Would it be a bad idea to travel to the US virgin Islands in the summer?

I am trying to plan a summer vacation and wanted to go somewhere tropical without having to get a passport. I live on the east coast so the US virgin Islands is ideal. I have been researching places to stay online and there are some very beautiful villas to rent on each of the islands. I am noticing that the rates are cheaper in the summer months. Is this an unpopular time to travel there? Is the weather too hot/humid during certain months? Bugs? Just trying to get some insight before I plan the most expensive vacation I've ever taken. :)

It's always pretty warm and humid in the USVI. It's not unbearable though, as the islands are cooled by the constant trade winds. I was there last September for my Honeymoon. (Only 1 restaurant was closed. No big deal, there were still plently of choices.)

Summer is the "rainy" season. When we were there, it rained a little in the afternoons but overall we had lovely, sunny weather. There is a chance of a hurricaine in late summer/early fall. You may want to consider trip insurance if you go during that time, just in case. The chances of being hit by a hurricaine are still pretty small though.

Summer is also the least crowded time to go, and there are fewer cruise ships in the port on St. Thomas. When there are lots of cruise ships in, everything on St. Thomas is super-packed, especially beaches and the shops in downtown Charlotte Amalie. The main tourist season for the Caribbean is the winter, so everything is more expensive then. You can save tons by planning a trip during the "slow" season.

If you want to avoid big crowds, stay on St. John. Even though it's a just a 20 minute ferry ride from St. Thomas, it's a whole different world. It's much more laid back. There are lots oudoorsy activities: snorkling & diving (some of the best in the world), hiking, gorgeous beaches, etc. If, however, you want a vacation with more "touristy" attractions, St. Thomas is the better choice. There's a neverending list of different things to do there. I've never been to St. Croix, but it's supposed to be beautiful and it has lots of historical sites.

I have heard that bugs can be an issue, but when we were there, I swear, we did not get 1 single bug bite between us, and we were outside nearly the whole time. We did see lots of geccos, hermit crabs, iguanas, etc, but they're not bothersome and we had no problem with bugs.

I definitely suggest staying in a villa. They're so much more private and many are actually less expensive than the big resorts. Plus, you have a kitchen so you can save hundreds over the course of a week just by eating breakfast and/or lunch at "home" rather than eating out every singel meal.

I hope you get to go. I promise, you'll have a blast if you do!

Well, if you don't mind the Humidity, then why not go. I found it humid there even in December. It is a great place to snorkel in,especially at Trunk bay. That is a big WOW!

The reason that it is cheaper during the summer is that fewer people go there compared to the winter. Why? In the winter, it is cold in the north and many people are looking for a warm place to vacation. In the summer, it's hot everywhere and hotter still in the Caribbean. People are less likely to look for a vacation in a warm climate when it's 85 degrees and humid at home.

It's not a bad idea to go in the summer in the sense that it is cheaper and less crowded. However, be prepared for a very warm vacation! Also, you might want to stay away from hurricane season. It may be cheaper, but your trip can get canceled or cut short without warning.

It is always humid there....it is the tropics. It is cheaper because late summer is hurricane season...they have not seen a hurricane since Marilyn in 1995 or so...go and have a blast!!

The US Virgin Islands are very popular mostly all year long. Don't go in Sept, most restaurants close for the whole month. Some close until the first two weeks of October. August is very humid and hot. The bugs do come out.
The best months for summer are June and July. Personally, I prefer May. We will be in the Virgin islands this May. (St John)
Villa prices drop usually after April 15th, some May 1st. We saved almost 2 thousand by booking in May. (Isn't that crazy) During the summer months some villas go on special and you can get even cheaper prices. It's a chance you take during hurricane season. You can get good deals if you wait and your travel time is flexible.

I would not worry too much about rain. In the tropics, it rains. Nothing you can do about that.

Prices drop from April 15th or there abouts to Dec 15th.

Traveling in the summer be sure to take travel insurance. If the planes aren't flying, they usually will give you time to reschedule, same with the villas.

November is very popular before the holidays start and the prices are still very reasonable. Not as crowded either.

Good Luck and enjoy)

We go every year in the summer (Im a teacher)to St John we stay for almost a month and enjoy every second of it! This trip can be very costly so we look for places to save money any way we can. A really nice place to stay is Coconut Coast Villas. these are condos on Turner Bay. It is about $169 a night for a fully furnished studio apartment with a full kitchen, balconey on the ocean and a small pool. Since this is an easy walk to town you dont need a car. This saves quite a bit of money. Oh, and its air conditioned too. We make quite a few meals there.
We have also syed in St thomas for a week at a time in summer and found this to be a MUCH cheaper option. Everything is lower cost there from food to accomodations and its also very pretty but much more crwded than St John. You could always split your trip between the two islands or take a ferry to St John for the day. This is approximately $5 each way. Once in St John, you can take the VI public bus all the way to coral bay and Salt pond Bay. The bus however does not go into the National Park or any of their beaches...for that you need a taxi. We also stay near Coral Bay at the Concordia eco-lodge (sister proprty to Maho Bay camps). This place is not fancy but I guarentee, you wont forget your visit there and for about $125 a night you have everything you could need with the addition of no crowds. I hope you go and I hope you love it

The weather is pretty constant throughout the year; only slightly warmer in the summer. The rates are lower, cause most people in the US are already in summer at home, and have no need for a "getaway" to a warm place, thus the prices are lower. The only season to avoid is Fall--sometimes the winds die down then. You gotta have the winds, otherwise, it would be too hot.

nope, accutally it the best time you get to go to the nice beaches and best of all there no SHARKS!

links: usvi.com

The Virgin Island is good to travel in the summer. But if you're escaping heat I don't think so. The sun is out the temperatures maybe high but the sweet trade winds and humid ocean keeps it feeling perfect. If you working with a budget: St.Croix. There's lot's to do stay on the east end of the island. If renting a villa make sue its next to a beach. There's lots to do like windsurfing,fishing,jet skiing, kayaking, parasailing, golfing,hiking,snorkeling in the best coral reef and millions more. Bugs are not an issue because it's dry season. It's extremely beautiful the best restaurants are in town (christiansted) you can visit Buck Island, Protestant Cay, Green cay,etc.... You'll never get bored. Rent a car because gas is really cheap here.


I was ban ya. and raise ya. all my life. trust me. Oh yeah and if you come St.Croix you'll love to hear how we talk. But don't try it's a little offensive to us.