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Running north from just outside Frederiksted to the end of the paved road, this appealing drive (Route 63) takes you past gracious old homes and to the west, magnificent sea views. If you’re up for a dirt-road drive, connect with Scenic Road (seeScenic Road) near the end of the drive.

Most bars hold happy hours in the late afternoon, with the free munchies attracting locals, particularly on Fridays. If you want to learn more about local life from the horse’s mouth, here’s your chance.

Like its fellow Hard Rock Cafés around the world, the St. Thomas one has blaring music and sports videos at all hours. Popular with cruise ship tourists who come during the day to sample the extensive lunch menu, the place also attracts locals and hotel guests who like its late night rocking ambience.

Sarah Harvey dishes up great West Indian food at her unassuming restaurant. Yummy whelks in butter sauce, fish andfungi (a cornmeal and okra dish), and goat stew served with a variety of side dishes are the highlights. The helpings are huge.

Home to the island’s largest cruise ship pier, the thriving Havensight area has a major shopping mall as its heart (seeHavensight Mall). Catering mainly to cruise ship passengers, the mall also attracts shoppers who don’t want to head to the downtown Charlotte Amalie shopping area. Tourist shops selling jewelry, electronics, and gift items sit alongside a bank, the island’s only real bookstore, and a handful of restaurants. More shops, a grocery store, and several restaurants line Havensight Road.

A local favorite, Hawksnest Beach is a sandy stretch shaded by round-leafed seagrapes and towering palm trees. Keep a watch for falling coconuts. Part of the Virgin Islands National Park, the quiet beach has modest bathrooms and changing facilities, as well as shaded picnic pavilions. The snorkeling over the near-shore reefs is enjoyable, but experienced snorkelers may want to explore the rocks and pocket beach on the eastern shore.

Get a bird’s-eye view of the turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and charming towns in St. Thomas and St. John. Longer trips include the BVI.

Hercules cooks up fish, chicken, and more, all well seasoned with fresh peppers, onions, and tomatoes at this hole-in-the-wall spot. His hold-in-the-hand patés make delicious on-the-go lunches. While you can eat at one of the few roadside tables, traffic noise and odors make take-out a better option.

Several varieties of herons are found all over the Virgin Islands. Look for little blue herons, West Indian green herons, and rarely, great blue herons, near the shorelines. Their nests sit on shrubby trees and are made of sticks.

Caribbean-flavored French food (seeHervé Restaurant, St. Thomas).