Where in the World is
St. Croix, USVI
St. Croix is in the Caribbean Sea East of Puerto Rico
St Croix is in the Caribbean Sea between Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands and about 40 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John, the other major islands in the US Virgin Islands. St. Croix is accessible by direct flights from many continental United States airports, primarily Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Atlanta, and seasonally from Charlotte and Chicago. There are also connecting flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico and there are regular flights between St. Croix and St. Thomas as well as a seaplane option. There is also a ferry between St. Croix and St. Thomas, but it is a potentially rough 2+ hour trip resulting in the boat’s nickname “vomit comet”.
Map of the Caribbean Sea pointing out the location of the US Virgin Islands.
The US Virgin Islands are in the northeast of the Caribbean Sea about 3 hours by plane from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Map of the US Virgin Islands between Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.
Unlike St. Thomas and St. John, St. Thomas is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea
Map Confusion & Why A Short Day-Trip Doesn’t Work
On a clear day there are many places on St Croix with a view of the other Virgin Islands to the north. It is all too often that tourists or potential tourists ask about a ferry for a day-trip to St Thomas, St John, or the British Virgin Islands. This unrealistic goal is likely due to the maps of the US Virgin Islands published in far too many places, including reference books which should be more trusted.
St Croix is not on the same land mass as the rest of the Virgin Islands, and the distance is 4-5 times what most people think, especially those who have found an inaccurate map where all of the islands have been grouped together for convenience.
Maps frequently show St Croix just a few miles south of St. Thomas and St John. In reality, the distance is about 40 miles over the Virgin Island Trench which reaches depths of almost a mile.
