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St. Croix: A Birthday Solo Trip, NOLA Edition
Let me tell you something… St. Croix was a vibe, but not without a little character. And by character, I mean some things had me squinting my eyes like “now wait a minute.”
Where I stayed:
Hotel on the Cay
This was very much a last-minute decision, and it showed. Inexpensive, yes. Luxurious, absolutely not. The pool was closed and the rest of the place looked like it was either abandoned, under renovation, or waiting on a storyline. The room itself was fine, giving strong 2-star motel energy.
BUT baby… step outside and boom, beach. Like right there. The view did all the work, so I let it slide.
3 nights: $519
King Christian Hotel (King’s Alley)
Now listen. When they say “King’s Alley,” they mean ALLEY. Don’t clutch your pearls. This boutique hotel was beautiful and worth every coin. Complimentary Prosecco when you arrive and somehow it kept appearing like a blessing.
Room was spacious, had a cute little patio, no view but I wasn’t mad. There’s a Bluetooth speaker in the room, which is necessary because these walls are thin thin. Pool was gorgeous, and being on the boardwalk meant I could walk to everything without stress.
2 nights: $603
Where I Ate (Because That Matters):
Breakfast
Toast – Food was cool, nothing to write home about, but the mimosas? Yeah, they did that. Multiple flavors, I went passion fruit.
$25
Caroline’s – Small, cute, friendly staff. Bottomless mimosas that will have you ordering things you don’t need. A little pricey, but enjoyable.
$50
Lunch & Dinner
Estera – Italian, upscale, grown vibes. This is where I celebrated my birthday and I chose correctly. Perfect for a “let me sip my drink and reflect on life” dinner.
$100
The Mill – Pizza spot that locals actually go to, which is how you know it’s legit. I had the mussels in curry sauce and almost ordered them again just to be disrespectful.
$40
Excursions:
Since I was solo dolo, I didn’t do excursions. Everyone recommends Buck Island for a day trip. If you like hiking and sweating on purpose, they have that too.
Starting at $125
Nightlife:
Most places shut down around 9pm, which felt wild to me, but these stayed open later:
Casino
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Levels
Cocos
Common Sense
Nauti Parrot 🍹
Getting Around (Pay Attention Here)
Rent a car. Period. Taxis are hard to find or expensive like they charging per breath. There are private drivers and they are lifesavers.
Highly recommend DJ Swain and Crucian Red Queen.
They also have rideshare apps: VI Ubah (yes, spelled it like that) and VI Hail.
Just know rides start at $30+, so plan accordingly.
$105
The People:
This was my favorite part. I met locals who showed me non-touristy spots, gave real recommendations, and just had good energy. Felt very familiar, like home but with better views.
$priceless
St. Croix USVI Restaurant
-Caroline’s
One of the Island’s more well known restaurants is Caroline’s. The restaurant is located at Christiansted Pier next to the King Cross Hotel. There are two entrances one facing Ft. Christiansted next to the pier and one via a passageway from inside the Cream Ice Cream parlor. As you can expect there is outside patio seating with a good view of the water. The menu has many tantalizing options to choose from for breakfast and lunch. Trying to catch the restaurant open was an exercise in frustration. The hours listed did not match availability. While staying in St. Croix for over a month I was disappointed again and again by arriving only to find it was closed. When the restaurant was open, many of the dishes were unavailable due to lack of ingredients. As is common at island eateries – once the establishment runs out of its fresh ingredients the dish may not be available until the next day. The phrase you’ll hear is “It’s done.” This can be confusing for visitors who are used to being able to order their selection no matter what hour they arrive. Be forewarned, fresh ingredients and tasty dishes run out often – arrive early for the best selection. The prices are comparable to New York or Washington DC. One biscuit set me back $4 and that was without the specialty salted caramel butter because they didn’t have the ingredients. My food tasted good, but it arrived cold and my savory Galette crepe ($12) was scantily filled. This restaurant has all the makings to be great, but they have to step up their kitchen and the service.
We went to St. Croix for my daughter’s birthday and stayed at the Carambola Beach Resort (www.marriott.com/travel/stxbr-carambola-beach-resort-st-croix-us-virgin-islands/). The resort is definitely off the beaten path in between the towns of Christiansted and Fredriksted, and you’ll need to rent a car since there is no shuttle service to/from the airport or into either town. We opted for an Oceanview room & it was everything…nothing compares to going to sleep and waking up to ocean waves lapping the beach. Outside of the views, it was pretty affordable for a resort and the grounds had starfruit trees that I was able to pick & enjoy after inquiring about them at the front desk. I will definitely be going back for a longer trip since I would’ve like to try the horseback riding and historical tours.
Some travel tips:
1. Do the sunset cruise with Lyric Sails (www.lyricsails.com). They have a musical act on the cruise & serve drinks while you float offshore and enjoy the weather as well as a great view of the sunset. Very romantic even though there were some families with kids on board.
2. Take the Mutiny Island Vodka tour at Sion Farm Distillery (www.sionfarmdistillery.com). They make their vodka from breadfruit and it is only made in St. Croix. After the tour, you get a complimentary tasting flight of all of the flavors they offer and you can also partake from their food menu which highlights the breadfruit and vodka in certain dishes.
3. Experience the local cuisine. We went to La Reine Chicken Shack where they do a booming business for their famous roasted chicken. Definitely go early because the lines can get long. Delicious and affordable! They have a Facebook page that is updated with the daily specials.
St. Croix is a very laid back, low-key destination, however, there are definitely the typical island activities and adventures to engage in as well (like jet skis, snorkeling etc). This is a pretty affordable place to travel to and it is very ideal for couples. I enjoyed a blend of relaxation, adventure and eating a ton of carbs! We stayed in a boutique hotel located in Christiansted, which was surprisingly off the beaten path with no other hotels around. However waking up to the sound of roosters each morning, made our travel experience even more authentic.
Here are 3 travel tips:
1. Book a horseback riding tour with the Cruzan Cowgirls! This includes a ride through the forest and the ocean. The horses are rescue horses and very fun. (www.cruzancowgirls.com)
2. Visit “Monks Bath Beach”, it is a hidden tidal pool that is absolutely beautiful and very Instagram worthy. Be sure to wear swim shoes, because it is very rocky and you have to climb a bit through rocky terrain to find it.
3. Consider renting a car! Island transportation was very challenging to manage while staying in Christiansted, most of the taxi drivers did not want to come to that side of the island to pick us up.