A New England Traveler’s Guide to Bermuda

Tim Lanthier / Getty Images / Photo by Tim M Lanthier / Getty Images

From one end to the other, this tiny island gives Oz a run for its money. Just 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, the 21-mile-long, fishhook-shaped paradise has the super-saturated colors of the tropics without the hassle of traveling to the Caribbean. Here, popsicle-hued sunsets and pink-sand beaches (which get their color from red sea organisms combined with the sand) vie for attention with candy-colored cottages, dense green foliage, a riot of flowers, and water that ranges from cobalt to sapphire blue. The whole island has a strong British vibe, from St. George’s in the north (the oldest British settlement in the New World) to the lively capital of Hamilton mid-island to the sleepy parish of Somerset Village in the south.

PLAY

Given the island’s British pedigree, it’s not surprising that golf and tennis are major activities, as is sailing (hence the famous Newport Bermuda Race). Around every corner, rocky coves hide pristine beaches. The snorkeling and scuba diving are superb, and watersports are a way of life, but Bermuda is equally rich in cultural attractions. The island is dotted with historical forts—Fort St. Catherine, Fort George, and Fort Scaur, among them—ripe for exploring. Biking along the Bermuda Railway Trail, which runs nearly the entire length of the island (except for a gap near Hamilton), offers a scenic way to take in the jaw-dropping vistas. The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo is well worth a visit, with its display of sharks, turtles, and sea life, while the 36 exquisite acres of the Bermuda Botanical Gardens encompass both Camden House, the premier’s residence, and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, with its impressive collection of works by the likes of Winslow Homer, Frank Stella, and Georgia O’Keeffe. The island’s vibrant arts scene also includes the Bermuda National Gallery, housed in Hamilton’s imposing white-stucco City Hall & Arts Centre; the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dockyard at the very tip of the island’s hook offers a chance to see artists at work and to purchase it. And, of course, no trip to Bermuda is complete without a sunset cruise while sipping the quintessential Bermuda cocktail, the Rum Swizzle.

A dish from Blu Bar & Grill / Courtesy

EAT

Bermuda’s national dish, fish chowder, is widely available at most local restaurants, but the true ne plus ultra of local cuisine is the humble fish sandwich: fried local catch served between thick slices of raisin toast with tartar and hot sauce, cheese, coleslaw, lettuce, and tomato. It’s a veritable symphony of a sandwich, and our three favorite purveyors are Mamma Mia, Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy, and Mama Angie’s Coffee Shop, all of which are worth interrupting your day on the beach. When the sun goes down, there’s no shortage of excellent choices for fine dining, from Blu Bar & Grill, overlooking Great Sound and serving superb American and Italian fare; 1609 Bar & Restaurant, an outdoor eatery on the marina at the Hamilton Princess; and Harry’s at the Waterfront, a classic steakhouse in downtown Hamilton.

A view of Hamilton, Bermuda … buildings on Front Street. / Photo via Getty Images

SHOP

For boutiques, offering everything from the island’s eponymous shorts to other preppy staples, take a stroll along Hamilton’s Front Street. The Royal Navy Dockyard is home to the Bermuda Craft Market, an artisan mall housed in an old barrel warehouse that offers sea-glass jewelry and a wide array of other Bermudiana. And don’t miss Lili Bermuda, a perfumery in St. George’s: Housed in a landmark building, it sells fragrances made from local ingredients.

/ Photo by Nhuri Bashir / Courtesy of Cambridge Beaches

STAY

Known as Bermuda’s original cottage colony, Cambridge Beaches is celebrating its 102nd year, and for good reason: The hotel, located on a private 23-acre peninsula with 80-plus suites designed in quintessential Bermuda style, boasts four private beaches and two intimate coves, not to mention an infinity pool overlooking Mangrove Bay. On Sundays, mingle with the island’s elite, who raft their boats off the beach and wade in for sustenance at Breezes, which offers local specialties like beef pepper pot and akee-and-saltfish bruschetta (the hotel’s outpost of the famed New York cocktail bar the Sunken Harbor Club is also a favorite).

GETTING THERE

Both BermudAir and JetBlue offer nonstop service between Logan and L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda.

This article was first published in the print edition of the May 2025 issue.