Charlotte Amalie has a handful of ticketed attractions rather than a long menu of organised attraction tours. Most are small, and several keep limited or seasonal hours. Pick two or three of the entries below to build a half day. Coral World Ocean Park Coral World at Coki Point is the largest paid attraction on the island. Admission is US$29 for adults aged 13 and over and US$17 for children aged 3 to 12, under 3s are free, seniors aged 65 and over get 10 percent off, and a family pass costs US$100.

Charlotte Amalie suits couples who want a few good views and a quiet beach rather than a packaged honeymoon programme. The town is a working port, so the romance comes from the harbour, the hills and the beaches a short ride away. Harbour views from Paradise Point The Skyride rises from Havensight to Paradise Point, where the summit looks out over the harbour and the cruise docks. Round-trip tickets are US$34.

Old Charlotte Amalie is small enough to walk, but the heat and the hills decide how far you go. Below are a downtown loop, a Government Hill climb and a short synagogue stop, with notes on where a taxi is the better choice. Wear a hat, carry water, and start early on cruise-ship days. The downtown loop Begin at Fort Christian, the Danish fort begun in the 1670s, which is the oldest landmark in the territory.

Charlotte Amalie works well as a base for short crossings by water. St John, Water Island and the British Virgin Islands are all within a day’s reach, and the north shore of St Thomas itself is a half-day outing. Start early, because return boats stop in the evening. St John by Red Hook ferry The usual route is to take a taxi east to Red Hook and board the public ferry to Cruz Bay on St John.

Families in Charlotte Amalie get the best results from a simple plan: one big outing a day, a beach in the shade, and an early start before cruise-ship crowds fill the attractions. Prices below are for US dollars, and the figures come from the operators’ own pages. Coral World Ocean Park Coral World at Coki Point is the easiest rainy-day or hot-day choice. Adults aged 13 and over pay US$29, children aged 3 to 12 pay US$17, and under 3s are free.

Charlotte Amalie does not have set multi-day tours that start and end in town. Instead, visitors use it as a base and string together day trips on their own. A stay of three to five nights covers the main options without constant packing, and everything below can be booked separately with the operators. Choosing a base Stay near town or Havensight if you want shops, the harbour and short taxi rides to the cruise docks.

Charlotte Amalie keeps a compact Danish colonial core on the south coast of St Thomas. Its sights cluster on and around the hills above the harbour, so a morning on foot covers most of them. Several close on public holidays or keep short weekday hours, so plan sightseeing for a weekday and confirm times the day before. Fort Christian Danish builders began Fort Christian in the 1670s, and it is the oldest landmark in the US Virgin Islands.

Charlotte Amalie is the capital and main port of the US Virgin Islands, on the south coast of St Thomas. Large ships dock at Havensight (WICO) to the east and Crown Bay to the west, and the airport lies west of town. Most of the island’s headline activities are a short taxi ride from either dock. The currency is the US dollar. Skyride to Paradise Point The Skyride climbs from Havensight to Paradise Point for a panoramic view over the harbour.