Bermuda at Night

[VABeach]

I'll be on a 7 day Bermuda cruise in May on the Empress. We have three days at one stop and two days at the other.

 

Can anyone who has been there recently give some advice as what to do at night in Hamilton and St. Georges?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

[VABeach]

Sorry, don't know why it posted double. :cool:

[patrioticgirl]

Hi Jenny,

These might help:

http://www.experiencebermuda.com/nightlife/index.html?type=nightlife

http://www.bermuda.com/entertainment/nightclubsdiscos/

 

It's great being able to leave the ship in the evenings, especially in Hamilton!

[VABeach]

Thanks!!

 

The people I'm traveling with aren't much for night life, but are there shops and things open at night?

 

Is it safe to walk around at night or should you take a cab?

 

How far away from everything is the ship?

 

Which port is better for doing things at night?

 

Are they in safe parts of town? We be gurls... ;)

[jchiefs13]

One of the best tips I feel I got from the boards was ... get a bus and ferry pass. It's a great way to get arond the island and see all the great beaches, but there's more. Instead of paying for an evening cruise excursion - head out on one of the ferrys to enjoy the moonlight bouncing off of the waters. Be sure to check schedules though, some only run at certain times!

 

Wednesday evenings in Hamilton there is a street fair, which was pretty busy and offered some interesting things to gawk at.

 

Judy

[patrioticgirl]

Triple post.... I am so sorry! These darn boards are horrid lately!;)

[patrioticgirl]

Darn it... double post.

[patrioticgirl]

Hi Jenny, I tried to post once and lost the reply, so let me try again.

 

Hamilton is the larger of the two ports and will offer more in the way of nightime activity just because it's a city and St. George is more of a small village. When you dock in either location, you are literally a stone's throw away from the street. You can get off the ship and in two minutes be in a shop or restaurant. I think that most of the shops close around six or seven in the evening, except for perhaps on Wednesdays, when they have the street fair in Hamilton. Be sure to go to the street fair if they have started in May. It's fun to see the local artists and entertainment and it'll give you a good feel for the sense of community on the island.

Both times that I have traveled to Bermuda, I have gone with friends, so I nearly always traveled in a group. The one exception was that I walked every morning since my travel buddies are late risers and I am up at the crack of dawn. I would get off the ship and do several miles up and back the main street right there in town. There were many other people out exercising, so it never felt unsafe and I did not carry anything with me that would attract attention.... no purse, bag, etc, just my ID and ship pass in my pocket. When we went out at night, we always traveled in groups and went to places within a few blocks of the pier. I never felt unsafe at any time, but I was quite surprised to hear that Bermuda had some gang problems last summer that made the news. I did a websearch and came up with this article: http://www.worldtravelwatch.com/06/08/bermuda-gang-violence-grows.html

I share this not to alarm you, but just for informational purposes since its just good to know. I guess when I go again, I will plan on taking a cab in the evening if I plan to go outside of the area in which I can actually still see the ship. As with anyplace, the key is to be observant and think smart.... just as you would do at home. I am booked on the Empress for June, by the way.

Getting around the island is easy if you use the bus and ferry service. I do not recommend renting a moped... traffic is a bit crazy and the roads are narrow. Rental cars are not an option as they don't have them in Bermuda, so the way to go is the bus and ferry pass that you can purchase for just over 20 dollars for a three day pass. When you are in Hamilton, take the bus to Horseshoe Bay and the ferry to the Dockyards and spend the day there sightseeing (go early... ).

This website, while a bit outdated, still has quite a bit of info that might be helpful to you in the sightseeing section. I found it very helpful when I planned my first Bermuda visit; perhaps you will as well. http://members.cox.net/rridgely/sightseeing.htm

I hope that I've answered your questions.... let me know if you think of anything I have missed.

G

[patrioticgirl]

Other helpful links that I forgot:

http://www.bermudashorts.bm/

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

[RareBird]

we've sailed to bermuda twice on empress. Bermuda is one of those odd places that does not 'live' in total harmony with the tourist. In fact, most shops, museums and alike will close at 4pm. Especially in St. Georges, do not waste daytime, go out and explore right away.

 

Otherwise, yes, there's a street fair once a week. I believe there's also one in King's Warf (get there by ferry). Streets are ultra-safe, no problems being out at night.

 

some shops on main street in hamilton will be open late, but only about 5% overall.

 

Good luck!

[shoreless]

We will also be cruising to Bermuda on the Empress this spring. I think that there is a street fair in St George on a night that we will be docked in Hamilton, and a street fair in Hamilton on a night that we will be docked in St George.:( I'm hoping that we'll be able to get a bus or cab or ferry so that we can go to the Hamilton fair.