Before choosing a day trip, check what you need to carry. US citizens do not need a passport to arrive on St Thomas from the mainland, but they should have photo ID. Any crossing into the British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Jost Van Dyke or Virgin Gorda) needs a valid passport, both on the way out and when coming back to the US Virgin Islands. Boats from the east end: St John Red Hook is the departure point for the St John ferry, and a taxi from town gets you there.

Heat is the main planning factor for walking in Charlotte Amalie, so this route is ordered by the time of day when each stretch is most comfortable. Everything sits in the compact old town, but the slopes are steep and the pavements uneven. Early: the waterfront and the fort Begin at Fort Christian when the day is cool. It opens on weekday mornings, and a ticket is US$10. Emancipation Garden, which is free, is next to it.

Charlotte Amalie’s landmarks fall into three groups: the waterfront core, the hills above it, and the viewpoints along the island road. Weekday visits work best, since several places keep limited hours and shut on public holidays. Waterfront core Fort Christian. Begun in the 1670s, it is the territory’s oldest landmark. Tickets cost US$10 and the usual hours are weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm, though a second official listing says 9 am to 3 pm.

Charlotte Amalie is first a working harbour, so couples tend to build romance from three ingredients: a high view, a beach with a boat ride in front of it, and one slow evening by the water. This page ranks the options by how much planning each needs. Easiest: a quiet start at Magens Bay Be at the gate when it opens at 7 am. The beach, managed by the Magens Bay Authority, closes at 5:30 pm, and the early hours are the stillest.

Visitors do not join a set multi-day programme in Charlotte Amalie. They pick a hotel, then add single outings by boat, ferry and taxi, which makes the length of the stay flexible. Here are two shapes that work, plus what to settle before you book. Settle these first Season. The Atlantic storm season runs through 30 November and starts on 1 June, so refundable rooms and flexible flights make sense in those months.

Planning with children in Charlotte Amalie comes down to heat, shade and timing. The cruise ports fill the best-known attractions on ship days, so mornings are calmer. Here is how the main options match common family situations. When it is too hot or wet for the beach Coral World Ocean Park is the best bet. The Undersea Observatory puts children below the waterline, and the touch tanks keep small hands busy.

Charlotte Amalie offers a short list of ticketed attractions, and most of them are run by the site itself rather than packaged as tours. A table is the quickest way to compare them, followed by a few notes on each. Attraction Cost Hours and days Coral World Ocean Park US$29 adult, US$17 child, family pass US$100 9 am to 4 pm, booth closes 3 pm Skyride to Paradise Point US$34.95 adult, US$24.

The easiest way to see Charlotte Amalie is to fit one activity into each part of the day. The capital of the US Virgin Islands sits on the south coast of St Thomas, with ships docking at Havensight and Crown Bay, and the heat builds by late morning. This outline follows the clock. First thing: the north shore Taxi over the hill to Magens Bay for the 7 am opening. The beach, run by the Magens Bay Authority, stays open until 5:30 pm.