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CyberTrips - Life's a Beach: U.S. Virgin Islands are calling you
AP Photo
Magen’s Bay on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands has everything from fancy villas and resorts to bed-and-breakfast inns and family-oriented hotels.
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Published: January 4, 2009
Don't just sit there. Pick a destination and plan a vacation, maybe to someplace a little exotic, where national parks come with tropical beaches, and boats rather than big RVs are a common mode of transportation.
You can enjoy all that without fretting over currency exchange rates or making sure that your passport is up to date if you head to a little paradise called the U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S. national parks are a little different here from what you might be used to. Visit the National Park Service -- www.nps.gov/state/vi -- to see what you can do at Virgin Islands National Park, including snorkeling and sailing. Drill down through "Plan Your Visit" into "Places to Go" to check out Trunk Bay with its outstanding beach and underwater snorkeling trail. And while accommodations can be a little pricey in the islands, it is possible to spend your nights camping. Snorkelers especially like the Park Service's Buck Island Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument and the Salt River National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve.
St. Croix is the biggest island. Get acquainted at Go To St. Croix -- www.gotostcroix.com -- where clicking on "What To Do" takes you to information on beaches, sports, scuba diving, local culture, spas to revive you, and ecotourism. "Family Friendly" has tips on things the kids will like, including snorkeling, crab races, horseback riding and more. You have to click on "Where to Go" to find guides to shopping and restaurants, as well as information on fishing, boat charters and island tours. Need helping making up your mind? Look under "Planning Tools" for photo albums, visitors polls of favorite things to see and do, and a couple of live Webcams.
If you have a few minutes for sights and sounds, check in at St. Croix USVI -- www.visitstcroix.com -- and try out the gallery of eight short videos, a collection of Web cams, and a link to sites where you can listen to island radio stations. You can also get ideas for planning your sun worshipping by clicking on the "Beach Guide" link and exploring the interactive map.
St. Thomas -- www.vinow.com/stthomas -- has everything from fancy villas and resorts to bed-and-breakfast inns and family-oriented hotels. Learn kiteboarding, polish your windsurfing, go scuba diving, go sailing, or just chill on a beach with crystal-clear water.
The smallest of the three major islands is St. John -- http://seestjohn.com -- where the snorkeling guide takes you to such spots as Hawksnest Bay, a convenient and popular beach where a reef waits for you just a few yards off the shore, or Cinnamon Bay, a popular windsurfing beach where snorkelers can explore an old airplane wreck. Some of the same spots are covered in their beach guide. And don't miss their photo and video galleries.
Another resource for the island is Go To St. John -- www.gotostjohn.com -- which gives you links to everything from campgrounds to wildlife, resorts to nightlife, and even wedding planning if that fits into your travel plans. And when you want a change of scenery, look for the links to island hopping and ferry schedules.
There is also a fourth land mass, the tiny Water Island, according to the US Virgin Islands Travel Guide -- www.usviguide.com -- which provides several videos to whet your interest. Look for the links to specials and discounts.
Before you finalize your plans, visit TravelPod -- http://tinyurl.com/7c6gmy -- to read reviews written by a few other visitors.
Then hit the official U.S. Virgin Islands site-- www.usvitourism.vi -- for its overall guides to places to stay and things to see and do.
■ Comments and tips can be sent by e-mail to cybertrip@ap.org.
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