![\"Railway](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/railway-trail-sign-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBermuda is a British island territory in the North Atlantic Ocean known for its pink sand beaches, rum swizzles, and friendly locals. While all these things are a great reason to visit this tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic, the best way to see Bermuda is by hiking the Railway Trail.<\/p>\n
Bermuda’s Railway Trail is one of the most beautiful hikes in the world because of its proximity to the coastline, the unexpected viewpoints, and the adventure you will have along the way.<\/p>\n
Here’s my complete guide to Bermuda’s Railway Trail with all my tips for planning an unforgettable walking getaway!<\/p>\n
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Open for 17 years in the mid-19th century (1931 – 1948), Bermuda’s Railway Trail, also known as the Old Rattlesnake, served as an easy and affordable way to get from one side of Bermuda to the other (it started in St. George’s and ended in Somerset Village). The train was situated along Bermuda’s coast, making the Railway Trail a beautiful hike.<\/p>\n
The railway closed in 1948 because it was not making enough money to pay for the upkeep. In 1964, the Railway Trail was born. Today, the Railway Trail is a 22-mile scenic path perfect for hiking or biking.<\/p>\n
While the Railway Trail is a super easy hike, it can be confusing to follow, and the trail has many breaks. While I was researching the trail, I could not find a map or a list of all the breaks. So, I made one here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every memorable trip starts with excellent accommodation options. Before we dive into what you must see in Bermuda, let’s explore the hotel and resort options.<\/p>\n These are 11 of the top-rated hotels in Bermuda. We’ve organized them by luxury, mid-range and budget.<\/p>\n Luxury Bermuda Hotels<\/strong><\/p>\n Mid-Range Bermuda Hotels<\/strong><\/p>\n Budget Bermuda Hotels<\/strong><\/p>\n On the first day of hiking the Railway Trail, I started my morning at De Island Shack<\/a>, a lovely coffee shop in Somerset, next to the start of the trail. I got a coffee and oatmeal with fresh berries to give me energy for the long day of hiking.<\/p>\n I started my walk in Somerset Village after breakfast. This part of the hike has more trees and greenery than the other parts. There is a paved path that is easy to walk on, and there are no breaks until you get to Vesey Nature Reserve<\/a>. The first break in the rail trail is from Vesey Nature Reserve to Greens Guest House, so for about half a mile, you will have to walk on Middle Road. While walking on Middle Road, you will come across Watsons Farm<\/a>. If you need any food or water or want to pet the cute farm animals, it’s a perfect stop. I decided to grab a cinnamon bun and water at Watsons Farm.<\/p>\n After Wadson’s Farm, I hiked to Gibbs Lighthouse<\/a>. If you are hungry, there is a restaurant at Gibbs Lighthouse.<\/p>\n Once you get to Gibbs Lighthouse, you will be close to the famous Horseshoe Bay. If you take a little detour, you can take a short taxi to Horseshoe Bay or walk. If you don’t choose to take the detour, Horseshoe Bay should be on your list for another time.<\/p>\n From Horseshoe Bay, I walked back to the rail trail until I got to the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, where the first section of the trail ends.<\/p>\n Eleven miles later, I was exhausted, so I took the Dockyard bus back to Sandy’s and jumped in the water.<\/p>\n On the second day of hiking, I woke up bright and early to catch the 8am ferry from Dockyard to Hamilton. Once I made it to Hamilton, I grabbed a coffee and egg sandwich at a cozy coffee joint called Brew<\/a> on Front Street.<\/p>\n The bus station is a short walk away from the ferry terminal. I took the bus to St. George’s to start the second half of the Railway Trail.<\/p>\n The trail starts at a little nature reserve called Coney Island. Take some time to explore Coney Island if you can. There are unexpected lagoons and trails all over this tiny 14.5-acre island.<\/p>\n Walking south of Coney Island on the Railway Trail, you will find bridges above the bluest water, waves crashing against rocky cliffs, and hole-in-the-wall snack shacks that you must try.<\/p>\n My favorite bridge on the Railway Trail is Bailey’s Bay Bridge. Be careful resting your hand on the railing because it is made of plexiglass!<\/p>\n Once you approach Flatt’s Village, the trail can get very confusing. At the same time, a bridge is being built to make getting over to Flatt’s Village easier; as of now, you will have to walk to the North Shore Road bridge through Flatt’s Village. If you are hungry, there are plenty of places to eat in Flatt’s Village; I loved Village Pantry<\/a>.<\/p>\n From Flatt’s Village, I followed the rail trail south and ended my hike at Palmetto Park.<\/p>\n Once you get to Palmetto Park, you will be close to Hamilton, so you can easily catch a bus or ferry or explore Hamilton.<\/p>\n Crystal Caves<\/a> is one of the most famous attractions in Bermuda. Located in Hamilton’s Parish, the crystal caves were discovered by two local boys. The history of Bermuda’s Crystal Caves is fascinating, and you can learn all about it on a tour. Be sure to book ahead because the Crystal Caves will book up weeks in advance, especially during the summer.<\/p>\n Once the capital of Bermuda, St. George’s, founded in 1612, is the oldest part of this tiny self-governing English territory. St. George’s has lovely restaurants, shops, and resorts. My favorite things to do in St. George’s are visiting Catherine’s Beach, Tobacco Bay, Drew’s Bay, The Unfinished Church, St. Peter’s Church, King’s Square, Wahoo’s Bistro and Cooper Island Nature Reserve.<\/p>\n When in Bermuda, you have to visit Hamilton. Hamilton has all of the best shops and restaurants. Explore the colorful Front Street and pop in a few shops. I also loved seeing Bermuda’s Botanical Garden in Hamilton.<\/p>\n It is common for cruise ships to dock at a Dockyard, so you can imagine that it is tourist-friendly. You will find restaurants, ice cream shops, and boutiques for tourists. I stayed near Dockyard during the off-season and noticed that the shops and restaurants are only open if there is a cruise ship docked, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.<\/p>\n The Frog and Onion Pub<\/a> stays open during the off-season.<\/p>\n Horseshoe Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The sand is pink and feels like baby powder. A little path connects Horseshoe Bay, Hidden Beach, Jobson’s Cove and Warwick’s Cove. The path makes seeing all these beaches easier in one day.<\/p>\n Once you arrive in Bermuda, you will immediately notice how clear the water is, so, of course, doing crystal kayaking in Bermuda is fantastic! You can do Crystal Kayaking at BDA watersports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Most people visit Bermuda by plane or by cruise ship.<\/p>\n There is only one airport in Bermuda, the L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA). Bermuda is in high demand, making it very expensive to fly to. Here<\/a> are all of the airlines that fly to and from Bermuda.<\/p>\n Cruise lines such as MSC<\/a>, Royal<\/a>, Viking, Norwegian<\/a>, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Carnival<\/a> offer cruises to Bermuda.<\/p>\n There is no Uber in Bermuda! So you will have to rely on taxis if you don’t want to use public transportation. To order Taxis on demand, download the Hitch Customer app<\/a>. The taxis are expensive! (About $100 from one side of the island to the other)<\/p>\n There are four ferry routes you can take:<\/p>\n Since I was located in the Dockyard, I took full advantage of the ferry. Taking the ferry from Dockyard to Hamilton is $5 and takes about 20 minutes. While I was in Bermuda, the ferry schedule was unpredictable. There may not be a ferry if there is no cruise ship on the island. The Ferry saved me a ton of money and time while in Bermuda.<\/p>\n The bus also saved me lots of money while in Bermuda. You can take a ride on the bus for 5 dollars. The bus goes from St. Georges to Dockyard with stops every few minutes. Buses stopped operating at 11pm while I was on the island.<\/p>\n Tourists are not allowed to rent cars in Bermuda.<\/p>\n Twizzy’s are like a mix between a moped and a car. You can rent Twizzy’s in Bermuda for $175 a day. Twizzy’s are 3-wheel vehicles that fit three people.<\/p>\n You will find that when you get a change in Bermuda, you will get both US dollars and Bermudian dollars; they hold the same value. It is best to keep cash on you because buses, ferries, taxis, and some shops don’t take cards.<\/p>\n Bermuda is a seasonal destination. The island is most popular with tourists from June to September but never gets colder than 60. For hiking the Railway Trail, I would recommend going in the winter for mild weather and inexpensive prices.<\/p>\n Prices in the summer are much more expensive because it is the tourist season. If you are looking for more of a beach vacation, then summer is your best bet.<\/p>\n The best way to see and experience Bermuda is by hiking the Railway Trail. You will meet friendly locals along the way, stumble upon incredible viewpoints that only the locals know about, and discover some of the best restaurants on the island by hiking the Railway Trail.<\/p>\n We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Bermuda. If you have any questions or advice to share with our readers, please leave these in the comments below. <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Want to share your travel tips by guest writing for We Are Travel Girls? Please visit our<\/i><\/b> Contribute Page<\/a> <\/i><\/b>for guidelines and to submit your article.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n![\"Flatts,](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/flatts-village.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBest Places To Stay In Bermuda<\/h2>\n
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![\"Coffee](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/coffee-at-rental-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDay One Hiking The Railway Trail<\/h2>\n
Somerset Village To Bermuda’s Botanical Gardens<\/h3>\n
![\"Somerset](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/somerset-village-railway-trail.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDay Two Hiking The Railway Trail<\/h2>\n
Coney Island To Palmetto Park<\/h3>\n
![\"Railway](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/railway-trail-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThings To Do In Bermuda<\/h2>\n
1) Visit the Crystal Caves<\/h3>\n
2) Explore St. George’s<\/h3>\n
3) Go shopping in Hamilton<\/h3>\n
4) Visit Dockyard<\/h3>\n
5) Spend some time in Horseshoe Bay<\/h3>\n
6) Go Crystal Kayaking<\/h3>\n
![\"Flatts](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/flatts-village-1-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBest Places To Eat In Bermuda<\/h2>\n
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![\"Railway](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/railway-trail-bridge-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow To Get To Bermuda<\/h2>\n
![\"Cruise](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/cruise-ship-bermuda-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow To Get Around Bermuda<\/h2>\n
Taxis<\/h3>\n
Ferries<\/h3>\n
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Bus<\/h3>\n
Cars<\/h3>\n
Twizzy’s<\/h3>\n
![\"Railway](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/railtrail-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat To Bring On The Railway Hike<\/h2>\n
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Everything You Need To Know About Bermuda<\/h2>\n
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Best Time To Visit Bermuda<\/h2>\n
![\"Bermuda](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/bermuda-average-weather.png\")
<\/p>\nBermuda Railway Trail Wrap Up<\/h2>\n
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