Formerly Danish possessions, these islands became part of the United States in 1917. Originally based on a plantation economy, St. Croix is the largest and flattest of the U.S. Virgins, and St. Thomas and St. John are more mountainous. All three islands offer stunning beaches, great snorkeling, sailing, and lovely scenery.

St. Thomas
The most developed of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas resembles a small city at times. The harbor at Charlotte Amalie, the capital, is one of the largest cruise-ship magnets in the Caribbean. St. Thomas, like most of the Virgin Islands, gives you plenty of opportunity to get outside and get active, although many visitors come here simply to sit, sun, and maybe go for a swim.

St. John
The island's primary attraction is the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park, which covers more than half the island. Guided walks and safari bus tours are available to help you navigate the park, which is full of pristine beaches, secret coves, flowering trees, and ghostly remains of sugar-cane plantations. An extensive network of trails invites hiking. A third of the park is underwater. Trunk Bay, which also boasts the island's finest beach, has an amazing underwater snorkeling trail. Scuba diving is another major attraction on St. John.

St. Croix
Sponge life, black coral (the finest in the West Indies), and steep drop-offs near the shoreline make St. Croix a snorkeling and diving paradise. The island is home to the largest living reef in the Caribbean, including the fabled north-shore wall that begins in 25 to 30 feet of water and drops to 13,200 feet, sometimes straight down.