Tips to Know Before Traveling to the US Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands are a territory of the United States of America located in the Caribbean. Due to the island’s location in the Caribbean, the U.S. Virgin Islands is considered America’s Caribbean paradise. The U.S. Virgin Islands, more commonly abbreviated as the USVI, is an amazing place to travel to. The islands truly are a Caribbean paradise with turquoise blue waters, beautiful beaches, and wonderful weather. We enjoy traveling to the US Virgin Islands and have visited all three islands that make up the USVI: St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. The USVI is a popular destination for Americans because flying to the USVI is considered a domestic flight for U.S. citizens. 

Even with US citizenship, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind when traveling to this amazing US territory. The following are our tips for making your visit to the USVI easier. Travel requirements can change. You should verify all travel requirements before your planned trip, as changes can occur. And, as with other countries, travel requirements to U.S. territories may differ depending on your country of citizenship or citizenship status. Keep reading for tips on traveling to the US Virgin Islands so you can plan your visit to America’s beautiful Caribbean paradise!

About the U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands are three large islands and about 50 cays and islets in the Caribbean. The islands were purchased by the United States from the Danish in 1917. The three main islands that make up the USVI are St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. Of the three islands, St. Croix is the largest island size-wise. St. Thomas has the largest population, and its largest city, Charlotte Amalie, is the capital of the USVI. There is also a small island off the coast of St. Thomas, Water Island, that tourists can visit. St. John is the smallest island of the three and is unique in that two-thirds of the island is designated as a United States National Park.

Where Are the U.S. Virgin Islands Located?

The USVI is located in the Caribbean Sea in the region known as the Greater Antilles. They are approximately 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, another beautiful territory of the U.S. The island of St. Thomas is about 1,103 miles from Miami, Florida. 

How Do You Get to the U.S. Virgin Islands?

There are a few ways to get to and travel between the islands of the USVI. The primary mode of transportation to the USVI is by airplane. Many people also travel to the USVI by cruise ship. If you plan to travel between the islands, you can do so by plane or ferry, depending on the islands you plan to visit. Here is more information on traveling to the US Virgin Islands by the three modes of transportation.

Traveling to the US Virgin Islands by Airplane

The main way to get to the USVI is to fly into St. Thomas or St. Croix. The island of St. John does not have an airport. Nonstop flights from various Southern and East Coast airports on the US mainland are available. You can also fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico to St. Thomas or St. Croix, which are both short flights. If you are flying from the West Coast or Midwest, you will likely have a layover at an airport like Miami, Dulles, Atlanta, or Dallas. This will definitely make your trip longer, as it does for us, but arriving in the USVI makes the longer trip so worth it!

Traveling to the US Virgin Islands by Cruise Ship

If you travel to the USVI by cruise ship, you will have one wonderful day visiting the USVI. Depending on your itinerary and the departure port of your cruise ship, you might be able to visit one or two Islands. It would be difficult to visit all three islands as time constraints and port schedules might not give you enough time to explore all of the USVI while in port. St. Thomas is the most popular and frequented cruise stop of the three islands. The second island that is usually on cruise itineraries is St. Croix.

If you are traveling to the US Virgin Islands by cruise ship and want to explore St. John, your best bet is to book an excursion to St. John. Cruise excursions to St. John are typically half-day excursions and are offered during your port stop in St. Thomas. The excursions can be a tour of the island or spending the day at one of the beaches snorkeling and enjoying the beautiful ocean. A half-day excursion will give you the rest of the day to explore St. Thomas until you have to return to your cruise ship. If you decide to visit St. John, make sure to keep track of the ferry schedule so you make it back to the ship by all aboard time.

Traveling to the US Virgin Islands by Ferry Boat

You can travel to St. John by passenger ferry from St. Thomas. The ferries from St. Thomas to St. John run daily, and all take less than an hour. There are three ferry routes between St. Thomas and St. John: Crown Bay, Charlotte Amalie, and Red Hook. The shortest ferry ride to Cruz Bay, St. John, is from Red Hook. The ferry ride only takes 15 minutes. When traveling from Charlotte Amalie, the ferry ride is 45 minutes. From Crown Bay, the ferry ride is only 35 minutes. The short travel times mean you can start exploring St. John fairly quickly. Of course, ocean conditions can impact the time the ferry takes to reach St. John. 

In addition to the passenger ferries, there are car ferries (or barges) that travel between St. Thomas and St. John. If you rent a car and want to take the vehicle to St. John, you can, assuming transporting the vehicle to St. John does not go against your rental agreement. The car ferries are first come, first serve, so plan on getting to the ferry landing about an hour early. There are a few companies that make this journey. The companies generally leave out of Red Hook Bay in St. Thomas. One of the barge companies that many use to get a car from St. Thomas to St. John is Big Red Barge.

Passenger Ferry Service Between St. Thomas and St. Croix

If you are in St. Thomas and would like to visit St. Croix, you can take a passenger ferry to St. Croix. St. Croix is 45 miles from St. Thomas so the ferry ride will be much longer at just under two hours long. The ocean can also be a bit rough. If you are prone to getting seasick, I recommend taking medication prior to starting your voyage to St. Croix. The ferry between St. Croix and St. Thomas does not run every day and usually only runs once per day. With this in mind, if you do plan to take the ferry to St. Croix, you will need to plan ahead and book accommodations for an overnight stay. You can book a round-trip passage on the QE IV Ferry website.

Do You Need a Passport to Travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands?

Whether or not you need a passport to travel to the USVI depends on your country of citizenship. Travelers to the USVI who are not US citizens will need a passport to travel to the USVI. If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to travel to the USVI. It is a domestic flight. However, US Citizens need to show proof of citizenship when leaving the USVI. This is where things can go wrong if you are not prepared ahead of time.

Traveling to the US Virgin Islands by Citizens of the United States

If you are a US citizen, flying to the USVI is a domestic flight because you are traveling to a territory within the United States. A passport is not required to enter the USVI. Problems can arise when you leave the USVI to return to the US mainland. Upon leaving, you will need to confirm that you are a US citizen for your flight back to the mainland. In order to do this, you will need to have proof of your citizenship status, such as a passport, raised-seal birth certificate or naturalization documents, and a government-issued photo ID, like a driver’s license. If you do not have a passport, you will need one of the other documents in addition to a government-issued photo ID. 

The proof of citizenship requirement is similar to going on a cruise out of a US port such as the Port of Miami, Port Tampa Bay, or the Port of Los Angeles. We usually travel with our US passports and/or passport cards if we are near the US border or going on a cruise. When we were traveling to the US Virgin Islands, we had our passports on hand. It might seem odd to have a passport for a domestic flight, but we find that having our passport when visiting US territories makes the travel process much easier. You can visit the Virgin Islands Port Authority website for more information on traveling to the USVI.

Taking Layover to a Foreign Country

You can easily visit nearby islands by ferry, such as Tortola, which is part of the British Virgin Islands, or take a flight to another island. Keep in mind that if you decide to do this during your visit to the USVI, you will need your passport. You will also need a passport if you have a layover in a foreign country.

Traveling to the USVI by Permanent Legal Residents of the United States

If you are a Green Card holder, you will need to bring your foreign passport in addition to your Green Card. 

Traveling to the USVI by Non-Citizens of the United States

Passports are required for all non-citizens of the United States to travel to the USVI. Specific visa requirements may vary depending on country of origin. Citizens of other countries should follow US travel requirements and get any visas that may be required to travel to the United States.

What Currency is Used in the USVI?

The USVI is a territory of the United States, thus the U.S. dollar is the currency used on the islands. If you are visiting from the mainland, you don’t need to worry about exchanging money. Having cash on you is a good idea when visiting the islands, as some businesses, local stores, and taxis only accept cash.

Credit cards are widely accepted on the islands. However, not all credit card companies are accepted in the USVI. The most widely accepted credit cards in the USVI are Mastercard and Visa. You might find a business here and there that will accept American Express but that is more the exception than the rule. It is a good idea to have a Visa or Mastercard in your wallet since those are the two most accepted credit card brands.

How Do You Get Around the Islands?

The best way to get around each of the three islands is to rent a car. You preferably want to rent a vehicle with 4WD, especially in St. Thomas and St. John. Of the three islands, St. Thomas and St. John have more hills and mountains, and 4WD will make driving up and down the hills easier.

You can use taxi services if you do not want to rent a car. However, if you decide only to use taxis, the cost will eventually add up and could cost you more than renting a car. The taxi price can vary, and you will likely see a cost for two people with an additional fee per person. Additionally, most, if not all, taxis will only accept cash, so be prepared to have cash on hand if you plan to take a taxi. 

Is There Public Transportation in the U.S. Virgin Islands?

Yes, there is public transportation in the USVI. The VITRAN is the public bus system in the USVI. However, public transportation on the islands is less reliable than on the US mainland. If you decide to only use the VITRAN, you could end up waiting a while for the bus.

Are Rideshare programs such as Uber and Lyft Available in the USVI?

No, unfortunately Uber and Lyft are not available in the U.S. Virgin Islands. You will need to rent a car, use public transportation, or rely on taxi service.

What Side of the Road Do People in the U.S. Virgin Islands Drive On?

The U.S. Virgin Islands are the only place in the United States and its territories where people drive on the left side of the road. Luckily, many, if not all, rental car companies have a sticker on the driver’s side windshield that says “Keep Left.” The stickers are there to remind drivers to drive on the left side of the road. 

When you are used to driving on the right side of the road, being in a car and driving on the left side of the road can be jarring at first. Eventually, you get used to it, but you might need to remind yourself to keep left until you do. Interestingly, on most rentals, the car’s driver’s side is on the left, just like on the mainland. This can add to the confusion, but just remember to keep left.

Are the Beaches in the USVI Public or Private?

Similarly to the states of Hawaii and California, all of the beaches in the USVI are public. There are no private beaches, however, some may charge an entrance fee, which is used to preserve the area, such as Magens Bay, one of the most popular beaches on St. Thomas to visit.

There are areas where beaches may be next to private property. If this is the case for the beach you decide to visit, look for public access signs that lead to public beach access routes. You should not be denied access to beaches during your visit as there is a requirement for there to be public access to all beaches. 

What Kind of Sunblock Should You Bring to the U.S. Virgin Islands?

Something important to note about sunblock in the USVI is that non-nano mineral-based sunscreen is recommended and preferred when visiting. Sunblocks with oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene are prohibited in the USVI. If you bring sunscreen, read the ingredients to ensure none of these three toxic O’s are listed. Non-nano mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are safe to use. 

If you are unsure about buying sunblock before your trip, you can wait until you get to the USVI and buy it on the islands. Many times, reef-safe sunblock sold on the mainland does not have two of the three toxic O’s. But it does have at least one of them. It is a good idea to read the ingredients to confirm that none of the toxic chemicals are used. This way, we can all do our part to protect the ocean reefs.

Additionally, we highly recommend using a rashguard when visiting. The sun in the Caribbean can be fierce, and you can get sunburned before you realize it. Every time we go to the Caribbean or Hawaii, we take our rash guard to help reduce the potential for sunburns.

What Time Zone Does the US Virgin Islands Use?

The U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Standard Time zone. They do not participate in daylight savings time, so they stay in Atlantic Standard Time. When the majority of the mainland switches to Daylight Savings Time during the spring and summer months, East Coast states and the USVI will be in the same time zone. The USVI will be one hour ahead of the East Coast states during the fall and winter months. 

When is the Best Time to Visit the US Virgin Islands?

The high season for visiting the USVI is from December to March. This is the busiest time to visit the Caribbean in general, and hotel prices are higher during this time than in the low season. This also corresponds to the driest time to visit the USVI. Temperatures generally hover around the 80s.

The shoulder months are April to early June. During this time, hotel prices generally drop as the tourist season slows down. If you visit during these months, you may get some rainfall, especially as you get closer to June. We visited the USVI in early June, and the weather was great. We did get some rain, but it was not a lot. Even though it did rain a little during our trip, it was still hot and in the 80s during our visit.

The low season, the least busy time to visit, is mid-June through November. Hotel prices are also lower during this time. You should know that this part of the season is also hurricane season in the Caribbean. There is also more rain during this time of the year. If you plan to visit during this time, consider protecting your trip by purchasing travel insurance. It is always a good idea to protect yourself by purchasing travel insurance for added peace of mind.

What Language Do They Speak in the US Virgin Islands?

The official language of the USVI is English. Besides English, you will also hear Spanish spoken by locals due to the island’s proximity to Puerto Rico. You will also hear dialects of Creole spoken in the USVI.

Which U.S. Virgin Island Should You Visit?

We believe you should visit all three islands as each island has something different to offer. If you are limited on time, start with a visit to St. Thomas. There are many things to do in St. Thomas. Of the three islands, St. Thomas has more nightlife and resorts. You can also plan to take a ferry to St. John. You can spend a day or two in St. John exploring the island.

St. John is smaller but is home to the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. If you spend some time in St. John, you can hike to beaches and explore the National Park. If you are looking for a quieter island vacation or more interested in snorkeling and scuba diving, then St. Croix should be your first choice. St. Croix has great diving and beautiful beaches. There are a couple of historical forts that you can visit, as well as the easternmost point of the United States.

Is Traveling to the US Virgin Islands Worth It?

Yes, traveling to the US Virgin Islands is worth it! There are many beautiful beaches to visit where you can swim, snorkel, or just relax and enjoy the sunshine. Each island is different in its own way, making a visit to each island a different experience. We hope these tips will help you plan a visit to the USVI so you can experience the beauty of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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