Departing from the picturesque town of St. George, you will begin your sightseeing tour of the island. St. George was the first settlement, due to a ship wreck in 1609, and was therefore a major part of Bermuda’s history. It also played a part in shaping that of the colonies that would one day become the United States. St. George retains much of its architecture from the 17th to 19th centuries, and as you travel its narrow streets, you will learn of its colorful history.
Departing St. George, you will drive along the scenic North Shore Road. A photo stop will be made at Shelly Bay, named after one of the crew on the ship-wrecked "Sea Venture".
In Flatts Village, you will have the option of visiting the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ). The aquarium contains over 200 species of fish and marine life as well as a Discovery Room for younger visitors. The Natural History Museum explains the island’s geological and environmental development. The zoo area is a collection of animals and their habitats from around the world including the islands of Madagascar, Australasia, the Galapagos, the Caribbean, and a South American aviary. Admission to BAMZ is not included in the tour price.
Continuing along the North Shore Road, you will see quaint coves and the ever present pastel buildings with their white roofs designed to catch rain water. Approaching the city of Hamilton, you will see the The Governor's residence, Italianate Government House atop Langton Hill. You will pass through Black Watch Pass, a public works project from the depression era to create employment and lessen the grade the horses had to pull wagons up from the North Shore into the city. The town of Hamilton is the capital of Bermuda and is located on the protected shores of Hamilton Harbor. Although not the oldest town on the island, it was made the capital in 1815. An orientation drive through the city will show you Front Street with its shopping, the Hamilton Cathedral (1897) the city hall as well as other picturesque buildings.
A drive along Harbour Road offers scenic views of Hamilton across the harbor, sailboats underway and some of the more than 125 uninhabited islands that make up Bermuda's archipelago. Traveling to the South Shore in the Parish of Southampton, you will make a stop at the Gibbs Lighthouse. Built in the mid 1840s, this 117-foot tall lighthouse offers pastel views over the South Shore as well as the Great Sound. Driving along the South Shore you will look down on some of Bermuda’s famous pink sand beaches. The wide, lazy arched Horseshoe Bay Beach is popular with families, while the steep cliffs and shrub covered hills of Warwick Long Bay are popular with joggers, horseback riders and sunbathers looking for privacy.
Next you will visit Tuckers Town. For 300 years it was one of the most unwanted, poorest areas on the island. In the 1920s the Bermuda Development Company was formed to create an exclusive enclave for wealthy tourists. A golf course and a new hotel, the Mid Ocean Club, were developed and the world’s elite were encouraged to build summer homes here. With the hotel’s opening and a guest list that included Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, Irving Berlin and Shirley Temple, Tuckers Town was no longer an outcast.
An optional stop can be made at the Crystal and Fantasy Caves. Discovered in the late 1800s, the caves contain crystal (calcite mineral deposits) stalactites and stalagmites surrounding a clear salt water lake that reaches depths of 55 feet. Admission to the caves is not included in the tour price. Another option is to stop for lunch at the Swizzle Inn, Bermuda’s oldest and best known pub and home to the national drink of Bermuda, the delicious rum swizzle. Lunch would be at guest’s expense. Your tour ends in St. George at the cruise pier. Optional stops can be discussed with your driver/guide at the beginning of the tour to plan your day.
Please note: Tour requires a minimum of four people to operate.
