St Croix Beach Guide
A Narrative Guide to the Beaches of St. Croix
St. Croix doesn’t have just one personality. Unlike its sister islands, the landscape here shifts dramatically from east to west. To know St. Croix is to know its coastline—from the arid, cactus-studded hills of the East End to the lush, rainforest-canopied shores of the West.
The beaches can be very different, and the most significant differences are access and facilities. This is an opportunity to consider your ideal beach, how the water changes color, how the waves change rhythm, and where you fit into the picture.
There are many “top 10” beach lists, and some of the best spots on the island aren’t actually named beaches, but somewhere you pull over and plunk down a beach chair. For the “i want a list of St Croix Beaches” folks, here are some worthy links:
GoToStCroix.com - St. Croix Beach Guide
MyStCroix.vi - St. Croix Beaches Guide
USVI Tourism - Top 5 Beaches on St. Croix
She Saves She Travels - 16 Best Beaches in St. Croix
Wanderlog - The 46 Best Beach Spots in St. Croix
Jordan Outside - St. Croix Beaches & Snorkeling
Everything Virgin Islands - Hidden Beaches of the USVI
Chapter 1: The Wild and Quiet Public Beaches
Where the sun rises and the solitude deepens.
If you are a seeker of silence, start your journey on the south shore of the East End. Here, the island feels prehistoric. The vegetation is scrubby and low, beaten back by the constant trade winds, revealing dramatic vistas of deep indigo water. The Jack and Isaac Bay Preserve is protected land, and the experience is worth the hike.
Isaac’s & Jack’s Bay
You cannot drive to the best beaches here; you must earn them. Park your car and hike the dusty trail from the Millennium Monument at Point Udall. As you crest the hill, Isaac’s Bay reveals itself—a sweeping crescent of white sand protected by a barrier reef.
The Vibe: There are no beach bars here. No umbrellas. Just you, the wind, and the hawkfish darting through the coral. It is the perfect place to disconnect and watch the Atlantic Ocean meet the Caribbean Sea.
Beaches in the USVI are all public, with access being the only limiting factor. In some parts of St. Croix, just parking on the side of the road puts you on the edge of the sand, while others may require a short walk. Businesses on the beach like hotels are required to provide access to the beach, but residents are not, so be mindful of personal property on your way to a public beach.
The East End of St Croix is certainly an uncrowded escape where the beaches may all be public, but you may be the only person there. Just a mile from Point Udall, Cramer Park Beach is a full-access destination with light (or no) crowds. Beaches with access just off the side of the road are common around the island, including the south east shore.
Chapter 2: The Deep Northwest
Where the wall drops and the adrenaline rises.
As you drive along the North Shore road, the ocean is your constant companion. The water here transitions from turquoise to a profound, mysterious navy blue. This is the edge of the Puerto Rico Trench.
Cane Bay
The heartbeat of the North Shore. Cane Bay is famous not for the width of its sand, but for what lies beneath. A mere swim from the shore, the sea floor vanishes, plunging from 40 feet to thousands of feet deep. This is "The Wall."
Even if you don't dive, you can feel the energy here. It is a social hub. Locals gather for "sundowners" at the beach bars across the street, dogs chase coconuts into the surf, and the vibe is unpretentiously communal.
Davis Beach
At the west end of the North Shore Road, is the Carambola Resort, built in the 1986 soon after it was used as the setting for the closing scenes of Trading Places (1983). Flanked by mountains with dense vegetation, it feels wild and isolated and the snorkeling here is excellent. Near the end of the beach you can find a trailhead for a slightly shorter path to the Carambola Tide Pools.
The Northwest shore of St. Croix is home to “the wall” where the water depth drops from 40 feet to thousands of feet. This is conveniently close to shore at Cane Bay and it is a significant dive destination.
Chapter 3: The Crown Jewel
A pilgrimage to Buck Island.
Looking out from the main island, you will see a turtle-shaped silhouette on the horizon. This is Buck Island Reef National Monument.
You cannot swim here from shore; you must take a boat, and only certain boats are licensed to anchor here. But the journey is the destination. The sand at Turtle Beach is not just sand—it is pulverized coral, white as sugar and soft as flour.
The Experience: Don your mask and follow the underwater snorkeling trail. Massive elkhorn coral formations rise like underwater cathedrals, home to schools of blue tang and parrotfish. It is one of the few places on earth where the underwater world feels more vibrant than the one above.
Chapter 4: The Golden West
Where the sun sets and the music plays.
Cross into Frederiksted, and the world turns golden. The water here is impossibly calm, earning it the nickname "Lake Frederiksted."
Rainbow Beach
If the East End is for solitude, Rainbow Beach is for celebration. This is where the rhythm of the island lives. On weekends, live Crucian scratch bands or reggae artists provide the soundtrack. The water is shallow and ripples like silk. Rent a jet ski, grab a rum punch, and wait for the Green Flash as the sun dips below the horizon.
Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge
This is the finale. Open only on weekends (and closed seasonally for turtle nesting), Sandy Point is vast. It is one of the longest stretches of white sand in the Caribbean.
Because it is a protected refuge, there is no development. No buildings, no lights, just miles of pristine nature. The water is a startling shade of electric blue that looks almost photoshopped. Walking here, you feel small in the most magnificent way possible.
