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Named after the then Danish king, this gracious town’s construction started in 1735. Centered on the harbor, it has streets running uphill from the waterfront and distinctly 18th-century European architecture (seeChristiansted).

Operated by the National Park Service, this waterfront area features several historic buildings. Apart from Fort Christianvaern, there are the Scale House where sugar was weighed, Customs House, and Post Office. The Steeple Building has a small museum (seeChristiansted).

The centerpiece of the Christiansted National Historic Site, this imposing yellow edifice at the water’s edge dates to 1749. Its dungeons, ramparts, and cannons provide interesting exploring. Park rangers answer questions and offer tours (seeChristiansted).

Now in the midst of restoration, this 24-acre 19th-century plantation is run by the international group, The Nature Conservancy. An easy stroll takes you past ruins of the windmill, the sugar and rum factory, the laborers’ village, and the gardens where the many native and exotic plants are labeled.

The remains of a great house and tower sit in the heart of this posh neighborhood, named after the woman buried near the ruins. Christopher Columbus halted at nearby Salt River Bay in 1493 (seeJudith’s Fancy, St. Croix).

Around 1,500 varieties of leafy plants and flowers surround the ruins of a 19th-century sugar plantation village. Its gardens include examples of each of St. Croix’s ecosystems ranging from an arid cactus garden to a lush rainforest (seeSt. George Village Botanical Garden)

Restored by the St. Croix Landmarks Society, this estate boasts a fine 18th-century great house. The oval-shaped mansion is filled with antiques, including a four-poster bed and old photos of St. Croix. Outbuildings include a kitchen, sugar factory, and windmill (seeWhim Plantation Museum).

The extensive stone ruins of this old sugar plantation include a mill and a rum factory. The ruins were discovered underneath foliage by the owners of the adjacent house.

This circa 1750 gem was the home of the prominent Lawaetz family. Often, a Lawaetz family member conducts tours that include stops at the four-poster mahogany bed shared by Carl and Marie, the dining room with its hand-painted china, and the gardens that fed the family for generations (seeCarl & Marie Lawaetz Museum).

Charming Frederiksted dates to 1751 (seeFrederiksted). Fort Frederik, near the cruise ship pier, is the town’s historical focus. Here, freedom was granted to the island’s slaves on July 3, 1848 (seeEmancipation, USVI).