The Virgin Islands Beaches: Renaissance Beach

Renaissance Beach
Renaissance Beach

Renaissance Beach is an ideal location on the northern coast of St. Thomas for watersports, particularly windsurfing. The beach's waters are calm and good for swimming, although they are filled with sea grass.

Although the Virgin Islands has beaches that are more secluded than Renaissance Beach the combination of natural beauty, personality and other attributes offered by this beach could be just right for you.

Finding the right beach during your travel to the Virgin Islands is easy, some prefer one that is far from the crowds but is still close enough to hotels to allow the opportunity to meet people; you can enjoy this combination at Renaissance Beach.

Vacationers who are hoping for a taste of seclusion in the Virgin Islands can find their perfect beach vacation at Renaissance Beach. Not too far from any cities, but you won't be too far from the beaten path, you'll discover a great middle ground.

Seclusion and privacy are part of the draw to the Virgin Islands' beaches, and Renaissance Beach offers a taste of travel away from the beaten path without taking you too far away. Neither too close nor too far from cities you won't lack for anything.

It's best to remember that, though Renaissance Beach is certainly not secluded, it is still further from the crowds than the Virgin Islands' other beaches. This makes it an excellent choice for travelers where a bit of beach activity is the preference - but choose to avoid the crowds.

For some visitors the amenities and attractions at or around a beach can be the most important attributes. Others feel that opportunities for privacy and spending a relaxing day in the sun are extremely important. There are plenty of beaches in the Virgin Islands, and Renaissance Beach may be exactly what you're looking for.

Location

You'll find this sandy spot 0.2 miles from Coral World Underwater Observatory & Marine Park, on the Virgin Islands' northeastern coast. Renaissance Beach is near Tutu, so exploring the town is a convenient option.

Nearby Hotels

Whether or not you have the beach pretty much to yourself will depend on when you visit. You can typically expect to encounter a fair number of hotel guests staying close by. There are a fairly substantial hotels near this beach. So if you're interested in staying close to this location you have some good options to consider.

Additional hotel options are listed in the following table.

Nearest Hotels to Renaissance Beach
Hotel NameDistanceNo. of
Rooms
Point Pleasant Resort 0.3 mi. 128
Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa 0.4 mi. 303
Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina 1.4 mi. 216
Sapphire Village 1.9 mi. 30
Secret Harbour Beach Resort 2.4 mi. 60
Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas 2.6 mi. 200
Bolongo Bay Beach Club 3.1 mi. 90

Amenities and Ambience

Most people visit Renaissance Beach for its wide array of watersport opportunities, and the area is especially good for windsurfing. The Grand Palace Resort has restrooms, a watersports center, and restaurants that are open to guests.

Who you share these sands with will depend on several things, like the time of day and the season. Some of the Virgin Islands' beaches are more crowded than others especially when the season is at its peak. When planning a beach outing a key factor to consider can be, for some beach goers, the possibility of crowds. While some like a crowded beach with plenty of people and activity, some prefer to just hear the sounds of the surf.

Like everything else about the Virgin Islands this beach has its own personality which will be more appealing to some than to others. The personality of this beach is somewhat different from what you'll experience at the other beaches in the Virgin Islands. This beautiful beach attracts families and couples to its shores, while watersports enthusiasts also come to play in the sparkling waters.

Attractions

The beach is also conveniently close to some noteworthy natural attractions, including Coral World Underwater Observatory & Marine Park, which is located 0.2 miles to the northeast of Renaissance Beach.

If you want to learn more about the history of the Virgin Islands you can find opportunities close by. For instance, Fort Mylner is located 1.8 miles to the southwest of Renaissance Beach.

A lot of nearby activities will ensure you won't run low on things to do. Attractions close to this beach can found in the following table.

Attractions Near Renaissance Beach
Attraction NameDistanceDirectionType
Coral World Underwater Observatory & Marine Park 0.2 mi. NE Natural Attraction
Tillett Garden Art Center 1.5 mi. SW Museum
Fort Mylner 1.8 mi. SW Historical Site
National Park Headquarters 2.2 mi. SE Natural Attraction
Race Track 2.2 mi. S
Hospital 3.2 mi. SW
Paradise Point Tramway 3.7 mi. SW Tourism Oriented Business
Fort Christian 4.2 mi. SW Historical Site
Emanicipation Garden 4.3 mi. SW Historical Site
Fairchild Park 4.5 mi. SW Natural Attraction

Food

No matter the meal, an ideal way to start the day off or end a day at the beach is sometimes patronizing a local restaurant, where you can get a taste of local fare without having to go far from the beach.

Some places serving food are shown below.

Restaurants Near Renaissance Beach
Restaurant NameCuisine TypeMeals ServedDistanceDirection
Romanos Italian dinner 0.5 mi. SE
Seagrape French breakfast, lunch, dinner 1.4 mi. SE
Off the Hook Seafood dinner 1.8 mi. SE
Texas Pit BBQ, Red Hook Barbecue dinner 1.8 mi. SE
Raffles International dinner 2.1 mi. SE
Blue Moon Cafe American dinner 2.4 mi. SE
Old Stone Farmhouse Eclectic lunch & dinner 3.0 mi. W
Texas Pit BBQ, Wheatley Barbecue dinner 3.5 mi. SW

Each place in the world has its very own culinary style, and the Virgin Islands is no different. One of the nicest places to enjoy delicious local specialties is right at the beach. Check with your hotel to see if they will pack a picnic lunch for you, or you can pick up some food en route to the beach.

The restaurant at the beach serves hungry sun worshipers.

Other Beaches

Travelers in search of the perfect beach can choose from more than Renaissance Beach when they visit the Virgin Islands. Travelers can also have a good time at Coki Point Beach, which is a particularly centralized beach. It is located 0.2 miles to the northeast. Coki Point Beach is a popular tourist beach that is often very crowded. Prime snorkeling, other watersports, and ample facilities attract many guests to its charming shores.

If you're looking for a more secluded beach experience, Salt Pond Bay may be a good choice. The secluded little beach at Salt Bay offers beachgoers privacy as well as excellent swimming conditions. So on your next trip to St. John, go off the beaten path and sample these sandy shores. It's found 11.1 miles to the east.

You may also enjoy Lindquist Beach; it is located 1.2 miles from Renaissance Beach. One of the best secrets on St.. Thomas is Lindquist Beach, a perfect Caribbean beach, that resides off of an unmarked dirt road, and thus stays unpopulated in a busy tourist area.

Travelers will find plenty to enjoy in the Virgin Islands, and your visit to Renaissance Beach is just one activity you can choose.

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