Duty-free shopping capital of the Caribbean: The culture, good food, luxurious accommodations and beaches are definitely a large part of the tourist draw but topping all that is the fact that St. Thomas is a duty free port. The shopping is plentiful, the bargains are real, (paricularly considering that there are no taxes or duty) and the experience is unique with the narrow crowded streets, the callers at the doorways, and art, jewelry, and t-shirts vying for your attention.

The tightly packed storefronts along the waterfront and up the narrow historic brick alleys were once warehouses storing trade goods such as rum, molasses and spices waiting for export. These large 17th and 18th century Danish buildings are now air-conditioned shops selling jewelry, perfumes, electronics, clothes and art. And, if the cruise passengers miss a bargain in downtown Charlotte Amalie there is always the large mall they must pass through in Havensight when re embarking the ship. All the fine bargains seen in town can be found there as well.

Americans returning from the US Virgin Islands may carry up to $1,200 in duty-free items, up to 4 liters of liquor per adult, or 5 liters if the fifth bottle is either Cruzan Rum, Chococo, or Southern Comfort, all of which are made in the US Virgin Islands and are duty-free. Local art and other locally made products are also duty & tax free.

Vendors' Plaza is a lively and colorful Kiosk filled park on the Waterfront, next to Fort Christian. While wandering amongst these kiosks you can find sarongs, island clothing, hats, purses, jewelry and many more treasure

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The Print gallery at A.H. riise also offers an excellent selection of antique and contemporary Caribbean map reproductions. Most prints can be purchased to travel or ship in sturdy carboard tubes, or matted and framed.

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Art & Crafts in the Caribbean

St. Peter Greathouse & Botanical Gardens: Visit the St. Peter Greathouse and enjoy the art exhibition of local artists. Walk through the Botanical Gardens where you will find 500 types of plants and trees, including an orchid jungle, and many birds. Located at 1000 ft above sea level it also boasts an impressive view of 20 offshore islands.

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Fort Christian: This colorful brick red fort was build in the 1660s and is the oldest building still in use in the Virgin Islands. Originally a fort it has also been a the first government house, a church, courthouse, police station and Jail. You can walk the grounds of this historic landmark and visit the historical museum housed within the fort.

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Virgin Islands Legislature Building: You cannot miss the lime-green building across the street from Fort Christian that is the home of the US Virgin Islands Senate. Originally built in 1874 by the Danes as barracks and once used as dormitory for US Marines it is now the Virgin Islands Legislature Building. During the week it is open to visitors.

99 Steps & Crown House: The historical 99 step streets were built with ballast brick. Climb these famous 99 steps (actually 103) and visit the Crown House an historic 18th century building. Originally it was the home of St. Thomas' first harbormaster who lived there until 1822 at which time he became the Governor General of the Virgin Islands and moved to the then capital, Christiansted, on St. Croix.

Blackbeard's Castle is one of the oldest historical structures in the Virgin Islands. Blackbeard's tower was built in the 17th century and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Once it was a residence, then an observatory, currently it is a restaurant and hotel.

Blackbeard’s Tower :A restaurant and hotel in housed in what is believed to be the oldest existing structure in the Virgin Islands.

The Seven Arches Museum is a fully restored and furnished 18th century Danish West Indian home and slave quarters. It was at this home that the ceremonies took place when the Danes transferred the ownership of the islands to the US in 1917.

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Frederick Lutheran Church is a Georgian-style building. Built and financed by a free black parishioner, Jean Reeneaus, around 1790. It was reconstructed in 1825 and 1870.

Frederick Church Parsonage next to the Government House was built in 1725 and is one of the oldest houses on the island. It is remarkable for its simple 18th century lines.

St. Thomas Synagogue was built by Sephardic Jews in 1833. It is the oldest US synagogue in continuous use under the American flag and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The St. Thomas Synagogue still maintains the tradition of having sand on the floor commemorating the exodus from Egypt. The Weibel Museum of Jewish history is next door and maintains the same visiting hours.

Enid M. Baa Public Library Built in 1818.

Yellow-Brick Building: Built in 1854, Danish architecture.

St. Thomas Reformed Church: Built in 1844, designed like a Greek temple

The Market Square was a slave market in the 1700s and is now a produce market.

Emancipation Gardens commemorates the abolition of slavery in 1848. It is used for various civic and cultural events throughout the year.

The Camille Pissarro building, now an art gallery, is the birthplace and childhood home of the impressionist Camille Pissarro. Although the Pissarro spent most of his adult life in France St. Thomas remains proud of this native son.

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Back Street, or Vimmelskaft Gade, runs parallel to the waterfront and is another bustling shopping area.

Waterfront Highway or Kyst Vejen, is a shop-filled road that runs parallel to the waterfront.

Skyline Drive offers a breathtaking view of the Charlotte Amalie coast. Visit Drake's Seat that overlooks Drake's Passage and has views of the harbor, and the US and British Virgin Islands. Go to the Mountain Top which is situated at 1500 ft above sea level, enjoy the view and a banana daiguiri for which they are famous. Take the Paradise Point Tramway in Havensight to the Paradise Point Restaurant, bar and gift shop at 700 feet. You can walk the short hiking trail to the very top.

Coral World on Coki Point, is an underwater marine park where you can get close and personal with the underworld marine life of the Caribbean. View a live coral reef, sting rays, sharks, and sea horses, some you can even touch and feed. At Coral world you have your choice of adventures, rafting, parasailing, snuba diving or sea trekkin'. Snuba is a new sport that takes you beyond snorkeling and enables you to breath easily underwater without wearing heavy restrictive dive gear. Sea Trekkin' is a new sci-tech adventure exclusive to Coral World that allows you to walk along a trail on the floor of the sea. Neither snuba nor sea trekkin' need previous experience. Both are for adults and children 8 years and older.

Submarine Rides in St. Thomas: Travel 90 feet below the surface and view the underwater world. Atlantis Submarine havensight mall see a mile of reef life.