Visit the Purple Roofs USVI page
Are you looking for a vacation where there is plenty of opportunity to rest, relax and enjoy the thrill of a water or land adventure? Visit St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, find your passion and play on a tropical island the American Caribbean, no passport needed.
St. Croix is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, just 40 miles below the sister U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. John, 90 miles east of Puerto Rico, where the average temperatures are in the low-mid 80s throughout the year.
The island is rich with history and culture, and is home to a diverse pool of people, many of whom look forward to making your trip the best yet! It might be a tour guide, ready to take you on a hike through one the quaint towns of Christiansted or Frederiksted, or a scuba dive instructor willing to show you fascinating trails of underwater sea life.
Crystal-clear, turquoise-aquamarine Caribbean Sea provides an amazing backdrop for a variety of water sports: Sea thru kayaking, Stand up paddle-boarding, flying through the air on a Kite-surf, or simply put on snorkel gear and swimming with the turtles…
Scuba-diving is readily available all over the island for the novice and expert alike!
Interested in land-based activities? Varied terrain to explore, informational nature hiking tours through the rain forest, historic walks in-town tours, a visit to Annalay Bay’ falls to mention a few possibilities. There is always a chance to get some retail therapy and shop for the famous Crucian bracelet in all each various combinations, plus take advantage of the $1600 duty-free allowance!
And when you feel like off-roading it, rent or take a jeep tour around the island. Remember to stay left, left, left! Are you a golf lover? Book a tee-time at one of the island’s three courses, or simply hit a bucket of balls at one of the driving ranges.
For those whose fascination is history, then don’t forget to tap into the culture and heritage that makes St. Croix very unique. Visit the historic Forts, the old sugar plantation at the Whim Museum, tour the Botanical Gardens, where you can enjoy the flora and fauna of the island gets you started.
Discover both towns Christiansted and Frederiksted where you can appreciate the Danish architecture, and investigate the seven flags marking the seven nations that have ruled St. Croix: Dutch, French, English, Knights of Malta, Spain, Danish West Indian Company, and most recently, the United States, which purchased the tropical island in 1917.
The friendly West Indian culture is featured at numerous events throughout the year, and you can find several tour guides who will tell you about the island’s dramatic history through colonial and post-colonial rule. Check online for the calendar of events.
St. Croix boasts some of the most amazing and well-kept marine parks in the United States:
– Buck Island Reef National Monument is maintained and protected by the National Park Service and is a home to hawksbill turtles, brown pelicans, with an underwater snorkel trail of coral reef that is truly unique with deep grottos.
– Salt River Bay National Historic Park is known as the only place where Christopher Columbus landed in the United States and remains an archeological site that is replete with historical significance.
– Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge boasts is a protected stretch of immaculate, white sandy beach where leatherback sea turtles nest. Visitors can tour the area, or if visiting during summer, might get lucky enough to see turtles nesting or hatching by planning ahead and coordinating with St. Croix Environmental Association’s educational tours.
Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge preserves the habitat for the largest remaining population of endangered Saint Croix ground lizard. Located on a small island of 14 acres between St. Croix and Buck Island, it consists of dry, forested areas, and serves to protect the lizard. It also serves to preserve the bird-nesting habitat on the island.
Did you realize that St. Croix is the Rum Capital of the Caribbean? Not to be forgotten is the tour of the two rum factories on the island! Taste the World Famous Cruzan Rum at the Cruzan Rum Distillery and Captain Morgan Spiced Rum at the Diageo Distillery, where the grand opening was this past April, 2012. See how the process works and purchase up to 5 liters to take home with you.
Gay-owned and managed Sand Castle On The Beach Resort welcomes you to enjoy the vacation of a lifetime on this beautiful tropical island in Frederiksted. With two pools on site, and a beachfront that boasts some of the clearest snorkeling around, you’re sure to nourish your senses in a relaxing environment. Launch your water sports’ experience right from the hotel grounds!
One of the leading LGBT properties in the Caribbean for well over 4o years! Sand Castle On The Beach Hotel features 21 studios, suites and villas on the beachfront property, offering an array of choices for your stay in paradise. Choose from an economy queen, king studio with a balcony, courtyard suites surrounding a pool, tasteful one bedroom suite with a full kitchen or a spacious, one or two-bedroom beachfront villas.
Dine at the hotel’s restaurant, the award-winning Beach Side Cafe, which carries a menu full of delectable fresh specials, plus a wide selection of menu items offered for Sunday Brunch, Lunch or Dinner. Open Thursday through Monday: Sunday Brunch 10 am-3 pm, Lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Dinner from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Full bar services are available featuring frozen specialties, and an array of world-class beers and wines.
Sand Castle offers on-site massage promoting immediate stress relief and encouragement to take your relaxation to the next level. There is also an on-site, compact Fitness Center where you can boost your strength training, meet your cardiovascular needs or arrange one-one personal, wellness training.
Book your reservation directly at 1.800.524.2018 and qualify for the Purple Roofs’ Special Discount. The friendly, welcoming staff at Sand Castle On The Beach Hotel will assist in personalizing your vacation. You may feel intimately connected to St. Croix, and find your Caribbean home, a special place you’ll want to revisit time after time!