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Sogo conjures up delicious West Indian fare in his tiny, unassuming restaurant. Favorites include meltingly tender steamed conch in lemon butter sauce, spicy curry goat stew, and mahi mahi (dolphin fish) with a flavourful creole sauce.

Janet Cook Rutnik exhibits her varied works and those of others at this lovely gallery in the nether reaches of a ramshackle shopping area. Her works are often dark with splashes of color, very different from most other Caribbean art.

The swirls on the clasp of her hook bracelets commemorate hurricanes that have ravaged the islands.

Local favorite famous for its shrimp, scallops, and lobster in a tomato, basil, and lemon cream sauce.

The heart of Virgin Gorda’s commerce and transportation, Spanish Town is squeezed between the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. Most of its shops and restaurants are housed at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor. Lively Lee Road bisects the west side of town, with the tiny strip of an airport on the east. The ferry dock sits a short walk from Yacht Harbor. Residents often refer to Spanish Town as The Valley, but that is in fact the name of the island’s southern part.

Most of the year, spider lilies look like rather pedestrian green-leafed plants growing along the roadside, but summer sees them burst into bloom all over the islands with a shower of white flowers. If you are very patient, you can watch them open at dusk. The lilies last only a few days before drying up.

Black with long, protruding spines, these undersea creatures live on the reef.

Very close to the busy Baths National Park (seeThe Baths National Park, Virgin Gorda), the white, sandy Spring Bay Beach provides a peaceful respite worth the five-minute walk from the road. Pretty natural pools created by huge boulders provide perfect swimming and snorkeling. Swings and picnic tables on a grassy lawn get you out of the sand. You’ll find a few restaurants at the nearby Baths and along the 10-minute drive to Spanish Town.

The Whim Plantation Museum hosts fine concerts in winter.

Built on the ruins of a 19th-century plantation, this lovely 17-acre spot features more than 1,500 native and exotic species of plants, including 60 stunning orchid species. Even if you’re not into botany, the plants are beautiful to look at and the location tranquil. Those keen on history will enjoy exploring the workers’ village, factory, and other buildings standing since sugarcane grew in the surrounding fields.