A tour into Merigot, on the French side will give you a great view and feel for then island as well as a taste of French culture.
The shopping is much different from Phillipsburg on the Dutch side. Either way the shopping is good along with the local dining!
Maho Beach is great to watch the jets nearly land on top of you. We also did the America's Cup Racing Yacht excursion there. What a hoot, a bunch of tourists maning a racing yacht.
I also did the America's Cup Challenge in St. Marten. It was a lot of fun. We won! We were on Stars and Stripes. There are different jobs on the boat, and you can choose an active or passive one. I was in charge of the winch for the mainsail.
We were there last week and rented a jeep...four people for only $85 all day, and you can go where ever you want. You can also rent ATV's for $75 per day, but only two can fit on an ATV.