Cool Things To Do in St. Thomas

Cool activities are not hard to come by in St. Thomas. Whether you define cool as "hip," or whether you choose to define it literally, as in "relief from the baking tropical sun," it doesn't really matter. The coolest activities on St. Thomas involve food, dining, watersports or sightseeing; but whatever you choose you'll either be cooling off, or doing something impossibly hip.

There are several cool eateries around the island, starting with Hubbly Bubbly, a cool, understated lounge in Yacht haven Grande that offers a variety of flavored shisha (tobacco smoked through a water pipe) and a decent-sized menu of middle-eastern staples such as falafel, shawarma , and hummus. Low-slung leather lounge chairs, flat-screen TVs and moody lighting create a relaxed, hip ambiance. During the day the atmosphere is mellow and relaxed, but after dark the bar heats up and the music starts playing, and it gets pretty lively into the wee hours.

For a literally "cool" food experience, head to the Udder Delite Dairy Bar, next to the St. Thomas Dairy on the road down to Magens Bay beach. Because of its nondescript appearance and blink-and-you'll miss it location on route 35 most people just pass it by. But if you find it, you'll be tickled by the liquor-spiked ice cream shakes in creative flavors such as Eskimo Sip and Jamocho.

There are also a few novel watersports activities for those who are tired of the usual snorkeling and SCUBA diving. For example, you could try "snuba" diving (an alternative to SCUBA involving a mask hooked up to a hose that supplies continuous oxygen from the surface) at Coral World. Or for something you can really brag to your friends about, why not jet off on an underwater scooter called B.O.S.S.? No swimming or diving experience is even required. If boating's your thing, Nauti Nymph will rent you a powerboat for a day, with or without a captain. Spend an afternoon exploring the uninhabited islands off the coast of St. Thomas, or snorkeling at one of the offshore reefs. Another way to explore the offshore world is with V.I. Ecotours, who will take you on a three-hour kayak-snorkel-hike tour through the mysterious mangroves of St. Thomas.

There are also a few beaches that have a high "hip" factor. Hull Bay beach, for example, is popular with locals and boasts a way cool beach bar and an uber-cool sushi hut called Watahoshi. Secret Harbour is also a lesser-known (therefore cool) beach tucked away into a corner of the east end, near Secret Harbor beach resort.

More Top Lists

Popular Places