St. John, US Virgin Islands

Of all the US Virgin Islands, St. John is probably the most unspoiled, thanks to the contribution of one of the world's best known philanthropists, Laurence Rockefeller. Had it not been for Rockefeller's gift of money and his desire to preserve beautiful St. John, the landscape would probably look more commercial, much like the other Virgin Islands. More than half of the island is designated as a National Park, making for a wonderfully unspoiled tropical island with 22 preserved nature trails.

In 1956, Rockefeller donated 5,000 acres to the United States National Park Service to initiate this preservation project. The park contains many beautiful beaches, some of them among the most photographed in the Caribbean; it also has a bounty of wildlife, birds and marine life, and provides a clean nesting places for a variety of turtle species.

Throughout the island are the ruins of many sugar plantations, some of which have been preserved, such as the Annaberg Plantation, a National Park site that offers demonstrations and placards with background information. The restored plantation includes an animal-powered mill, a wind mill, a sugar factory and slave quarters. Other interesting plantations include the Windberg Estate and the ruins of Fredriksdal.

Overall, St. John has a small community feel and has managed to stay quaint, either thanks to or in spite of controlled tourism development, depending on who you ask. At one end of the main town of Cruz Bay is the attractive shopping area called Mongoose Junction, built of local stone. Beautifully designed, the Junction includes upscale shops, art galleries and restaurants.

The rest of the island has a variety of attractions. Coral Bay and Coral Harbor have several bars, restaurants and businesses, and offer fun activities such as water sports.

In the center of the island is the Bordeaux Mountain, more than 1,200-feet high from which one can see the British Virgin Islands.