Margaritaville : Rio Mar or St Thomas

[woj027]

Hey all,
I am just trying to get a feel for which of these places would be more fun for a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child (10)).
We like to be lazy at the beach (or pool / lazy river), go out for adventures (think Mexico and Vallarta Adventures) or just going into town and do some walking around eating/drinking/shopping (and maybe some more drinking for me).

All other things being the same (Availability, Points Used, Airfare, taxi/Uber, Food) where should we go?

 

[learnalot]

They are both nice resorts. Uber doesn't operate on either island. (Taxis do).

Rio Mar is a little farther from "town" for eating/drinking/shopping beyond the resort, but the resort itself has a little more going on. Old Town PR is about 60 miles from the resort, but the El Yunque rainforest is only about 4 miles from the resort.

The St. Thomas resort is also nice. It's easier to get around the island without a car on St. Thomas than on Puerto Rico. Open air shuttles and buses traverse most of the island (but they only travel clockwise). It's a fairly short walk to get to the road where you can catch the bus or the shuttle. It's also a short walk to Coki Point which is a popular destination for good snorkeling. The resort is on the east side of the island, so it's close to the Red Hook ferry to St. John (not really walkable, but a quick cab or shuttle ride).

We haven't spent as much time on Puerto Rico as on St. Thomas., but both resorts are lovely. I would return to either!

 

[woj027]

Thanks so much, its good to know they are both nice resorts.

 

[woj027]

reviving this thread almost 2 years later. Same question. Same adults, same Kids (this time 13). anything changed at either location ? Both still awesome to visit?

 

[cbyrne1174]

reviving this thread almost 2 years later. Same question. Same adults, same Kids (this time 13). anything changed at either location ? Both still awesome to visit?

It depends on what time of year you plan to visit St Thomas. The Sargassum issue has gotten out of hand at that resort from like April-Sept

 

[troy12n]

I've never been to the Margaritaville resorts on either island, but I like St. Thomas better, and think it's safer, generally.

 

[BoomerKwanger]

I've been to both...I loved both places, but I probably have a slight preference towards St Thomas.

I would say a big part of the decision will be around what "vibe" you're looking for. Rio Mar (I went in February this year) is a much bigger and busier resort. It's a combination of a hotel, the timeshare condos, a convention center and a casino. So there's more to do, but also a lot more people everywhere.

St. Thomas (I went in January last year) was definitely much quieter and laid back. It's exclusively timeshare units. I think there's only 1 restaurant on the resort, but if you don't mind a short walk, there are a bunch of things nearby. There's actually a walking path to Point Pleasant resort, which has a restaurant by the ocean as well as a second hilltop restaurant that's great for brunch and has great views of the bay. The resort is also close to Coral World, which is a small amusement park with dolphins and other marine animals.

The beaches between the two places offer different experiences as well. Technically, Margaritaville St. Thomas doesn't have a beach that's usable (because of seaweed) but there's a public beach called Coki that is only a 5 minute walk away. Coki beach is great for snorkeling. The water is very clear and if you bring goggles, you'll see a bunch of tropical fish and coral. The beach at Rio Mar is also great, but think traditional east coast beach...no coral, but decent sized waves that are probably good for body surfing/boogie boarding.

In terms of the islands themselves, St. Thomas definitely feels more exotic. The way between the airport and resort is very hilly, so you get some really gorgeous views of the island. Everyone drives on the left, so keep that in mind. Also supermarkets there are VERY expensive.