The US Virgin Islands have a hybrid heritage. There's no trace of the original Indian population; the islands' inhabitants are mostly descended from slaves or from slave owners. The European legacy comes predominantly from the Danes, who owned the islands for over 250 years, plus traces from English and Dutch plantation owners. A French presence stems from the French Huguenots, who came to escape Catholic France in the mid-19th century or arrived when the French owned St Croix. The former have contributed to a community of people referred to as Frenchies who live, predictably, in Frenchtown, just west of Charlotte Amalie. Recent arrivals include a number of American and European expatriates and a handful of immigrants from nearby Puerto Rico. Today the dominant culture overlaying all these is distinctly American, the result of 80 years of US strategic and commercial interest in the islands.

Take a journey into the past at the Whim or Lawaetz Museums or at some hidden, haunting ruins of an old plantation. Learn about how St. Croix came to be what it is today by exploring the St. Croix Heritage Trail.  You will look around with a renewed appreciation for Island culture!  You can find it in the streets, in the hills, and in the water.  While you're talking with one of our captains about the sea, we suggest you excuse yourself for a moment to peer at your own reflection in the pristine water.  You'll be sure to catch yourself smiling

Virgin Islanders are suckers for a beat. Local fungi bands play scratch instruments such as gourds and washboards and sing songs that often comment on local social and political issues. The music of the moment is 'mix,' a rollicking blend of calypso, reggae and hip-hop that you'll hear blaring from cruising cars. Steel drum bands are enjoying something of a revival at the moment - it's a rare festival that doesn't have one on the program. The islands' European heritage is evident in quadrille dances, which pop up with a witty French emphasis on St Croix and a sedate Prussian flavor on St Thomas.

The grand daddy of the Impressionists, Camille Pissarro, was born on St Thomas in 1830. Though he spent most of his life in Paris he's still thought of fondly as a native son. The Dronningens Gade house where he was born is open to the public but paying a visit is a vibe thing - there isn't much to see. These days the epicenter of Virgin Islands art is the Tillet Gardens Arts Center, a complex of studios, classrooms and galleries in a lovely setting northeast of Charlotte Amalie. There's also an active community of woodcarvers on St Croix working in mahogany and other rainforest timber.

Politeness goes a long way in the Virgin Islands. Islanders say good morning, afternoon and night as though it were a tic - you'll do well to do the same. As if to compensate for increased crime, the vast majority of residents are overwhelmingly helpful and friendly, especially once you get away from the understandably jaded folk in the shopping centers.