According to Travel + Leisure, St. Croix, with it’s its convenient access from the United States mainland, pristine white-sand beaches to a buzz-worthy culinary scene, seems to fly under the radar. They created “tried-and-true” suggestions after speaking to locals and the St Croix Tourism board.
Key points as listed from the article:
Snorkelers and scuba divers can explore the underwater worlds of dive sites like Buck Island Reef, which has a submerged “trail,” and Butler Bay, which boasts several shipwrecks.
Going for tastings at rum distilleries like Captain Morgan and dining at popular local eateries like La Reine Chicken Shack are great ways to sample the island’s food scene.
The are looking for the holiday season and pleased that the St. George Village Botanical Garden will have a special month long event running from Dec. 5 through Jan. 4. The “Garden of Lights” fundraising event will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to view gorgeous holiday lights throughout the grounds! As reported in the St Croix Source, colorful, twinkling lights will deck the garden along with artwork from local schools for the enjoyment of all ages as they stroll along the paths!
Opening night is Friday, Dec. 5, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Cocktail Walk will feature holiday cocktails, local cuisine, an auction, steel pan music, and the We Dey Yah Quadrille dancers. Children’s Night will be Friday, Dec. 12. Santa will be available for photos with children and families, and more. Read the article here for more information.
The botanical garden is a wonderful place to visit in the community year-round, so we are very excited to hear about the debut of their special Holiday of Lights event!
For tickets to the Garden of Lights Cocktail Walk at the St. George Village Botanical Garden, go to Eventbrite here.
We are excited to see the VIPA Board has approved millions in airport upgrades and coastal protection work In St Croix Source’s recent article (read it here),
The article reports that on St. Croix, the VIPA board approved work for airfield maintenance, removing rubber buildup and refreshing runway markings at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, to ensure continued safe operations. For St. Thomas, the board authorized funding for the final design of a new Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) station at Cyril E. King Airport. This approval allows the project to move forward to detailed design and engineering so construction can proceed. In addition, the board approved a contract for professional services to complete an environmental assessment and prepare a design-build package for shoreline stabilization at Cyril E. King Airport.
What caught our eye was the reporting from Preston Beyer, director of engineering, in regards to significant capital commitments for the region! St. Thomas–St. John District has obligated under active construction projects is $96,473,727.97 and the total cost the Engineering Department in the St. Croix District has obligated under active construction projects is $44,595,111.01.
VIPA also shared that tourism infrastructure remains a key focus and mentioned an introductory meeting with Seaborne Airlines as the “beginning of a collaborative relationship to support air service operations and strengthen connectivity for the Virgin Islands.” Seaborne Airlines was bought over this year and the new owners has been rebuilding its fleet and its reputation, starting with a new Twin Otter aircraft and plans to add more, what company President and CEO Darrell Richardson called “a resurrection” of the Virgin Islands’ only seaplane carrier. To read the article about Seabourne’s ‘resurrection’ under new owner and prioritizing expanded services, check out the US Daily News article here.
Justin Dunnavant is an archaeologist and Assistant Professor of Anthropology at UCLA. His current research in the US Virgin Islands investigates the relationship between ecology and enslavement in the former Danish West Indies. He recently wrote an article about Maroon settlements on St Croix, USVI. In 1733, the Danish West India-Guinea Company purchased St. Croix from France and quickly expanded the island’s sugar and cotton production. Dunnavant said “but the Danes were never able to fully control the island — or the enslaved. By the end of the 1700s, nearly 1,400 people – more than 10% of the enslaved population — successfully escaped captivity.”
According to Danish records, Maronberg, there was a community of escaped slaves, known as Maroons, in the northwest mountain ranges of the island. Researchers like Dunnavant is trying to shed light on the mystery — where is Maronberg? He further shared that, “For a long time now, a large number of [escaped slaves] have established themselves on lofty Maroon Hill in the mountains toward the west end of the island [of St. Croix]. … They are there protected by the impenetrable bush and by their own wariness.”
Researchers are using new technology to see 300 years into the past and try to uncover the location of Maronberg, a community that successfully hid from the Danes during their occupation. By trying to locate these sites, archaeologists are working towards honoring a legacy and help us understand more about the Maroons who turned a rugged landscape into a sanctuary for freedom.
Read the full article on the St Croix Source here.
We also recommend you reading the Op-Ed piece on St Croix Source written by Professor Olasse Davis’ decades-long effort to preserve Maroon Country on St. Croix as part of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Territorial Parks system which is now a reality, click here to view.
Photo by Olasee Davisfeaturing the Maroon Hole, a difficult cliff below Maroon Ridge, where runaway slaves hid.
The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Tourism and the Division of Festivals announced the official dates for the 2025–26 St. Croix Crucian Christmas Festival. From December 26, 2025, through January 3, 2026, the territory will be celebrating this annual holiday tradition and highlight the best of Crucian culture through music, food, parades, and community spirit.
Announcement:
“This year’s celebration is themed “Timeless Traditions in Every Mix,” and will feature signature events such as the Princess and Miss St. Croix Pageants, Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch, Food Fair, and one of the Caribbean’s most exciting J’ouvert mornings. The festivities will culminate with vibrant parades in Christiansted, the Children’s Parade on January 2 and the always anticipated Adults Parade on January 3. Fireworks at Last Lap Village Night will close out the season in a stunning, sparkling fashion.“
For more information, please see the full press release here.
USVI Festivals – STX Poster 2025-26 with Schedule (PRNewsfoto/U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)
This is amazing news! The Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Built Heritage and Crafts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community development organization and it is transforming the Old Barracks Property on Hospital Street in Christiansted, St. Croix, into a hub for education, preservation, and cultural pride.
According to St Croix Source, VIAC has developed five-year, 10-year, and 15-year plans, which will begin with trade schools once the buildings are restored. Project Manager Xavier Acevedo, who is overseeing the execution of the project, described the first phase as stabilizing the building shell through plastering, replastering, and installing a historically accurate rebuild of what was once the Christiansted High School.
Historical preservation is also a priority for this project. VIAC has already begun community programming with the help to federal and private funding. Some of the VIAC’s current projects include the rehabilitation of the Barracks building, college internships and summer programs, and storytelling and placekeeping at the old Barracks property.
