What are Must See’s/Must Do’s in Bermuda?

[PittsburghNative]

Cruise is a little over a month away and I was curious if there are things that cannot be missed, such as restaurants, stores, and sightseeing/activities.

 

I have looked on TripAdvisor, but I would appreciate some input from CC.

 

Thanks in advance!

[njhorseman]

57 minutes ago, PittsburghNative said:

Cruise is a little over a month away and I was curious if there are things that cannot be missed, such as restaurants, stores, and sightseeing/activities.

 

I have looked on TripAdvisor, but I would appreciate some input from CC.

 

Thanks in advance!

I would spend a half day at Horseshoe Beach, a half day walking in Hamilton, including visiting the shops on Front St. While in Hamilton have lunch at the Hog Penny on Burnaby St, which has an old fashioned pub atmosphere. Spend a day exploring St. George, Bermuda's original capital and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you search I think you can find a self-guided walking tour map. In St. George have lunch at the White Horse Pub or Wahoo's. Perhaps while in St. George take a short detour and visit Tobacco Bay beach for an hour or two. Or, you can take a short bus ride from St. George to the Swizzle Inn, another classic Bermudian pub and take a tour of Crystal/Fantasy caves, which are across the road from the Swizzle Inn.

there's more...and I'm sure others have their own favorite spots.

[PittsburghNative]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

I would spend a half day at Horseshoe Beach, a half day walking in Hamilton, including visiting the shops on Front St. While in Hamilton have lunch at the Hog Penny on Burnaby St, which has an old fashioned pub atmosphere. Spend a day exploring St. George, Bermuda's original capital and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you search I think you can find a self-guided walking tour map. In St. George have lunch at the White Horse Pub or Wahoo's. Perhaps while in St. George take a short detour and visit Tobacco Bay beach for an hour or two. Or, you can take a short bus ride from St. George to the Swizzle Inn, another classic Bermudian pub and take a tour of Crystal/Fantasy caves, which are across the road from the Swizzle Inn.

there's more...and I'm sure others have their own favorite spots.

Thank you for all the info! We will be in Bermuda Oct 27 - 29. We are going to visit the Crystal/Fantasy caves and Aquarium the 1st day, doing a jet ski tour on the 2nd day, and kayaking the 3rd day. We were going to explore the towns on the 2nd day.

[gwesq]

If one is sightseeing in Bermuda via a car or taxi, is it a good idea to bring a long telephoto lens? What about binoculars?  Or is eerything close enough so a standard lens would be fine?  

[njhorseman]

10 minutes ago, gwesq said:

If one is sightseeing in Bermuda via a car or taxi, is it a good idea to bring a long telephoto lens? What about binoculars?  Or is eerything close enough so a standard lens would be fine?  

Perhaps if you're climbing to the top of the Gibb's Hill lighthouse a pair of binoculars might be useful, but otherwise I don't recall much in the way of a need for them.

 

When I'm on a trip where I want to do some photography I usually carry a medium focal length zoom lens for my SLR that gives the flexibility in a single piece of hardware to take closeups to longer distance photos without having to constantly switch out lenses . Years ago I would carry three lenses but as I got older I started to value convenience over the desire to take the best possible photos. 

[Langoustine]

I found St. George much more interesting than Hamilton, although there is a lot to see there, also. In St. George, St. Peter's Church is the oldest surviving Anglican church in continuous use outside the UK. St. George's Town is the oldest surviving English settlement in the New World,  having been settled by the Virginia Company in 1612. The graveyard next to the church is also quite interesting,  Governor Sir Richard Sharples and his aide-de-camp, Captain Hugh Sayers, were buried side by side in the east of the churchyard after their 1973 murders.

[AnitaVacation]

Bermuda is probably our favorite place to go on a cruise ship.  We love having 3 days in port and no stress of missing our departure (on the last day, we stay in Kings Wharf and do the sights and shopping there.  Usually on day one, we will ferry over to Hamilton for some shopping, lots of quaint little shops and you can find some really unusual things.  (free wifi at the library, if you need it...also, free wifi and the upstairs cafe on Front street, great place to stop for a coffee/snack break).  We've done the walk up to Fort Hamilton, it's a long walk, all uphill...not alot to see there, but nice views.  We've been to Elbow beach/Horseshoe Bay...it's okay...the water was wavy/rough, I prefer calm and clear.  It's also the beach where they hoard all the tourists, so it was a little crowded.  We usually spend our full day at the east end of the island, we spend a few hours at the BAMZ (Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, Zoo)...that is fun and educational all in one...then we will proceed to St George, there used to be alot of a nice little shops there, but with cruise ships docking at the far end, alot of the shops have left...hopefully there are still a few there.  It's a nice walk from the town square to Tobacco Bay and past the unfinished church, this is my favorite beach, it's more like a lagoon, the water is calm and clear...it's also great for snorkeling.  Last time I was there, they had started to build the new hotel/resort at St Catherine's Beach, I hear it is now completed, we will check it out in October.  We've never tried the Swizzle Inn, but we have been by it (on bus).... perhaps we will try it this year.

We jumped in and rented one of the electric cars....this gives us the freedom to go to places we have not been (because the buses don't go everywhere)...also, the bus can be slow and time consuming.  

I have heard that there might possibly be a halt on all public transportation??  You will want to keep an eye on that....if there is no public transportation (bus/ferry), I don't know how people will get around (taxi?) If you are adventurous enough, you can rent scooters (highly discouraged)...and now they have little electric cars you can rent...(a little less terrifying)... regardless, you will have a good time, Bermuda in October is very nice...and the water is still warm.

[AnitaVacation]

13 hours ago, Langoustine said:

I found St. George much more interesting than Hamilton, although there is a lot to see there, also. In St. George, St. Peter's Church is the oldest surviving Anglican church in continuous use outside the UK. St. George's Town is the oldest surviving English settlement in the New World,  having been settled by the Virginia Company in 1612. The graveyard next to the church is also quite interesting,  Governor Sir Richard Sharples and his aide-de-camp, Captain Hugh Sayers, were buried side by side in the east of the churchyard after their 1973 murders.

They used to have a little train tour in St George, it was great.  It took you to all the historic places and told you the history of the churches, the graveyards, the forts and barracks...I wish they would bring that back....last time we were there, we were told that the train broke and they were not going to be fixing it.... 😞

[gwesq]

On 9/17/2021 at 9:48 PM, njhorseman said:

Perhaps if you're climbing to the top of the Gibb's Hill lighthouse a pair of binoculars might be useful, but otherwise I don't recall much in the way of a need for them.

 

When I'm on a trip where I want to do some photography I usually carry a medium focal length zoom lens for my SLR that gives the flexibility in a single piece of hardware to take closeups to longer distance photos without having to constantly switch out lenses . Years ago I would carry three lenses but as I got older I started to value convenience over the desire to take the best possible photos. 

Yes - a few years ago I switched to a mirrorless camera - much lighter.   I have a HUGE 100-400, and and pretty big 70-300 for it. Decided to leave those bigger lenses home, and just go with the basic 17-50, and a compact 55-210.  I am told by a friend that the tour guide we hired won;t let us miss a good shot! 

[PittsburghNative]

On 9/20/2021 at 9:25 AM, AnitaVacation said:

Bermuda is probably our favorite place to go on a cruise ship.  We love having 3 days in port and no stress of missing our departure (on the last day, we stay in Kings Wharf and do the sights and shopping there.  Usually on day one, we will ferry over to Hamilton for some shopping, lots of quaint little shops and you can find some really unusual things.  (free wifi at the library, if you need it...also, free wifi and the upstairs cafe on Front street, great place to stop for a coffee/snack break).  We've done the walk up to Fort Hamilton, it's a long walk, all uphill...not alot to see there, but nice views.  We've been to Elbow beach/Horseshoe Bay...it's okay...the water was wavy/rough, I prefer calm and clear.  It's also the beach where they hoard all the tourists, so it was a little crowded.  We usually spend our full day at the east end of the island, we spend a few hours at the BAMZ (Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, Zoo)...that is fun and educational all in one...then we will proceed to St George, there used to be alot of a nice little shops there, but with cruise ships docking at the far end, alot of the shops have left...hopefully there are still a few there.  It's a nice walk from the town square to Tobacco Bay and past the unfinished church, this is my favorite beach, it's more like a lagoon, the water is calm and clear...it's also great for snorkeling.  Last time I was there, they had started to build the new hotel/resort at St Catherine's Beach, I hear it is now completed, we will check it out in October.  We've never tried the Swizzle Inn, but we have been by it (on bus).... perhaps we will try it this year.

We jumped in and rented one of the electric cars....this gives us the freedom to go to places we have not been (because the buses don't go everywhere)...also, the bus can be slow and time consuming.  

I have heard that there might possibly be a halt on all public transportation??  You will want to keep an eye on that....if there is no public transportation (bus/ferry), I don't know how people will get around (taxi?) If you are adventurous enough, you can rent scooters (highly discouraged)...and now they have little electric cars you can rent...(a little less terrifying)... regardless, you will have a good time, Bermuda in October is very nice...and the water is still warm.

Wow! Thanks for the detailed response! Could you advise what we should do if our schedule looks like this?…

 

Day 1 - Crystal/Fantasy Caves and Aquarium Tour at 12pm

Day 2 - Jet Ski Tour at 11:30am

Day 3 - Kayak Tour at 9am

 

Im trying to figure out which town to go to on the days we are there. I figured we would see both St. G and Hamilton on Day 2, since that’s our full day in Bermuda. However, I was also debating exploring one of the towns after we are done with the caves/aquarium. I guess my problem is not knowing where everything is located or the distance it is from the ship.

[AnitaVacation]

7 hours ago, PittsburghNative said:

Wow! Thanks for the detailed response! Could you advise what we should do if our schedule looks like this?…

 

Day 1 - Crystal/Fantasy Caves and Aquarium Tour at 12pm

Day 2 - Jet Ski Tour at 11:30am

Day 3 - Kayak Tour at 9am

 

Im trying to figure out which town to go to on the days we are there. I figured we would see both St. G and Hamilton on Day 2, since that’s our full day in Bermuda. However, I was also debating exploring one of the towns after we are done with the caves/aquarium. I guess my problem is not knowing where everything is located or the distance it is from the ship.

i guess it would depend on what you're using for transportation...on day 1, will you be on a tour that provides your transportation??  Being at that end of island would give you easy access to St George/Tobacco bay....but, transportation...you will need to check the bus schedule (I hear the buses are not running at this time?) depending on if the buses and ferries are running, Kings Wharf can be 1-2 hours from St George each way...not sure how much that would cost by taxi...

[njhorseman]

33 minutes ago, AnitaVacation said:

i guess it would depend on what you're using for transportation...on day 1, will you be on a tour that provides your transportation??  Being at that end of island would give you easy access to St George/Tobacco bay....but, transportation...you will need to check the bus schedule (I hear the buses are not running at this time?) depending on if the buses and ferries are running, Kings Wharf can be 1-2 hours from St George each way...not sure how much that would cost by taxi...

There's currently no bus and ferry service due to a COVID-related labor dispute.

Taxi fare between Dockyard and St. George is about $75 for 1-4 passengers Monday through Saturday. Fares are higher for 5-7 passengers in a taxi and on Sunday.

[AnitaVacation]

7 hours ago, njhorseman said:

There's currently no bus and ferry service due to a COVID-related labor dispute.

Taxi fare between Dockyard and St. George is about $75 for 1-4 passengers Monday through Saturday. Fares are higher for 5-7 passengers in a taxi and on Sunday.

So, before all this happened (no buses and ferries) we had reserved one of the new electric cars that are now available to tourists....but with recent events, who knows if that's going to be available or IF we are still going to Bermuda at all....I wonder what attractions will even be open, if any...We've been to Bermuda probably about 10 times...I'm thrilled to be renting this little car because the buses and ferries can only take you so far and the rest is up to you....I'm looking forward to going to St Davids for the first time and turtle bay...and to explore some of the hidden beaches that we've never seen... but, it now seems that the whole trip is in jeopardy. 

Back to the original question regarding your booked tours....honestly, there is so much to do and see in Bermuda that I would not bother to book any excursions...the crystal caves and BAMZ are easily done on your own (well, outside of this current transportation issue)... I prefer to be on our own schedule...to spend as much or as little time in an area.  The only excursions we have booked in Bermuda are the sunset cruises...the Gosling Booze Cruise...the Swizzle cruise...and one time I did book a snorkeling excursion that was worth it.... one year, we did the glass bottom boat tour (available right at the dock) and they were offering it for $20pp...I think it was $40pp if you booked it via ncl...

The excursions you have booked sound like alot of fun, just be warned that they will be huge time eaters....but then again, if the transportation is shut down, excursions may be the only option...

 

[PittsburghNative]

11 hours ago, njhorseman said:

There's currently no bus and ferry service due to a COVID-related labor dispute.

Taxi fare between Dockyard and St. George is about $75 for 1-4 passengers Monday through Saturday. Fares are higher for 5-7 passengers in a taxi and on Sunday.

Oh no…the ferries are now closed? I knew that the bus service has been halted, but last I checked I thought the ferries were still operating.

[PittsburghNative]

3 hours ago, AnitaVacation said:

So, before all this happened (no buses and ferries) we had reserved one of the new electric cars that are now available to tourists....but with recent events, who knows if that's going to be available or IF we are still going to Bermuda at all....I wonder what attractions will even be open, if any...We've been to Bermuda probably about 10 times...I'm thrilled to be renting this little car because the buses and ferries can only take you so far and the rest is up to you....I'm looking forward to going to St Davids for the first time and turtle bay...and to explore some of the hidden beaches that we've never seen... but, it now seems that the whole trip is in jeopardy. 

Back to the original question regarding your booked tours....honestly, there is so much to do and see in Bermuda that I would not bother to book any excursions...the crystal caves and BAMZ are easily done on your own (well, outside of this current transportation issue)... I prefer to be on our own schedule...to spend as much or as little time in an area.  The only excursions we have booked in Bermuda are the sunset cruises...the Gosling Booze Cruise...the Swizzle cruise...and one time I did book a snorkeling excursion that was worth it.... one year, we did the glass bottom boat tour (available right at the dock) and they were offering it for $20pp...I think it was $40pp if you booked it via ncl...

The excursions you have booked sound like alot of fun, just be warned that they will be huge time eaters....but then again, if the transportation is shut down, excursions may be the only option...

 

When are you sailing to Bermuda??

[PittsburghNative]

After thinking about it, it may be worth doing an excursion to Hamilton and St George if transportation is going to be an issue.

[AnitaVacation]

46 minutes ago, PittsburghNative said:

When are you sailing to Bermuda??

we're booked on the 10/17 sailing...

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, PittsburghNative said:

Oh no…the ferries are now closed? I knew that the bus service has been halted, but last I checked I thought the ferries were still operating.

The ferries stopped running two or three days ago .

[PittsburghNative]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

The ferries stopped running two or three days ago .

Hopefully things will get up and running in the coming weeks. In case they don’t, I booked an excursion to Hamilton and St George. I’m not wanting to deal with taxi fares.

[AnitaVacation]

it appears that ferry service is back....and information on the buses soon....fingers crossed that all services are back in place by the time of your trip.  

[PittsburghNative]

18 hours ago, AnitaVacation said:

it appears that ferry service is back....and information on the buses soon....fingers crossed that all services are back in place by the time of your trip.  

 

That’s great news! Hopefully it stays that way for both of our cruises.

[njhorseman]

21 hours ago, AnitaVacation said:

it appears that ferry service is back....and information on the buses soon....fingers crossed that all services are back in place by the time of your trip.  

 

2 hours ago, PittsburghNative said:

 

That’s great news! Hopefully it stays that way for both of our cruises.

Bus service has now also resumed.

[philpcruiser]

On 9/22/2021 at 9:56 PM, njhorseman said:

There's currently no bus and ferry service due to a COVID-related labor dispute.

Taxi fare between Dockyard and St. George is about $75 for 1-4 passengers Monday through Saturday. Fares are higher for 5-7 passengers in a taxi and on Sunday.

We're booked to cruise to Bermuda next July ('22).  We're hoping everything is back to normal by then (transportation-wise).  We'd like to spend a decent amount of time in/around St. George, so are thinking of taking the ferry from the dockyard and returning by taxi.  Are there enough taxi's in St. George as not to worry about getting back?  Should we also consider a bus back? The ferry back does not seem to run often enough.  Thoughts?

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, philpcruiser said:

We're booked to cruise to Bermuda next July ('22).  We're hoping everything is back to normal by then (transportation-wise).  We'd like to spend a decent amount of time in/around St. George, so are thinking of taking the ferry from the dockyard and returning by taxi.  Are there enough taxi's in St. George as not to worry about getting back?  Should we also consider a bus back? The ferry back does not seem to run often enough.  Thoughts?

It's impossible to say what the situation will be seven months from  now, but I know there have been complaints in the past from restaurant owners and patrons about the difficulty of getting a taxi in St. George at night, but I don't think it's been a problem during the day. I also think the presence of the new  St. Regis hotel in St. George will mean more taxis will be in the immediate area.

 

If you want to take a taxi from St. George to Dockyard it will cost about $75 plus tip  for one to four passengers Monday through Saturday. Fares are higher for 5-7 passengers in the taxi and on Sundays.

 

We obviously don't know what next year's ferry schedule will be, but if it's not convenient for you one way to make the trip and not spend the money for  a taxi is to take a bus from St. George to Hamilton and then take the ferry to Dockyard. The trip by ferry from Hamilton to Dockyard is a lot faster than by bus from Hamilton to Dockyard. Or you can take a taxi from St. George to Hamilton for about $45 to $50 and then the ferry or bus back to Dockyard.

[buster#1]

I have gone to the government site for Bermuda.  They say the island is open.   I did read somewhere that the busses and ferries started operating September 29th.  Since the first cruises landed shortly after that it sounds reasonable to me.