Enjoy the Good Life on St. Croix in the Caribbean

Ahhhh, the good life! Everyone wants it, but what is it exactly? Maybe your idea of the good life is spending some time on a Caribbean island, sipping piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris? Or maybe the good life is just lounging in the shade of a coconut tree on a white sandy beach? If this sums up your stance on what makes up the good life then you should check out the island of St. Croix. St. Croix is one of three islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands, also known as the American paradise.

A day on St. Croix should begin with a sumptuous breakfast on any of the island's beach restaurants. You can have the traditional orange juice with breakfast or a champagne Mimosa, your choice. After breakfast maybe you'd like to work on your tan for a bit. Just stake out a patch of sand on the beach, spread out your towel and let the Caribbean sun do the rest. Just don't forget to turn every 30 minutes or so to get everything that perfect golden brown.

Lunchtime usually consists of a meal that is chock full of local favorites. Take your pick from conch fritters, curried chicken, saffron rice, fresh greens or you can even try some Caribbean lobster. Whatever you choose though, rest assured that the meal will be positively sumptuous because islanders pride themselves on being able to cook. Be prepared to loosen your belt a little after lunch because generous portions are the norm on St. Croix.

After lunch why not take a tour of the Cruzan rum factory. The word Cruzan means anything that is native to St. Croix and Cruzan Rum is the largest producer of rum in the world. The tour cost six dollars per person and lasts about one hour. The rum factory is built on the ruins of an old plantation so there's quite a bit of history involved in this island tour. Complementary travel bottles of rum are given to each adult at the end of the tour and there are over nine flavors of rum to choose from.

Finally, the perfect end to a Caribbean day is a horseback ride in the afternoon. Take a trail ride at a slow trot, through the rain forests on the island. Listen to the parrots and other exotic birds in the trees and let the cool breeze and sweet smells of the tropics take you away. And then, just as you reflect on your Mimosa with breakfast, your time on the beach, the curried chicken for lunch, the locals with their musical accents on every word, it will dawn on you that you are living the good life.