Globe Hotel, St George's Town

Situated across from St Peter's is the Globe Hotel. It was built in 1699 and houses the fascinating National Trust Museum. The museum documents Bermuda's role in the US Civil War when St George enjoyed unprecedented wealth from helping the southern states run the northern naval blockade.

Getting There:
Buses 1, 3, 10 or 11

Opening Times:
1 May to 31 October: Open Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm; 1 November to 30 April: Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 4pm

Admission:
Museum: BD$5 (adults), BD$2 (children 6-18 years)

St Peter's Church, St George's Town

St Peter's Church is one of Bermuda's most cherished landmarks. It is the oldest Anglican Church outside Britain. The original wooden structure was built in 1612 and its roof thatched with palmetto. Among St Peter's many treasures are a mahogany altar, the oldest piece of Bermudian furniture on the Island, the St George's chalice that was presented in 1625, a Bible from 1594, Charles I silver, open cedar timber beams, beautiful chandeliers, and marble memorials to some of the Island's earliest governors. St Peter's served as the only public meeting place in Bermuda until the State House was built. The churchyard is also well worth walking around in. Tombstones tell of epidemics, shipwrecks and war. The grave of Sir Richard Sharples, Bermuda's governor who was assassinated in 1973, lies on the east side; on the west side is a collection of unmarked stones, poignant testimony to the segregated slave section.

Opening Times:
Sunday services begin at 11.15am

Admission:
Free

Somers Garden, St George's Town

Located North of King's Square is Somers Garden, named after the colony's founder whose ship, Sea Venture, was wrecked off the island in 1609. Finding it a fairly nice place to be washed ashore, Sir George Somers built a replacement vessel from the local cedar, left some sailors behind to establish British claim to the islands and then headed home. He returned within the year but died shortly after arrival, leaving his heart, quite literally, on the island (his vital organs and entrails are in a small tomb in the Garden). The rest of his body however was sent back to England, as was customary at the time.

King's Square, St George's Town

Many attractions are located around King's Square where a beautiful 18th century Town Hall overlooks the old pillory and stocks. The Hall is no longer in use but does provide great photo opportunities. Located close by is the dunking stool where gossips and petty offenders were forced to endure the humiliation of being dunked in the harbour. A few minutes walk from here is the Old State House, Bermuda's first all-stone structure and oldest building dating to 1620. Originally known as Sessions House, it was the first permanent home of the colonial assembly, which until then, had held their debates in St Peter's Church.

Bermuda Maritime Museum, St George's Town

Displaying over 500 years of maritime history, the Bermuda Maritime Museum is a wonderful place to take the kids to learn about the seas as well as the slave trade as well as other aspects of Bermuda's naval history. Kids will love the displays and canons.

Opening Times:
Open daily from 9:30am to 5pm (last admission at 3pm). Closed on Christmas day

Admission:
$10 (adults), Free for children under 13

Fort St Catherine, St George's Town

On the northern tip of St George's Island is Fort St Catherine, overlooking the beach where Sir George Somers and his shipwrecked crew came ashore in 1609. Bermuda's first governor Richard Moore, who was a carpenter by trade, built a wooden fort on this site several years later. Since then it was rebuilt and renovated so that today it is a massive fortification complete with a moat, drawbridge, ramparts and a maze of tunnels. Fort St Catherine is now used as a museum containing period weapons, colourful dioramas, a wax figure of Queen Elizabeth II, and replicas of Britain's crown jewels. An audiovisual presentation focuses on the many forts located around Bermuda.

Somers' Wharf, St George's Town

Somers' Wharf is a tastefully redeveloped area on the waterfront with a selection of shops and restaurants. The Carriage Museum has a collection of well-maintained carriages ranging from a dog-cart to a four-horse brake that ruled the roads until as recently as 1946 when cars were legalized. Situated nearby is Tobacco Bay, a good spot for swimming and snorkelling.

Tucker House Museum, St George's Town

This elegant, early 18th-century edifice was the home of Henry Tucker, a descendant of Bermuda's second governor, Daniel Tucker. A freed American slave named Joseph Hayne Rainey ran a barber shop here during the American Civil War. Years later he returned to South Carolina to become the first African-American member of the United States House of Representatives. Today, the mansion is a museum and houses the furniture and silver collection that once belonged to the Tucker family.

Getting There:
Bus 1, 3, 10 or 11

Opening Times:
May to October: Open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 2pm; November to April: Open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, from 10am to 2pm

Admission:
BD$5 (adults), BD$2 (children 6-18 years)

Bermuda Snorkel Park, St George's Town

Located at the Royal Naval Dockyard, the Bermuda Snorkel Park is a wonderful place for kids to explore the underwater marine life that surrounds this island. There is even a beach bar and restaurant here too, where parents can kick their feet up and relax with a cocktail while the kids enjoy all the water sports on offer, such as jet ski tours, pedalos, kayaks and even a giant water slide.

Opening Times:
Open daily between April and November, from 9am to 6pm

Admission:
$20 per day for a snorkel set; $10 for a half a day

Royal Naval Dockyard, St George's Town

A great family attraction is the Royal Naval Dockyard where shops, restaurants and museums can be visited as well as the Dolphin Quest attraction. These recently restored dockyards are a great place to take the kids where they can marvel at the sheer size of everything and enjoy an ice cream or lunch in the sun. Ships occasionally land at the dockyard during the summer months - a real treat for children to witness.