The 7 best things to do in Bermuda

From a rum swizzle at the historic Swizzle Inn to a fried fish sandwich on raisin bread that wins over skeptics with every bite

Mark Harpur / Unsplash

Bermuda’s beaches draw the bulk of the attention, and for good reason, since pink-tinged sand and turquoise water make the island one of the most photographed destinations in the Atlantic. Visitors who never leave the shoreline still come away satisfied, but they also miss a surprising amount of what makes the island distinctive beyond its coastline. A single week spent entirely on the sand overlooks centuries of layered history and local traditions that rarely make it into a typical beach vacation itinerary. Even travelers who plan to spend most of a trip relaxing by the water tend to find that a day or two spent elsewhere adds a dimension the beach alone simply can’t provide on its own.

Bermuda sits outside the Caribbean geographically, yet it shares much of the same colonial and maritime history that shaped islands further south, including a long past shaped by pirates, smugglers, and the rum trade. This shared history gives the island a hinterland worth exploring well beyond its coastline, from abandoned rail corridors to centuries-old forts built to defend against threats that no longer exist. Visitors willing to trade an afternoon on the sand for a walk through this history tend to leave with a far fuller picture of what makes Bermuda more than just a pretty beach. This fuller picture also helps explain why so many visitors return to the island repeatedly, since a single trip rarely covers the fort tours, food traditions, and water excursions that round out what Bermuda genuinely has to offer beyond its shoreline.

The activities below appear in Lonely Planet and cover historic sites, food traditions, and outdoor experiences recommended across the island, each chosen to complement a standard beach day rather than replace it entirely.

1. Railway Trail retraces a vanished train line

Credit: Go to Bermuda

The Bermuda Railway operated as the island’s primary means of transportation from 1931 to 1948, a relatively brief run that ended once cars became widely available, rendering the rail line obsolete. Instead of disappearing entirely, the old corridor found new life as the Railway Trail, a walking path that now stretches from one end of the island to the other. The transformation from a working railway to a recreational trail gives visitors a chance to trace the same route Bermudians once relied on for daily transportation, all while taking in views that the original passengers likely never had time to appreciate.

Of the railway’s original 22 miles, 18 remain accessible to hikers today, with roads or private development absorbing the missing sections over the decades since the line closed. Walking the accessible stretches means passing through abandoned railbeds now overgrown with vegetation, which open unexpectedly onto undisturbed stretches of rocky coastline and sweeping views of the horizon. This contrast between the overgrown corridor and the open coastal view gives the trail a rhythm unlike that of a typical beach walk, alternating between shaded, enclosed sections and wide-open water views within the same outing.

Visitors can access the trail from either the Somerset end or the St George’s end, depending on which part of the island they want to explore first. Bringing a water bottle matters more than it might seem during Bermuda’s hot summer months, since much of the trail offers little shade once it moves away from the overgrown railbed sections. Travelers $TRV 0.43% interested in the trail’s history beyond its scenery can book an informative walking tour through Bermuda Lectures & Tours, which focuses specifically on the railway’s operational history and its role in shaping how Bermudians once got around the island.

Few activities on the island combine exercise, history, and scenery as efficiently as a walk along the Railway Trail. A single afternoon or even a short stretch, reveals more about the island’s 20th-century transportation history than most visitors expect to encounter outside a dedicated museum.

2. Bermudian rum fuels the island’s signature drinks

Credit: Visit........

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