading toward the water:
Strand Street, King Street, Company Street, and Queen Street. Because the city is
compact, it can easily be explored on foot. All streets start at the harbor and go up
slightly sloped hillsides, and each street heads back down the hill to the port so you
can't get lost. The
visitor information center
is located at 53A Company St. The
center of Christiansted can get very congested, and driving around is difficult
because of the one-way streets. It's usually more practical to park your car and cover
the small district on foot. You will find open-air parking on both sides of Fort Chris-
tiansvaern. See the “Walking Tour: Christiansted” map, on p. 171, to orient yourself.
THE NORTH SHORE
This coastal strip that stretches from Cottongarden Point, the eastern tip of the
island, all the way west past Christiansted and up and around Salt River Bay, comes
to an end as it reaches the settlement of Northside in the far west. It is the most
touristy region of St. Croix, site of the best beaches, the most hotels, and the finest
resorts and shopping. It is also the takeoff point (at Christiansted Harbor) for excur-
sions to Buck Island, St. Croix's most popular attraction. Many visitors confine their
stay in St. Croix entirely to the north coast. The northern coastline is not only long
but also diverse, going from a lush tropical forest that envelops most of the northwest
to the eastern sector, which is dry with palm-lined beaches.
THE EAST END
The East End begins immediately east of Christiansted, the capital, taking in Tama-
rind Reef Beach and Reef Beach before it reaches Teague Bay, coming to an end at
Cottongarden Point, the far eastern tip of St. Croix. This section of St. Croix is linked
by Route 82 (also called East End Rd.). The Buccaneer, the major resort of St. Croix,
is found here, along with the Tamarind Reef Hotel. The area is far less congested
than the section immediately to the west of Christiansted, and many visitors prefer
the relative isolation and tranquillity of the East End. This section of St. Croix is rela-
tively dry, the landscape a bit arid, but its compensating factor is a number of palm-
lined beaches. The best place for a beach picnic is Cramer Park at the far eastern tip,
a U.S.V.I. territorial beach popular with islanders.
FREDERIKSTED
It's hard to get lost in tiny Frederiksted, but it is a port of call for cruises, so some-
times you can find yourself lost in a crowd. Most visitors head for the central historic
district, where the Frederiksted Pier juts out into the sea. The two major streets, both
of which run parallel to the water, are Strand Street and King Street. See the
“Frederiksted” map on p. 175 to help get your bearings.
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