Bermuda Travel Forum

My husband & I are deciding whether to take our daughter, son-in-law and year-old granddaughter on a cruise to Bermuda or the Caribbean in June. We've been to different islands in the Caribbean, but never to Bermuda. I have heard that Bermuda is a beautiful island and am anxious to visit, but I have a few questions. Are there a lot of things to do there for young adults? Are there many places to snorkel? Do the beaches have shady areas? My husband has had skin cancer and he needs to stay out of the sun between swims.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

Hi Doreen -

Please forgive this lonnnnngggg reply. Bermuda is about my favorite place on the planet. I have visited Bermuda many times including last summer. There are definitely lots of activities for young adults and snorkeling is wonderful. If you are cruising to the island, you probably won't have a lot of time to explore all of the lovely little beaches, so you may want to focus on those that are known to offer better snorkeling. The most popular beach on the Western side of the island is Horseshoe Bay. There is no natural shade, but there is a concession stand that rents umbrellas. John Smith's Bay which is east of Hamilton (town) is a lovely little beach, not frequented by many tourists and which has great snorkeling. It is also just below a grove of trees - cedar I think - that provide excellent shade.

For activities for your young adults, I'd recommend renting a Boston Whaler for a day (small, motorized rowboat) to explore the island or going up to Dockyard. At Dockyard, you can shop, visit the Dolphins and the Snorkel Park, arrange for a parasailing experience or take the ferry across to St. George's for an afternoon of exploring a charming town which maintains much of the architecture from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Hamilton has a pretty active nightlife if that's what your daughter and her husband are looking for, with a variety of nightclubs. I prefer to catch live, local bands and they perform pretty much each weeknight at the Veranda Room (Elbow Beach Hotel), The Reefs and other hotel clubs.