red hook

Hi curious,
Here's a link to the best map of the island:
http://www.usvi-on-line.com/st/stmap.shtml

It's the map that you find at the airport and car rental agencies. It will at least give you a good overview of the island.

As for Red Hook itself, well, there's the ferry/marina, a few multi-business buildings, a few restaurants and bars, and a grocery store.

Traffic in that area is frequently busy, especially around the rush-hour ferries. Parking is a problem.

As for beaches that are in walking distance from the center of town, do you mean Charlotte Amalie? I'm not a resident (just a frequent visitor and possible soon-to-be resident) but I can't think of any beaches that I consider to be in walking distance of Charlotte Amalie.

If you mean walking distance from Red Hook, I'm not sure how to answer that. From my standpoint, "Red Hook" is means a very short stretch of road near the ferry dock. Not really a town... at least not in the mainland sense. There are a variety of beaches on that end of the island. If you are walking to one from say the ferry docks, it's going to be much more of a hike that you realize.

Red hook is near sapphire beach, vessup beach, and secret harbour beach.

You can find photos of Red Hook, and the American Yacht Harbor Marina on my website: http://www.bastenphoto.com

"Near" is a relative term. Secret Harbour beach, my favorite snorkleing spot on all of STT, is about a five minute drive by car from/to Red Hook. The little side road(s) that takes you from the main road through a neighborhood and down to Secret Harbour is all downhill going in, but can be a heck of a steep walk back up, especially in the heat of the day. You know your tolerances best -- check the map that's linked to above and factor in hills to stermine if it's something you'd be able to walk.

--HC

Are you planning on moving here? Have you considered making the all-important PMV? Just a thought...

Yes, I am moving is September so my PMV will not be for a few months. I am just trying to gather all the details I can since I am not planning on having a car, that is going to really effect where I can live, work, etc. I just liike getting al the information that I can because I am very interetsed in anything people can provided as far as insight and advice. Thanks for your time 🙂

I've only been in St. Thomas for two weeks - so I certainly don't have all the answers. I will tell you, however, that you might have to rethink your plans on having a car. I'm certainly rethinking mine. Although I don't mind the 15-minute walk from home to downtown, traveling anywhere else can be a chore.

The VITRAN buses run infrequently and there are only a few routes (between downtown and the airport, downtown and red hook, and downtown and bovoni). The safaris are a practical option to the bus for travel out to Red Hook but the hours are limited.

I have lived in big cities for the last 10+ years (Chicago then San Juan) and came to really appreciate decent public transportation. While the relatively few numbers of roads and relatively small population might make this place an ideal location for everybody to travel via public transportation - that's not the case. Everybody drives everywhere here. Even walking is difficult because of the hills and that few roads outside of commercial areas have sidewalks.

While there are always cabs available - the fares will get old very quick.

Back to your original question - Red Hook seems to be a great place to stay. There are stores there for the essentials, some bars and restaurants, and the safari makes a regular stop when you have to get into town, etc.

Sorry if I ranted there for a bit - the transportation has been the only thing that I haven't loved about living here.

Joe Breen

Hello,

Red Hook is the 'central' area for the East End of the island. There is the ferry dock to St. John, American Yacht Harbor, several restaurants, shopping center with doctor office, vet, bank etc., also there is gas station, offices, residences, bars.

Beaches that are say within a 3-5 minute drive include Sapphire, Secret Harbor, Lyndquist, Cowpet, Bluebeards, Turtle Cove (Ritz Carlton)... a couple minutes further you have Sugar Bay, Water Bay, Coki Beach. In terms of walking from Red Hook, you could walk to Sapphire and also Secret Harbor, not flat walks mind you but possiable.

If you wanted to check out beaches, visit the beach guide on our travel site for St. Thomas: here's the link http://www.vinow.com/stthomas/beaches_stt/.

--Islander