Shopping on St. Thomas

Posted by Jennifer W. Miner Sep 16, 2006

What is it about a vacation that brings out the shopaholic in so many people? St. Thomas is the busiest US Virgin Island, and this is due in no small part to the many shops and duty-free stores. Charlotte Amalie and Havensight are the two major tourists' shopping areas of all three US Virgin Islands, and both are on St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie, the Virgin Islands' capital, has a harbor in which ships drop anchor, while Havensight has a large dock at which many cruise ships stop.

The shopping crowds on St. Thomas can be pretty intense, especially around the peak travel season. If, like me, you vacation to get away from the masses, you might want to avoid Charlotte Amalie during the holidays. But if you can't imagine a Caribbean vacation without bringing home a bunch of souvenirs, there's a part of Charlotte Amalie that's a lot less crowded. Stay away from the jewelers and perfumeries on Main Street, and duck into the alleys (not the scary kind). These smaller street have far, far less chain stores, and more small businesses like boutiques and antique shops.

Palm Passage and Riise Alley are two smaller streets I've liked for their interesting, unique shops. One of them has a local artist's works exhibited, with copies or original artworks for sale. I found her depiction of local island life so charming and vibrant, I now have two framed and hanging in my bedroom. One look at them and I'm instantly transported back to the US Virgin Islands, and a pretty great vacation.