Tortola (this got canceled due to bad weather)
Spread across miles of gleaming azure waters, the British Virgin Islands cap the summits and peaks of a chain of dormant underwater volcanoes. Their lush beauty is unmatched, and Tortola, the largest of the archipelago, is among the most stunning. Sailors have been skirting these shores for centuries. The famed pirates Blackbeard and Captain Kidd even took up residence here. With the arrival of colonist from England and, later, defeated loyalists from the thirteen colonies of the newly founded United States, the island's sugar industry boomed. Topday, the capital of Road Town rests on a picturesque horseshoe-shaped harbor where yachts mingle with simple fising boates and rainforest-clad hills rise up to a blue sky.
Antigua
Blanketed with tropical forests that lead to sheer cliffs overlooking azure water, Antigua has a rich past as a naval outpost of the Royal Crown. It is the largest of the Leeward Islands and one of the most British in the Caribbean. Perhaps its most famous resident hailing from England was Admiral Horatio Nelson, sent here to command the fleet in 1784. Today, Antigua and neighboring Barbuda, along with several smaller islands, comprise an independent country. Its capital, St. John's, has been an administrative center since 1632, and the baroque twin bell towers of the cathedral attest to a long British influence. The nation boasts a power-sand beach for every day of the year.
St Lucia
Rich in unspoiled and dramatic scenery, St. Lucia boasts some of the Caribbean's most idyllic beaches, many near the capital of Castries. This paradise is so seductive that the British and French fought over it for 150 years. The British finally triumphed in 1814. Today St, Lucia is a sovereign nation, yet still part of the Commonwealth of England. The island has a rich artistic heritage: the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Castries is adorned with lush murals painted by a local artist and batik artisans keep a cherished tradition alive in their shops. On the island's west coast, the landmark Gros and Petit Pitons, two breathtaking rocky pylon peaks, soar over pristine beaches.
Barbados
The easternmost of the Caribbean islands, Barbados is rich in British history and spectacular sandy beaches. Home to the commonwealth's third oldest parliament, Barbados is often called "Litte England" for its lasting British influence. Bajans, as islanders are known, exude a hearty love of their small island country and delight in sharing its unique culture. Cricket matches and afternoon tea are as common here as surfing and sunning on the beach with family and friends. And a bottle of the island's native Mount Gay Rum, and perhaps a delicious conkie, a pumpkin-coconut cake steamed in banana leaves, are never far out of reach. The island's capital, Bridgetown, boasts a wealth of historic buildings and sites.
Guadeloupe
Equal parts soaring natural beauty and vibrant tropical culture, the French territory of Guadeloupe is one of the Caribbean's mosts intriguing destinations. Often called the "Butterfly Island", it is actually two islands linked by bridges. The capital, Pointe-a-Pitre, is on Grand-Terre, the flat eastern island. Here bright colors and delicious flavors, from pungent spices to tropical fruits and handmade crafts, bring village markets to life. Across Allianace Bridge, on the western island of Basse-Terre, tropical jungles crawl up steep mountain slopes awash in towering waterfalls and teeming with wildlife. This is Guadeloupe National Park, one of France's seven nationallly protected winderness areas. Exploring this pristine forest is one of the Caribben's most invigorating adventures.
St Kitts and Nevis
Once a sugar-producing powerhouse, St, Kitts is lush with unspoiled vistas and old sugarcane fields. Together, St. Kitts and its neighboring island of Nevis comprise the smallest independent country in the Americas. Today, mangoes dominate the harvests instead of sugar. Home to Vervet monkeys, banana trees and coconut palms, St. Kitts' costal perimeter road leads to white-sand beaches and calm bays. The conmpact capital and main port, Basseterre, is one of the oldest towns in eastern Caribbean, dotted with Victorian and Georgian architecture. The grassy patch of Independence Square, in the heart of the town, is where locals gather to exchange gossip in the shade of stately 18th-century buildings and Basseterre's English-style cathedral.
St Thomas
St. Thomas, purchased by the US from Denmark in 1917, is a rich blend of colorful architecture, stunning beaches and intriguing history. Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro was born here in 1830 and his childhood stone house is nestled on Charlotte Amalie's Main Street among the silver and gold shops. in Pissarro's day, a significant Jewish community flourished here. The 1833 St. Thomas synagogue, perched on Synagogue Hill, is the second oldest on US soil,. Nearby, Danish bankers and merchants who helped build St. Thomas kept multi-hued houses on Government Hill, some of them now gloriously restored. Beyond Carlotte Amalie, the near-perfect Magens Bay is lined with coconut palms and kissed by azure waters.