Charlotte Amalie, VI

A beloved breakfast-and-lunch institution tucked in a Charlotte Amalie alley for over three decades, doing authentic Virgin Islands cooking — curry goat, conch in lemon butter, fungi and plantains. The local soul-food benchmark downtown.

An elevated patio in a historic Charlotte Amalie courtyard doing creative brick-oven pizzas — including Caribbean jerk and crab-cake versions — and Italian lunch plates. A breezy, shaded perch above the shopping.

A tiny upstairs breakfast-and-lunch counter on the Charlotte Amalie waterfront, open over 35 years, with a balcony over the harbor and famous pancakes. The local morning perch with a cruise-ship view.

A New Orleans-style kitchen in the heart of Frenchtown doing blackened snapper, braised short ribs and shrimp Creole over cheese grits. Comfort cooking with a Louisiana accent on a French-rooted island.

Fine-dining seafood in the historic former Russian consulate at the tip of Frenchtown, with a waterfront veranda and a serious wine list. The island's classic special-occasion dinner.

A no-frills Frenchtown deli turning out some of the island's best sandwiches, bagels with smoked salmon, homemade soups and salads. The go-to for a quick, quality lunch or beach picnic.

A cozy Red Hook wine bar and bistro doing Mediterranean-leaning small plates and a well-chosen list of wines by the glass. The spot for a relaxed, grown-up evening of grazing and a good pour.

A chic seaside restaurant in Red Hook built around wood-fired cooking and inventive craft cocktails, with a polished, modern feel. The east end's destination dinner.

A roadside barbecue smoking ribs, chicken and Texas-style beef in hearty portions, a longtime favorite of yachties and frugal families across the island. Cheap, smoky and unfussy.

An uninhabited island in Charlotte Amalie harbor, part of the national park, laced with trails past British and Danish military ruins, an old marine railway and harbor viewpoints. A history hike reachable only by short boat or kayak.

A small, laid-back island a few minutes' ferry from Crown Bay, with a quiet road-and-path walk to Honeymoon Beach and WWII bunkers in the hills. The closest easy island escape from town.

A kayak-and-hike outing from the Mangrove Lagoon near Red Hook to a wild cay with a mangrove channel, blowhole and tide pools. A hands-on mix of paddling and walking through a marine sanctuary.

A lush hillside garden on St. Peter Mountain with shaded paths winding through orchids, palms and tropical plantings, plus pocket viewpoints. An easy, green change of pace from the beaches.

A marine park at Coki Point with an underwater observatory, a deep-reef tank, touch pools and sea-life encounters, plus an adjoining beach. The island's top family attraction, rain or shine.

A cable-car tram from near the cruise port up to a 700-foot ridge with a panorama over Charlotte Amalie harbor, a bar and short nature paths. An easy, no-hike island viewpoint.

A small, lively beach beside Coral World with some of the island's easiest reef snorkeling straight off the sand, swarming with tropical fish. Accessible, shallow and rewarding for all levels.

A half- or full-day sail across to St. John's protected national-park bays — Trunk Bay, Maho — for snorkeling and beach time, the classic Virgin Islands day on the water. The signature USVI excursion.

A legendary open-air tiki bar in a Red Hook parking lot, famous for flaming volcano drinks, loud music and a no-rules party energy. The island's quintessential night out.

An artists' compound in Tutu built around a former silk-screen studio, with working craft studios, galleries, a courtyard restaurant and regular arts-and-music events. A creative, shaded stop off the beach circuit.

A small, hands-on museum in Charlotte Amalie covering the island's pirate and seafaring lore with interactive exhibits and treasure-hunt fun for kids. A quick, air-conditioned downtown stop.

A mile-long arc of sugar-white sand in a deep protected cove framed by green hills — routinely named one of the Caribbean's best beaches and the island's defining stretch of sand. Calm, clear and family-easy.

A 17th-century Danish stone watchtower atop Government Hill, linked to pirate legend, reached by climbing the brick 'step streets' the Danes laid with ballast bricks. The climb itself, lined with old townhouses and gardens, is the experience.

The oxblood-red Danish fort that is the oldest standing structure on the island, dating to the 1670s, now a small museum on the waterfront of Charlotte Amalie. The historic anchor of the capital.

A lookout 1,500 feet up St. Peter Mountain with a sweeping view over Magens Bay and the British Virgin Islands beyond, and the bar that claims to have invented the banana daiquiri. The classic island panorama.

A roadside overlook where, legend says, Sir Francis Drake watched for ships, with a postcard view down over Magens Bay and the cays scattered offshore. A quick, free stop with one of the island's best vistas.

A small waterfront neighborhood settled by fishing families from St. Barthélemy, who still descend from those French communities, now lined with some of the island's best restaurants and bars. The most characterful district to wander and eat.

The Beracha Veshalom synagogue in Charlotte Amalie, one of the oldest in continuous use under the American flag, with a sand floor echoing the older Caribbean Sephardic tradition. A quiet historic gem above Main Street.

Charlotte Amalie's historic Dronningens Gade, a run of restored Danish warehouses now full of duty-free shops, threaded with shady alleys and arcades that hint at the old trading port. The walkable core of the old town.