On any given night in St. Thomas you'll find steel-pan orchestras, rock-and-roll bands, piano music, jazz, broken-bottle dancing (dancing atop broken glass), disco, and karaoke. Pick up a copy of the free, bright-yellow St. Thomas This Week magazine when you arrive (you'll see it at the airport, in stores, and in hotel lobbies); the back pages list who's playing where. The Thursday edition of the Daily News carries complete listings for the upcoming weekend.

St. Croix's nightlife is ever-changing. Christiansted has a lively and eminently casual club scene near the waterfront. Frederiksted has a couple of restaurants and clubs with a variety of weekend entertainment. The island's arts scene is eclectic -- ranging from Christmastime performances of the Nutcracker to whatever local group got organized enough to put on a show. Folk-art traditions, such as quadrille dancers, are making a comeback. To find out what's happening, pick up the local newspapers -- V.I. Daily News and St. Croix Avis -- which are available at newsstands.

St. John isn't the place to go for glitter and all-night partying. Still, after-hours Cruz Bay can be a lively little village in which to dine, drink, dance, chat, or flirt. Notices posted on the bulletin board outside the Connections telephone center -- up the street from the ferry dock in Cruz Bay -- or listings in the island's two small newspapers (the St. John Times and Tradewinds) will keep you apprised of special events, comedy nights, movies, and the like.