Destination Guide: Virgin Islands Historical Sites

The best vacations are the ones where folks have multiple things to do. While it is fun to go to the beach and to do things like golf and swimming, it can be equally as nice to go view some of the nation's history. On the Virgin Islands, they have plenty of history for you to go over at your own disposal. The islands have been around a long time and the architecture indicates that longstanding history. For travelers, there are certain sites that you must see if you are a lover of history or Caribbean culture.

Fort Christian on the island of St. Thomas is an excellent location to view some of the old military history of the Virgin Islands. This military fort sits right in the heart of beautiful Charlotte Amalie and is one of the oldest buildings on the island. It was built in the 1600s around the time of the arrival of some Danish colonists. While in its history it has housed a number of different things, it now holds a marvelous historical museum that relinquishes history liberally. From the top of the building, you can see across much of the island.

Annaberg Historic Trail on the island of St. John is equally as neat from a historical standpoint. Here, the remnants of sugar plantations remind folks of the plantation roots that once dominated the island of St. John. There are enough attractions to keep one busy for hours on end. This former plantation has old slave quarters that tourists can visit in order to get an idea of what life might have been like.

Fort Frederik on St. Croix is another military establishment that oozes with history. This fort was built in 1760 and is said to be one of the first places to fly an American flag. Here, the U.S. Virgin islands first freed their slaves following the emancipation proclamation. Tourists can visit the vast expanse of history here and take in the new museum that sits on the site.

The historical sights can many times be as fascinating as some of the other attractions on the island. The best part about many of these natural and historical attractions is that they will not cost you a dime. Take some time out of your schedule to head down to the historical monuments and museums. In addition to learning something, you will be glad to have seen some of the most beautiful sites on the entire chain of islands.