Bermuda musts

November 17, 2018 1:50 PM

I will be taking a pretty short notice solo trip to Bermuda to celebrate landing (and keeping) my new job.

I will be there from Tue. Nov. 27 through to Fri. Nov. 30. I will be staying at Cambridge Beaches in the north-west part of the island.

It is not a super long stay, so what are the absolute must sees or dos in Bermuda?

I am not a very active person and swimming in the sea kind of freaks me out, but walking along a beach and swimming out a little is fine. I love walking, seeing beautiful scenery, having great foods. And one of my favourite activities is sitting somewhere with a beautiful view, with an outstanding drink in my hand (cocktail, coffee, tea, wine, whatever), in a place tranquil enough for me to read a book.

I'm fine with museums or galleries but I am not really a history buff.

I am strongly considering visiting the Crystal and/or Fantasy Caves as well as the nature reserve around them.

Any recommendations? Restaurants, cafés, parks, galleries, walking trails, beaches (there are so many!), St. George versus Hamilton, unique things that can't be found or consumed anywhere else?

posted by mephisjo to Travel & Transportation around Bermuda (5 answers total)

Best answer: It's been years and years since I was in Bermuda, and I highly recommend the trail that used to be the railway. We hiked it and were the only people on it (and we arrived on a cruise ship). The scenery was breathtaking. As I remember, we preferred St. George to Hamilton. We did a lot of walking, just to take in the views. I wish I could help more!
posted by annieb at 3:34 PM on November 17, 2018

Best answer: I moved to a Bermuda a few months ago, I’m sure you’ll have a nice time visiting.

The railway trail by Flatts Village now has a new bridge which should be a nice way to walk and see that side of the island.

I love Spittal Pond which has some really cool cliffs. There’s a nice bench there where you could read your book.

Definitely do the crystal caves.

In Hamilton I really like a Rock Island Coffee as a place to sit out back and see the dinghy club while drinking locally roasted coffee with a nice atmosphere.
posted by ElliotH at 3:48 PM on November 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: The water temperature might be too cold for you for swimming, but you could try. Do not miss Horseshoe Bay! The so-called baby beach (a little cove) to the right of "the big side" would be nice for sitting and relaxing in the shallow water. The beach at Cambridge Beaches is protected and on the calmer North Shore, so you could try that.

You can now rent these three-wheel scooter things which would be much better than a conventional scooter. But driving on those twisty narrow roads means a lot of full-sized cars have landed on their sides this year. People drive fast there! Be very careful as a pedestrian.

St. George's is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is very pretty. If you like frangrance, stop by the Bermuda Perfumery. I wear their products all of the time.

Dennis' Hideaway is widely recommended for Bermuda's fish sandwiches, which are on raisin bread. Mickey's Pub is on the South Road and is considered a great spot to catch the view. I've never been to either because I'm a Bermuda budget traveler, such that you can be one. Cabs cost a lot.

Mefite jasondigitized lived there for several years, so drop him a MeMail.

Congratulations on getting and keeping your job, and on your trip! I am so envious! I finally (!) have a new job, and I would go if I could!
posted by jgirl at 3:52 PM on November 17, 2018

Best answer: My favorite thing to do is drive a scooter around the island because it is so gorgeous, there are a lot of tiny obscure roads, and I love the architecture but a) I have a motorcycle license and b) I'm used to driving on the left. Even so, it's a bit of a risk because I want to go slow and look at the views while everyone else wants to drive at top speed. Harbour Road is especially perilous. But the buses, while not super frequent are fine (and people will be happy to sort you out if you have a question) and there are ferries to get you from one end to the middle or far end much faster. The cruise ships have stopped for the year so nothing will be crowded. You might find things in St George's closed except for weekends. Food note: I've not found it to be much of a food destination although you can certainly spend a lot on a meal. I much prefer heading to the nearest supermarket which usually has a lunchtime buffet with plenty of local specialties and having a picnic in one of the many, many parks.

Funny, Bermuda used to be a winter destination, it's so close to the northeast, but with the Caribbean opening up when jets came on the scene, people headed there instead and tourism shifted to cruise ships in the hot and very humid summer.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 10:50 AM on November 18, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks for these suggestions!

I don't have any type of driver's license so renting a scooter is dangerous for both myself and the island's inhabitants. But while I picked a beautiful corner of Bermuda to stay at, it is not really the best situated to explore the rest of the island! I will just draft up a few doable plans to have on hand when I arrive.

It would be awesome if the cruise ships won't be there. They were the one blight on all the stunning photos I have seen.
posted by mephisjo at 5:47 PM on November 18, 2018