Departing from the picturesque town of St. George, you will begin your sightseeing tour on the island’s East End. St. George was Bermuda's first settlement, due to a ship wreck in 1609, and played a major role in its history. 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 past.
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.
Your next stop is Tuckers Town, which for 300 years 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.
A stop will be made at Spittal Pond which is surrounded by Bermuda’s largest wildlife sanctuary. The pond is predominately fresh water, although storms often introduce seawater, and it is a major transition area for migratory birds crossing the Atlantic.
A photo stop will be made at the Gibbons Gardens, a preserve with some of the finest natural flora and fauna of the island. Continuing along the South Shore Road you will pass Ariel Sands. A property first developed in the 1600s, it remains one of the few with direct access to its own private beach. Today it is home to a very upscale resort.
Next you will drive through the Bermuda Botanical Gardens on your way to Hamilton. Originally opened in 1898 the gardens feature 36 acres of trees, flowers and shrubs. 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), City Hall, and views of the Italianate Government House, the Governor’s residence that sits on nearby Langton Hill.
Returning to St George along the north shore road, you will see quaint coves and the ever present pastel colored Bermuda homes with their white roofs that gather the much needed rain water. 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. You will return to the town of St George and the cruise pier.
