Cruise ship view of St. Thomas Harbor, USVI

The Virgin Islands are a great travel destination. While the islands are American territories, accept U.S. dollars, and speak English, there remains an exotic, faraway flavor about them. West Indian culture strongly influences the islands and calypso and reggae rhythms swirl through the tropical airy breezes.

The three different islands that make up the Virgin Islands group are equally attractive to visit, although each possess distinctive personalities. St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas are all extraordinary places:

On St. Croix, Christiansted's colorful Danish Colonial buildings are charming. This National Historic Site has five preserved historical structures and interprets the Danish way of life at it existed on the islands from 1733 to 1917.

Turquoise waters and underwater coral gardens make diving and snorkeling water activities popular on St. Thomas. This island is also home to the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie. Because St. Thomas is mainly mountainous, many roads around the island will offer terrific panoramic views.

St. John is the smallest of the Virgins – just 28 square miles in size – yet many say it is the loveliest island. Two-thirds of St. John is set aside as a U.S. National Park, and while secluded, St. John offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy the beautiful natural resources and ecology of the islands.

Says Wikipedia of the U.S. territories, "tourism is the primary economic activity. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year, many of whom visit on cruise ships." However you arrive, don't miss a chance to visit the three Virgins.