Eat breakfast in Isabel Segunda, the largest town and the administrative hub of Vieques, where you can get a glimpse of local life. For an authentic Puerto Rican breakfast, go to Panadería La Viequense, a bakery counter where residents line up early for their café con leche, fresh bread and more than a dozen sandwich options. Try the media noche, a sweet, eggy loaf generously stuffed with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles ($11.16). For a sit-down experience, snag a patio table at Rising Roost or Mesita, two popular joints that serve salads, omelets and hearty breakfast bowls.

On your way to the airport or ferry terminal, stop by Fortín Conde de Mirasol, an unfinished Spanish fort built in the mid-1800s that overlooks Isabel Segunda. The history museum and archaeological exhibit inside are temporarily closed because of roof repairs. But if the fort is reopened when you visit, meander past its rusty Spanish cannons — which guard Vieques (nicknamed Isla Nena, or Little Girl Island) — for a scenic view of the town below. Peer across the beaming blue hues of the Atlantic Ocean and you’ll spot Puerto Rico’s main island, which locals refer to as La Isla Grande, or the Big Island.