Summary
I went to the British Virgin Islands for spring break in March 2024 with my wife and our two young children (9 son, 6 daughter). The trip was wonderful – it was a great family break, getting away from the cold in NYC and getting to disconnect a bit from work. We spent nearly a week staying on Virgin Gorda – which is perfect because we didn’t want to be on the main island with all the industrial activity (Tortola) nor did we want it to be too remote (most other islands are very small without much activity). The weather was perfect – low 80s every day, warm beach water and breezy nights. Most restaurants tend to be more meat-heavy but between the hotel and the options on the island, we got everything we were looking for. There is no Uber so you are reliant on car rentals or local taxis (or an awesome jeep wrangler if you rent from the hotel – like we did!). Remember if you do drive that it is left side driving. We spent much of the week in the water – exploring islands, snorkeling, swimming … just being outside all the time. Virgin Gora has a tiny airport so the best path is to get to Tortola airport (the country’s local international airport) and then take a 20-min ferry to the island. Our route was NYC to San Juan Puerto Rico (3 hours), Puerto Rico to Tortola (30 mins in a small plane) and Tortola to Virgin Gorda (20 min ferry). It was very easy and seamless – especially since the hotel manages the last leg perfectly.
Accommodations
During our travels, we stayed at the Rosewood Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda. The Rosewood is in a perfect location right on the beach – the ferry from Tortola takes you right to the dock of the hotel. The hotel boasts a wide variety of facilities: tennis, pickleball, gym, pool and an extended beach with non-motorized sports. Every day the hotel organizes beach drops to neighboring islands, snorkeling trip and jeep rentals for local exploration. You are assigned two butlers for the stay who serve as your concierge and are willing and able to help with literally anything. The property is expansive, so the butlers take you everywhere in golf carts and they are very timely with any needs. The staff is there to help with ensuring everyone has a beach chair. The hotel has many nice little touches – ice cream for kids every day at 230p, high tea and pastries every day at 3p etc. The hotel has a wonderful kid club where the kids can take a break and engage in some fun activities. The experience was outstanding.
Select Favorites
Activities
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- Rosewood organized several beach drops everyday where they would give umbrellas, a picnic lunch and towels – our favorite beach drops were at Valley trunk and Savannah bay
- We also spent a day on a sailing trip with Mitchell from “Escape Charters” (organized by the hotel) – our favorite stops included Cooper Island, Peter island and Norman island (beach and swim); the best snorkel spots include the Caves and The Indians; the best attaction in Virgin Gorda is the rock formations on the beach called The Baths
Dining
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- Evenings outside the hotel: our favorites included – CocoMaya (Asian/Mediterranean), Sugarcane (International), Rock Cafe (Italian/Pizza) and Chez Bamboo (Asian/Japanese)
- Evenings at the hotel: our favorites were – Pavilion (Indian/Caribbean), Reef house (Farm-to-table, Mexican on certain nights), Sugar Mill (seafood) and Rum Bar (drinks and amazing chocolate lava cake/ice cream desserts)
- Daytime away from the hotel: we took special trips for lunch to Hog heaven (BBQ with amazing views across BVI), Top of the baths (American with amazing views of The Baths), Saba Rock (International on its own island), Willy T’s (Drinks on a famous docked boat with a jump-off ledge) and Soggy Dollar (beachside famous bar on Jost Van Dyke island)
Recommendation
We would highly recommend an extended break (beyond a traditional few days) to BVI. There are so many unique islands and destinations to visit that each day can be unique. Our typical Caribbean trip is 4 nights – this trip was 6 nights. Plus, the trip being multiple stops makes the first and last day We felt this to a be a good increase. Make reservations and plan tours well ahead of time to get the spots you want. Enjoy!
