Anyone can travel, but the savvy traveler finds the hidden and not so hidden gems of their destination. This allows them to truly experience their getaway instead of simply having an average day in a new place. OROGOLD has some recommendations for interesting things to try and places to go the next time you’re in the US Virgin Islands. As a destination in the Caribbean there are a few expected items on the list, but the real allure comes from the location and its personal beauty rather than it being a unique activity. Regardless, these tips on things to do will make your stay an experience to be remembered.

Salt River Bay National Historic Park
You might not recognize the name initially, but many children know the mnemonic device “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. What it doesn’t specify is that Columbus ended up landing in the Salt River Bay region of the island that came to be known as St. Croix. Combining beautiful scenery with a notable history, the historic park offers something for those who want a little history with their Caribbean excursion. Other sites are available on the island as well that help history seekers track the progress of European expansion through the region and the impact of the age of exploration. It doesn’t hurt that, like all the other islands, the island itself remains gorgeous and provides other attractions for anyone not as interested in history.

Trunk Bay
Located on St. John, Trunk Bay offers a distinctly stunning place to step away from paved streets and into surprisingly pristine sand. The area offers a beautiful beach with a unique allure created by the contrast between the pale sand, vibrant vegetation, and stunningly blue waters. Visitors from around the world are drawn to the beach specifically for the otherworldly air this creates. The clean waters themselves make for an excellent area to swim, but there are distinct swimming areas set aside for snorkelers who desire to see some of the local underwater wildlife and vegetation. This makes Trunk Bay ideal whether you simply wish to get a bit of sun in an idyllic location or to enjoy all the waters of the Caribbean can offer you.

Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden
While all the US Virgin Islands can claim to be tropical paradises, St. Thomas does its best to capitalize on this with its botanical garden. Incorporating seemingly countless species of tropical and similar flowers, the garden offers a visually rich look into the sheer beauty of the world. Flowers, trees, bushes, and various other plants dot the botanical garden in a combination of human ingenuity and natural beauty. The differing flowering times for many of the plants help ensure that no two visits are ever quite the same. And after seeing the cultivated nature beauty there is nothing stopping you from exploring the normal beauty of the island with the Audubon Club and seeing what birds are waiting in amidst the trees.

Everyone instantly thinks of the many wonderful beaches of the Caribbean. Some of them, like Trunk Bay, are truly stunning and worth mentioning, but forgetting the other things the region can offer means missing out on a true Caribbean experience. OROGOLD recommends that you do enjoy the sun with your sunscreen, but also take in the other parts of the islands as well. Between these suggested locations and your own ingenuity, you’re sure to find something few have experienced to call your own.