Bermuda

Families, friends, and honeymooners revel in the romance, refinement, and relaxation of Bermuda. From the British colonial character of St. George’s and the lively harbor of Hamilton to the maritime history at the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda offers a wealth of surprises. Comprising more than 180 islands and islets, the archipelago is nearly all shoreline, and its most famous feature is its rosy sand. The pink hue comes from millions of tiny shelled organisms, tossed and turned by waves, broken down, and mixed with soft white sand. Offshore reefs protect the beaches from Gulf Stream swells, making for gentle swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking conditions year-round.

aerial image of Bermuda shoreline flanked by water

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Overview

When’s the best time to go to Bermuda?

While not technically in the Caribbean, Bermuda has a lush subtropical climate, with warm waves and gentle breezes from the Atlantic Gulf Stream. For a true tropical experience, the time to visit is May through mid-October, when low temperatures fall only to the mid-70s and highs are in the mid-80s. Humidity is high during these summer months. Fall and spring temps hover between the mid-60s and mid-70s, with the most rain falling in October. Winters are mild, with temperatures in the 60s.

How to get around Bermuda

A two-hour flight from most East Coast airports, the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda is about 580 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the Atlantic Ocean.

Because of its small size, Bermuda offers no car rental services. Residents are restricted to one vehicle per household. Luckily, scooter and bike rentals abound, providing an even better way to see the island. As the scent of flowers follows you across the coast, down narrow lanes, and through wooded trails, you’ll pick up the taste of salty sea breezes, experience local neighborhoods, and discover off-the-beaten-path sections of the island. Pack a picnic and dine on a cliff with sweeping views of the coastline. Stop off at roadside stands where local farmers sell fruits and vegetables. Just remember to drive on the left.

Food and drink to try in Bermuda

Seafood is abundant on Bermuda (though most of its food has to be imported), and its spicy red fish chowder is the national dish. Much of the cuisine has its roots in the British settlers. And, of course, Bermuda onions are featured often in dishes, like onion pie. Bermuda is also known for its rum: Rum cake, made with locally-distilled Goslings rum, is the official desert, while the Rum Swizzle is the drink Bermudans call their own.

Practical Information

A valid passport is required to visit Bermuda. Electrical voltage is 110 and plugs are type A and B, so if you’re traveling from the U.S. or Canada, you won’t need an adapter or converter. The Bermudan dollar is equivalent to the U.S. dollar, which are accepted also.

Guide Editor

Sandy Allen is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer based in Virginia, where she contributes to a variety of online publications and tries to control her wanderlust for palm trees, endless blue water, and white net hammocks over soft pink sand. When she’s not traveling to beaches, historic sites, and fun attractions, she’s either writing about them or planning her next trip to them. Follow Sandy’s sunny excursions and travel tips at Somewhere in the Sand.

READ BEFORE YOU GO
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RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
Owner Cesare Maranza managed to bring a little bit of Italy to the middle of the Atlantic more than 35 years ago, when he opened Portofino, named after his hometown. Just a short walk from Front Street in Hamilton, you’ll feel like you’ve arrived in a northern Italian taverna. “It’s a lively and rustic restaurant,” Rebecca says, “and a great place for groups for a fun night out.” While they serve a number of hot and cold appetizers—calamari, prosciutto and melon, grilled vegetables—as well as soups and salads, Rebecca recommends that you order a pie instead. “To get better Neapolitan pizza, you’d have to keep traveling east to Naples!”
Bermuda’s Hog Penny Pub has the friendly ambience and laid-back vibe of your favorite neighborhood watering hole. Come prepared to enjoy traditional British pub fare, from fish and chips to Indian curries, in an atmospheric half-timbered room. One of Mike Swan’s pieces of advice for every traveler to Bermuda is to, “Get to know some locals and you’ll discover the island is a ‘small town’ in the middle of the Atlantic.” Visit Hog Penny, and you’ll likely have some new Bermudian friends before the evening is over.
Henry VIII has been an island favorite for 40 years. Not surprisingly, given its namesake, the restaurant serves some typical English dishes — bangers and mash, fish and chips — but the menu also includes some of the island’s best sushi. The food comes with ocean views that are especially spectacular at sunset. “This is my local place,” Mike says. “It’s just a two-minute drive from my house. They take good care of their guests. On Saturday nights, a DJ plays old-school music and every day there’s an awesome cross section of people here: locals, visitors, and expats. It’s a good place to dance the night away, and the sushi is off the hook.”
Named the best “kid-friendly” restaurant in Bermuda by The Bermudian Magazine, La Trattoria is located in the heart of the city of Hamilton. The menu at this festive Italian restaurant includes salads, soup, and seafood dishes as well as steak, poultry, and Italian pasta selections (like the parpadelle with oxtail ragu). But the specialty of the house is the pizza, creatively crafted in 17 different varieties and cooked in a wood-burning brick oven. Mozzarella, roasted artichokes, arugula, ham, and jerk-seasoned shrimp are just a few of the tantalizing toppings that make La Trattoria a local and visitor favorite. They are open for lunch and dinner.
Graceful palms and lush gardens greet guests at Grotto Bay Beach Resort. Situated on 21 acres, this peaceful colony of cottage-style rooms overlooks the beautiful blue water of Bailey’s Bay in the Parish of Hamilton. Tangerine salt body scrubs, sweet milk and lavender facials, and hot stone massage will melt away all of the exertion of snorkeling excursions, golfing, exploring the resort’s on-site cave, or bicycling around the island. On the other hand, why not take it easy and lounge by the pool, which features a swim-up bar, or on one of the resorts private beaches. Dine among the island ambience of palms, rattan furnishings, and ceiling fans in the Hibiscus Room or Palm Court Dining Room. Afterwards, you can enjoy drinks and tropical breezes on the terrace before retreating to guest rooms outfitted in bright prints and tropical tones.
Nearby reefs and big boulders keep Bermuda’s beaches calm and colorful for snorkelers and swimmers. Both Tobacco Bay & Church Bay offer great snorkeling conditions along beautiful shorelines. With one in the east and the other in the west, you could combine a day of snorkeling and sunrise/sunset viewing. Tobacco Bay is located on the northeastern side of the island near St. George. This small cove of calm water protects a variety of parrot, clown, and other tropical fish. Tobacco Bay has a snack bar and equipment rentals, restrooms, showers, and changing rooms. When you tire of swimming with the fishes, dry off with a short walk to the historic site of Fort St. Catherine. Its eastern location makes Tobacco Bay a prime sunrise spot. Located along the island’s western side in Southampton, Church Bay is a local favorite for snorkeling. Tucked into a small cove within cliffs of coral, the reefs are close to shore and offer lots of small hiding spaces in which to discover tropical sea life. Just watch out for the jellyfish. Youngsters will enjoy exploring the tidal pools formed by the many rocks. Forget to pack your snorkeling gear? No problem. You can rent equipment from Church Bay Beach Rentals during the summer months. Sunset seekers should not miss this beach.
Pearl restaurant is a short, ten-minute walk along the water from the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. Its second-story location—above the Port o’ Call restaurant—provides views over the harbor, but you may find that the sushi and the sake cocktails here command your attention. “This is the place to go for melt-in-your-mouth sushi,” according to Rebecca. “My favorite is the Rockfish Usuzukuri which comes with red onion, pink ginger, and a rice wine vinegar and chili oil reduction. It is pure heaven! After dinner, stop at the Port o’ Call downstairs for a drink. It’s a perfect and popular Friday night itinerary.”
Along with the beautiful scenery, parents will appreciate the many amenities that make Bermuda’s beaches the perfect place for beach bums of all ages. Lifeguards, gentle water, and nearby facilities are always a welcome sight for parents of small children. Clearwater Beach, on the eastern end of the island, has clear, shallow water and a 36-acre public park with restrooms and a playground. Picnic facilities, shade trees, and gentle water make Shelly Bay a good choice for the smallest of surfers, swimmers, and shell seekers. Horseshoe Bay Beach has lifeguards, showers, restrooms, and a nearby café. John Smith’s Bay, Elbow Beach, and Somerset Long Bay are more great beaches for families with kids.
Known for its pink-sand beaches, pastel cottages, and rum swizzles, Bermuda is also home to some of the best hotels in the world. From a sleek glass box overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to a colonial-era manor nestled within lush gardens, the selection here is rich with possibilities.
Bermuda is reopening its airport to international travelers, including those from the U.S., on July 1 with new safety protocols in place to protect locals and visitors.