Magens Bay or Emerald Beach? (5 kids)

We will be in St. Thomas on March 7, 2017 from 8:00-6:00 (NCL Escape) porting at Charlotte Amalie. We have 6 adults and 5 children (6 months - 7 years) and are looking for the best beach to spend several hours. I have read many reviews here but still have questions. Our plan is to go to Magens Bay based on the reviews, but then I read about Emerald Beach and someone posted you have access to their pool as well and there is no day pass required. Is that true and what is the water like there (i.e. calm like Magens?) I know Magens is not good for snorkeling, but what about Emerald?

Also, it looks like taxi to/from Magens is $7-$10 and $6-$7 for Emerald. Do we pay that for the kids as well? Their ages are 6 months, 4, 5 and 7. The baby and 4 year olds will sit on adult laps due to this being an open safari taxi.

Only resort guests are supposed to have pool access.

It is up to taxi driver as to whether they will chsrge for kids. The current government set rates do not post a child rate.

The water is calm at Emerald but the sand at Magens is flatter. The sand slopes at Emerald.

Any problem finding taxis from Emerald Beach to return to Crown Bay?

No problem getting taxi. If there isn't one waiting in the parking area, the front desk will call you one.

Megans Bay is much nicer for kids. There are some rocks at Emerald Bay and drops off fairly fast. There is no pool or snorkeling at Emerald Bay. At Emerald Bay you can get a chair for $10 and there is 2 small bars that has WIFI. I have had to wait for a taxi for 30 minutes.

Is there anywhere to rent snorkel equipment at Magen's Bay?

Megans Bay is much nicer for kids. There are some rocks at Emerald Bay and drops off fairly fast. There is no pool or snorkeling at Emerald Bay. At Emerald Bay you can get a chair for $10 and there is 2 small bars that has WIFI. I have had to wait for a taxi for 30 minutes.

The reason we decided on going to Emerald Beach and not Sapphire beach is that I read there were drops at Sapphire Beach. I haven't read about any drops in Emerald so decided to go there, but now I see you wrote that it drops fairly fast. Oy, what to do?

Go to Magens.

We will be in St. Thomas on March 7, 2017 from 8:00-6:00 (NCL Escape) porting at Charlotte Amalie. We have 6 adults and 5 children (6 months - 7 years) and are looking for the best beach to spend several hours. I have read many reviews here but still have questions. Our plan is to go to Magens Bay based on the reviews, but then I read about Emerald Beach and someone posted you have access to their pool as well and there is no day pass required. Is that true and what is the water like there (i.e. calm like Magens?) I know Magens is not good for snorkeling, but what about Emerald?

 

Also, it looks like taxi to/from Magens is $7-$10 and $6-$7 for Emerald. Do we pay that for the kids as well? Their ages are 6 months, 4, 5 and 7. The baby and 4 year olds will sit on adult laps due to this being an open safari taxi.

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Go to Megan's if you want a great beach or go to Coki Beach if you want to Snorkel (they rent equipment) and a great beach. You will not be disappointed with either. We are going to try Honeymoon Beach on Water Island this year for something different and more laid back.

At Magen's can you order lunch and sit and eat? The MB website mentions a concession stand which doesn't sound like much.

At Emerald Beach each of the two hotels seem to have outdoor restaurants and that appears to be more appealing to me.