St. Thomas with a 3 and 4 year old

Any advice or reccemendations for a child friendly excursion for this age group. We're very seriously considering not even getting off the ship because all I can seem to find are the boozey open air bus type private tours. While I would personally enjoy that, Not this time with the kids. Is there a beach that's a bit more kid friendly? I've been to St Thomas before and I did not enjoy Megan's Bay. Too crowded. Is Sapphire Beach larger? Thank you for any advice or recommendations. :D

Check Secret Harbor. The beach is smaller than Magens but water is most often calm like Magens. In the summer the dive shop offers a popular Tiny Bubbles swim class for toddlers. Many of the guests at the resort have toddlers. Chairs, food and drink are available.

Take a private van taxi there. Super Taxi supposedly has a car seat but not sure what size. http://Http://www.supertaxiservices.com

Taxi driver Coco Brown is another driver with air conditioned van. 340.690.5046. Taxicocobrown1967@yahoo.com

The safari buses themselves are not boozy excursions but people off the ship may make them so.

Depending on how many ships are in port all the more popular beaches become more crowded. Magens particularly draws a large cruise ship crowd.

Sapphire is not a larger beach but it usually is not as crowded as Magens.

I can't imagine kids not enjoying any of the VI beaches.

Check Secret Harbor. The beach is smaller than Magens but water is most often calm like Magens. In the summer the dive shop offers a popular Tiny Bubbles swim class for toddlers. Many of the guests at the resort have toddlers. Chairs, food and drink are available.

 

Take a private van taxi there. Super Taxi supposedly has a car seat but not sure what size. http://Http://www.supertaxiservices.com

 

Taxi driver Coco Brown is another driver with air conditioned van. 340.690.5046. Taxicocobrown1967@yahoo.com

We are thinking about going to Secret Harbor based on things I've read about it. Is there any shade there?

Thanks,

Nancy:)

There's limited shade and I think limited umbrellas. The resort guests have access to the palompas (sp?). Check with Aqua Action Dive Shop at Secret Harbor to see about reserving umbrellas and chairs.

There's an interactive Children's Museum in town in the Grand Hotel. Great beach alternative.

The safari buses themselves are not boozy excursions but people off the ship may make them so.

Depending on how many ships are in port all the more popular beaches become more crowded. Magens particularly draws a large cruise ship crowd.

Sapphire is not a larger beach but it usually is not as crowded as Magens.

I can't imagine kids not enjoying any of the VI beaches.

We loved the safari bus tour with Sunny about 9 years ago. I would go again in a heartbeat once the kids are older. I just remember several of the others in our group that had a super fun time, and I don't want my young kids around that yet lol.

We're going to be at Half Moon Cay and have a cabana booked for the day. I just wanted something that wouldn't be as crowded as Megan's Bay. It also seemed Very dirty. But this was 9 years ago and a lot can change.

Thank you for the Ideas. Just looking for kid friendly activities. :)

I would not suggest Sapphire Beach. We ended up there because of a taxi issue--we were supposed to be going to Coki Beach. Sapphire is beautiful, but very rocky. Also, there was about a foot and a half drop from where the chairs were to the water area. It was sand, but a bit annoying.

When DD was 3 we just walked around the port and enjoyed the empty ship.

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Normally the wife and I snorkel at St. John while visiting St. Thomas, but there was a Butterfly Garden within very short (less than 1000 ft from the gate) walking distance from the port. It was across the street/behind Senor Frogs.

My wife and I booked it one time through the cruise line (not necessary). It was very inexpensive, but a typical butterfly garden like many museums and zoos have. It is not jaw-dropping by any means, but cheap and easy. The best part (for the nature lover in me) was outside they had a very small outdoor area with a trail and trees where local lizards, hummingbirds, and butterflies can be seen. I took some great photos of the hummingbirds. There was even a huge iguana lounging in a tree. The outdoor part was free. The actual butterfly garden area was somewhere in the $12-$20 per person range (it's been a few years).

It is not a beach obviously, but it was a very inexpensive thing to do, and the kids might enjoy seeing the butterflies. I would go with two adults though to make sure no butterflies get squished by accident ;-)

I would do some research first since I have heard a rumor that it may have closed.

Unfortunately the Butterfly Garden is permanently closed.

We took our almost four year olds to Coral World a couple of years ago. It was nice. They liked seeing the animals and going in the underwater aquarium. There is a beach there too, although we didn't stay there long. If you decide to go there, check out their website, they often have coupons if you are not using the cruise ship excursion.