Bermuda
Overview: A Relaxing Trip Exploring Bermuda with Time for Golfing
Duration: 4 full days (excluding travel days)
Locations visited: St. George, Tobacco Bay, Hamilton, Crystal and Fantasy Caves
How to get there: Fly into L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA), located in St. George’s Parish.
How to get around: Taxis, walking, e-scooters, and buses are all viable options. You can hail a taxi using the HITCH app. There’s no Uber or Lyft on the island.
When to go: Spring and fall offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds, though the ocean may be a bit too cool for swimming. Summer is the warmest time to visit, but also the busiest.
Pace: Relaxing to Moderate
Future trips: Explore the southwestern part of the island and play a round at Port Royal Golf Course.
Tobacco Bay, Bermuda
Day 1: St. George
We started our first full day in Bermuda by exploring St. George. St. George’s is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the capital of Bermuda from the early 1600s—after the British shipwrecked the Sea Venture here in 1609—until Hamilton took over as capital in 1815. The town is full of pastel-colored houses and shops lining the bay, offering a charming and walkable introduction to the island.
Some highlights include King’s Square and the surrounding buildings like the Town Hall and The State House, Bermuda’s oldest stone building. Nearby, you’ll find the marina and two of the main streets: York Street and Water Street. St. Peter's Church—built in 1612—is the oldest continuously used Anglican church outside the British Isles and is definitely worth a stop.
If you're into history, check out the Mitchell House Museum (home of the Bermuda National Trust Museum) and the Bermuda Heritage Museum, which focuses on African Bermudian history.
Heading uphill, you'll come across the Unfinished Church, which was meant to replace St. Peter’s in the 19th century. However, due to funding issues and disagreements, the project stalled and was never completed. The roofless ruins now serve as a peaceful and photogenic spot.
Within walking distance of town, you'll also find Fort St. Catherine, Fort Victoria, and Fort Albert, along with Drew’s Bay. Fort St. Catherine is the most well-preserved and has historical exhibits and coastal views—but be sure to check the hours in advance, as it was unfortunately closed on the Saturday we visited.
That wrapped up our first day, and we headed back to the hotel for dinner.
Day 2: Crystal & Fantasy Caves, Tobacco Bay, and St. Catherine's Beach
We started the day by exploring the beaches near St. George. Despite being an island, Bermuda has a limited number of beaches, and many resorts don’t have their own beachfront access (or require a shuttle to reach one). Our first stop was St. Catherine’s Beach, located at the northeastern tip of the island. About a five-minute walk away is Tobacco Bay, a shallow, sheltered inlet where visitors can wade or snorkel. Right on the bay is the Tobacco Bay Beach Club, a laid-back spot for food and drinks with a view.
Next, we grabbed a cab to the Crystal and Fantasy Caves, about 15 minutes away. These limestone caves feature striking rock formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. Crystal Cave was discovered in 1907, and divers have since explored underwater passages connecting the cave system to the ocean. The caves are accessible only via guided tours, which require tickets. You can choose to visit one or both caves—plan for about an hour and a half if you do both.
After the tour, we stopped by the Swizzle Inn, a casual and popular nearby restaurant and bar known for its rum-based drinks—especially the Rum Swizzle, often considered Bermuda’s national cocktail. The Swizzle Inn is just a short walk from the caves, and there’s also an ice cream shop on the way if you’re craving something sweet.
We wrapped up the day back at the hotel for a group dinner and drinks.
Day 3: Five Forts Golf Club, Boat Tour, and Hamilton
We started our third day in Bermuda with a round of golf at Five Forts Golf Club. This was my first time golfing outside the United States, so it was a novel experience—especially with the gas-powered golf carts instead of the standard electric ones. The course is mostly composed of par 3s with a few par 4s mixed in, making it more of a resort-style course than a regulation one. While many of the holes were exciting—some are right by the ocean and five pass by historic forts (hence the name)—overall, the course felt unnecessarily challenging for a resort setting, with lots of elevation changes on several holes. If golf isn’t your thing, I’ve included a list of alternative activities at the end of Day 4.
After golf, we took a cab to Hamilton for an afternoon boat tour departing from the harbor. Since we were traveling with a large group, we had booked a private boat for three hours to cruise around Hamilton and the surrounding islands. Along the way, we passed several lighthouses, a shipwreck, and saw scenic homes and natural landscapes across Mount Pleasant, Saltus Island, Bluck’s Island, Marshall Island, Long Island, Eta Island, Iota Island, Ports Island, Epsilon Island, and Zeta Island. Surprisingly, the foliage and landscapes varied quite a bit—some islands had a lush, tropical look, while others felt more forested, almost like upstate New York. We stopped to swim, kayak, and paddleboard for a bit. There are also group boat tour options, including sunset cruises and full-day excursions. On the longer tours, you can explore more shipwrecks and even go scuba diving.
After the boat tour, we spent some time walking around Hamilton—Bermuda’s capital and largest town—and grabbed food and drinks at The Pickled Onion. Beyond admiring the pastel-colored houses and shops, there are several sites worth visiting: the Bermuda National Gallery, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, the Queen Elizabeth Park (formerly Par-La-Ville Sculpture Park), Victoria Park, Fort Hamilton, and the Gosling Bros Ltd. shop. Gosling’s is the island’s most well-known rum producer, and their products (especially Goslings Black Seal Rum) are used in classic Bermuda cocktails like the Dark 'n Stormy.
That wrapped up our third day in Bermuda, and we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel.
Day 4: Golf at Tucker’s Point and Relaxing
On our final day, we took it easy with a round of golf at Tucker’s Point Golf Club. Like the course from the day before, many of the holes had unique features, including ruins, major elevation changes, and long carries as the course wound its way around the bay and nearby homes. Unlike Five Forts, however, this course felt closer to a regulation layout in terms of overall length and stroke count.
After our round, we had lunch at the club’s on-site restaurant, Sul Verde. We ended the day with some light bites and drinks at the Conservatory Bar & Lounge before heading back to pack for our flight the next morning.
If golf isn’t your vibe, here are some other great options to explore in Bermuda:
Horseshoe Bay Cove – famous for its pink sand beaches
Elbow Beach
Spittal Pond Nature Reserve
Royal Naval Dockyard
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo
Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse
Glass Beach
National Museum of Bermuda
Admiral’s Cave
Fort Scaur
Alexandra Battery
Gates Fort
Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute
Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
Bermuda Botanical Gardens
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Bermuda was the perfect mix of relaxation, light adventure, and scenic beauty. Whether you’re into golf, beaches, or just exploring at your own pace, the island offers plenty to enjoy without feeling overwhelming. I’m already looking forward to returning and seeing a different side of it.
