Just 40 miles south of St. Thomas lies St. Croix, USVI, the largest of the three Virgins. Renowned for its rich historic, architectural and cultural charm, St. Croix has scores of ruins and restorations of sugar cane mills and plantation Great Houses everywhere. McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas has a small but exclusive selection of excellent St. Croix vacation villas. While you enjoy the peace and beauty of St. Croix from your vacation rental home, there are walking tours, hikes, and horseback rides which meander through this historic past. Not as mountainous as sister islands St. John and St. Thomas, St. Croix's topography and landscaping are varied, from rolling hills to lovely, uncrowded beaches and arid cactus-covered plains, to a lush, green rain forest. Christiansted is St. Croix's main town, featuring charming alleyways, courtyards and streets dotted with excellent restaurants, shops, Fort Christiansvaern, churches and buildings showcasing classic West Indian architecture and history. Just off St. Croix's northeast coast is Buck Island Reef, a National Monument with wonderful snorkeling from perfect white sand beaches. On the north shore you can dive the world-famous Cane Bay Wall with its spectacular coral and sea life, and continue on to the west and the small town of Fredericksted. The Cruzan Rum Distillery, Estate Whim Plantation Museum and St. George Village Botanical Gardens are also some of the interesting attractions to enjoy while on St. Croix. This island is also home to three golf courses (Carambola, Buccaneer and The Reef). St. Croix is also the only U.S. Virgin Island which has a gambling casino - you can try your luck at Divi Carina Bay Casino during your villa vacation; the Divi also offers free live entertainment in the upbeat Showbar there. A rainforest lies in the northwestern portion of St. Croix, with a cool lushness all its own. Great mahogany, sandbox ("monkey-no-climb") and turpentine trees grant gentle shade to a riot of vivid flora. In the rainforest is the famous Domino Club, featuring its beer-drinking pigs - not your usual Caribbean tourist attraction, but hilarious nonetheless, and not to be missed while on St. Croix! And the easternmost point in the United States of America is Point Udall, St. Croix - the sun rises here first! St. Croix is still a relatively-undiscovered island, not yet overrun by tourists and with few cruise ships visiting. It's a secret favorite of many longtime Caribbean travelers, with lots to see and do, lovely Crucian vacation villas, and tremendous beauty and history to offer its visitors. BRING PROOF of YOUR CITIZENSHIP. Everyone departing St. Croix, even Americans, are now required by U.S. Immigration to show either a passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate accompanied by a photo ID - please don?t forget these for the whole family!