Where can Americans travel outside of the continental United States during the Covid-19 pandemic?

By: |Published on: Oct 13, 2020|Categories: Itineraries|

U.S. Virgin Islands.

With many travel destinations being closed to U.S. citizens, the U. S. Virgin Islands still offers a luxurious paradise for those who want to get away. Being that they are small islands located in the Caribbean makes getting there a little tricky, but well worth the effort. While St. Thomas and St. Croix have airports, St. John can only be reached by ferry from St. Thomas. 

Once you reach the islands, you will need to consider what land transportation is best. Depending on the island and time of year, your options will include taxi, bus, or rental car.

The U.S. Virgin Islands—St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix—may fly the American flag, but “America’s Paradise” is in reality a mix of the foreign and familiar that offers something for everyone to enjoy. The history, beautiful beaches, myriad activities, good food, and no-passport-required status make the Virgin Islands an inviting beach destination for many Americans.

Air 

  • St. Croix – While St. Croix is not as well served as St. Thomas when it comes to nonstop flights from the United States, you will still be able to fly nonstop from Atlanta (on Delta) or from Miami (on American Airlines). You can also get connecting service through San Juan or St. Thomas via Cape Air, which offers code-share arrangements with all major airlines, so your luggage can transfer seamlessly. Seaborne Airlines flies between St. Thomas, St. Croix, and San Juan.
    • Henry Rohlsen Airport. Estate Mannings Bay, Christiansted, Saint Croix. 340/778–1012; www.viport.com.
  • St. John – St. John does not have an airport, so you will need to fly into St. Thomas and then take a ferry over.
  • St. Thomas – American, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Spirit, United, and US Airways fly to St. Thomas from the United States. Cape Air and Seaborne Airlines fly from San Juan.
    • Cyril E. King Airport. Airport Code: STT Telephone: (340) 774-5100 Fax: (340) 774-5594 Website: www.viport.com 

Ferry

  • St. Croix – N/A
  • St. John – There’s frequent daily service from both Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas to Cruz Bay (the more frequent ferry is the one from Red Hook). There’s also frequent service from Cruz Bay to Tortola and less frequent service to the other British Virgin Islands, including Jost Van Dyke (some via Tortola). Virgin Islands ferry schedules are published on the website of the Virgin Islands Vacation Guide & Community. The actual schedules change, so you should check with the ferry companies to determine the current schedules. Remember that a passport is now required to travel between the USVI and BVI by ferry.
    • Contact – Virgin Islands Vacation Guide and Community. www.vinow.com.
  • St. Thomas – There’s frequent service from St. Thomas to St. John and Tortola, and less frequent service to Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. Virgin Islands ferry schedules are published on the website of the Virgin Islands Vacation Guide & Community. There’s also a ferry from Charlotte Amalie’s waterfront to the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Hotel. In St. Thomas, ferries leave from both Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook. Remember that a passport is now required to travel between the USVI and BVI by ferry. Schedules change, so you should confirm current schedules with the ferry companies.
    • Contact – Virgin Islands Vacation Guide and Community. www.vinow.com.

Land transportation

  • St. Croix 
    • Car – having a car can be a big advantage on St. Croix. With a wide variety of good restaurants and no large concentration of accommodations around either Christiansted or Frederiksted, a car can be very helpful regardless of where you are staying. Accommodations along the north shore are even more isolated, making a car more of a necessity to travelers staying there. Just remember that you drive on the left even though cars are U.S.–made with steering wheels on the left. Avis is at Henry Rohlsen Airport and at the seaplane ramp in Christiansted. Budget has branches at the airport and near the seaplane terminal in Christiansted. Hertz is at the airport. Judi of Croix delivers vehicles to your hotel. Olympic is outside Christiansted, but will pick up at hotels.
      • Avis. Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, Saint Croix. 340/778–9355; 800/354–2847; www.avis.com.
      • Budget. Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, Saint Croix. 340/778–9636; 888/264–8894.
      • Hertz. Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, Saint Croix. 340/778–1402; 888/248–4261; www.rentacarstcroix.com.
      • Judi of Croix. 340/773–2123; 877/903–2123; www.judiofcroix.com.
      • Olympic. Rte. 70, Christiansted, Saint Croix. 340/718–3000; 888/878–4227; www.olympicstcroix.com.
    • Taxi – Taxis are available in downtown Christiansted, at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, and at the Frederiksted pier during cruise-ship arrivals, or they can be called. In Frederiksted, all the shops are a short walk away, as is a great beach, so there’s no need for a taxi if you are staying in town. Most cruise-ship passengers visit Christiansted on a tour since a taxi will cost $25 for one or two people (one way).
      • Antilles Taxi Service. Christiansted, Saint Croix. 340/773–5020.
      • St. Croix Taxi Association. Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, Saint Croix. 340/778–1088; www.stcroixtaxi.com.
    • Bus – Privately owned taxi vans crisscross St. Croix regularly, providing reliable service between Frederiksted and Christiansted along Route 70. This inexpensive ($2.50 one way) mode of transportation is favored by locals, and though the many stops on the 20-mile (32-km) drive between the two main towns make the ride slow, it’s never dull. Vitran public buses aren’t the quickest way to get around the island, but they’re comfortable and affordable. The fare is $1 between Christiansted and Frederiksted.
  • St. John
    • Car – You will almost certainly need a car if you are staying in a villa or in Coral Bay, but you might be able to get by with taxis if you are staying elsewhere. Major roads are well paved, but once you get off a specific route, dirt roads filled with potholes are common. For such driving, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is your best bet. St. John has only two gas stations, both at the Cruz Bay end of the island so make sure you’re not near empty when you set out for Coral Bay. Parking in Cruz Bay is difficult. Your best bet is to rent a car from a company that allows you to park in its lot. Make sure you ask before you sign on the dotted line if you plan to spend time in Cruz Bay.

All the car-rental companies in St. John are locally owned, and most are just a short walk from the ferry dock in Cruz Bay. Those located a bit farther away will pick you up.

  • Best. Near library, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/693–8177; www.bestcarrentalvi.com.
  • Cool Breeze. 1 block east of the passenger ferry dock, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/776–6588; www.coolbreezecarrental.com.
  • Courtesy. Near St. Ursula’s Church, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/776–6650; www.courtesycarrental.com.
  • Denzil Clyne. North Shore Rd. , across from creek, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/776–6715.
  • O’Connor Car Rental. Rte. 104 , near the roundabout, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/776–6343; www.oconnorcarrental.com.
  • St. John Car Rental. Bay St. , near Wharfside Village, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/776–6103; www.stjohncarrental.com.
  • Spencer’s Jeep. Boulon Center Rd. , near creek, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/693–8784; 888/776–6628.
  • Taxi – Taxis meet ferries arriving in Cruz Bay. You can find them congregated at the dock and at hotel parking lots. You can also hail them anywhere on the road. Almost all trips will be shared, and prices are per person. Paradise Taxi will pick you up if you call, but most drivers don’t provide that service. 
    • Paradise Taxi. Waterfront, Cruz Bay, Saint John. 340/714–7913.
  • Bus – Modern Vitran buses on St. John run from the Cruz Bay ferry dock through Coral Bay to the far eastern end of the island at Salt Pond, making numerous stops in between. The fare is $1 to any point, but the service is slow and not always reliable.
  • St. Thomas
    • Car – You will want to rent a car if you are staying in a private villa, but if you are staying in a hotel on the beach, you can usually get by with taxis. If you are a family or group then a car can be a more cost-effective since taxi rates are per person.Traffic can be bad, especially in Charlotte Amalie at rush hour. If you need to get from an East End resort to the airport during this time, find the alternate route (starting from the East End, Route 38 to 42 to 40 to 33). Most GPS units will work in the Virgin Islands and some car-rental agencies will rent out GPS devices.Major car-rental companies have locations at the airport.
      • Avis. Cyril E. King Airport, 70 Lindbergh Bay , 4 miles west of Charlotte Amalie, Lindbergh Bay, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/774–1468; www.avis.com.
      • Biz Rentals. Scooters, motorcycles, and Jeep Wranglers for rent by the day or week. Route 30, Across from the main Havensight Mall gate, between Al Cohen Mall and Guardian Insurance Plaza, Havensight, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas. 340/774–5840; www.rentamotion.com.
      • Budget. Cyril E. King Airport, 70 Lindbergh Bay , 4 miles west of Charlotte Amalie, Lindbergh Bay, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/776–5774; www.budgetstt.com.
      • Dependable Car Rental. Estate Contant, 12 Lindbergh Bay , 1½ miles (3 km) east of Cyril E. King Airport off Rte. 308, turning north at the Medical Arts Bldg., Lindbergh Bay, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/774–2253; 800/522–3076; www.dependablecar.com.
      • Discount Car Rental. The main office of this local, family-owned business is in Lindbergh Bay, but they pick up at the Cyril E. King Airport as well as from most resorts and hotels. Cyril E. King Airport, 70 Lindbergh Bay , 4 miles west of Charlotte Amalie; car rental is located adjacent to the entrance road of the airport, 1 min from the terminal, 00803. 340/776–4858; 877/478–2833; www.discountcar.vi.
      • E-Z Car Rental. Anchorage Beach Resort, Yacht Club Rd., off Rte. 322, on the far east end of St. Thomas and a 30-min. drive from the airport, 00802. 340/775–6255; 800/524–2027.
      • Hertz. Cyril E King Airport, Airport Rd., 8100 Lindbergh Bay , 4 miles west of Charlotte Amalie, Lindbergh Bay, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/774–1879; www.hertz.com.
    • Taxi – USVI taxis charge per person and have set prices and usually take multiple fares. Most taxis are either safari-style or enclosed, air-conditioned vans. They can be hailed on the street and can also be called by telephone. There are taxi stands in Charlotte Amalie across from Emancipation Garden and along the waterfront. V.I. Taxi Association has exclusive rights to pick up customers at Cyril E. King Airport, Havensight Cruise Ship Dock, Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Resort, Sugar Bay Resort, and Sapphire Beach Resort.
      • Dial A Ride St. Thomas. Six lift-equipped or lowered-floor minivans are available to take you to hotels with 24-hour notice. A one-time registration fee of $25 includes round-trip serivce between the airport and any property. After that, rates are comparable to standard taxis. One companion rides for free. They also give island tours; reserve one month in advance. Knud Hansen Complex, 1303 Hospital Ground, adjacent to Lionel Roberts Stadium, Saint Thomas. 340/776–1277.
      • East End Taxi. Urman Victor Fredericks Marine Terminal, 6117 Red Hook Quarters , off Rte. 38 in Red Hook, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/775–6974; eastendtaxi.cbt.cc.
      • Islander Taxi Services. Fortress Storage , Bldg. K, Ste. 2025, at the intersection of Rtes. 313 and 38, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00802. 340/774–4077; www.islandertaxiservice.com.
      • Virgin Islands Taxi Association. 68A Estate Contant, Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, 00804. 340/774–4550; 340/774–7457; vitaxiassociation.com.
    • Bus – On St. Thomas the island’s large buses make public transportation a very comfortable way to get from east and west to Charlotte Amalie and back (service to the north is limited). Buses run about every 30 minutes from stops that are clearly marked with Vitran signs. Fares are $1 between outlying areas and town and 75¢ for journeys within town. Some open-air safari vans also follow the bus routes, and these drivers charge the same fares as Vitran.

Source: Outside Agents, https://tap.myagentgenie.com/janettekennedy/destination/u-s-virgin-islands/