Opened in 2006, the Virgin Islands Campground (Water Island, 340/776-5488, toll-free US 877/502-7225, www.virgin islandscampground.com, $120–160 winter, $100–130 summer) is one-of-a-kind in the St. Thomas area. The campground’s six cottages closely resemble those at Maho Bay Camps in St. John. They consist of a wood frame enclosed with mesh screens and heavy-duty canvas. There are beds to sleep three adults (or two adults and two children), electricity, a cooler, bins for your food, a dining table, and a porch. A communal pavilion houses cooking facilities plus a communications room with Internet, telephone, and television. There is also a modern bathhouse and a hot tub for everyone at the camp to share.

The camp is atop a rise near the center of 500-acre Water Island. You can walk to Honeymoon Beach or the St. Thomas ferry, but many guests prefer to rent a bicycle from the campground to get around. The Water Island ferry runs most days 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m. and offers late service several nights per week, making it easy to get to St. Thomas to sightsee there.