Best Excursions in San Juan & St. Thomas ?

[donald]

Having posted a number of other messages; I am still seeking to hear a consensus as to what are considered to be the " Best " or " Must See " Excursions in San Juan & St. Thomas ?.....Should they be done on our own ( with whom ? ) or with the Ship ( Maasdam ) ?.........How ( and with whom ? ) can I best do a Bus Tour of El Yunqe Rain Forest in San Juan ?..........Don't want to sound jaded; but after shopping, snorkeling & the tram......Have I missed a " must see " sight/ excursion in St. Thomas ?......Lastly; is the Casino in San Juan " worth seeing " ( no pun intended ) ?

[PapaBill]

Presume you have only a reasonably short time in San Juan and St Thomas and are interested in seeing more than the inside of a souvenir stand and jewelry store.
Not knowing how long you have in San Juan I would suggest your trying to see the rain forest (I'd do this with a tour off the ship) then walk up to old San Juan and stroll the shops and things abit. Try and see either El Morro or San Cristobal . Either are great examples of the history of San Juan and offer great views of harborand/or city. If you are there in the evening try your hand at a casino or maybe a club in Old San Juan for music and dancing.
In St Thomas there can be a lot to see and do. I've been there a number of times and not seen it all. The obvious is downtown for shopping, the tram for sightseeing and
Maegens Bay for beach. Other things might be to try beach and snorkelling (or even beginner scuba) at Coki Beach. Next door is Coral World an interesting paid attraction.
Other beaches might include Saphire. Many folks also take ferry (or excursion ) over to St John. I'sd leave that until you have exhausted all there is to do in St Thomas.
Have fun.

[Donna]

Hi Donald,
THere is a nice casino across the street from the pier in the Wyndham Old San Juan, hope they are good to U!

[Nanatravel]

The Casino at the Wyndham El San Juan as well as this beautifully restored hotel, is a great place to stop. It is about a $10 taxi ride from the pier. I am not a gambler, but this site is gorgeous. Just stop for a drink at their Lobby Bar and people watch. a self guided walking tour up to El Morro is very nice. Go to the pink Information center at the beginning of LaPrincessa for a pocket sized walking map which will point out all of the historic sites. There is also a free Trolley paid by the merchants that can take you up the hill to the Fort.

I have been to St. Thomas numerous times and we try to do something different each time we go. Both San Juan and St. Thomas are very easy to do on your own by walking or taking a taxi. Options: Maegan's Bay, Sapphire Beach, Coki Beach and Coral World. a 3-4 hr. taxi tour of the island to include stop especially Mountain Top - home of the Banana Daiquiri. I always allow some time for late afternoon shopping at Havensight, if I don't want to go into Charlotte Amalie.