Beaches · Southern Shore
Ha'penny Beach
Ha'Penny Beach goes by at least three names — Ha'Penny, Halfpenny, and Manchineel Bay — depending on which guide or longtime resident you ask, and it's a genuinely long stretch of St. Croix's south shore: over a mile of soft white sand reached by a dirt road behind a set of pink concrete pillars off South Shore Road. It's popular enough with locals that weekends can get crowded, while weekdays tend to be close to empty, and its length makes it a favorite for dog walks, running, and long beach strolls rather than a single set-up-and-stay spot. There are no public facilities of any kind, but the beach isn't entirely undeveloped — a private dining club, Ha'Penny Bay Beach Club, sits along part of the shoreline, and longtime visitors mention a driftwood structure locally nicknamed the "Hippy Shack" that's said to draw a crowd on full-moon nights. Water conditions vary from calm to rough depending on wind and swell, with a mostly sandy bottom that makes it swimmable more often than not, though the reef here isn't considered one of St. Croix's stronger snorkeling spots.
Ha'penny Beach, Southern Shore, St. Croix
Does this beach fit the day you want?
Ha'Penny Beach goes by at least three names — Ha'Penny, Halfpenny, and Manchineel Bay — depending on which guide or longtime resident you ask, and it's a genuinely long stretch of St. Croix's south shore: over a mile of soft white sand reached by a dirt road behind a set of pink concrete pillars off South Shore Road. It's popular enough with locals that weekends can get crowded, while weekdays tend to be close to empty, and its length makes it a favorite for dog walks, running, and long beach strolls rather than a single set-up-and-stay spot. There are no public facilities of any kind, but the beach isn't entirely undeveloped — a private dining club, Ha'Penny Bay Beach Club, sits along part of the shoreline, and longtime visitors mention a driftwood structure locally nicknamed the "Hippy Shack" that's said to draw a crowd on full-moon nights. Water conditions vary from calm to rough depending on wind and swell, with a mostly sandy bottom that makes it swimmable more often than not, though the reef here isn't considered one of St. Croix's stronger snorkeling spots.
What Island Hype can confirm
- Access
- road
- Access effort
- easy
- Snorkeling
- good
- Family friendly
- Yes
- Facilities
- None
- What to know
- Sea urchins possible; long sandy shoreline
Good fit if you want
- a road-access beach with an easy approach
- snorkeling as part of your beach day
- a beach marked family-friendly
Consider another option if your priority is
- more facilities
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Cane Bay
More facilities are available for the day
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