My Vacation Lady loves Bermuda.  Beautiful beaches and just 2 hours from NYC.  We send a good number of clients to Bermuda recently and not all of our clients want to spend all of their time on the beach so here are some tidbits about Bermuda that you might not have known.

Astwood Park, Bermuda

Back in the 17th century, Bermuda’s islands were divided into tribes  or shares of land and each was named after a member of the original Bermuda Company. These tribes make up today’s nine parishes. From west to east the parishes are:

Sandys Parish:

  • King’s Wharf- cruise port for the large cruise ships

  • Bermuda Arts Centre showcases Bermuda artists

  • Bermuda Maritime Museum, artifacts from the Sea Venture

  • Casemate Barracks in the Dockyard

  • Clocktower Mall, shopping center at Dockyard

  • Dolphin Quest, swim with dolphins at Dockyard

  • Royal Naval Dockyard, port, entertainment, and shopping complex

  • Somerset Village, one of Bermuda’s five main settlements

  • Somerset Bridge, world’s smallest drawbridge

Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda

Southampton Parish:

  • Church Bay public beach for snorkeling

  • Horseshoe Bay, the most photographed beach and for great reason.

  • Gibbs Hill Lighthouse (built in 1846), tallest Bermuda structure with 185 steps to top

Warwick Parish:

  • Two fine public golf courses

  • Cliffs and beaches on the south shore

  • Long Bay Beach

Paget Parish:

  • Across the bay from Hamilton

  • Botanical Gardens with an orchid house, fruit groves, and formal gardens

  • Camden, historic house in typical Bermudian architecture

  • Hungry Bay, national park and nature reserve

  • King Edward VII Memorial Hospital

  • Salt Kettle Peninsula, a ferry terminal

Pembroke Parish:  with Hamilton, the capital and a port

  • City Hall, seat of government

  • Fort Hamilton

  • Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, sponsor of the Newport-to-Bermuda race.

  • Underwater Exploration Institute

Devonshire Parish:

  • Arboretum

  • National Sports Centre

  • U.S. Consulate General

Smith’s Parish:

  • Devil’s Hole, sinkhole that forms a natural aquarium

  • Harrington Sound, for fishing, sailing, kayaking, and viewing

  • Spittal Pond, island’s largest nature reserve, and wildlife sanctuary

  • Verdmont, manor house unchanged since the late 1700s

Hamilton Parish: (different from the site of the city)

  • Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo

  • Crystal Caves, natural limestone caves

  • Flatt’s Village, one of Bermuda’s five main settlements „ Mangrove Lake

  • Swizzle Inn

St. George’s Parish:

Tucker’s Town Cove

  • Port

  • Bermuda Trust Museum

  • Former U.S. Naval Air Station; Lighthouse Hill; the Natural Arches

  • Tucker’s Town, one of Bermuda’s five main settlements

  • King’s Square in St. George’s, Designated World Heritage Site

  • Forts surrounding St. George’s

  • St. Peter’s Church (1617), oldest Anglican Church in the Western Hemisphere

So if you thought there was nothing else to do in Bermuda other than beaches, think again.

My Vacation Lady is looking forward to helping you plan your next vacation or your dream honeymoon.