For one of the best views on St. Thomas, make the drive to the mountaintop perch at Drake’s Seat. Here you can keep lookout over Magens Bay and the British Virgin Islands, just as Sir Francis Drake was said to do from this very spot in order to catch pirates, privateers and invading naval ships approaching from the north via Drake’s Passage, also bearing his name. Today, this lookout point sports a stone platform with a bench atop it, and it’s a popular top for tour groups. The crowds mostly disperse by evening however, making Drake’s Seat an ideal spot to take in the sunset.
Drake’s Seat is just a 5-minute drive from the capital and cruise port of Charlotte Amalie, and it’s also a regular stop on most island tours. Visitors coming on their own can avoid the largest crowds by coming early or late in the day.
