Bermuda Travel Guide.

As you know by now, last week I was in Bermuda with JetBlue Getaways and J.Crew Factory. Travel is one of the best parts of my job. I’m insatiably curious and love exploring wherever I go… and I don’t discriminate. I love the fancy stuff as much as the more casual stuff, and I’m not a snob about doing things that might seem touristy. When I go somewhere, I want to see it all: the touristy stuff, the hot-spots, the dive-y spots, and the off-the-beaten-path stuff. As luck would have it, I was already friendly with Bermuda’s PR director, so she set us up with some really fun things to do  while we were there.

We couldn’t do everything while we were there (we were only there three nights!) but we did a lot. And so without further ado, here’s my travel guide!

GETTING THERE. Obviously, we flew JetBlue. But long before ever working with JetBlue, they’ve been my favorite airline. Why? For me, it comes down to service – they have the nicest flight attendants, the best snacks, and Wifi is always free. Thank you. The JetBlue Getaways experience is fantastic, too. The goal of the program is to make your travel as seamless as possible… so that you can book everything in one place without any stress!

Bermuda is actually just an hour and forty minute flight from New York. Isn’t that crazy? It seems so exotic + far away but is actually the quickest trip. Quicker than driving out to the Hamptons in the summer! JetBlue flies directly into Hamilton, Bermuda from JFK.

Things to know before you go:

• Bermuda has four seasons. So it isn’t alwaaays warm. We arrived just at the end of their Spring, as it was starting to get warm. Summer in Bermuda is from May-October (and it can get hot), but the rest of the time it’s pretty mild.
• The exchange rate is easy peasy – one Bermuda dollar is equal to one US dollar.
• Cabs are really expensive… a lot of the hotels offer shuttles, and there is public transport, so that’s something to consider.
• On the way back, you will actually go through customs before you board the plane… so keep that in mind and get there with plenty of time. I will say that it was really nice when we landed… having customs already out of the way and done with!

WHERE TO STAY: We stayed at the Fairmont Southampton. It was very nice… we had a large, sun-drenched room with ocean views. They have a nice gym on the mezzanine level which is important to me when I travel. We were able to work out every day (a nice counter to the many, many vacation calories we consumed). They also have some great restaurants (and room service – we started every day with a workout and then a big breakfast, delivered straight to our room).

WHERE TO EAT:

Waterlot was far and away, the best meal of our trip. The restaurant is over 350 years old and is located on the property of the Fairmont Southampton but you have to take a little shuttle to get down the hill and to the restaurant. They have an incredible menu and an epic wine list. We had oysters, the most amazing truffle pasta appetizer, and the perfect petite filet minon. (I know, I know, eat fish when you are in Bermuda but this restaurant is known for their steak!) For dessert, we had the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which is one of Waterlot’s specialties. It was one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever had – warm, gooey, unreal. I paired it with a glass of their Ice Wine and was in pure heaven.

Bermuda National Trust Dinner. This was one of the coolest things we got to do on the trip. Every Monday, the National Trust hosts an intimate candlelit dinner. Ours was held at the Verdmont Museum (which was built in 1700 and literally has no electricity!) but going forward they are going to be held at Fourways (the same Inn that did the catering and believe me when I say that the food was fantastic – we went back for seconds). Besides dinner (and two drinks) your ticket also includes Gavin Wilson’s Mark Twain production of “Reminiscences and Other Lies.” It was one of the more interesting things I’ve done and such a cool experience!

Wahoo’s is located in St. George and is the perfect spot for lunch. I had a piña colada and the wahoo ceviche. The fish was fresh and delicious and it was a fun spot to relax at. I will say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the service, but I was really hungry… and sometimes when I’m hungry, that turns to hangry.

Jasmine is also in the Fairmont Southampton and a great spot to grab a pizza or fish tacos (we had both). A little fun fact for you – they actually make the best pizza on the island… locals regularly stop by the hotel just to pick up a pizza to go. Lydia and I shared the (gluten free!) BBQ chicken pizza and it was really, really good.

HORSESHOE BAY is an absolute must-visit. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever visited (we shot a few outfits here, and they will be up on the blog soon!) It’s the most famous beach on the island, and has been rated the #8 beach in the world by Tripadvisor.

THE BERMUDA CRYSTAL CAVES: When Lydia and I initially discussed our trip, the one thing we both wholeheartedly agreed upon was that we had to see the crystal caves. They did not disappoint. This may be too nerdy/touristy for some of you, but the tour was the highlight of the trip for me (and not just because it let me indulge my nerdy rock-collecting adolescent self). They were absolutely breathtaking. I have a post coming up shortly solely dedicated to the caves… but man, they were epic!

(Lots more photos of the caves can be found in this post.)

LILI BERMUDA is a must-do if you are into perfume or looking for a special gift to get someone. We had a chance to meet + chat with the perfumer, Isabelle. They’ve been making perfume since 1928. Initially, they also farmed the flowers but now they just focus upon the art of making perfume. They make all of the oils in house (pictured above). The local notes that Bermuda is most famous for are cedar, guava, and lemon/citrus. During the summer season, they are too busy, but in the winter, they actually host perfume making workshops twice a week… I need to go back and do this!

Kiss (or walk through) under a MOON GATE. These are all over the island and quite beautiful! Legend has it that if you kiss in front and walk under, your marriage will last forever.

Visit St. George. St. George is the oldest town on the island (and the original capitol). It’s vibrant and fun, and also home to St. Peter’s (pictured above), which is actually the oldest church (est. 1612!) in the entire Western hemisphere.

RANDOM BERMUDA FUN FACTS (because I love this stuff, and obviously we had to end this post on a slightly nerdy note… along with an awkward photo of me).

• If you spend any time in Bermuda, you will see that the rooftops are white. Every roof is more or less identical in structure. The roofs are actually structured in a special way that catches the rain, and the white paint is actually lyme-based, which helps to purify the water. The water then runs down the roof and into a tank, where it is filtered again. Once filtered, the water is safe to drink, shower, etc. Every single house is built this way, and every house has its own water tank!
• Bermuda is famous for its onions, and in the same fashion that New York drops an apple on NYE, Bermuda drops an  onion!
• Healthy eating is important to the islanders. There’s actually just one fast-food chain on the entire island… KFC!

photography by Lydia Hudgens.