Road Town is the capital of the British Virgin Islands and the practical centre of Tortola — a modest harbour town along a deep natural inlet, with a single main commercial street, a busy waterfront, and a constant traffic of ferries, yachts, and the occasional cruise ship. It is not pretty in the picture-postcard sense, but the harbour and the surrounding hills are striking, and a couple of hours on foot covers the worthwhile sights.
Main Street has the Virgin Islands Folk Museum (small, but a good overview of the islands' history), Sunny Caribbee Spice Shop, and a handful of restaurants and shops scattered along it. Crafts Alive, a small artisan market by the cruise dock, is the easiest place to find local souvenirs that aren't tat. The Old Government House Museum, in a former colonial residence on a hill above town, is worth a look for its colonial-era interiors.