The best things to do in Anguilla

If you’re not eating and drinking your way down Anguilla’s shoreline, what are you doing really? Next to lying out, a meal on the sand is the best way to spend your day at the beach in Anguilla. Check out Blanchard’s beach shack for burgers and hot dogs, and very strong rum punches to wash it all down. Be sure to order a bag of chocolate cookies to go. Mango’s Seaside Grill is another favorite for hearty sandwiches and fresh seafood. Try the lobster tacos at the Half Shell Beach Bar for a twist on the island's staple crustacean. Generously stuffed flour tortillas arrive with your choice of fried or blackened lobster (it’s fried for us, always) and pair perfectly with a Paloma.

Anguilla used to be a major exporter of salt until tourism became its main economic activity. But from May through September, you can relive the glory days on a salt harvesting excursion to Sandy Ground, home to Anguilla’s largest salt pond. The Four Seasons Anguilla’s ‘Taste of Anguilla’ in partnership with Quest Experiences leads the trip, where you’ll wade through knee-deep water to find the most fertile areas to begin your adventure. Even those unlucky harvesters will get to take home a vile of local salt. You can watch a clip of our experience here.

This isn’t a late town by any means but post-dinner fun abounds on Sandy Ground, where the beach bars light up with live music and dancing. Hop around from SandBar to Elvis’ Beach Bar to other popular spots on the strip. The sunsets here are spectacular.

It rains quite a bit in Anguilla during the summer months, but your day is far from a washout when you wait out the storm at the Spa at the Four Seasons Anguilla. In addition to massages and facials, the facility offers “journeys,” which combine several treatments into one. It’s a stunning wellness facility that overlooks the ocean and guests are encouraged to arrive early and lounge before getting pampered.

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This charming family-run garden is a treat for home cooks as much as it is for foodies interested in learning about Anguilla’s local agriculture. Stroll the grounds to see an abundance of organic herbs, fruits and vegetables, and treat yourself to freshly made juice. Vinty hosts the occasional market, where folks can shop for local produce as well as feast on homemade Anguillan dishes. We had the pleasure of stopping by after a salt-picking excursion coordinated by the Four Seasons Anguilla and enjoyed a homemade breakfast and a tour of the garden.

Anguilla is small but its terrain and shorelines are diverse, so you’ll want to make time to visit more than one of its crystal-clear beaches. Shoal Bay provides a postcard-worthy experience with its see-through waters and soft sand. Then there’s Barnes Bay for a glimpse of mega-watt villas, Little Bay for snorkeling and Cove Bay for a secluded dip. The differences are nuanced but worth discovering.

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Anguilla is where Brad and Jen famously vacationed for the last time together, and where plenty of other stars choose to retreat in the Caribbean. Italian restaurant Trattoria Tramonto is such a hotbed for movie stars, they’ve dedicated an entire tab on their website to photos of celebrity guests—from Liam Neeson to Meryl Strip to Lionel Richie. On our recent trip, we spotted Grammy-winning rapper J. Cole and his family, as well as Tichina Arnold, comedienne and co-star of the hit sitcom Martin. If you’re reading this from Anguilla, look to your right. There’s probably a famous person sitting next to you. Just don't out them on your social—they're on vacation, too.

Its reputation as a tourist attraction doesn't diminish the beauty and allure of tiny Sandy Island off the coast of Anguilla. Its namesake restaurant serves up one of the prettiest and poshest barbecue experiences, and it all starts with a quick ferry ride from Sandy Ground: take any of the frequent sea shuttles ostensibly named for your various vacation moods—Happiness, Joy, Bliss and Euphoria—and spend the day lounging, snorkeling and eating your weight in fresh lobster.