Beaches Near Hamilton: July, 2000

Hamilton, Bermuda, feels very British in many ways including speech patterns, but as evidenced by the abundance of office workers wearing world-renowned Bermuda shorts along with their dress shirts and ties, the weather is considerably different than England and her neighbors in the North Sea. Other evidence of British history can be found at Church Bay, where antique cannons formerly guarded this outpost of the British Empire from pirates.

Bermuda is not simply an island rich with British history and culture. The incredibly clear water makes a wonderful home for diverse a diverse undersea population, providing excellent snorkeling opportunities.

There are taxis and, for the more adventurous, mopeds for rent, but we found the public bus system more than adequate to reach many gorgeous beaches, including Elbow Beach, Horseshoe Bay Beach and Warwick Long Bay.

To say that we were constantly amazed by how open we found many beaches, especially having recently been in the crowded urban setting of New York City, cannot be overstated.

I easily place Bermuda as one of the greatest places in the world for a vacation. For people living in the Eastern Seaboard, Bermuda is an obvious destination, but surprisingly California residents flock to Bermuda more than their counterparts in most other states. While flying there may not be as convenient as flying to Hawaii for those of us on the West Coast, it makes a terrific cruise destination when combined with a visit to the New York area.