Can anyone provide insight as to St Croix as either a vacation destination or a place to live. Are accommodations reasonable? Any drawbacks to the island compared to other islands in the USVI?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Hi, jwsjls! I will start with the last question first. To me,the biggest problem with St Croix is that it is very remote. To get to St Thomas, you have to fly. They don't have the airlift to the mainland that St Thomas has, either.

That said, I believe that is the reason why so many like it there. Not a cruise ship destination, very rural and agricultural. I can't give you any insights on visiting, but if you are interested in moving there vimovingcenter.com has a lot of Crucians who would give you the skinny. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

We love St. Croix as a vacation destination and have bought land there with hopes to live there one day soon. I guess it depends on what you like and what you are looking for. Due to the size of the island there is certainly something to suit most tastes. As mentioned by Nutmeg it is further away from the rest of the USVI and BVI and travel there is not as easy as to St. Thomas. That said you can fly there from the mainland connecting through Miami, San Juan, Atlanta, Boston and probably a few other cities depending on where you live and what carrier you prefer to fly.
As for vacation there are many options from hotels, resorts and rental homes/villas to suit most budgets from very high end to what I consider reasonable. There is a VERY good selection of places to eat again from casual to upscale, Nice beaches, hiking, snorketling and other water sports as well as some interesting historical sites. There is some cruise ship traffic during the season, but it is very minimal compared to St. Thomas. Interesting shops and crafts made on the island as well as the Crucian Rum Factory. I guess one of the negatives is the closure of the oil refinery which has greatly affected employment specifically and the economy in general. Recovery of the economy is delayed there but that has also led to there being some good real estate deals! Really depends on what you like. If you can be more specific, I can try and be more helpful. There is not usually much chat about St. Croix on this board.

Thanks to both of you for the responses. We have been considering different areas for relocation, either for retirement or before. Some of the candidates besides STX are Belize, Panama, and Costa Rica.
As far as STX goes, real estate does seem very reasonable and the island looks beautiful from what we have seen.
How is the access to and quality of medical care?
Is crime any worse than other Caribbean islands?
What businesses and/or services are lacking (for possible business opportunities)?
Are the beaches similar to those on neighboring islands ( St Martin, Anguilla, etc)?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

St Croix got a bad rap from the Fountain Valley Golf Course Massacre about 40 years ago.
Now it's called the Carambola beach resort.
St Croix still has crime like most of the US islands and other Caribbean islands due to the fact that most of the population is related whether by family or friends so crimes committed aren't pursued which is frustrating to the victims family or a total abomination to the families who lost a loved one.
Otherwise it is a beautiful island like others in the Caribbean

Hi. Have been to Costa Rica and spent time in other countries in Central America but have not been to Belize or Panama. Hard to compare an island to an entire country. Of course speaking Spanish would be necessary or at least very helpful with retirement in either Panama or Costa Rica. Belize and STX are English speaking and not sure if you could work or work easily (if desired) in either Costa Rica or Panama. STX has some medical care but if is not extensive and would need to go to Miami or other mainland cities for things that are not routine or requiring specialist that are not on island. We have friends that are living there presently and are in their 50's and 60's with some medical issues and so far are getting their needs met. I would recommend a visit or longer stay if you can arrange that prior to moving anywhere to see if it for you. There are likely business opportunities especially if your business can hire local people to help the economy. As for beaches, there is a very nice variety, but have not been to Anguilla or St. Marten to compare. Hope this helps you out!

Me again. Forgot to comment on crime. I think it is a growing issue in the Caribbean especially as their economy was hit hard by the recession and they were poorer to being with. Also the issue of corruption is valid as mentioned by another poster. That being said, I have felt very comfortable in various areas of STX. Like anywhere, you need to know your surroudings and there are certain places not to go, or not to go alone or at night.

You may want to read up on the local economy/crime since the Hovensa plant shut down (employed several thousand, down to a few hundred, I understand). Have a few friends who lived there at the time. They have since moved off island. Apparently, the shut down took its toll. However, it's a gorgeous island - beautiful beaches.

Thanks to all for your feedback and insight. We greatly appreciate your experiences.