Intro
What better way to spend a vacation than to be relaxing on a beautiful beach in St. Thomas in the U.S Virgin Islands (USVI.) I can’t think of a better trip than by the beautiful Caribbean Sea where swimming, snorkeling and breathtaking sunsets are just waiting for you to observe with your own eyes. Whether you’re visiting St. Thomas for relaxation or to get into some water activities, there are plenty of beaches to suit your needs. Here are five St. Thomas beaches and what they offer.
Table of contents
1. Brewers Bay Beach
- Entrance Fee: Free to enter
- Parking: Free
- Great For: Swimming, seeing turtles and watching the sunset
Brewers Bay Beach was the very first beach I got to experience during my first visit to the USVI. It was so surreal for me to put my feet in warm sand and to walk into bathtub temperature water. Upon our arrival, I noticed that it seemed busy, but the beach doesn’t feel touristy. We got lucky with finding a parking spot (which is parallel). This beach is located on the University of the Virgin Islands campus where you’ll likely find locals and college students having parties and children playing and swimming. There were some boats out a ways but they do not impede the swimming.
The moment I was about to splash into the Caribbean Sea for the first time, I looked down and saw what looked like a floating pancake in the water. Then I realized it was a stingray! Thankfully, I did not belly flop on top of it as I quickly gained my footing before it swam away seconds after. Not even 10 minutes later, I saw not one but two sea turtles bobbing around the surface enjoying. This was a very humbling encounter as I had never seen stingrays let alone sea turtles before. Overall, this is a great sandy beach to get your toes into, observe some wildlife and to have a nice swim!
Amenities: Changing stalls
2. Hull Bay Beach
- Entrance Fee: Free
- Parking: Free
- Great For: Sunbathing and snorkeling
Hull Bay Beach is an adventurous, yet slightly tricky beach to find. You will want to be sure that your GPS is taking you to the right place. This beach is slightly tucked away and it is also very rocky. Everyone has their own preference. I would recommend at least bringing some sort of water shoe in case you decide you want to protect your feet, however it’s definitely not a must. I wore my Teva’s while in the water but my fiancĂ© decided not to and he did fine. There are some sandy parts in between groups of rocks you can rest your feet on, or you can kick them up and do some snorkeling. If you snorkel out by the rocks alongside the cliffside, you might be able to see some sea urchins!
This beach does have a very nice lounge/restaurant area with outdoor seating along with indoor, air conditioned restrooms. It felt so good to be able to have a clean and comfortable area to change out of my swimsuit (especially with the horrible sunburn that I got the day before) and to relax with some food after swimming. There is also an area to play horseshoes if you’re feeling up for some games and you’re not too tired. While the rocky beach wasn’t exactly my favorite part, the water is still warm and beautiful. And the amenities being located so close by was very convenient.
Amenities: Bar, Restaurant and Restrooms
3. Coki Point Beach
- Entrance: Free
- Parking: There is a small fee; bring cash
- Great For: Swimming, snorkeling, suntanning
This was one of my most memorable beach visits on St. Thomas and whenever I do return, this is one of the first beaches I’m going back to. My first visit to Coki Point Beach was after my friends and I finished exploring Coral World which is just a short walk to the beach. We really liked the atmosphere of the beach so we came back the next day to hang out and snorkel and I’m really glad we did. The locals who were working there were very kind to us. We were able to get some beach chairs (for a small fee) and get a nice spot in the shade.
This beach does get very busy when the cruise ships dock so like most places, plan to arrive early. Coki Point Beach is great for swimming and snorkeling; it is full with beautiful fish and the beach has a full bar as well as several little spots to eat at. It is very a vibrant natural space and full of life and I really loved my time here.
Amenities: Bars, Food, Smoothies, Chairs and Restrooms
4. Sapphire Beach
- Entrance: Free
- Parking: Free
- Great For: Swimming, snorkeling and just enjoying the ocean
Sapphire Beach is yet another one of my St.Thomas beach favorites. To me, this beach had the warmest water. Although I would say all of the beaches in St. Thomas are warm, but Sapphire Beach really stands out to me as some of the warmest and most relaxing ocean water. This was also the only beach other than Coki Point where my friends and I returned twice because that is how much we loved it here.
When you get close to Sapphire Beach, it may look like it’s a private beach due to the towering resorts surrounding it but trust me, it is not an exclusive beach. There will be a gatekeeper when you arrive but you just tell them that you are there for the beach and they will let you through. I noticed plenty of fish while I was swimming around so it does make for a good snorkeling spot. The beach does feel large enough to where you can have some space from others and not feel too crowded. And an added bonus is that there are food vendors just a short walk away as well as a bar and even a couple shops if you’re into shopping.
Amenities: Bar, Restaurants, Restrooms, Chairs and Shopping
5. Magens Bay Beach
- Entrance: There is a fee. For more information on monthly and daily passes, you’ll want to visit their website here
- Parking: Free
- Great For: Swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding
By far one of the most popular beaches, Magens Bay Beach is a massive beach that is perfect for swimming. This is certainly a touristy beach, so do expect crowds. Thankfully, my friend group was lucky enough to find an open picnic table for us to put our stuff on. But Magens Bay Beach is so large that regardless of the crowds, you should still be able to find yourself a decent spot on the beach where you don’t feel smothered. There aren’t very many coral reefs there but if you do bring your snorkeling gear, you might see some fish!
Despite the crowds, I did love the softness of the sand and the bright blue color of the water. This beach is popular for a reason and I could see why as I was swimming there. This is the only beach out of the 5 listed where you have to pay to get access. When I went with my friends, it was $5 per person, but I would check their official website to make sure you get the most up-to-date information. Magens Bay Beach is a wonderful beach to visit but if you do not like crowded beaches, this is one to skip. There are also amenities onsite for food and beverages as well as restrooms and chair rentals.
Amenities: Bar, Food, Chairs, Restrooms
Explore More St. Thomas Beaches
Just because I mentioned what I believe to be the best 5 beaches in St. Thomas certainly does not mean that there are only 5 beaches to visit. Below is a map of the beaches I just listed as well as some other popular ones in St. Thomas that are also worth taking your time to explore!
*Important Note*
Although I do want to mention something about the USVI and using GPS that you should be aware of. I briefly mentioned it when I was talking about Hull Bay Beach but I want to go into some more detail here. From what I understood with the research I did, the USVI does not have a standardized address system. Because of this, using the GPS on your phone is not always accurate. There is also the possibility that the mountainous terrain and the vegetation could also be contributing to this by blocking GPS signals. But my friend group and I definitely noticed the lack of an address system when we first got there.
Due to our flight getting delayed, we didn’t get our rental car until close to dark. When my fiancĂ© was driving us around trying to find my friends’ Airbnb, we got lost two times. Why? Because the address didn’t match up the first time and the GPS coordinates listed on the Airbnb didn’t match up the second time. Miraculously, my friend figured out how to type in the coordinates in a way that took us to where their Airbnb was at. But it was a very stressful time, especially since we hadn’t even been there for a few hours, trying to find it.
Then it happened to us again with trying to find Hull Bay Beach. Although we didn’t get lost but there was some confusion on where the GPS was taking us to exactly. Last incident was when I was trying to find the car ferry to get to the national park on St. Johns. I had to essentially match the map from the car ferry website to Google Maps and then pin the location so that we could find it. Thankfully we found it with no issues because I had looked at the map before we went.
With that being said, do take this map with a grain of salt. What I pinned is the area of where these popular beaches are. But you wouldn’t want to just use the pin and try and use it to find these beaches. You might risk getting yourself lost. You really want to make sure you are looking at the maps, studying buildings that are nearby and using those as focal points as you’re driving to these beaches. It’s a little extra work but is completely worth not having to spend extra time figuring out where your actual destination is. However, every beach we entered into GPS besides Hull Bay Beach took us exactly where we needed to go so don’t stress out about it too much. Just be prepared to study Google Maps a little more before you go to a beach.
Maximize Your Beach Visits
Want to take your St. Thomas visits up a notch? Then consider taking a tour or a guided excursion! Doing an excursion is a wonderful way to make memories and stimulate the local economy if you’re picking vendors who live in the USVI. I am a big believer in spending money on experiences over things. I do not remember every Christmas, birthday or even Valentines gift I have gotten, but I do remember every trip I’ve gone on and the experiences I’ve had from these destinations.
As you’re planning your trip, consider what it would be like to spend some money on an experience over a souvenir. Although, there is certainly nothing wrong with getting both! And spending a day on a beautiful Caribbean beach is absolutely an experience by itself. However, if you’re wanting to elevate your experience by doing a snorkeling, sailing or kayaking tour, then I say live your life and do it!
Conclusion
By now, I hope you’re excited for your trip to the USVI. Or if you haven’t planned one yet, maybe you’ll start thinking about it. Whether you plan to stay on St. Thomas for awhile or you only get one day to explore, visiting any of these five beaches will be able to provide you with warm waters and a chance to relax. If you plan on swimming, snorkeling or just tanning on the beach, the beaches on St. Thomas have got you covered. If you’re curious to read more about the USVI, make sure to check out my other articles, including the national park!
