A Local's Guide to St. Thomas: Kid-Friendly Cruise Excursions

A Local's Guide to St. Thomas: Kid-Friendly Cruise Excursions

You’ve heard the phrase, “Happy Wife, Happy Life.” I’ve found this to be a pretty good mantra for being a husband, but when you become a parent, it’s more like “Happy Child, Happy Life.” Nothing dampens a vacation (or a moment) like a crying baby or pouty child, and when you’re cruising, you don’t want to spend those precious moments in port scrambling for ways to keep your little ones entertained. You’ve been planning this cruise for months and have seen all the smiling ads of happy families experiencing the vacation of a lifetime. You want that for you family too! You need a game plan for St Thomas shore excursions that will make for smiling ad-worthy moments on your vacation. As an island parent, I want to save you the worry with a guide to the St. Thomas shore excursions that are sure to suit the whole family, especially your little ones:

 

  • Sightseeing Tours- These breezy St. Thomas Island Tours are the perfect shore excursions for families with infants and toddlers. A St. Thomas Sightseeing Tour will hit the highlights of the sights for great family photos in a 2 hour tour sampling the island. Private Sightseeing Tours are great for large families or those wanting a private vehicle, and itineraries are customizable to see the sights that your family picks out on your unique schedule. If you’re travelling with shopaholic teens, add some time at the shops for the family to score great deals on St. Thomas duty free shopping on a Shopping and Sightseeing Tour. See the sights, hit the shops, and add a beach stop to please the whole family on a Sightseeing, Shopping, and Beach Stop Tour, the perfect shore excursion for families with kids of different age groups!

 

 

  • Beach Tours- Bring baby to the beach on a Sightseeing and Beach Stop Tour. Big brother will love snorkeling, and mom and dad can even get in on the fun and sample the watersport rentals! This St. Thomas shore excursion hits all the highlights, ensures those picture-perfect family moments, and ends with that perfect Caribbean beach you’re dreaming of! If you’re a family of beach bums, a Private Beach Hopping Tour provides you and your family with a private safari bus to hit 3 of the Best Beaches in St. Thomas for all the swimming, Snorkeling, and bumming you can fit into to your shore day! The best part is the itinerary is yours to plan around your ship’s particular schedule.  

 

 

  • Sailing- With shaded awnings, life vests, and snorkeling guides, sailing is safe and fun for kids of all ages! Mom and dad can choose between a Half-Day Sail and Snorkel with or without an included Lunch or a Full Day journey to the neighboring island of St. John where the family can swim in the pristine National Park beaches of our neighboring island. Want a boat all to yourselves? A Private Full Day USVI Sail is decked out with amenities and makes stops at the famous floating pizzeria at sea, Pizza Pi, and top snorkeling spots at the remote cays surrounding St. Thomas. The best part is, there's an open bar included on all sails for parents to finally relax, feel the wind in their hair, and take in the beautiful sights of the islands, not to mention the beautiful family photos you’ll take! You'll be a family of sailors after this St. Thomas Sailing adventure!

 

 

  • Powerboat Charters- Have an island hopping adventure the whole family will enjoy on a Private St. Thomas Boat Charter! Your family can choose top Virgin Islands destinations to experience world-class snorkeling spots, island views, and amazing beaches. If your family is passport-ready, take a trip to the British Virgin Islands where you can snorkel the massive Baths at Virgin Gorda, visit a secluded island for lunch, and finish the day at famous White Bay in Jost Van Dyke on a Full Day Powerboat Charter. Full Day Charters can also be customized to stay in the USVI if you don’t have passports, where you can visit St. John beaches and snorkel the vibrant reef surrounding the many uninhabited cays throughout the USVI. If you’re travelling with little ones, Half-Day Powerboat Charters have plenty of shade and are 4 hours long for a shorter day at sea to accommodate your baby, and since the itinerary is yours to make, you can plan a leisurely ride of relaxation and beach stops. St. Thomas Boat Rentals are private and operate on your schedule to meet your unique cruise needs. 

 

 

  • Ecotours- Looking for a family adventure for your day in St. Thomas? Look no further! St. Thomas Eco Tours range from 2.5 to 5 hour tours of Kayaking, snorkeling, and even hiking secluded islands! For the younger ones, a Snorkel and Kayak Ecotour is the shortest, the perfect opportunity for a first-time snorkel! Kayak and snorkel the protected waters of the St. Thomas mangrove lagoon where the Caribbean Sea meets a unique eco-system through the mangrove trees. Your family will discover the fascinating world that lies beneath the sea where the fish dwell between the mangrove roots and the vibrant coral grows beside it. Extend your trip to include a hermit crab race and hike through the uninhabited island of Cas Cay where you’ll discover shell beaches, unique flora, and its magnificent volcanic cliffs on a 3 hour St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon and Cas Cay Ecotour.  Enhance your tour to include a picnic lunch and extra time for marine life encounters on a 5 hour Ecotour and Lunch, perfect for pre-teens and older. Ecotours will provide a marine adventure and encounter with nature that your family will never forget!

 

 

  • Visiting St. John- The laid back island of St. John is absent of traffic, franchises, and even stop lights. St. John is a true island escape, and it’s easy for the whole family to make the ferry ride over. Walk the quiet streets of Cruz Bay to discover delicious local dining, locally inspired and handmade goods at the waterside wharf, and the quaint atmosphere of this piece of paradise. Taxi to one of the many pristine National Park beaches or take a Hike and Snorkel Ecotour through the trails and crystal bays. Bring the kids to the beach for a day of fun with a Honeymoon Beach Watersports Package where the family can snorkel, kayak, and paddleboard, and mom can relax on a float mat. Our Guide to Visiting St. John will give you all the info you need to visit this carefree island for a family excursion for all ages!

 

All of these family-friendly St Thomas shore excursions fit within the normal hours for cruise ships, but you should always double check your ship schedule and account for the time difference between ship and local time. Your child will love your port day in St. Thomas with exciting cruise excursions like these! So get the camera ready because big smiles and big adventures await your family in St. Thomas!

 

Be sure to check out our blog article on A Local's Guide to St. Thomas: Know Before You Cruise, and visit our Shore Excursions page to book the shore excursions on St. Thomas! If you have any questions about kid-friendly shore excursions or any inquiries about the island, call or e-mail us for authentic local insight!

 

Get Ready for Family Fun,

Amit

CaribbaConnect Mentioned Excursions:

Island Tour in St Thomas

St. Thomas Private Sightseeing Tour

Island Tour with Shopping Stop in St Thomas

Island Tour with Shopping and Beach Stop in St Thomas

Island Tour with Beach Stop in St Thomas

St. Thomas Beach Hopping Private Tour

Half-Day Snorkeling and Sailing Tours in St. Thomas

Half Day Sailing Tour to St. John with Lunch

Full Day Sailing Tour to St. John

Private Full Day USVI Sail - Pizza Pi VI Lunch Stop & Premium Open Bar

32ft Powerboat Adventures Half Day Charter - St. Thomas & St. John

32ft Powerboat Full Day Charter - Custom Itinerary

Private 35ft Boat Charter - Full Day

St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon Snorkeling and Kayaking Tour

St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon and Cas Cay Ecotours

Ecotour and Lunch - St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon and Cas Cay

St. John Eco Hiking and Snorkeling Tours

Honeymoon Beach All-Day Watersports Package

A guide on kid-friendly things to do in St Thomas, USVI on your cruise. Discover the St Thomas shore excursions available for your family vacation!
Amit Mirpuri
Co-Founder, CaribbaConnect
| Cruise Ship Guides, Excursions | Used tags: cruise, excursions, kids, local guide, things to do in st. thomas, tours