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Come for the Beaches, Stay for the Island Charm: Bask in the Best of Bermuda

Come for the Beaches, Stay for the Island Charm: Bask in the Best of Bermuda
Lather on reef safe SPF, don flip-flops and reclaim your zen among the turquoise waters, pink sands and tropical landscape of Bermuda. Only a two-hour flight from New York, this 21-square-mile archipelago hugged by the Atlantic offers everything from cave diving and whale watching to award-winning golf courses and pampering spa treatments. Discover a world where scooters replace rental cars, and you can whizz from one end of the island to the other in less than an hour.

It’s time to put in that much-needed vacation request. Saltwater, rum-kissed drinks and balmy weather are sure to be the cure for whatever ails you.

Set Sail for Uncharted Water Fun
If you are a professed water baby, then Bermuda is your match made in heaven with its miles of rocky coastline. With reefs located close to shore, it’s no surprise that snorkeling is one of the most popular activities in Bermuda. Church Bay and Tobacco Bay Beach are the most lauded beaches for easy coastline snorkeling. You can also choose to venture out by boat and snorkel among the reefs of Western Blue Cut and Sea Garden, where you’ll swim with parrotfish and other vibrant aquatic life. Those with thicker skins can throw on a wetsuit and snorkel during the winter months as well. Your reward: even better underwater visibility.

Bermuda has been aptly nicknamed the “Shipwreck Capital of the World,” thanks to more than 300 shipwrecks dotting the coast. Divers, snorkelers and seafarers can zip up wetsuits, plunge underwater and immediately be face-to-face with famous wrecks such as The Cristobal Colon and Constellation. Wait until the moon casts its glow over the ocean for a thrilling night dive that also offers a touch of romance.

A trip to Bermuda wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the Crystal Caves, where thousands of stunning stalactites dangle like icicles while visitors stand on a floating bridge overlooking a crystal-clear lake. Famed author Mark Twain and the creators of the 1980s TV Show Fraggle Rock found inspiration here.

Experience Adventure in the Great Outdoors
Crystalline waters, tropical flora and sunny skies create the perfect backdrop for your next outdoor excursion. After all, there is no rainy season in Bermuda (commence happy dance). Take to the island’s Railway Trail where you’ll be surrounded by diverse and idyllic scenery as you walk along the shore.

For a thrilling bird’s-eye view of the glassy waters and coral reefs of Great Sound, an inlet that may possibly be the remains of a volcanic eruption, go up, up and away via parasail. While floating through the sky, you’ll enjoy a sightseeing tour where you can watch sea turtles play and spy amazing shipwrecks.

The coastline’s craggy rock formations also make Bermuda the perfect spot for cliff diving. A favorite summer pastime for locals, cannonballing into the waters near Admiralty House Park or Tobacco Bay provides quite an adrenaline rush. If you wish to enjoy water sports without the adrenaline stimulation, choose kayaking or paddleboarding.

Nosh on Fresh Seafood and Local Delicacies
Clearly Jack Sparrow never went to Bermuda. If he did, he’d certainly know where all the rum has been hiding! Nothing shouts tropical vacation like a refreshing Dark ‘n’ Stormy at Cabana Bar & Grille or an iconic Rum Swizzle at the Swizzle Inn, Bermuda’s oldest pub and the birthplace of this potent cocktail. At 5pm daily in the summer months, Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda Beach Resort serves delicious champagne cocktails at the exclusive Veuve Clicquot Lounge on the Ocean Club Terrace.

Seafood lovers will discover a delectable smorgasbord of coastal cuisines. Enjoy homemade fish chowder, melt-in-your-mouth lobster and tartar sauce-soaked fish sandwiches, or chow down on local favorites such as Hoppin’ John, a dish of brown rice, sliced sausage, bacon ,and black-eyed peas.

If steak is what’s for dinner, then consider dining at the historic Waterlot Inn. This 17th-century manor house turned elegant steakhouse is also winner of  Wine Spectator and AAA Four Diamond awards. They offer eight tender cuts of steak dished out with gorgeous views of Jew’s Bay.

Woo–Worthy Activities for a Romantic Escape
Rekindling the magic is easy when the beach is your backyard. Introduce a bit of romance on a sunset cruise while being serenaded by live island music. If you time your vacation just right, you might even experience the Bermuda glow worms’ bioluminescent mating ritual as they illuminate the ocean with their green lucent dance.

Couples can also choose to step through one of the many good-luck moongates that dot the island, stroll under the peaceful palmetto canopy of Paget Marsh or unwind with pampering spa treatments at Fairmont’s Willow Stream Spa, voted the Best Spa in Bermuda. Select a relaxing couples massages in a lavish suite overlooking the ocean.

Got a little one in tow? If you need some adult time, Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda Beach Resort provides babysitting services as well as Explorers Camp Kids' Club with daytime programs geared toward ages 6-13 offering engaging, active and educational fun so that you can enjoy that much-needed romantic dinner, sunset cruise or peaceful beach stroll.

Looking to pop the question or say “I do” in Bermuda? The resort’s Bermuda Moon Dance, with champagne and a four-course dinner on the beach, may be the perfect time to get down on one knee. Many couples exchange vows under the gothic archways of the romantic Unfinished Church in the historic Town of St. George a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Contrary to popular legend, you won’t disappear in Bermuda; however, the moment your feet hit the silky sands and you get a refreshing drink in hand, it is extremely easy to get lost here.

 

Stephanie Andrews has rock climbed in Malta, driven an ATV around the island of Gozo, crawled through Neapolitan crypts and lived in Portugal, Spain and Budapest. Her work has appeared in Food52, MapQuest Travel, Budapest Local and various travel and food websites. When not eating her way through a city, she’s often writing about food.

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