Intro
In the middle of clear blue waters sits the stunning island of Bermuda. Full of pastel colored buildings with white tops and lush greenery and rugged rock formations this is truly paradise.
My family and I took a 5 day Royal Caribbean cruise where we spent two days here and we were determined to go to newer places and that we did. Let’s get right to it!
Hamilton
Once we docked we headed straight to the ferry for the 15 minute ride over to Bermuda’s bustling capital. The ferry ride to Hamilton is about $10 one way and you can buy coins right by the ferry dock.
The sound of beeping cars and sight of shopping bags welcomed us. Hamilton is known for its shopping and restaurants more than anything. Excitedly, we headed into our first shop: Vineyard Vines. It only seemed right as the brightly colored clothes would match the vibe of the island as a whole. Next door is Gosling Brothers if you want your taste of rum and Tabs for those good ol’ Bermuda shorts. Hamilton won’t disappoint if you’re looking for a variety of things whether it be jewelry, books, clothes, spirits, art, etc. It has it all!
My Mom and I walked onwards to Queen Elizabeth Sculpture Park which was to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Parts of the park were pretty while others needed some upkeep. Overall, thought, it’s a nice place to rest and relax from the busyness.
On the way to buy my brother and dad the traditional Bermuda outfit we saw plenty of men donning the shorts, suit coat, and knee-high socks. Also remember that Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory meaning that drivers drive on the left side and not the right. It was weird to see since I’m so used to driving on the right lol.
Brew and Hog Penny Pub, Hamilton
Before heading to lunch we stopped at Brew (a coffee shop/cafe). They serve sandwiches, energy drinks, and an expansive menu of coffee. My Mom and I had the Lavender Honey Latte ($8.15) which was superb considering the lavender was not at all overpowering. The taste was silky smooth. My sister in-law got the Caramelotto Latte ($7.50) which honestly tasted better than Starbucks and my younger sister got the Chocolate Mocha Frappe ($10.40) and said it was better than Starbucks Java Chip.
Onwards we headed to find a restaurant. Originally we wanted to go to Barracuda Grille but after seeing that it was white tablecloth (fine dining) we looked down at our clothes, said ‘nope’, and headed to Hog Penny Pub right next door.
Hog Penny Pub is the original inspiration for the “Cheers” Pub in Boston (per its menu) and it certainly looks like a British Pub. It’s darker in tone which was the polar opposite from Bermuda’s ambience. The menu consisted of traditional fare of chowder, Wahoo bites, Bangers and Mash, Cottage Pie, etc. My cousin liked the Wahoo bites, I enjoyed the steak and kidney pie, and my aunt loved the fish chowder soup topped with rum.
After lunch, my sister, sister-in law, and I went uphill into the heart of Bermuda to check out the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. The inside was steaming hot but divine to see. It reminded me of St. Bernard’s in Akron.
On the way back, we passed Devil’s Isle which is a cafe which was highly rated on Fodor’s travel guide.
Horseshoe Bay Beach
I covered this in my last article so I’ll keep this short. This is a beautiful pink sand beach with plenty of things to do whether you want to jump the perfectly blue colored but extremely salty tasting waves, climb the upward slanted rocks to maybe jump off of, or tan. You won’t get bored here.
From the dockyard, you can take the bus over (20 minutes or so) which costs $8-$10. There will be a crowd of people here (unless you walk to the far end in an alcove…shhhh).
Closing
In closing, Bermuda is a great area to vacation. Below are some tips/facts:
- Legal drinking age is 18. The place to go to is Snorkel Beach Park at the dockyard. It’s fun and I had a Blue Hawaii which was the best cocktail I’ve ever had.
- You cannot bring back pink sand as it is illegal
- Everything is expensive so don’t be surprised when a small meal is $29.99
- Rum Swizzle is their national drink
- A dirty white roof home has a dirty inside…so Bermudians say
- No two houses next to each other can be the same color
- John Lennon used to have a home here
Overall, I hope you enjoy this island as I did. Take it all in, take pictures of everything, use your five senses, and be spontaneous!
