Dreaming of a vacation where you get to lounge on stunning beaches, see adorable turtles, and relax under the sun? Well, luckily the Virgin Islands has that and so much more. I’ve created this post to give you the 10 best things to do in Virgin Islands National Park.
If you don’t know me, I’m Lita and I’ve been to 57 of the National Parks in the US, with a goal to see them all! So, I spent months planning out the perfect trip to the Virgin Islands to make sure that we could see the best of the island.
Now, I want to help you plan your trip, so that you have an incredible time. You’ll find all of the best things to do on your trip to Virgin Islands National Park. Plus, if you need help planning all of the logistics, you can read my guide here.
Virgin Islands at a Glance
VIRGIN ISLANDS IN A NUTSHELL
Short on time? Read this quick overview for your trip to Virgin Islands National Park with everything you need to know!
- Where to Stay: Find lodging in Cruz Bay or camp at Cinnamon Bay
- Getting there: Fly into St Thomas and take the ferry to St John
- How to Get Around: Rent a jeep or take local taxis
- Best Time to Visit: Winter
Best Things to Do in the Virgin Islands
1. Spend a Day at Trunk Beach
Trunk Beach is often called one of the “most beautiful beaches in the world.” With white sand, vibrant blue water, and trees lining the way, what’s not to love?
In fact, tons of visitors come from St Thomas for the day, so that they can experience the beauty of this beach themselves.
Trunk Bay has an entry fee of $5 per person! 💵
Trunk Bay has chair rentals, a bar, restaurant and everything you could need so that you can settle in for the day. There’s also snorkels to take on the underwater snorkeling trail, which takes about half an hour.
That being said, it’s also one of the most popular beaches on the island. We got there around 8 am and the parking lot was already halfway full! We ended up finding a great spot under the trees where we could spend the whole day.
I definitely recommend spending one full day at this beach!
2. See Sea Turtles at Maho Bay
Maho Bay is another lovely beach in the park, but this one has an added bonus: it has sea turtles! 🐢
There’s tons of sea grass underwater here, which is the sea turtles favorite thing to snack on. So, they end up swimming back and forth here all day long. Sometimes, you can even see them pop up their heads while you’re sitting on the beach.
It’s also a great place to spend a full day, because they have places to get food, drinks, and kayaks there as well.
This was actually our favorite beach and our favorite snorkeling, so we went back twice! If you snorkel along the walls you can see things like squid, octopus, and colorful fish!
3. Learn About History at Annaberg Sugar Plantation
Virgin Islands National Park and St John have a tragic history. This island was once home to tons of slaves from the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.
Back in the 1700s, St John actually had hundreds more slaves than it did Dutch colonials. The slaves lived in harsh conditions in the extreme heat and worked on the sugar plantations.
In 1733, there was a huge slave revolt, which lasted for months! It was considered one of the most successful slave rebellions of the time. If you don’t know about this at all, I encourage you to listen to this National Park After Dark Episode.
There are still many areas that are preserved from this time in history throughout the park. But, Annaberg Sugar Plantation is one of the best places to see it for yourself. This site has ruins from that period with a windmill, factory, and slave quarters. There are also informational signs to read as you walk through.
It’s important to recognize the pain of the past and see these sites yourself.
4. Hike to Ram’s Head
There are numerous hikes throughout Virgin Islands National Park, but in my opinion Ram’s Head is the best one. It takes you along the beach until you get to a stunning panoramic view over the island!
This hike is just 2.5 miles total, so it’s a good trail for most levels of hikers. 🥾
It leaves from Salt Bay Pond, which is a nice beach to spend time at, and then climbs through the hills. At the top, you’ll feel like you’re on the edge of the world as wind whips through your hair. Plus, there’s a plaque there for the St John Slave Rebellion, which you can read more about.
I love hiking and this trail actually exceeded my expectations. There were so many varied natural features and sights to see along the way. We loved every minute of this hike.
Plus, once you’re done hiking you can snorkel right at Salt Bond Pay or relax there for the rest of the day!
5. Go Snorkeling to See Vibrant Fish
If there’s one thing you have to do in the Virgin Islands, its go snorkeling! This park is well known for the incredible sea life that swim under its shores.
We were on the island for 5 days and we snorkeled every single day. In just one of our snorkel excursions, we saw an octopus, squid, tons of fish, and multiple sea turtles. There’s just so many cool things and places to explore under water!
I highly recommend getting snorkel equipment in town, so that you can rent it for the whole time you’re there at a good price. I believe our snorkels cost $7 a day. Then, go around and try snorkeling in various spots.
Best snorkeling spots:
- Maho Bay – to see sea turtles!
- Waterlemon Cay– You’ll have to hike along Leinster Bay for .5 mile before swimming across the way to the Cay.
- Trunk Bay– for the underwater trail
- Salt Pond Bay– serene spot for snorkeling
6. Kayak at Cinnamon Bay
Cinnamon Bay is one of the liveliest beaches in the Virgin Islands! This beach has it all including glamping spots, a general store, kayak and sailboat rentals, and plenty of food and snack options. It’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular beaches to visit.
Luckily, the parking lots for Cinnamon Beach are pretty large, because it tends to attract a crowd every single day.
One of the best things to do when you’re hanging at Cinnamon Beach is to rent one of the watercraft to take out on the water. They have plenty of options and you can go set out on the water to see what you can find. It’s a great family friendly activity!
7. Spend Time at the Visitor Center
One of my first stops at every single national park is the visitor center and this park was no exception! The Visitor Center is located on the edge of Cruz Bay and is just off the road before you get into the heart of the park.
This visitor center is only open during week days! It’s open Monday-Thursday from 8:15-4 and then 8:15-1:30 on Fridays. So, just note that before you plan your visit.
You can go inside and get valuable information about the current conditions, as well as if there are any closures you need to be aware of before your visit. We loved talking to the rangers about their favorite snorkel spots and beaches.
Plus, you can snag a souvenir like a t-shirt or the Passport stamps if you’re collecting those.
8. Drive to the Scenic Viewpoints
One thing I love about the Virgin Islands National Park, is that the beauty is truly accessible for everyone. All you need to be able to do is get there and then you can see the stunning scenery right off the road!
So, take your jeep for a spin and stop along the way at the various spots. My favorite overlook was probably the one over Maho Bay.
For an additional scenic spot that is technically outside of the park, go to Windmill Bar. This bar has the best panoramas on the island. But, if you want to see sunset here, you’ll want to get there early to snag a spot. We arrived about 90 minutes before sunset and easily got a table, but by the time we left there were people everywhere!
Best Scenic overlooks:
- Trunk Bay Overlook
- Maho Bay Overlook
- Bordeaux Mountain Overlook
9. Journey to Honeymoon Beach
Honeymoon Beach is one of the most remote beaches, because the only way to get there is to walk. Unfortunately, we never ended up making it there during our trip (I had really bad morning sickness), but it’s one of the places that I need to go back to see!
If you are coming from the town of St John, you’ll follow the Lind Point Trail for a mile until you get to the stunning beach.
Luckily, like many of the other beaches on the island, they offer beach rentals, snacks, and other amenities. So, once you’re there for the day you can truly lounge.
10. Take a Boat Tour
There are so many boat excursions that you can take throughout the Virgin Islands. Rent a catamaran or a boat to take you to reefs that you can only access from the water. Plus, who doesn’t like spending the day out on a boat?
Also, one of the best parts is many of the boat tours will take you to Lime Out, which is a floating taco shop. The only way to access it is on the water! So, it’s a great way to end your day out in the sun.
Honestly, I was too sick to do this during our visit, but it was something that I really wanted to do!
Final Thoughts on Your Trip to the Virgin Islands
Honestly, you cannot go wrong planning a trip to the Virgin Islands, whether you want to spend all day relaxing on the beach or try to explore as much as possible. There’s something for everyone at all activity levels.
When we were planning the trip, I really thought that I was going to do different activities all day long. But, as soon as we got there, all I wanted to do was relax on the various beaches and go snorkeling. That being said, I still feel like I saw so much of the park!
So, get out there and truly enjoy the tropical paradise. 🌴😎
Let me know if you enjoyed this blog post in the comments!
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