The essential guide to visiting Bermuda
Summer: Join the bacchanalia of Bermuda's annual Carnival celebration in June. Parties commence on boats and in the streets with soca music and reggae as the soundtrack to the lively events. Head to the famous pink sand beaches of Horseshoe Bay, or experience an exhilarating water sport like freediving through the island's reefs, deep-sea fishing, or a cruise under the Somerset Bridge. In August, the island's largest event, the Cup Match Cricket Classic is a can't-miss event for anyone who wants to truly feel the spirit of Bermuda's excitement for the sport.
Spring: Revelers take over the streets in May for Bermuda Day, which commemorates the island's rich heritage through a variety of events, including parades and local art showcases. As temperatures become warmer, enjoy a round of golf with ocean views at one of the island's world-class PGA championship golf courses, Port Royal. Spring is also an ideal time to embrace outdoor adventures like cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and more. Water activities to consider include whale watching, paddleboarding, parasailing, and exploring Bermuda's Crystal Caves.
Fall: In October, Taste of Bermuda and Art Month offer culinary and cultural experiences around the island. Indulge in a month-long festival featuring wine tastings, walking tours, a three-day chef competition, and an all-day food fest showcasing the best of the City of Hamilton's restaurants. Art enthusiasts can explore Bermuda's rich artistic heritage with events that include a Sip n Paint in an underground crystal cave and intimate conversations with local artists.
Winter: Though temperatures get cooler in winter, there are still plenty of ways to explore the island of Bermuda. Save your appetite for restaurant week, a month-long event in January that includes discounted menus at restaurants and exclusive tasting menus with celebrated chefs from around the world. The Driving Horse and Pony Club of Bermuda is home to a weekly race evening throughout January and February, and golf lovers can try their hand at the sport at night at Turtle Hill Golf Club, where glow-in-the-dark balls are provided and light-up sticks mark the courses. Key Areas to Explore in Bermuda The Clocktower Mall, located in the heart of Bermuda's Royal Naval Dockyard, was once a naval warehouse but now functions as a shopping center in Sandy's Parish and features restaurants, local shops, and art galleries. Photograph by Greg Balfour Evans, Alamy Stock Photo A photo captures a modern scene in Bermuda's Hamilton Business District. Photograph by George Oze, Alamy Stock Photo
For a truly immersive way to visit Bermuda, there are three distinct parts of the island to discover.
Royal Naval Dockyard & The West End: As the island's maritime hub, West End features the historic Royal Naval Dockyard—now the main cruise ship port and destination for sightseeing, shopping, and dining. It's also home to the National Museum of Bermuda, which features over 500 years of the country's history via exhibitions, artifacts, and educational programs.
Hamilton & Central Bermuda: Every trip to Bermuda should include a trip 'to town,' better known as the City of Hamilton. Front Street glows with pastel-colored buildings that house great restaurants, shopping, and art museums. On the Hamilton waterfront, a sculpture entitled 'We Arrive,' honors 72 slaves who were eventually freed after their American ship sailed off-course and landed in Bermuda in 1835. The sculpture is one of 13 sites across the island that encompass the African Diaspora Heritage Trail.
St. George's & The East End: Located on the northeast end of the island, St. George's Parish is one of the oldest continuously inhabited English settlements in the New World and holds the distinction of being a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Winsome 18th-century cottages, cobblestone lanes, and preserved historic buildings offer a glimpse into the island's rich past. Here, you can visit St. Peter's Church, the oldest Anglican church in continuous use outside of the United Kingdom. Where to stay in Bermuda
One of the island's newest hotels, The Loren at Pink Beach offers 45 suite-and villa-style resort rooms with ocean views on a blush-colored beach. Large groups will find ultimate relaxation in their private Residence, a six-bedroom retreat that includes a private beach. The property is also very close to two of the island's best golf courses, Tucker's Point Golf Course and the Mid Ocean Club.
For five-star service perched on a prized hilltop, check into Rosewood Bermuda. After a multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation, the 92-room property received upgrades that include a lobby gin bar with a retractable roof and a trendy open-air beach club. With 250 acres for guests to explore, it may be hard to leave. Taste of Bermuda
Make a reservation at the island's latest upscale dining experience, Intrepid, located inside Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Bermuda. Prime-aged steaks and a raw seafood bar are just a few of the highlights on the menu. Enjoy a rum swizzle—the country's national drink–at the oldest and most famous pub in Bermuda, The Swizzle Inn. No trip is complete without a visit to Art Mel's Spicy Dicy for a generously sized sandwich that consists of a lightly fried filet of wahoo or snapper cushioned between house-made raisin bread. Fish chowder is another popular dish with a distinctive flavor imparted by the island's own Outerbridge's Original Sherry Peppers and black seal rum. Head to The Lobster Pot or Wahoo's Bistro and Patio to try a steaming bowl. Getting around Bermuda
By bus: Bermuda's public buses are safe and operate year-round. 11 bus routes cover 14 zones that reach most major attractions. Travelers can purchase a Transportation Pass, offering unlimited rides for periods ranging from one to seven days. View the bus schedule here.
By taxi: One of the most common ways to get around Bermuda is by taxi. Taxis are readily available outside the island's larger hotels, at the airport, and throughout the City of Hamilton, the Town of St. George, and the Royal Naval Dockyard.
By electric microcar rental: Tap into one of the most fun and flexible ways to explore Bermuda by renting an electric car. Available to anyone 18 and older with a valid driver's license, electric cars provide a convenient and eco-friendly way to see the island at your own pace.
By ferry: Explore Bermuda by sea on the ferry, accessible from a terminal on Front Street in Hamilton. Travelers can purchase a transportation pass that offers unlimited ferry rides for one to seven days — making it a convenient way to hop between key points across the island. View Ferries's schedule and routes here.
Ride-share app: For a ride-sharing service option, download the Hitch app. Similar to Uber or Lyft, Hitch lets you enter your destination, uses GPS to determine your location, and provides fare estimates. Here's what you should know
Hours: On Sundays, many shops, restaurants, and businesses are closed or operate at reduced hours. Public transportation, including buses and ferries, also runs on limited schedules. Check local listings for up-to-date hours and availability.
Driving: Driving on the island is on the left, British-style, and the maximum speed limit is 15 mph in Hamilton and 21 mph on the rest of the island. How to sustainably visit Bermuda
Support reef conservation by adopting a coral garden or baby corals with the Living Reefs Foundation, the first organization dedicated to preserving the island's coral reefs. On the southeast end of the island, take an eco-tour of Cooper's Island Nature Reserve, which features 12 acres of untouched wilderness. Keep your eye open for the seabirds and giant land crabs that live in Bermuda's diverse ecosystem. To get around the island, there are several low-emission transportation options, including electric buses, e-bike rentals, electric mopeds, scooters, and Microcars.
Transportation: Visitors can explore the island via electric cars, which help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Hotels: The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club's sustainability efforts include the installation of refillable water stations across the property, customized PATH aluminum water bottles in each guestroom, and a new solar panel system as part of its recent renovations.
Rosewood Bermuda is the island's only hotel to receive Green Globe Certification, recognizing its excellence in sustainable management. In partnership with the Living Reefs Foundation, Rosewood Bermuda offers guests the chance to support coral reef restoration through guided snorkeling or kayaking tours of the Coral Gardens. Guests can also adopt and plant coral, directly contributing to restoration efforts and research. Kristin Braswell is a travel journalist and founder of Crush Global Travel. She has penned pieces for Vogue, Bon Appetit, USA Today, NPR, Architectural Digest, and the Los Angeles Times, among others.
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The yellow VW Microbus is on display at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac, about 100 miles northeast of the state capital. An exhibit showcasing the late artist's work—and his eccentric personality—debuted this summer at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield. It runs through Dec. 19, 2026. (Route 66: America's most celebrated road trip is going electric) Drivers may catch a glimpse of the Illinois State Capitol building when passing through Springfield. Photograph by Jim WEST, Report Digital-REA/Redux History buffs can visit this statue of Abraham Lincoln located outside of his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Ill., and a short drive from the historic Route 66. Photograph by Joel Sartore, Nat Geo Image Collection Fill up on food—and more Waldmire's father, Ed, was a Route 66 institution, too. Not because of his art, but because of his cooking. In the 1940s, Ed Waldmire Jr. created the cozy dog, a battered, deep-fried hot dog on a stick. He sold the crunchy concoction at his Cozy Dog Drive-In on Route 66. More than 75 years later, the Waldmire family still uses Ed's batter recipe to make its requisite Route 66 treat at Springfield's retro diner, where you can wash down a cozy dog with a bottle of Route 66 Root Beer. You also can stock up on plenty of Mother Road merch, including Route 66 postcards designed by Bob. (Fun fact: Bob was a vegan.) As you might guess from its name, a lot more than food is on the menu at Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill, Museum and Entertainment Complex. The sprawling compound is tricked out with neon signs, memorabilia, classic cars and what claims to be the world's largest Route 66 emblem. Save room—lots of room—for Motorheads' spin on a Springfield staple, the horseshoe. It's an open-faced sandwich of thick slabs of toasted bread topped with meat, fries, and cheese sauce. The horseshoe name stems from the shape of the cut of ham used in the original sandwich, first served in 1928 at a now defunct hotel on Route 66. Some of Motorheads' Route 66 artifacts were salvaged from Shea's Gas Station. The old filling station was turned into a beloved museum by its owner, auto enthusiast, and collector Bill Shea. After Shea's death in 2013, the building was sold, and its contents were put on the auction block. But like other treasures on Route 66, Shea's is making a comeback. The exterior has been restored and the formerly fenced-off grounds reopened to the public in 2024. 'We've added some gas pumps and keep enhancing it,' Dahl says. 'We can't guarantee it, but we're hoping to have the interior open for the centennial year.' Getting there Springfield is about a three-hour drive from Chicago and roughly 90 minutes from St. Louis. We recommend travelers slow down to see the Route 66 sites, including the American Giants Museum in Atlanta (don't miss the pie at Country-Aire Restaurant) and the welcoming West End Service Station in Edwardsville. Where to stay The 288-room Crowne Plaza Springfield-Convention Center has all the amenities of a large hotel, with overnight rates starting around $125. For a more intimate stay at a similar price, the Inn at 835 is a B&B on the National Register of Historic Places. It has 11 rooms in the main building and two suites in the nearby Bell House. When to go Simply put, Springfield's winters are cold, and the summers are hot. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit. Every autumn, Springfield hosts the Route 66 Mother Road Festival, featuring classic cars and live entertainment. Keep in mind that the capital can get busy in mid-August, when it's the site of the annual Illinois State Fair. Lori Rackl is the former travel editor of the Chicago Tribune whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Texas Highways, Midwest Living and many newspapers. Follow her on Instagram.
