What are the places to visit in Bermuda?

Question

I plan to visit the place. I don't know what's in there for me. Help.

Answer 1

Bermuda has one of the highest concentrations of limestone Caves in the world. Most of the cave-making activity began during the Pleistocene Ice Age. As early as 1623 the adventurer Capt. John Smith complained that he had encountered "vary strange, darke, and cumbersome caves". In Bermuda, nature's patient, relentless underground sculpting is a dream world for even casual "spelunkers". Deep in the majestic silence of the earth's interior, roam in caverns of great stalactites and stalagmites of Gothic grandeur, of delicacy and beauty. Our awesome underground has been the inspiration for creative achievements as diverse as Shakespear's "Tempest" and Henson Associates "Fraggle Rock" muppets. Visit the Crystal Caves or Leamington Caves (both along the Harrington Sound Road).
Part of the grand scheme to fortify Bermuda as the "Gibraltar of the West" was the building of the Royal Naval Dockyard that began in 1809. Today the meticulously restored Dockyard is an entertainment and shopping complex, with restaurants, crafts market, arts centre, Bermuda Maritime Museum, historic Commissioner's House, cinema, and the Clocktower shopping mall.
On a clear day you can see forever from Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, or St. David's Lighthouse. Recently refurbished St. David's Lighthouse, built of Bermuda stone, has been lighting the way since 1879. The "Parish Lantern" on top of Gibbs Hill in Southampton, began warning ships in 1846, rises 362 feet above sea level, and is the second cast-iron lighthouse ever constructed.
The brightly plumed, chattering birds in the aviary are a delight for kids, and the aromatic Garden for the Blind is a remarkable experience for all. The Botanical Gardens are open all year from sunrise to sunset. While in the gardens, visit Camden, the official residence of the Premier, built around 1775 and lavishly embellished during the Victorian era
North Rock Exhibit, one of the largest coral reef exhibits in the world. The Bermuda Aquarium, Natural History Museum and Zoo is internationally recognized as a centre for the preservation and reintroduction of threatened species. Located in Flatts Village (the bus from Hamilton goes right to the door).

There are many attractions and activities that, while suitable for all, are especially good for kids. Here are just a few: Bermuda Aquarium, Natural History Museum and Zoo; Leamington Caves and Crystal Caves; Helmet Diving; Gibbs Hill Lighthouse; a picnic almost anywhere; Bermuda Maritime Museum; a walk through Spittal Pond Nature Reserve; the Deliverance or Fort St. Catherine.

Enjoy :-)

Answer 2

I have been to Bermuda twice on cruise ships. Bermuda has some of the best beaches anywhere; pink sand beaches that you can easily find a deserted spot on. In my two visit it seemed to me that the majority of the people visiting the island were those on the two or three cruise ships which docked there during my stay. There are a few hotels in the town of Hamilton and about a dozen other properties/beach hotels, but they are nice. There are NO slums and ghettos in Bermuda like you may see on other islands. All of the houses are well maintained and painted in pastel colors. All of the public beaches are great. Be sure to go to Elbow Beach and Long Beach. Royal Caribbean, NCL and Holland America have cruise to Bermuda from many cities on the each coast. When you cruise there its less expensive than flying and staying in a hotel because, you stay and eat on the ship. You will probably want to eat on ship anyway because meals (and everything else) are expensive since everything has to be imported.

A five, six, or seven day cruise to Bermuda is plenty enough time to see and enjoy everything there. There is not a lot to do in Bermuda other than water sports and golf. There are two main towns Hamilton, the largest (where most cruise ships dock for at least a day) and St George (also a port stop) which is like a small town and has just a few shops. The third place ships may dock while there is The Kings Dockyard.. The Dockyard is on the far end of the 22 mile long island and has a small mall with shops and a museum. The Crystal Cave and Fantesy Caves are worth visiting as a tour, or on your own. I also visited one of the lighthouses, for lack of anything else to do. You can visit one of the many forts on the island like Fort St Catherine if you like that type activity.

In the town of Hamilton we took a walking tour which took us to the Cathedral of the Most Holy, a maritime museum and a nice garden/park a few blocks from the port. There is shopping in Hamilton and restaurants, but not much else. The best way to get around in Bermuda is to buy a transportation pass (may be able to get it on ship) which will let you take the busses, and the ferry, all over the island. There is a big bus depot just a couple blocks from where ships dock in the town of Hamilton. You can take the busses to the beach, they are not very far away and easy to get to from the bus stop. You want to go to Elbow Beach and Long Beach, both open to the public. If you want to snorkel, the Tobacco Bay Beach near the town of St George is great, and its walking distance (about 3/4 mile)( from town.

www.bermuda.com

http://www.bermudatourism.com/index.aspx

Answer 3

Get a Lonely Planet guide. it helps :)

I think the whole island is great. If you're feeling adventurous, try visiting the Bermuda Triangle and come back to yahoo answers to tell us your experience.

Answer 4

BERMUDA could be a marvelous place to flow to. that's somewhat chilly this time of year. Racist? not greater so than everywhere else interior the international. costly to stay in Bermuda, to flow to too.

Answer 5

Well, of course, it depends on what you enjoy seeing and doing, but there are Chambers of Commerce in every American Consulate. You can always check with them or do research at your public library, with plenty of help from the desk manager, in your hometown before your trip. Have fun! Don't forget the sunscreen!

Answer 6

In Bermuda, life is a beach!!! =)

Answer 7

the bermuda triangle

Answer 8

The beaches are nice

Answer 9

This may be too much info, but take what you can use.
Bermuda is my favorite place in the world – I have been 9 times in the last 7 years. There is a reason my username is 12BNBDA.

If you go before the end of this year, you will not need a passport – but you will need your birth certificate and a valid pictured ID. But a passport is so much easier, and good for 10 years, so I recommend getting one, especially if you are not planning on a trip in the immediate future. Because believe me, you WILL want to go back to Bermuda once you have been.

Flight time, of course, depends on where you’re flying from: you can get there from NY, Philly, Charlotte, DC, Atlanta, or Boston. The DC flight is the shortest – about an hour and a half. I usually fly out of Philly, since it’s the shortest flight from a good airport (good as far as things to kill time on the layover). Flight from Philly is 2 hours. Flight from Atlanta is about 3 hours.

The weather is warm, but since Bermuda is so far north, it is not hot year-round like it is in the Caribbean. I have been in January, March, April, May, June, September, and October, and the weather has always been nice. I have been able to get in the water every time except in January. The locals might think you’re crazy for getting in the water before the end of May or after the first of October, but it is actually quite tolerable.

I stay at Grotto Bay (www.grottobay.com). This is a really nice hotel, and probably the most convenient as far as being able to get around. It is a reasonably-priced resort – there are 2 indoor restaurants and 1 poolisde restaurant (open in-season), a nice pool with swim-up bar, fitness center, hot tub, and watersports center. They also have a meal plan, which I recommend you do, as eating out is very expensive (2 people, meal plus cab, over $100). The meal plan provides you with breakfast and dinner for about $60/day per person. They also have a manager’s rum swizzle party every Monday, where you can meet the manager, and other guests, and enjoy complimentary rum swizzles (yummy). They also have complimentary tea every afternoon. You will probably find this at most other hotels on the island as well. Other hotels you might want to consider: Wyndham, Elbow Beach Club, 9 Beaches (very very secluded), Southampton Princess. All are somewhat pricey. Grotto Bay is closest to the airport (about a $10 cab ride); whereas the others will run you at least $30-$40 cab from the airport. Cab is the only way to get to your hotel from the airport.

There are no rental cars on the island, so you have 2 choices: rent a moped, or get a bus pass. Definitely get the bus pass – public transportation is very efficient, clean, and if you tell the driver where you want to go, he/she will let you know when you get to your stop. Just remember that pink pole stops go into Hamilton (the capital – see below), blue pole stops are going out of Hamilton. Make sure you get a schedule/map – very easy to read. The pass is also good for the ferries that go between Dockyard and Hamilton (and in the summer, they run a special ferry from St George to Dockyard a couple of days a week that offers a good view of the “outside” of the island). I highly recommend that you do NOT rent a moped, unless you are used to riding a motorcycle on the wrong side of the road. I have seen a newlywed husband spend his entire honeymoon pushing his wife around in a wheelchair because of a moped accident, and the vast majority of accidents involve tourists. I did it once, but that was in the middle of winter when there was nobody on the island. Trust me, the bus and a few minute walk is better than having to have your relatives fly in just to get you onto the plane (saw that, too).

The Bermuda dollar is on par with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere. Most merchants are good about trying to give you change back in $US, but try to get a couple of BDA coins – they are much prettier than US.

There are 3 “main” areas of the island – Hamilton, St. George’s, and Dockyard. All 3 have cruise ship docks, and this is where the bulk of the tourists will be. Cruise ship season if basically from April through October. If you want to stay away from the tourists, go in the off season.

Hamilton is the capital and the only true city on the island. Start on Front Street. There is lots of shopping - but to be honest, there really is not a whole lot there that you can’t get at home – and since they have to import everything, some stuff can be pretty pricey – but there are a few things that are unique to the island and worth purchasing. Definitely check out the Island Shop – it is on Queen Street, which intersects with Front Street at the birdcage (where the policeman directs traffic – you’ll know it when you see it). It has a lot of really nice things, and I feel that it is the best place for gifts. For gifts/souvenirs, also try AS Cooper (they are building a mega-store, so their shops/departments are scattered throughout). For jewelry (or jewellery, as they spell it), your best bet is probably Crisson (best quality with lots of BDA-themed items) or Astwood-Dickinson. For T-shirts, my favorite is Flying Colours (next to the Island Shop).
Also in Hamilton, definitely go to the Cathedral – it is a beautiful, gigantic gothic cathedral – you can pay a couple of dollars and climb to the top of the tower – the view is worth it.

St George’s is the old capital and a pretty little town. There are several things to do there as well. St Peter’s church is oldest continually used Anglican church in the western hemisphere (or something like that), and is a pretty little church, made with lots of Bermuda cedar. I suggest getting ice cream at Temptations Ice Cream Shoppe next door, and eat it on the steps in front of the church. Fort St Catherine is pretty much what it says it is – a fort – it’s pretty large, and they have turned it in to somewhat of a museum – if you have some time, go, but it’s a pretty good walk – the bus does not go up to the fort – you might want to take a cab. There is also a little town square where they do a reenactment daily – I believe it is around 11:30 or so – of public punishment – it’s actually pretty amusing, and I try to see it whenever I get the chance. They also have stocks, which I guess is always good for a family photo. There’s some shopping, but it is mostly just a good little town to walk around in – quaint alleys, etc. – there is also a good size beach in Tobacco Bay – it has a snack shop, etc – but it is also a good walk (about 20 minutes from the dock).

Dockyard is the old naval dockyards – and there are really only 3 things to do there: the Maritime Museum/Dolphin Quest, the Dockyard Mall, and a snorkel park that is actually quite nice. My personal opinion of the best thing to do in Dockyard is to get on the bus and head up to the South Shore. This is where you will find the absolute best beaches, famous for their pink sand. Horseshoe is the most famous beach; but not my favorite. It will be jammed with people, particularly if there is more than 1 ship docked (which there usually will be). If you need a beach that has refreshments, changing rooms, etc, then it would be fine. Beware – it is a heck of a hike back up the hill from the beach, but in-season, there is a mini-bus that charges a dollar to take you to the top. If you do not need changing rooms, etc., try Warwick Long Bay. I think it is more scenic and it is definitely less crowded. Elbow Beach is also pretty nice. There are lots of other little beaches along the way. All of the public beaches are part of the national park system and are clearly marked. If you get on the bus at Dockyard (which is the end of the line), take the 7 bus, and make sure you sit on the right side of the bus – it has the better view.

Other places to go:
Flatts: This is one of my favorite places on the island. There is a nice Aquarium/Zoo, and a cute little Harbor. Not much to do other than the Aquarium, but it is just a nice quiet place to explore.
Bailey’s Bay: this area has what is arguably the most famous restaurant in Bermuda, the Swizzle Inn. It’s been around forever, and it just seems to be "the" place to go. Make sure you take a business card or two to tack up on the wall, and of course, you must have a Rum Swizzle or a Dark 'N Stormy. Bailey’s Bay also has the best ice cream/sandwich shop - Bailey’s Ice Cream. Bailey’s ice cream is great (and also what they serve at Temptations in St George). Get a cone and walk around the corner to the Crystal and Fantasy Caves – an underground cavern that is pretty cool.
Gibbs Hill lighthouse: make sure that you check with the Tourism Board office to see if this has reopened – the railing was damaged by a hurricane a couple of years ago, and it was closed – but if it has reopened, it is definitely worth the climb to the top – the views are awesome.
Verdmont: if you’re into the historical preservation thing, this is one of the oldest houses on the island, furnished with 17th or 18th-century items.

Be aware of your surroundings – crime is pretty rare, but is picking up. Most of the people are very nice and friendly, and the island is very clean – you will not see the poverty that you see in the Caribbean.

Take lots of film or a big memory card, and I always take an underwater camera or two – great for snorkeling.

Answer 10

Please visit the following websites:


http://www.bestplacesonearth.com/destinations/bermuda.shtml

http://www.bnt.bm/

http://www.bnt.bm/Places_to_Visit/places_to_visit.htm

http://www.uniglobetnt.com/