DORÉ

Being the first to leave on vacay at the Studio was pretttttttty great!

After much research (Googled: best beaches in the world) my man and I decided upon St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands.

Here’s a few helpful tips to traveling to the island…

Take the Bio-Luminescent Tour: The what?! We ventured out into the ocean at night to see dinoflagellates (aka oceanic plankton that glow when disturbed) in a clear, see-through kayak. It was INCREDIBLE. Our tour guide even caught some jelly fish that lit up when you touched them!

Explore the Beaches : Each one is surprisingly different. Filled with huge shell scraps to the shore. White sand into the water. Hikes from the hills down to the beach. Even rocky areas suited for snorkeling! Plus, for whatever reason, this vacation had me inspired to take runs on the beach near our house in the morning and do some yoga along the shore. Completely undisturbed – basically your own private exercise beach. No gym membership required.

Go to the Deep End: You literally walk not 5 feet into the ocean from the beach, and BOOM. A coral reef drop off filled with life. We were lucky enough to even catch a massive school of fish to follow along (as the locals suggest you do). For a $10 rental of a snorkeling mask, its more than worth it. And there are small tikis with lounge chairs to rest in after the swim.

Eat, Drink and Eat some more: Savant is maybe the coziest restaurant in town. The candle lit, vine draped old walls make for a most romantic atmosphere. Tutto Bene is the perfect spot for late night (10pm – everything closes early!) artisan pizza. For breakfast, try The Avocado Pitt – a more local spot that serves a traditional spread. Oh, and a personal favorite having nothing to do with island, was my re-discovery of Kings Hawaiian bread at the local market, a sweet loaf of bread I ate every morning, for snacks, for in-between lunch and dinner…. and on the way to the airport.?

Be Prepared to Stay Left : You have to drive on the left – which may or may not be difficult for some to remember coming from the US.

Animal Planet: On this trip, I saw some 100 geckos, a caterpillar the length of a water bottle, egret birds, an iguana nearly 3 feet long, and while snorkeling the biggest sting ray I’ve ever come across. Oh! And don’t forget all the friendly neighbor dogs. We had a standard poodle named Calypso on our property.

Bob Marley: A party island this is not. However because its the Caribbean, Reggae is abundant and we found ourselves on the other side of the island for the Fourth of July at Rhythms, a Reggae restaurant/bar/hangout on the beach where we watched fireworks while listening to some Marley, a perfect ending to our verrrry chill week.