8 Reasons to Go to Bermuda

By Sam Dangremond, Town & Country

Bermuda has always been an under-the-radar destination for travelers craving a sense of old-school British elegance coupled with gorgeous beaches, all just 90 minutes from New York City.

[post_ads]But the 21-square-mile archipelago, comprising 181 islands, is attracting more attention than ever as is hosts the 35th America's Cup this summer. Defending champion Oracle Team USA is taking on five other teams from around the world: Artemis Racing (Sweden), Emirates Team New Zealand, Groupama Team France, Land Rover BAR, and SoftBank Team Japan.

With inexpensive airfares and so much going on, now is the time to go to Bermuda. Here's why.

America's Cup

Bermuda spent spent $77 million to host the greatest sailing competition in the world. The races, presented by Louis Vuitton, continue all this month through the finals beginning June 17. Larry Ellison’s Oracle Team USA is the defending champion, and yesterday Emirates Team New Zealand secured its spot in the head-to-head finals—a rematch of the 2013 event in which the American team came from an 8-0 deficit to beat the Kiwis 9-8. Spectator information, including a link to purchase tickets and is available here.

Instagram-Ready Beaches

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Horseshoe Bay Beach (above) is literally postcard -perfect. The island's 75 miles of coastline are filled with pink sand beaches, and almost all are open to the public. In addition to Horseshoe Bay, don't miss Tobacco Bay, Elbow Beach, and, for an isolated getaway, Somerset Long Bay.

Beautiful Hotels

The Hamilton Princess, Rosewood Tucker's Point, and recently opened Loren at Pink Beach all offer upscale hospitality in a gorgeous setting. The 132-year-old "Pink Palace," as the Hamilton hotel is known, has become an art destination unto itself after a $100-million renovation added works by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Kaws—all from the British hotel owners' collection. The Loren, which debuted in late April and houses 45 ocean-view suites and villas, is the first newly built hotel to open on Bermuda in more than 45 years. And the 88-room Rosewood at Tucker's Point, set on Bermuda's northeastern edge, offers an 18-hole golf course and the Point Restaurant & Terrace, one of the best places to dine on the island. Five additional hotels, including a Ritz-Carlton Reserve and a St. Regis, are currently under construction.

Bright, Preppy Clothing

[post_ads]The island is referred to as "the Caribbean with a dress code." Walking down Front Street in Hamilton, the capital of the British Overseas Territory, you're bound to see men in jackets and ties. But unlike their U.S. counterparts, many of them don't wear pants. Instead, they're in Bermuda shorts and socks (above). The practice began in the "beginning of the 20th century, when British military officers stationed on the island found that wearing long trousers in the hot tropical climate was almost unbearable," Condé Nast Traveler reports. "They were given permission to snip their uniform pants off at the knee, and thus the Bermuda short was born."

The penchant for kaleidoscopic fashion on the island is so great that last year preppy favorite Vineyard Vines, the "Official Style of the America's Cup," found enough demand to open a store of its own on Front Street. For the knee-high Bermuda socks to complete the dressed-up Bermuda shorts look, however, you'll have to head to the English Sports Shop, an institution on Front Street since 1918.

Fresh Fish and Good Food

Gotta give this Fish Sandwich With The Works at Art Mel's Spicy Dicy St. George's some #foodmento #love // this thing is a tower & the fish is crispy and spiced

A post shared by Jeff 🛵 #foodmento (@foodmento) on Jun 18, 2015 at 6:21pm PDT

Don't leave Bermuda without trying its famous raisin bread and local rockfish sandwich. One of the best is served at Devil's Isle in Hamilton, a cosmopolitan boîte and coffee shop where you're more likely to see a jacket-and-tie-clad businessman reading the newspaper at the bar than a group of cruise-ship tourists on a day excursion (Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy is another fish-sandwich institution). Other standout places to eat include the grande-dame Fourways Inn, the open-air 1609 at the Hamilton Princess, and—if you're lucky enough to score an invitation—the beachside Longtail Terrace at the Coral Beach and Tennis Club.
It's Easy to Get to (and Easy to Leave)

When a flight to Bermuda takes less than two hours from New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, who needs the Hamptons? In fact, the island even launched a Summer Fridays tourism campaign last year. Visitors pre-clear U.S. Customs at Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport upon departure, making for a smooth return to American soil.

There's No Zika

While the Caribbean islands and Florida have reported cases of the mosquito-borne virus, Bermuda has mercifully remained Zika-free.

The Dark 'n Stormy

A post shared by Sam Dangremond (@samdangremond) on Mar 29, 2017 at 1:53pm PDT

The national drink of Bermuda—trademarked by Goslings Rum, the oldest and largest export business on the island—is a refreshing concoction that's far from the cloyingly sweet profile for which Caribbean rum cocktails are known. According to lore, the drink takes its name from an old sailor who commented that the drink's hue was the "colour of a cloud only a fool or a dead man would sail under." But you don't need to be a sailor to appreciate this simple but tasty mixture. Here's how to make one.

1.5 oz Gosling’s Black Seal Rum

4-5 oz Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer or Barritt's Ginger Beer

In a tall glass filled with ice add 4 to 5 oz of ginger beer and top with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. Garnish with a lime wedge (optional).

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