6 Best Sights in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Part of Buck Island Reef National Monument, this is a must-see for anyone in St. Croix. The beach is beautiful, but its finest treasures are those you can see when you plop off the boat and adjust your mask, snorkel, and fins to swim over colorful coral and darting fish. Don't know how to snorkel? No problem—the boat crew will have you outfitted and in the water in no time. Take care not to step on those black-pointed spiny sea urchins or touch the mustard-color fire coral, which can cause a nasty burn. Most charter-boat trips start with a snorkel over the lovely reef before a stop at the island's beach. A hike leads uphill to an overlook for a bird's-eye view of the reef below. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

A tour of this distillery, established in 1760, culminates in a rum tasting, all of which are sold here at good prices—including more than a dozen flavored rums you'll find in popular St. Croix cocktails like the Cruzan Confusion. The distillery is also the best place to pick up a bottle or two of Cruzan's premium single-barrel and Estate Diamond rums. It's worth a stop to look at the charming old buildings and learn about the distillation process, even if you're not a rum connoisseur.

When you're tired of sightseeing, stop at this shady park on the street side of Fort Christiansvaern for a rest. It's named for a famed labor leader, judge, and journalist who started the first newspaper not under the thumb of the Danish crown (his birthday, November 1, is a territorial holiday celebrated with much fanfare in St. Croix). Public restrooms are available.

The large yellow fortress dominates the waterfront. Because it's so easy to spot, it makes a good place to begin a walking tour. In 1749 the Danish built the fort to protect the harbor, but the structure was repeatedly damaged by hurricane-force winds and had to be partially rebuilt in 1771. It's now a National Historic Site, the best preserved of the few remaining Danish-built forts in the Virgin Islands. The park's visitor center is here, and rangers are on hand to answer questions.

At this 17-acre estate, fragrant flora grows amid the ruins of a 19th-century sugarcane plantation (the former overseer's house has been left open to the elements as a habitat for native fruit bats). There are miniature versions of each ecosystem on St. Croix, from a semiarid cactus grove to a verdant rain forest, along with hiking trails, a small museum, and a collection of seashells. The garden's orchid and bromeliad blooms are impressive. 

The first Danish Lutheran church on the island when it was built in 1753, the Steeple Building has been given new life as a museum with archaeological artifacts and exhibits on plantation life, the architectural development of Christiansted, the island's native inhabitants, and one-time St. Croix resident Alexander Hamilton. As of this writing, however, the building was closed for roof repairs. Admission, when it's open, is included in the price of visiting Christiansted National Historic Site.