Your USVI Diving Trip Itinerary

Thursday

EVENING

Start your adventure on solid ground. After landing at Cyril E. King Airport (STT) on St. Thomas, watch the sun set from Sugarfin, the signature restaurant of The Westin St. Thomas Beach Resort & Spa, and savor Asian flavors in their hand-rolled sushi and fresh poke. Choose from almost 40 premium rums to sip straight or in a cocktail as you relax on the terrace overlooking Charlotte Amalie Harbor — a perfect introduction to the Caribbean — before resting up for your first day of diving.

friday

MORNING

Fuel up for a full day at Shorebird, The Westin St. Thomas’ breakfast and brunch spot that doubles as a cold-pressed juice bar. Specialties on the buffet include coconut-ginger chia pudding and slow-roasted jerk porchetta. 

Then, head to the Red Hook Dive Center to rent scuba gear or join a guided dive. Located in American Yacht Harbor, this five-star PADI dive center offers daily two-tank dive trips on its 42-foot powerboat, Fool’s Gold.

Embark on your morning dive at Cow and Calf Rocks. Here, two large rocks that peek above the surface give way to swim-through tunnels and caves filled with sea turtles, stingrays, and brightly colored coral and tropical fish. 

AFTERNOON

A local favorite, The Tap & Still in Red Hook is a no-frills lunch spot for smash burgers, fresh-cut fries and Korean-style wings. Catch up with fellow divers on the morning’s underwater sightings while sipping on a cold Rock City beer from the restaurant’s own brewery.

Ferry across the channel to nearby St. John for the day’s second dive at Eagle Shoal. The centerpiece here is The Cathedral, a big chamber into which sunlight streams, making for ethereal light effects. The area is full of caves and channels made from coral and sponge. And because it’s so extensive, this site is ideal for shark-spotting. 

EVENING

Back in St. Thomas, wind down with dinner at Indigo 4 at Yacht Haven Grande. Chef David “Benji” Benjamin, owner of Indigo 4, was named Caribbean Chef of the Year by the Caribbean Travel Awards 2025. His menu features seasonal Caribbean cuisine like crab cakes and conch chowder. The chef encourages diners to personalize their meals by pairing fish or steak with their choice of sauce (like curry vinaigrette or green peppercorn) and sides such as lobster mac and roasted mash. Must-try desserts include the coconut-tamarind Key lime pie and donut bread pudding with dulce de leche ice cream. 

saturday

MORNING

Start your morning dive with a plunge into the mysteries of the 400-foot-long WIT Shoal shipwreck. Once a massive Navy cargo ship, this coral-encrusted St. Thomas site is a magnet for marine life, including Goliath grouper, Southern stingrays and reef sharks. Legend has it that a 600-pound jewfish inhabits the engine room, so enter at your own risk.

AFTERNOON

Once you’ve checked WIT Shoal off your bucket list, head to American Yacht Harbor in Red Hook and settle in at the waterfront Tarpon’s Table. This coastal-chic restaurant specializes in seafood caught by local fishermen. Enjoy the catch of the day featured in fish tacos or made into a poke bowl. Or opt for a fried shrimp po’boy or an island burger topped with grilled pineapple and jerk mayo.

The ferry dock is right next door. So, after you eat head over for a ride to St. Croix. 

EVENING

Rent scuba gear or arrange a tour with a PADI-certified divemaster at the Cane Bay Dive Shop. The locally owned dive center takes visitors out on its 36-foot boat, Ibis, which departs from the Salt River Marina.

Experience the thrill of a night dive along the Cane Bay Wall. Part of the Puerto Rico Trench, the Wall drops from 40 to more than 13,000 feet. See the sparkle of bioluminescent plankton and spot sea creatures like parrotfish, barracuda, seahorses, lionfish and lobsters. 

Cap off your night with dinner at Ciboné, a stylish downtown St. Croix bistro that blends farm-fresh ingredients with locally caught seafood. Think deep-fried whole snapper with a Creole sauce, crab-stuffed salmon and seafood bisque. Dine on the open-air patio and let the night breeze (and perhaps a rum drink) cool you. 

sunday

MORNING

Start your morning with a daytime dive of the Cane Bay Wall. For the longest possible time underwater, swim from the Cane Bay Beach boat ramp to the white buoy 200 yards out before descending. Watch for sea turtles, stingrays and reef fish like the constantly changing peacock flounder. In March and April, you might even hear humpback whales as they migrate through the Puerto Rico Trench. 

AFTERNOON

It’s time for eats on the beach at The Landing Beach Bar at Cane Bay, an alfresco hangout with fresh food, relaxing vibes and views to dive for. Bestsellers include fish ‘n’ chips and mahi tacos. But the extensive menu also features blackened tuna bites, a snapper Reuben and much more. 

Spend the rest of the day soaking up island culture on a tour of St. Croix’s history and heritage. 

First up is Point Udall, the easternmost point of the U.S., for sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea at one of USVI’s top photo ops. See if you can figure out the time using the giant sundial built here at the start of the millennium.  

Next, travel to Christiansted National Historic Site and explore the bright yellow, waterfront Fort Christiansvaern. Study exhibits on history and life on St. Croix, from the island’s colonial days to its role in Caribbean trade.

At Sion Farm Distillery, get a behind-the-scenes look at the distilling process behind Mutiny Island Vodka. The first and only vodka made from breadfruit, Mutiny Island adds notes of citrus, melon and green banana to its flavor profile. Be sure to stop into the tasting room for a sip of the vodka, featured in handcrafted cocktails. 

EVENING

Dine under twinkling lights at Savant, a romantic Christiansted hideaway set in a lush courtyard. Caribbean-Asian-Mexican fusion is on the menu at this upscale bistro, consistently named one of the Caribbean’s top restaurants. Options like char-grilled baby calamari, short ribs with chimichurri and Caribbean curry are popular. The restaurant’s award-winning wine list offers labels you typically can’t find anywhere else. 

monday

MORNING

Spend a final morning in America’s Caribbean Paradise at your own pace before heading to the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX). You’ll leave USVI with your dive log full, and your heart even fuller.