Magens Bay is one of my favorite beaches on St. Thomas. This mile and a half long white sand beach itself is one of the most beautiful in the world.
The only real negative of this beach worth mentioning is that its popularity can sometimes lend itself to getting crowded.
Tip: This beach gets extremely crowded on days when cruise ships are in port. If you’re staying on St. Thomas for a few days, try to visit on a day when no ships are docking. You’ll have the beach almost entirely to yourself!
When going to the US Virgin Islands most people will land in St. Thomas and then take a ferry over to St. John. This makes sense because St. John is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, like the famous Trunk Bay.
If you come in as a cruise passenger or don’t have time to go over to St John you don’t need to worry. There are awesome beaches on St. Thomas as well. Magens Bay (spelled with no apostrophe) is the most popular beach on the island of St. Thomas.
Magens Bay Beach Quick Facts
- Names: Magen’s Bay (sp), Little Magens Beach is a different beach (but next door)
- Cost: Admission $7.00 per person, $2.00 per car to park
- Facilities: showers, multiple restrooms, foot baths, picnic tables, several concession stands, water gear rentals, and a full-service bar
- Parking: large lot $2 to park (they stop charging after 5pm)
- Lifeguards: towers, but unmanned when we were last there
- Hours: 7am to 6pm
- Excursions: Lots! Check here for the most updated list.
Magens Bay Map & Location
Magens Bay Beach is located on the north central side of the island of St. Thomas. If you are coming from the cruise terminal or the main airport it is about a 20 minute drive.
Even though it is less than 5 miles it still takes about 20 minutes to complete the drive since you are going directly up and over a mountain via winding roads.
The beach sits in a gorgeous bay. Magens Bay Beach is protected by a long thin peninsula that creates a wide “nook” for the beach.
How to get to Magens Bay
There are a couple common options to get you to Magens Bay Beach. You can rent a car or take a taxi.
We rented a car to get to Magens bay because we love to travel on our own time schedule. We always want the independence to do and see what we want, when we want. If you’d rather book your own tour, this half-day option will get you there (it is typically a cheaper than the cruise ship excursions).
Tip – When in the US Virgin Islands I recommend renting a car to get the most out of your experience. It would be difficult to see all the beautiful places in the islands without a car. Reserve a car here.
Getting from the Cruise Port to Magens Bay Beach via Taxi
It’s possible to take a taxi to get between the two rather than booking a set excursion. The quick answer is that you shouldn’t have any problem getting a taxi in either direction.
Is it easy to get a taxi from Magens Bay back to the cruise port?
Both times we were there we saw taxis lined up and waiting to pick up passengers on both ends. All you need is one taxi available once you see the types of taxis available in St. Thomas.
How much is a taxi from cruise port to Magens Bay?
You can expect to pay around $10-15 per person. Taxis in St. Thomas are not your typical taxis. They are usually trucks with benches affixed into the bed. They can accommodate large groups at once, which is why the generally charge per passenger.
A single group usually doesn’t take their own taxi since most people are going to and from the most popular destinations.
Magens Bay Parking
There is a large lot with plenty of parking to the left of the admission gate. Parking costs $2. Thankfully the accept credit card at the booth. This is nice because a lot of places on the island (restaurants especially) only take cash.
The parking lot stretches almost the entire length of the beach. If you don’t want to walk far down just drive down when you arrive. Remember though, the bar is right by the entrance!
Magens Bay Beach Hours
Magens Bay is officially open daily from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
It’s a little disappointing that it closes this early, but this is actually pretty common throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands.
That said, on my most recent trip I stayed literally 4 minutes away from Magens Bay and ended up going almost every night for sunset—and it didn’t really seem like it “closed” at 6 pm. There was no one actively kicking people out.
My guess is that they stop letting people enter around 6 pm, but if you’re already inside, you can usually stay and enjoy the beach a bit longer.
If you’re wondering what Magens Bay looks like at sunset, I filmed this on my most recent trip. It ended up being one of my favorite experiences on the island—the entire beach feels completely different in the evening, much more calm and laid-back.
What to Expect at the actual beach
In general, you can expect the beach to look as beautiful in person as it does in the pictures. The images are not a produce of fancy filters and photoshop!
One other huge perk is that this beach gets very little seaweed. This is because of the long thin peninsula that protects the beach. This also helps keep the waters calm which make it an excellent spot for swimming and lounging in the water.
Lots of beaches don’t have adequate spots in the shade where you can escape the sun. Thankfully this beach has lots of trees that can get under to escape the heat.
Snorkeling at Magens Bay
Surprisingly, Magens Bay is not known for their snorkeling. The waters are calm and will allow it, there just isn’t as much acquatic life as other places on the island.
If you do want to snorkel here the best spots are along the rocky outcroppings.
Facilities
There are public showers and restrooms at several points along the beach. There are also picnic tables if you want to bring your own lunch.
Beach Bar & Restaurants
Magens Point Bar & Grill and Concessions– Located right on the beach. Serves the typical chicken wings, hamburgers, and other sandwiches. You can expect to pay about $12-$17 per. Check out the menus here and here. The food was pretty good but don’t expect anything super unique. The menu is mainly burgers, pizza, sandwiches and fries.
Generally they are open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Beach Activities: Equipment Rentals & General Pricing
Magens Bay Beach has equipment is available to rent. Available items include – lounge chairs, floating mats, towels, masks, snorkels, fins, as well as storage lockers. Each of these should cost you between $5 and $10. You can rent an umbrella for the day for $20 USD.
Also, if you want you can rent a stand up paddle board or kayak, but obviously expect to pay a little bit more.
Magens Bay Excursions
Things to do near Magens Bay
There is another beach named Little Magens Beach. It is a 6 minute drive or you can swim there from Magens Bay Beach. If you do want to get there make sure you read the specifics on how to access here.
Other beaches – there are other amazing St. Thomas beaches within a few minutes. My favorite to avoid the crowds is Lindquist Beach.
Viewpoints
Coming up and over the island gives you a number of stunning viewpoints! Skyline Drive is the name of the road, and it features access to a few different viewpoints. Being able to see the viewpoints on your own timeline is another perk of renting a car.
Book the Skyline Drive and Beach Tour: ff you are interested in a tour that takes you to all of the best of them you can book this tour to see the top viewpoints and be taken to an epic beach!
Charlotte Amalie Lookout
While this one isn’t the most famous I think it should be. It offers incredibly views of the island as well as the harbor. Read more about it here.
Drake’s Seat
This viewpoint directly overlooks Magens Bay. As you come down the mountain you will soon see the beach you can enjoy!
Mountain Top
Mountain Top – This is the #1 tourist attraction in the Virgin Islands. Incredible views of the islands. Here is a tour that includes Mountain Top if you prefer.
Magens Bay Beach — Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — without question. There’s a reason it’s the most popular beach on St. Thomas. The water is calm, the sand is gorgeous, and the 1.5-mile stretch means you can always find your own spot even when it’s busy. We’ve been twice and would go back again. Just avoid it on heavy cruise ship days if you can.
We’ve visited in both March and April and both times were beautiful — warm, sunny, and great water conditions. That late winter to early spring window is honestly a sweet spot for St. Thomas. The weather is reliable, it’s not peak summer heat, and the island feels a little more relaxed than the holiday rush. Whenever you go, just check the cruise ship schedule for that specific day and plan around it.
Admission is $5 per person and $2 to park. They accept credit cards at the booth, which is handy since a lot of spots on the island are cash only. Prices can change so confirm before you go — but it’s one of the better value beaches in the Caribbean regardless. Lounge chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear, kayaks and paddle boards are all available to rent on the beach if you don’t want to haul your own.
It depends entirely on whether cruise ships are docked that day. On busy ship days it can get very crowded, very fast. On days with no ships it’s a completely different experience — calm, relaxed, and way more enjoyable. The beach is 1.5 miles long so even on a busier day you can walk down and find your own patch of sand. Pro tip: check the St. Thomas cruise ship schedule before your trip — it’s publicly available and a total game changer for planning your beach days.
Earlier is always better. The beach opens at 7am and closes at 6pm. If cruise ships are in port that day, get there as early as you can. If you’re lucky enough to hit a low-ship day, you have a little more flexibility — but mornings are still the best time to get settled before it fills up.
Honestly, not really — although I did see a huge sting ray the last time I was there. The water is calm and clear but there isn’t a ton of aquatic life compared to other spots on the island. If you do want to snorkel here, stick to the rocky outcroppings at the edges of the beach. For serious snorkeling, Hawksnest Beach on St. John is a much better option.
Two options: rent a car or take a taxi. It’s about a 20-minute drive — less than 5 miles but you’re going up and over a mountain on winding roads, so it takes longer than you’d expect. Taxis in St. Thomas are usually trucks with bench seats in the back and they charge per person (around $10–15 each way) rather than by the trip. We prefer renting a car for the flexibility, but taxis are easy and reliable if you just need a straightforward ride.
Yes — Magens Point Bar & Grill is right on the beach and serves burgers, pizza, wings, and sandwiches. Expect to pay around $12–17 per person. They’re generally open 9:30am to 5pm. It’s solid beach food — don’t go expecting anything fancy, but you won’t leave hungry either.
Is Magens Bay worth visiting?
Definitely! There is a reason this is the most popular beach on St. Thomas. The only downside is the crowds when multiple cruise ships arrive. Thankfully the beach is 1.5 miles long so if you just walk down further you can still find your own little spot of paradise.
We have visited almost every beach on St. John and St. Thomas. Below are a list of our favorites.
- Trunk Bay – most beautiful beach I have ever seen!
- Cinnamon Bay – amazing full service beach
- Hawksnest Beach – amazing snorkeling beach
- Maho Bay Beach – almost guaranteed to see sea turtles here.
- Salomon Beach – Secluded Paradise!
- Honeymoon Beach – great hike and snorkeling
- Oppenheimer Beach – great to avoid the crowds
- Jumbie Beach – lesser known beach
