Hi, Its a very remote small island. Yes, there are beaches all over the coast and driving across one side to the other doesn't take long, but a lot of the beaches are not really set up for tourists.(there are restrooms but not chair rentals and things like that). SM is not a beach destination as this island is know for the gorgeous nature (volcanos, parks, mountains, scenery) so its not quite like a regular beach resort town. It looks more like Ireland/Hawaii cross. There are things to do but shopping/beach/dining is not what comes to mind. There is a good Mall in Ponta Delgada. Food is ok. With some preplanning you can get ok/decent food. It is fresh but very basic. Even grocery stores have items just not the selection I usually see when traveling to Europe. Just as long as you are not a foodie or expecting fantastic dining experiences you will do ok. Do a bit of research to make sure this is the vacation you want. While I thought it was a great place to visit because it is so remote and has such amazing nature it is very different from busy resort type touristy places.