A Babymooner's Travel Guide to Bermuda
When we found out we were expecting another little one, JD and I started bouncing around ideas for our annual vacation. When we got engaged, we made a promise to add a stamp to our passports every year. A way to make sure our love of adventures together continued to grow no matter what life threw our way.
Our first year of marriage was a babymoon in Spain and Morocco. It was a wild adventure—camping in the Sahara desert, riding camels, and eating enough tangine to last us a lifetime. It was a trip we will never forget.
Once Brody was born, we decided a trip to Ireland and England would be a good way to touch our toes in the waters of international travel with a baby in tow. Ireland still remains at the top of our list for favorite places visited.
Last year, we took Brody on an epic two-week Italy trip racing through Venice, Rome, Sardinia and Cinque Terre. Days filled with gelato and incredible sights.
When we started to think about our trip for 2017, two words kept coming to mind: relaxing and beach. Relaxing meant we were going to make very few plans. No big bucket list to check off. No reservations we would have to keep. And also no toddler to chase after.
Being pregnant quickly dwindled down our choices of international beach destinations thanks to Zika. Bermuda kept popping up on lists of destinations that were Zika free and the more we looked into it, the more we started thinking this would be the perfect babymoon spot. Only a 2-hour flight from the East Coast, turquoise waters, and the most beautiful hued building with white roofs dotting the island.
We just returned from our trip to Bermuda and I think JD and I are both still on a high from the wonderful trip we had. The beauty of Bermuda astounded us and the time we were able to spend together relaxing sans toddler was something we will treasure for years to come.
So if you are thinking about a babymoon or a trip to Bermuda, here is a little recap of what we did, where we stayed, and some of our favorite meals.
Play
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse: Climb to the top for stunning views of Bermuda from every angle. This place is a bargain! Only $2.50/pp for entry. It is walking distance from the Hamilton Princess Beach Club.
Hamilton Princess Beach Club: If you are staying at the Hamilton Princess, access to this heavenly spot is included with your stay. If not, you can buy a day pass. It is about a 20 minute ride from Hamilton to reach this unbelievable destination. Hammocks in the water, private areas to hike around for sweeping sea views, the nicest beach bathrooms I’ve ever seen and access to paddle boards and other fun equipment. Oh yea, there’s wi-fi as well! During off-season, the hotel only makes two trips to the beach club a day. During busy season, they offer trips every hour. Since we were visiting during off-season, both afternoons we spent at the beach club, we had the entire place to ourselves. Talk about a dream!
Shopping on Front Street: One of my favorite parts of traveling is shopping. Front Street in Hamilton is one of the most famous areas for high-end shopping in the country. The shops are beautiful with dreamy pastel exteriors. Even if you are not a big fan of shopping, it’s a picturesque area to walk around.
Warwick Long Bay & Jobson’s Cove: Besides the beach club, these were two of our favorite beaches we visited. You can be dropped off at Warwick Long Bay and hike to Jobson’s Cove, a rocky beach with stunning views. The sand had pink flecks from coral in it and the color of the water was stunning. There were also pretty pieces of sea glass scattered down the beach. This is where we filmed our little gender reveal video.
Crystal Caves: This was one place we ran out of time to visit, however it will be on the top of our list when we return. These subterranean caverns are filled with stalactites and stalagmites making an incredible sight to see.
Stay
Hamilton Princess: This slice of paradise, coined the “pink palace”, was where we stayed for our babymoon. One of my sweet Instagram friends recommended this as our home base and it did not disappoint. The hotel grounds are perfection. From the tropical plants to the heated infinity edge pool overlooking the harbor. The interior and exterior are dotted with modern art you would expect to see in a museum rather than a hotel lobby. The staff was kind and friendly—particularly the bellhops. And the private beach club a short drive from the hotel? Incredible! The location was also great for walking to restaurants and exploring Hamilton.
We stayed in a newer room and it was not our favorite. I’ll admit I am a bit of a hotel snob, but the walls were paper thin, so we heard all of the conversations of both guest rooms next to ours, along with the chatter of housekeeping and the maintenance crew all day long, ugh. Thank goodness for the beautiful hotel grounds we could escape to. The room was what I would consider a 2.5 star experience, while the rest of the hotel was 5 stars. Regardless, we still had a wonderful stay!
Eat
Pickled Onion: Be sure to make a reservation if you are going for dinner. The banana split brownie on the dessert menu cannot be passed up! JD also loved the beer flight of local Bermudan beers.
Bouchee: This was our favorite breakfast spot. Lots of locals. We visited twice it was so tasty and JD and I both left with a love of eggs benedict—how had we never tried these before!
Portofino: The best local spot for Italian! They have a takeout window that stays open late. Portion sizes are huge. We used the takeout window on our last night in Bermuda and pigged out on Italian food in bed while watching the travel channel. Oh the simple things in life!
The Lobster Pot: One of our hopes for the trip was eating as much seafood as possible. The Lobster Pot was a great local seafood restaurant and easy to walk to from the Hamilton Princess. I ordered the lobster pasta and ate every last bite.
Henry VIII’s: If you are visiting the Southern shores or Gibbs Hill lighthouse, this restaurant is in the area. We stopped here for lunch and had a meal of delicious pub-style food. Crispy French fries, huge portions, and sweeping views of the sea from inside.
Crown and Anchor: This is one of 3 restaurants inside of the Hamilton Princess. Our first night in town we were jet lagged and tired from a red-eye flight, so this was the perfect spot for convenient dinner. I had a grilled wahoo sandwich—very tasty. On the weekends they have a traditional afternoon tea—I wish we had the time to try!
Buzz: This quick-stop eatery has locations around the island. It is a great spot to grab a fresh squeezed juice or smoothie or even a tasty wrap for lunch. We stopped here multiple times.
Tips
Try a rum swizzle. If you’re expecting, you’ll have to forgo the rum swizzle this time around, however be sure your partner treats himself to one. The iconic drink of Bermuda earned two thumbs up from JD.
Flying in and out of Bermuda is a breeze. Did you know Bermuda is only a 1.5 hour flight from NYC or just over 2 hours from Atlanta? Coming back to the US was also simple since you go through US customs in Bermuda before you leave—no waiting in line when you return!
Food is expensive. JD read a list of most expensive places to visit and Bermuda was at the top of the list. Expect to spend $30-$40 on an entrée per person at most of the restaurants in Hamilton. Prices seemed to be about 30-40% higher than you would pay in the US when it came to food. Even our trip to the grocery store gave us a bit of sticker shock. $3.50 for an avocado made me appreciate our stores here in the US.
Busy season is Easter to Labor Day. We lucked out and landed in Bermuda during one of the slowest weeks of the season. Not a single cruise ship was docking during our stay. As the host country for America’s Cup, tourists had not begun to arrive. And the beaches? Nearly empty! The weather was a bit chillier than we expected, but it was a fine tradeoff for an empty island!
Tourists are not able to rent cars. The current laws in Bermuda do not allow tourists to rent cars, so expect to take quite a few taxis or rent a scooter. We took many taxis during our stay and the drivers were all so friendly—acting more as tour guides to their beautiful island. The taxis were regulated, so we did not have to worry about getting nickel and dimed or taken advantage of during our travels.
Pack
Dresses: I have officially reached the stage of pregnancy where pants or anything around my waist sounds uncomfortable. I am living in dresses, which was perfect for Bermuda. This yellow dress is one of my favorite new wardrobe additions (this similar dress also caught my eye).
Beach Bag: We packed this Baggu tote with us to use as our beach bag. It is big enough to hold a lot of gear and takes up hardly any space in our suitcase. I am also drooling over this Sunnylife mesh beach bag. A chic alternative for sure!
A Good Read: When else do you have a chance to read a book undistracted for hours at a time! I started reading All The Missing Girls per the recommendation of my sweet friend Nicole. It’s a page turner mystery that I could not put down.
Comfortable Sandals: Visitors are not able to rent cars in Bermuda and taxis can be quite expensive, so staying in a central location and walking is often your best option. I wore these nude sandals every single day---from the beach with a bikini to dinner in a dress. They were so comfortable and versatile (and a bargain!), I am seriously contemplating buying the rose gold and black versions as well.
Sunscreen: The clouds came and went all day long in Bermuda and of course, I managed to get a sunburn. Don’t forget to lather up when you are out walking around or on the beach.
Beachwear: Wearing a swimsuit while pregnant can be a bit scary. With Brody, I do not think I ever wore a swimsuit, except for the first month or two of pregnancy before I was even showing. With this baby being a summer baby, I have a feeling I will be living in my swimsuits come May. The moms in the Momma Society Private Facebook Group suggested bikinis with a kimono. This option worked out perfectly on our babymoon.
Have you visited Bermuda? Are you planning a babymoon? Where do you dream of visiting?
