Bermuda Attractions Guide: Things To Do in the Bermuda Islands

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Bermuda

Attractions

Bermuda, actually an archipelago of small islands connected by minuscule bridges, has a legion of sightseeing attractions (old forts, museums, aquariums, botanical gardens, limestone caves), but is also the place to savor the good life, from drinking rose champagne on pink-sand beaches to putting on Bermuda-grass greens. With excellent roads and signage, not to mention its compact size (22 miles long and never more than 2 miles wide), Bermuda is easy to navigate and, depending on your form of transportation, always just half-an-hour to an hour from one tip to the other. Fortunately, you can easily grasp the lay of the land in one day (stopping for a leisurely seaside lunch), then decide where you'd prefer to concentrate your activities.

Though part of Bermuda's charm is discovering it at your own pace (especially via the 21-mile scenic Bermuda Railway Trail designed for walkers, bikers and birders), specialty orientation tours are available. Bermuda Lectures & Tours (6 Leacraft Rd., Southampton; 441/234-4082; $15) runs 1.5-hour interpretive tours (both walking and cycling) on architecture, history, and ecology. Byways Bermuda (Mon–Sat 2-3hrs; $30-$50; www.bywaysbermuda.com) wanders along Bermuda's back roads and trails, with knowledgeable guides explaining architecture, history, natural history, and island life; lengthier morning and afternoon tours, with refreshments, are also available via minivan (roughly double the price). Sea-Trek Island Tours (441/295-8670) offers a nautical perspective, cruising tiny coves and bays as the captain describes historic homes best appreciated from the water; hotel pickup and drop-off is included. The Bermuda Department of Community and Cultural Affairs (441/292-9447; no reservations required; free) organizes regular hour-long heritage walks (in season) covering Hamilton landmarks, the twisting alleys of St. George's, or the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Stop by any Visitors Centre (Front St., Hamilton; Royal Naval Dockyard, Somerset Rd., Sandys; King's Square, St. George's; Bermuda International Airport) or check the Bermuda Department of Tourism's thorough website (www.bermudatourism.com), for maps, events, updates, lodging, dining, shopping, and nightlife listings. The free, pocket-sized magazines This Week in Bermuda and Preview! are excellent (re)sources for events and comprehensive listings of attractions, restaurants, and shops. The Bermuda Shorts website (www.bermudashorts.bm) offers a webcam, thorough listings, and terrific forums where resident and regulars post their favorites.

Avid sightseers will find the Heritage Bermuda Passport ($35; $17.50 children 14 and under) – available at Visitors' Service Centres in Hamilton, St. George's, Royal Naval Dockyard, and the airport – an indispensable investment. It offers unlimited admission to eight cultural attractions within a seven-day period: Bermuda Aquarium Museum & Zoo; Bermuda Maritime Museum; the three Bermuda National Trust museums (Verdmont, Tucker House, Globe Hotel); Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute; Fort St. Catherine; and the Bermuda National Gallery. Note that many attractions close or curtail hours of operation during winter months.

MAIN ISLAND SIGHTS
Bermuda itself is divided into nine parishes (which can be confusing: the capital Hamilton lies not in Hamilton but rather Pembroke parish), but many regulars simply refer to the East End, West End, North Shore and South Shore. The three primary tourist areas – Hamilton, St. George's, and the Royal Naval Dockyard – are made for walking and are linked by buses and ferries. The other attractions, both natural and man-made, require a scooter, moped, or bicycle.

Hamilton
A compact and charmingly old-fashioned commercial and government center, centrally located Hamilton is ideal for walking, its compact downtown measuring roughly five by five city blocks with most attractions lining three east-west thoroughfares: Front, Reid and Church streets. Running parallel to the harbor, Front Street's pastel-hued buildings house upscale department stores and elegant boutiques (we've covered our favorites in Shopping), as well as trendy restaurants. The Ferry Terminal and Visitor's Bureau is also on Front Street (at Queen Street) as is a cenotaph commemorating those who perished in both world wars; look for it before the graceful colonnaded 1841 Cabinet Building & Senate Chamber (at Parliament Street).

Other noteworthy landmarks include the elegantly simple Georgian Sessions House (Church and Parliament Sts.; 441/292-7408; Fridays 10am, Nov-May; free), where the Supreme Court convenes on the ground floor, while the House of Assembly sits upstairs; visitors can observe the occasionally raucous parliamentary proceedings from a gallery. The more contemporary and monumental City Hall & Arts Centre (17 Church St.; Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–4pm; 441/292-1234; free) holds an excellent performing arts venue (check local publications for occasional Champagne and Jazz evenings) and the estimable Bermuda National Gallery (Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; free; www.bng.bm), whose cornerstone is the Watlington Collection of European masters (Rembrandt to Reynolds to Rodin); rotating exhibitions have showcased regional artists and explorations of African heritage.

If you're driving into town from other island points, keep an eye out for local character Johnny Barnes: from 5-10am daily, he directs traffic and welcomes visitors from a roundabout leading into Hamilton (where you'll also spot a commemorative statue that captures his infectious high spirits, exemplifying the island's friendliness and eccentricity).

Royal Naval Dockyard
Three minuscule bridges lead to Bermuda's furthest islet, Ireland, site of the exquisitely restored Royal Naval Dockyard, built in the early 1800s; today this uncommonly handsome answer to Williamsburg, Virginia houses galleries, shops, restaurants, and a maritime museum with snorkel park. The main draw here is the Maritime Museum (daily 9.30am–5pm; $10; www.bmm.bm), a magnificent 6-acre spread occupying a 1837 keep. Past the moats, 50-foot-thick ramparts, and batteries and magazines carved out from the cliff, a splendid interior courtyard accesses eight 19th-century buildings, the most noteworthy of which is the imposing Commissioner's House (the world's first prefabricated wrought- and cast-iron residential structure, dating from 1823), where displays focus on the island's African-American and Portuguese communities and maritime heritage. Other on-site collections, not surprisingly, commemorate oceanic commerce and shipwrecks – and include ravishingly restored racing yachts and pilot gigs. The complex is also, incongruously, home to Dolphin Quest (same hours; www.dolphinquest.org) whose inhabitants' antics can be viewed as part of admission; programs allowing you to frolic with the frisky bottlenoses cost more. The adjacent Snorkel Park includes waterslides, paddle boats, volleyball, and more (and rents equipment for a fee).

The Dockyard is also Bermuda's major shopping area for local products. The charming 1856 Clocktower Mall, notable for its stately 100-foot-high spires, contains numerous stores (including branches of Front Street boutiques and galleries). Our top picks are covered in our Shopping section, below.

St. George's
Set in the East End, and best explored on foot, Bermuda's original capital (for over 200 years) is one of those places where you can get happily lost – though never for long. It's a remarkably picturesque place of cotton-candy-colored houses topped by gleaming white tiered roofs, black cast-iron gas lamps, miniature gardens on seemingly every side street, and narrow, winding alleys with evocative names like Featherbed, Old Maid's, and Needle & Thread. The main square, King's Square, fronts the glorious harbor, with classic colonial structures including the stately town hall and the circa 1700 Globe Hotel, built by then-governor Samuel Day. The hotel now hosts the Bermuda National Trust Museum (Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; $5; www.bnt.bm), with videos on Bermudian history and fascinating exhibits such as "Rogues and Runners: Bermuda and the American Civil War"; aim to visit around noon, when a mock town crier and a tribunal send petty offenders, including "dunking wenches" (for gossip or nagging according to sexist 17th-century tradition) to the authentic stocks and pillory (Apr–Oct Wed, Thurs, & Sat; Nov–March Wed & Sat). There's also a replica of Deliverance (Ordnance Island off King's Square; April-Nov daily 9am–5pm; 441/297-1459; $3), the original 1610 rescue ship; you can board and view the cramped below-deck living quarters as they would have appeared four centuries ago.

Several other worthy historic structures all lie within a few blocks, starting with St. Peter's (Duke of York St.; Wed & Sun services; 441/297-8359; www.anglican.bm), the Western Hemisphere's oldest continually used Anglican church; its magnificent interior boasts open timber beams and an impressive collection of 17th-century communion silver, while its graveyard finds weathered 300-year-old tombstones which eloquently attest to first-settler hardships. Two nearby museums are housed in converted 18th-century homesteads: Tucker House Museum (Water St.; Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; 441/297-0545; $5), a former merchant's residence, is crammed with period crystal chandeliers, silver, antique English mahogany and Bermuda cedar furnishings, exquisite hand-sewn quilts, and family portraits, while the Historical Society Museum, Printery & Garden (Duke of Kent St.; Apr-Nov 15 Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Nov 16-Mar Mon–Fri 11am–3pm; 441/297-0423; $5) showcases period cedar furnishings, portraits, kitchen appliances, as well as a working 1783 replica of the Gutenberg press. In contrast, the Bermudian Heritage Museum (Water & Duke of York Sts.; Tues–Sat 10-3; 441/297-4126; $3), a late-19th-century lodge, now houses a comprehensive account of the African experience in Bermuda. Just outside of town is the most visited of many strongholds on Bermuda, Fort St. Catherine (15 Coot Pond Rd.; daily 10am-4pm; 441/297-1920; $5), whose construction dates to 1614; the best reason to visit may be the splendid views, but you'll also find dioramas of island history, and pistols and muskets displayed in the original magazine.

OTHER ISLAND ATTRACTIONS
Bermuda abounds in natural and historic sights that are well worth a detour – if you have time. The best of these are concentrated in the East and West ends.

East End
One of Bermuda's finest natural attractions, the aptly-named Crystal & Fantasy Caves (8 Crystal Caves Rd., Wilkinson Ave., Hamilton Parish; daily 9.30am–4.30pm; $15 for one cave, $21 for both; www.caves.bm) are loaded with fanciful formations, chandelier-like clusters of soda straw, mineral tapestries resembling frozen waterfalls, and underground lakes spanned by pontoon paths.

The equally enchanting Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (40 North Shore Rd., Flatts Village, Hamilton Parish; daily 9am–5pm, guided tours at 1.10pm; $10; www.bamz.org) allows kids of all ages to admire various critters in carefully replicated natural ecosystems; highlights include North Reef (a 145,000-gallon replica of a living local coral reef), "Caribbean" and "Australasia" wildlife exhibits, and interactive touch pools and discovery centers. Those wishing to get off the beaten path should head about a mile due east to Devil's Hole (Smith's Parish; Mar–Nov daily 9.30am–4.30am; $10), a natural aquarium where you can feed turtles and swarms of fish. Closer to Hamilton, the two-level Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute in Pembroke Hall (42 Crow Lane, Pembroke; Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm; $10.50; www.buei.org) features one of the world's most impressive shell collections, a treasure trove of salvaged shipwreck artifacts, and interactive exhibits including a simulated 12,000-feet dive.

It's approximately one mile further southwest to Verdmont (Collector's Hill, Smith's; Tues-Sat 10am–4pm; 441/236-7369; $5), a splendidly preserved 18th-century mansion; its nursery, with its traditional toys and dolls, is particularly disarming. More botanical fare headlines the nearby Botanical Gardens and Camden (169 South Rd., Paget; daily dawn-dusk; garden tours Tue, Wed, and Fri 10:30am; 441/236-4201; free), sure to beguile history and horticulture buffs alike. The gardens feature impeccably manicured displays of indigenous flora, while stately Camden (tours Tues & Fri noon-2pm), which dates from 1714, is the official residence of Bermuda's premier (and today only used for official functions).

West End
Fitness freaks like to climb the 185-step interior spiral staircase of Southampton's 1846 cast-iron Gibbs' Hill Lighthouse (66 St. Anne's Rd.; Jan & Mar–Dec daily 9am–5pm; 441/238-2069; $2.50; www.gibbshilllighthouse.com), whose walls are lined with displays recording the history of Bermuda's treacherous reefs; the 362-foot aerie at the top features jaw-dropping panoramas while a quaint tea room at the bottom offers a quiet break.

Over the world's smallest drawbridge (opening just wide enough to permit an 18-inch sail mast), on Somerset Island, in Sandys Parish, lies Heydon Trust Estate (daily dawn-dusk; free), whose grounds feature 43 acres of trails with breathtaking views and a gorgeous chapel housed in a converted 17th-century farmhouse. We strongly recommend timing your visit to attend one of the daily Latin masses (Mar–Dec daily 9am–5pm; $2.50), which include Gregorian chants.

BEACHES & WATERSPORTS
If you're not staying at beachfront property, most top town hotels offer some kind of shuttle and/or reciprocal privileges; the prime strands rim the South Shore between Paget and Southampton parishes. Note that topless sunbathing is forbidden and that public facilities (restaurants, changing rooms, toilets, chair rental concessions) are generally limited to resorts, which will rent necessities if you buy lunch or drinks. Most hotels offer folding chaises or chairs for guests to take to other beaches; otherwise just bring a towel. Obviously, most recreation revolves around the water, and when you're not lying on the beach, numerous watersport outfitters offer snorkel and/or scuba trips, boat rentals, deep sea fishing charters, whale-watching excursions in spring, windsurfing and other water sports.

If you're going it alone, you'll find turnoffs to some of the island's most breathtaking pink-sand beaches west of Hamilton, along South Road. Several beaches connect at low tide, allowing for a perfect stroll: Warwick Long Bay, Chaplin's Bay, and Stonehole Beach culminate in Horseshoe Bay, rated by National Geographic as one of the world's ten best strands. Horseshoe's idyllic scene – boulders resembling abstract sculptures, sand dunes as curvaceous as Rubens nudes, and astonishing turquoise water surrounding offshore shoals – has inspired countless artists. There's a small restaurant and full-service beach house right off the beach, or you can walk on to Princess Beach, home to the chic Fairmont Southampton. Note to budding oceanographers: the beach's famed pink hue results from the blending of the white sand, crushed shells, and skeletons of one-celled Red Formas that teem under the coral reef.

Offshore diving and snorkeling are particularly celebrated in Bermuda, with more than 400 wrecks along the treacherous reefs (prompting the early Spaniards visitors to dub Bermuda "Isle of Devils," and explain the origin of the Bermuda Triangle tales). You can book outings with Fantasea (three locations; www.fantasea.bm), which offers everything from glass-bottom boat tours (evenings as well) to snorkel adventures on a 55-foot catamaran; their fabled Eco-Tour begins with a boat cruise, segues into a choice of bike or kayak tour, and ends with a swim in a private cove. Dive Bermuda (Fairmont Southampton & Fairmont Hamilton Princess; www.bermudascuba.com) is another reputable, fully accredited outfit with a wide variety of excursions, guided dives, night snorkeling, and a plethora of kid-friendly activities.

Renting a boat (Boston Whaler, kayak, laser, etc) is also incredibly popular; locals favor cruising the west coast of Castle Harbour on the East End, around Tucker's Town Bay and Castle Island (with the remains of a 17th-century fort), where the sight of swells crashing against the rocky coast is utterly dramatic, and Ely's Harbour, on the West End (best for experienced sailors; be sure to obtain nautical maps). Remember that most of the islands, though deserted (especially midweek), are private property; few post "No Trespassing" signs, but these should be observed. Basic rule of thumb: Throw the anchor over the side just before the waves break on the beach (about 4- to 5-feet deep), tie the boat off, wade in the water, swim and, if appropriate, lie on the beach at your discretion. Windjammer Water Sports (Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandy’s; 441/234-0250; Cambridge Beaches, Sandy’s; 441/234-3073), is the leading boat-rental option; they also rent windsurfers, fishing and snorkeling gear, and offer excellent sailing and windsurfing lessons.

GOLF
Bermuda manages to cram eight golf courses into its 21 square miles; they're scattered throughout the island chain, with the greatest concentration on the East End and in Warwick and Southampton parishes to the west and the East End. All are well above par, but any duffers doff their caps to the following.

Sir Winston Churchill, the Duke of Windsor, Babe Ruth, and Dwight Eisenhower all played the glorious 6512-yard par-71 Mid Ocean Club (Tucker's Town; www.themidoceanclubbermuda.com) built in 1921 and modified by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in the 1950s. The huge pink clubhouse quivers with history and class and many holes scenically overlook the water; it's private but open to members' guests (hotel concierges can arrange it) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Nearby Tucker's Point Golf Club (www.tuckerspoint.com) has an equally challenging, picturesque design of wide but hilly fairways with lots of sudden drops and pitches and a new canary-yellow and powder-blue clubhouse. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. beauty, the 6561-yard par-71 Port Royal Golf Course (Southampton; 441/234-0974) boasts several memorable cliffside holes, including the signature par-3 16th, leading Jack Nicklaus to rank it among the world's leading courses. The comparatively inexpensive 6017-yard par-70 Belmont Hills Golf Club (Warwick; www.belmonthills.com) recently underwent a complete redesign; we particularly love the fine clubhouse and new Blu restaurant, with its sparkling contemporary decor and artworks.