Raj, thank you for all the wonderful, extensive, detailed information you present on your site. For long duration trips I always like to read several books on a location in addition to online info. 

 

Using Bermuda-Attractions.com site exclusively, I created several daily itineraries which I executed based on weather & winter schedules. 

 

FYI: Paget Marsh boardwalk is closed to pedestrians - rotten boards (February 2013). With knowledge I gained from your site, I was able to quickly get into Plan B mode. 

 

"Butterfield Nature Reserve - that's where we'll go" I told my husband. Back on the bus (from the pink pole stop), a quick stop at Miles Market for a soup (lunchtime) & a short walk up Pitt's Bay Road...it is just as you describe!  

 

PS: wrote a short story of the mini adventure, if you're interested Thoroughly enjoyed our time in Bermuda; can see why you would fall in love with the island and it's people  

 

Pat Johnston 

 

Hello, My name is Dana. I will be cruising to Bermuda in May! I am very excited! I have been doing a lot of research of the island! I accidentally found your website by one of your photos!! Your website is amazing!  

 

I have really learned a lot about Bermuda! I do have a couple of questions though, just to make sure! We will be docked in Kings Wharf on a Saturday and Sunday!  

 

We will have 2 full days! We really want to see as many of the beaches in Southampton and Warwick (Horseshoe Bay, Chaplin Bay, Jobson's Cove, Warwick Long Bay, and Astwood Cove)!!  

 

Are all of these public? Do you have to pay at any of these? 

 

We are going to get the Bus/Ferry daily pass! Would it be possible to see all of these beaches in one day?  

 

I know that the bus schedule is limited on Sundays, would it be better to explore the beaches on Saturday?  

 

Would the #7 bus take us close to the beach where we can walk down to the beach?  

 

Would we be able to walk down the beaches to see them all? I wasn't sure if they all connected (I know they have Cliffs)? Or would we have to go back to the bus stop and go to the next beach?  

 

We also would like to see the Crystal Caves. Would it be faster to take the Ferry to Hamilton City and then catch the #3 bus there? Is there a bus stop close to the Caves? Would that be possible to do on a Sunday?  

 

Then we were going to check out the Royal Dockyard after that! Do you think that all of this is possible in 2 days? Or do you think we should narrow it down a bit? 

 

There are so many things that we want to do in such a little time! I already know that I want to go back and I haven't even been there yet!! Funny, huh?  

 

Thank you for any help that you can assist us with! We would really appreciate it!  

 

Thanks again 

 

Dana  

 

Dana,  

 

The beaches you have mentioned in your note are all public beaches and there are no entry fees for these beaches. You have selected the right ones - they all are part of our top favorite beaches in Bermuda. 

 

On your next question whether it's possible to see all of those Southampton and Warwick beaches on a single day, the answer is yes. However, that will turn out to be more of a beach hopping although you will be able to take some quick dips into the water as well. 

 

Bus #7 goes close to these beaches. But for some beaches like Horseshoe and Astwood, you will need to walk a bit from the nearest bus stop. If you like to hike, then you can also cover these beaches on foot. Check this link Half Day South Shore to find out how you can hike and see these beaches in about half day time. 

 

Crystal Caves: Yes, it'll be a lot faster to take a ferry from the dockyard to Hamilton City and then take bus #1, 3, 10 or 11 for Crystal caves. You can see it on a Sunday as well. If you plan to combine the visit to the caves along with the South Shore beaches on the same day, check out the second part of this tour itinerary: Bermuda Caves & Beaches 

 

Finally, you should keep half day time for exploring the Kings wharf Dockyard as there are so many attractions in the same complex including Bermuda Maritime Museum, Dolphin Quest, Snorkel Park, Dockyard Glassworks and many more. 

 

If you like to combine some of the great beaches with Kings Wharf visit, then explore the following itinerary: Bermuda Beaches & Dockyard 

 

Hope this helps. If you like my website, please share it with others. Thanks. 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

 

Hello!! I found your website today. It's filled with tons of wonderful information. 

 

I'll be in Bermuda on a cruise with friends, arriving at 1pm at Kings Wharf. We depart the next day at 5pm, so we'll have 1.5 days to spend in Bermuda. 

 

I was thinking our first day would be to visit Hamilton and its sites and the next full day elsewhere, but with so many places to visit, I'm not sure what is best. We like historical sites, some shopping, maybe beach time (if the water is warm - we arrive the first week of May). Plus we'll need to be back to the ship no later than 4:15pm. This would give us a good 8 hours on our second day. 

 

We're also deciding whether to hire a taxi for the second day or do local transportation. We'd like to save money where possible but if hiring a taxi driver allows for more movement around the island faster, then we might do that. But we're also willing to take the local bus and ferry. 

 

Lastly, we would be interested in a local place for lunch that's on the budget / inexpensive side. If you have a few suggestions for various areas on Bermuda, I would love to know about them. 

 

Your suggestions is greatly appreciated! 

 

Thanks, 

 

Monica 

 

Hi Monica, 

 

Here are my recommendations. On the first day, take a direct ferry to Hamilton that takes about 20 mins from Dockyard. You can then take the Half Day Self Guided Hamilton Walking Tour that I have suggested in my site. Link: Hamilton in Half Day 

 

Since it may take a while to cover all the places that I mentioned in the tour, you may skip a few. With you interest in historic sites, you may like to at least see the Perot's Post Office, Historical Society Museum, City Hall, Victoria Park, Bermuda Cathedral and Cabinet House. Also try to make it to the Fort Hamilton. Get back to Front Street and do some shopping before you take the ferry back. 

 

On the second day, take the first direct ferry to St. George at the eastern end. It takes 35 mins to reach. Then take the Half Day St George Walking Tour that I have suggested in my site. Here is the link: St George in half day 

 

St. George is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and steeped with history. Other than great historical sites, this tour will also take you to some lovely beaches (like the Tobacco Beach, one of our top favorites). During May average water temperature is around 74 degrees and should be great for a quick swim. 

 

During the tour you can plan your lunch in one of the two places. Either Polaris which is located at Carriage House which you will pass by. It's a budget restaurant offering Bermudian food and often visited by locals. Try out the Fish Chowder. The 2nd option is at Black Beard's Hideout after you have seen St. Catherine's Fort & Beach. This would mean a little late lunch. It's located on Achille's Bay with awesome views. But 

this is a little more expensive than Polaris. I would suggest not to continue the tour beyond St. Catherine as you won't have time to get back to your cruise ship. 

 

If you need more choice on restaurants, another option is Yahoo's Bistro on Water Street (close to Kings Square). There is a backside open terrace overlooking the harbor. They specialize on seafood (it's a mid priced restaurant) and a locals' favorite. 

 

Unfortunately, most of the local eateries are in Hamilton. So if you change your plans and decide to take lunch in Hamilton, let me know and I can suggest a few local favorites there. The latest one being the Smokin' Barrel. They serve barbecue, Caribbean and Bermudian food out of a truck on Front Street and near the Ferry terminal. It's cheap! 

 

Have a great time in Bermuda!! 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Raj, 

 

Thanks so much for responding! I really appreciate it. We won't do lunch in Hamilton on our first day since we'll have lunch on the ship before we dock. We might have dinner in Hamilton, so I would appreciate your suggestions for inexpensive, local foods. The food truck sounds great but obviously not for dinner. We'll hit Polaris for lunch! 

 

What time do you recommend we leave St. George to get back to the ship and do we do this via bus or ferry? Also, if we wanted to hit Swizzle Inn, can you tell me how to get there and then back to the ship? 

 

Thanks!! 

 

Monica 

 

Hi Monica, 

 

For some of the best cheap restaurants that are our personal favorites, take a look at this link: Top Cheap Bermuda Restaurants 

 

To get back to Dockyard directly from St. George, take the ferry. Bus will take two hours (from St. George to Dockyard plus a transfer at Hamilton City) compared to some 35 minutes by a direct ferry. You should try to reach the St. George ferry terminal by 3:00pm to get back to your cruise ship in time comfortably. 

 

For Swizzle Inn, take any bus (#1, 3, 10 or 11) from St. George, Kings Square. Swizzle Inn is in Hamilton Parish. From there, continue on the same bus for City of Hamilton from where you can take a ferry to the Dockyard. Remember that you will spend a total of over 60 minutes in the bus travel between St. George and Hamilton City plus the 20 minutes ferry ride to dockyard plus the transfer and waiting times. So time the trip accordingly. This is a far longer route. Give a serious thought if Swizzle Inn is what you really want at the cost of so much of precious time. 

 

Best of luck! 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Thanks Raj 

 

I think we will skip swizzle inn. We certainly don't want to miss the boat. 

 

Thanks again! 

 

Monica 

 

Good morning Raj, 

 

Thanks again for writing and for the information. Over the weekend I did some reading. I pulled the ferry schedule (2012 hasn't come out yet...at least I can't find it). The 2011 schedule shows only 4 ferry's from St. George (10:45am, 12:30pm, 3:45pm, and 6:15pm). It doesn't look like taking the ferry is doable for us. The 3:45pm ferry is later than you suggested and we need to be on the ship by 4:30pm. Even the ferry schedule to St. George from the Dockyards is limited: 10am, 11:45am. 

 

I may go the route of a tour guide and did find one that's well recommended on the cruise boards. For 6 of us, we can have a nice day trip and have a driver and will not have to worry about the ferry or bus. I'll incorporate your suggestions for St. George. 

 

I'm looking forward to being in Bermuda again! I hope for sunny days. The last time it rained almost the entire time we were there! 

 

Monica 

 

Raj, Thank you so much for the information ... We are hoping you can help us with our itinerary. We arrive Wednesday May 9th (NCL) 8:00am at the Dockyard. We are planning to visit the Dockyard until the Jessie James Tour. Take the tour return to the ship freshen up then off to Habour Nights. We need help planning Thursday and Friday (leave at 5:00). My husband and I are experienced travelers.  

 

We plan to use public transportation both the bus and ferry. I have read your walking tours but still need help. We would like to see the perfumery, Flatts, St. Georges including St David Island, the best pink beach (your choice), lighthouses, Somerset Village plus area. Lunch or dinner suggestion for Thursday. We are not interested in the caves or snorkel park. Thank you, thank you for any help you can give us!!!! Also, I am a collector of blown glass. Which would you suggest The Dockyard or Glass Blowing Studio? I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, 

 

Joanne 

 

Joanne, 

 

Here are some suggestions for you: 

 

Thursday: St. George's town & St. Davids 

 

1) Take the Orange Route Ferry from dockyard and reach St. George's town in the morning. Start early. Check out the ferry timings (service is not as frequent as the other routes). Otherwise take a direct ferry to Hamilton and then take a bus (#1,3,10 or 11). 

 

2) Take a self guided walking Tour of the St. George's Town and complete the tour in the 1st half (refer my site for directions and places to visit. Check out all the links to get details about the places with pictures). I have shown plenty of museums/ monuments/ churches and other landmarks. Eliminate a few depending on your interest level but include Tobacco Bay Beach and St. Catherine's fort in the tour. Avail the minibus service if you like to save on time. It leaves from Kings Square (the town center). Bermuda Perfumery is centrally located in St. George. So cover that during the tour. Refer to the St. George Town map for directions. 

 

3) Take bus#6 and come to St. David's. Have your lunch at Black Horse Tavern (authentic Bermudian dishes and seafood). It's likely to be a late lunch. If that doesn't suit, then finish your lunch earlier at Polaris (at Carriage House, budget Bermudian) or White Horse Restaurant (Kings Square, Bermudian & other dishes). Then visit St. David's Lighthouse. You will get details of all these in my site. Just use my site's search bar. You will find that on top right of every page. 

 

4) Now there are two nice options. Either you can further explore St. David's and go down to Clear Water Beach and adjacent Coopers Island Nature Reserve. Or get back to Kings Square and take bus #10 or 11 for Glass Blowing Studio (closes at 5pm). From here continue on bus #10 or 11 for Flatts Village. Get off at Bermuda Aquarium. From the opposite T-docks you get lovely view of the water area and the village. Cross over the bridge and take a stroll through the village. 

 

Friday: Somerset & Sandys Parish 

 

1) Start early. From the dockyard take bus #7 and come to Horseshoe Bay Beach. Spend some time here. 

 

2) Walk down to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse on St. Anne's Road. You can also take bus #7 (back towards dockyard) and get off at the Lighthouse Road. It's a short walk from there. 

 

3) Take bus#7 or 8 towards dockyard again and get off at Somerset bridge. Take a walking tour of the Somerset Village. Check out the following link: 

 

Somerset Village & Sandys Parish 

 

4) Head back to dockyard (bus #7 or 8). Visit the dockyard glassworks if you are still looking for that exquisite piece :-) 

 

Regards, 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Raj, My family and I are traveling on RCI next week into Bermuda and your site has given us lots of great information! One thing I am wondering about is how to maximize the two half days (the full day will be taken up by Jesse James snorkeling and a private van tour). We arrive at Kings Warf on Sunday the 8th around 3ish. Because it is a Sunday I figure much isn't open? Would this be the best time to go visiting the beaches and if so, which are best with the timing of the ferries/buses on a Sunday? 

 

Would we also we able to swim/snorkel that late in the day? It would be great to find a beautiful beach with wonderful coral reefs/fish and that had equipment to rent.  (Do you need cash only for beach rental stuff?) Also, what about our last day in port, Tuesday? We have to be back at the ship by noon and I wasn't sure again timing wise with buses and ferries what we should see/do. We are huge foodies and welcome any great places to eat on those two half days and are interested in more local and moderate to inexpensive. Any and all help and suggestions are welcome!!  

 

Kirsten 

 

Hi Kirsten, 

 

On Sunday, the beaches are your best bets. In Bermuda the sun sets around 8:30pm during this season and you have ample time to swim and snorkel. But the problem is where do you find a beach which is not swamped by tourists. Unfortunately the most popular beaches like Horseshoe bay beach would be very crowded on a Sunday afternoon. So here are my suggestions for some good swim & snorkel: 

 

1. Warwick Long Bay beach in Warwick parish. Bus #7. Has a concession that rents out snorkel gears.  

 

2. Church Bay: In Southampton parish. Bus #7. Has a concession stand but the person running it has recently moved out. So not sure if it is open these days. 

 

3. Daniel's Head Beaches: There are few tiny public beaches at Daniel's Head next to the 9-beaches resorts. These are some of the best kept secrets and quite close to the dockyard. Take bus#7 and get off at Somerset, and then take the Daniel's Head Road. Best is to take a taxi from the dockyard (should be 12-15 minutes drive). These beaches are not known to the general tourists and are great for swim & snorkel. There are reefs and you can see lots of fish in the calm waters. Louie runs a concession stand here (at the 9-beaches) renting snorkel gears. 

 

Most of the good restaurants are in Hamilton City. The last ferry from the dockyard to Hamilton on Sunday is at 6:30pm, and the bus service also stops early. So you will need to go and come back by a taxi, which will be expensive. So I guess your choice of restaurants on a Sunday is limited to the ones in the dockyard like Frog & Onion which is actually a great pub & restaurant. 

 

On Tuesday, try out an authentic Bermudian Codfish breakfast at Bouchee or The Speciality Inn. We also love Homer's Cafe for a late breakfast and that gives you an additional opportunity to visit the botanical gardens (it is inside the garden premises). If you can't make it to any of them, at the least try out some great fish cakes made in Bermuda that are local's favorites.  

 

Since you will need to return to your cruise ship by noon, there isn't much touring that you can do on that day. After Breakfast, go around the dockyard complex... lots of history and tourist attractions like Maritime Museum, Dolphin Quest, Dockyard Glassworks etc. 

 

Regards, 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Thanks so much for all your help! If we decide on 9 beaches, which sounds awesome, how do we find a return taxi? Is it pretty close to a main road? Also, do we need cash only for the snorkel gear? Also, I just read where business are only accepting credit or debit cards that have a PIN or chip. We don't currently have either with the one credit card we were going to bring, it is just a regular magnetic strip. What should we do? Thanks 

 

Kirsten 

 

Hi, 

 

You can either ask the taxi driver to comeback and pick you up at a specific time, or it's a short walk back to the main bus road. Generally only cash is accepted for renting snorkel gears (At Daniel's Head: Mask & Snorkel $10, fins additional $5, vests or life jackets $5). You can pay with US$ anywhere in the island and don't need to convert into Bermuda currency. 

 

Don't worry about the PIN. Most businesses in Bermuda continue to accept the regular credit cards. 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Hi Raj, I've gotten a great amount of information from your website and was hoping to get your opinion on my itinerary. we are sailing on celebrity summit next week. 

 

Aug 29. arrive into kings wharf. get 3-day multi-day passes and catch the #7 bus to Gibbs lighthouse. then #7bus to horseshoe bay beach. eventually do the beach walk to warwick and catch the #7 bus back to ship. Or maybe start at warwick and walk back to horseshoe? We have 6:00 main dining and want to be back to the ship around 4:30. After dinner catch the ferry to Hamilton for Harbor Nights. 

 

Aug 30. catch the first ferry to St. George's and try to make the 10:30 walking tour and eventually head to tobacco beach. again we want to be back to the ship around 4:30. i know we should catch the 3:45 ferry back. 

 

Aug 31. go to crystal and fantasy caves then back to kings wharf to walk around a bit and shop. to get to the caves I know we should catch the first ferry to Hamilton and then the #10 or #11 bus and then do the reverse to head back. 

 

We are a group of 9 ranging in age from 5 to 71. I don't want to overplan any day and want to account for travel time. should I reverse days 1 and 2? 

 

Thanks for your help, Ellen 

 

Ellen 

 

Hi Ellen, I must say that you have a great itinerary. My only concern is the age range in the group and I have no idea how fit all are physically. For example having climbed up to the top of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and then hiking the beach trail may not be easy for a 71-year old person (on an average I mean). So you will need to carefully handle that part... who goes up the stairs and who doesn't. 

 

Second, check out the extra ferry timings on Wednesday. Although they provide additional ferries for Harbor Nights, the timings may vary. If they don't provide for some reason, either you will need to plan to get back by the usual last ferry of 8:30 pm or take a taxi (in fact couple of them due to your group size). You will know about the additional ferry timings from the Visitors Information Center at Kings Wharf itself. 

 

I would suggest that you keep the first day a little lighter. You arrive after a long sea journey. So yes, interchange day1 with day2. 

 

Have a great time in Bermuda!! 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

I absolutely LOVE this site! This will be our first cruise to Bermuda and some things seem a bit confusing when you are a first time visitor. We will be docking in a couple weeks in Kings Wharf and from reading all your information and having limited time we were thinking of combining a day by going to the caves, then eat at the swizzle inn, then go to Horseshoe Bay (although we are terrified of encountering a jelly fish) then getting back to our ship while taking public transportation. On a weekday is that do-able ?? Easy to figure out what ferry and buses to take?? Due to my history of skin cancer we wouldn't want to spend more than an hour or so at the beach, but I LOVE the water!! Thank you so much for your time! 

 

Edna Walters 

 

Hi Edna, 

 

You itinerary looks great and absolutely doable. Getting around the island on a week day is better than on a weekend... you get frequent buses & ferries. However, Bermuda should have done much better with guiding the tourists about bus routes and schedules. Unless you know in advance or ask someone, it's difficult to know timings and routes of the buses. The final destination is displayed in front of a bus though. But don't worry, you can't get lost in a tiny 21 square mile island. 

 

I suggest you read all information in the following link to my website where I have discusses almost everything about Bermuda's public buses. The page also has links to bus routes and schedules: Bermuda Bus Schedule & Information 

 

While getting to the caves, take the blue route ferry from the dockyard to Hamilton City. From the central bus terminal there, take bus #1,3, 10 or 11 for the caves. Note that #10 and 11 take shorter routes and will be faster. 

 

On your way back from Swizzle Inn, take a bus back to Hamilton, and then change to bus no. #7 for horseshoe bay beach. What you mention as Jelly Fish is known as Portuguese Man of War. They look like Jelly Fish but their stings can be much more venomous and painful than jelly fish. But don't be scared. You don't see them often, but once in a while at the beaches. They are usually found in the mid ocean feeding on fish. Even if one such creature gets washed up the shore, there will be hundreds of persons on the beach having already spotted that and warning you about where it is. 

 

From the beach you can continue on the same bus for dockyard (Kings Wharf). Remember to buy a day pass (from Visitor Information Center at the dockyard) so that you can access to buses and ferries any number of times during the day using the pass (hop on and off access). This will be far cheaper and will help avoiding queues at the ticket counters. 

 

Have a great time in Bermuda!! 

 

Regards, 

 

Raj 

www.bermuda-attractions.com 

 

Next Page: Planning the days in Bermuda 

 

Related Articles: 

 

1) Check out Bermuda in 2 Days to know how to work out a great itinerary in 2 days. 

 

2) Check out Bermuda in 1 day for great 1 day plan in Bermuda. 

 

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