Island Life
An insider’s guide to vacationing like a local
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
BEACHES
ST. THOMAS
DINING
MARKETS
ST. JOHN
DINING
Local Weather
You will notice that being a weather person on St. Thomas is probably one of the most coveted jobs. Almost every day is sunny, with a chance of passing rain showers.
FAQs
Should we rent a car while visiting St. Thomas?
We always recommend renting a car when visiting St. Thomas. Relying on taxis can get expensive, not to mention the time spent waiting on them if you’re staying in a rental property somewhere other than the east end. A rental car will give you more freedom to explore the more remote parts of St. Thomas, grocery shop when you want, stay out as late as you want, and you never have to worry about getting stranded somewhere without cell service to call a taxi. The only time solely relying on taxis would make sense is if you’re staying in a vacation rental on the east end, or at a resort, and don’t plan on visiting places off the beaten path.
Is there Uber, Lyft, et al.
on St. Thomas?
No. The only ways to get around St. Thomas are rental cars, taxis, or the ever dependable, hoofing it. Just for the record, we do NOT recommend the last option. The lack of sidewalks and mountainous terrain make St. Thomas quite unwalkable.
What can I expect to pay
for a taxi?
The rates for taxis are set by the taxi commission. Any certified taxi driver has to follow this guide for fare pricing. There are gypsy drivers who will make up their own rates and are usually the drivers you see out later. You can find the posted rates by clicking HERE.
Is my rental property in a safe area?
At Elite, we do not offer rental properties in unsafe areas of St. Thomas. However, we always recommend being smart, lock your rental property before you leave, lock your vehicle, don’t flash large amounts of cash in public, and be smart when you’re out. St. Thomas is just like any other place you live or visit, most people have good intentions but there are those who are opportunists and if an easy target presents itself, they will take advantage.
Are there any beaches within walking distance to my vacation rental?
Obviously, this depends on where your vacation rental is located, but in general no. As stated above, St. Thomas is not a very walkable island from a safety or practical point of view. There are some vacation rentals at resorts that are on the beach and those are obviously within walking distance of a beach. If a villa rental is on beachfront property, it will state it in the listing, but in general, there will be a short drive required to get to a beach.
What's the WiFi like on St. Thomas
All vacation rentals will come with WIFI. However, kind of like our power, there are times when WIFI can go out or run slow at the rental. It doesn’t happen often, but we recommend using that time to head to the beach or grab a cold beverage to sit out on the patio and enjoy the view. If you’re doing remote work that requires you have 100% reliable access to WIFI at all times, we recommend bringing your own portable WIFI in case of an outage that we have no control over. Just check to make sure that it will work on St. Thomas.
Can we drink the water at our rental property?
The water at most vacation properties is triple filtered and passes through a UV light, but it is not chlorine treated. So it’s fine for things like coffee, cooking, and even brushing your teeth. However, for drinking, we recommend buying gallon jugs from the store.
Is it true that you drive on the left on St. Thomas?
Yep! We still drive vehicles set up for right-side driving, but we drive on the left side of the road. Doesn’t make sense? Well, what can we say? It’s just part of the St. Thomas charm.
Do I need a passport to visit St. Thomas?
What are the busy cruise ship days for St. Thomas?
The answer to this question is that it varies. Thankfully, there’s a website that will tell you how many cruise ships, if any, are scheduled on a day and how many people are expected to be aboard the cruise ships. HERE IS THE LINK!