Travel Hits: 1203

This Year, Bermuda is Celebrating Summer in a Big Way

Travel Hits: 1203
Travel Hits: 1203

NEW YORK, New York – Bermuda is open and safely welcoming travelers in summer 2022, making it easier than ever to experience the best of this breathtaking mid-Atlantic gem, located just two hours from most major East Coast U.S. airports. Discover what’s happening in Bermuda this summer.

cambriPhoto courtesy of Cambridge Beaches Resort & SpaSailing Into Summer

There’s never been a better time to visit Bermuda by air or sea to experience some of the world’s most ideal sailing conditions and most prestigious maritime competitions. This weekend, thousands of sailing enthusiasts are gathering to enjoy the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix, kicking off several months of world-class events. Highlights include:

  • Leg 8 of the Round the World Clipper Race(Expected to arrive in Bermuda around June 16) – The Clipper Round the World Race is a record-breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a fleet of eleven identical 70-foot ocean racing yacht, divided into eight legs and between 13 and 16 individual races. Bermuda is making its debut on the Clipper Race circuit as a Host Port and competing yacht named GoToBermuda. Its Bermuda Ambassadors are Chanara Smith-Rookes and Matthew Stephens joining race legs 7 and 8 to the finale. The event is a unique opportunity to see these amazing vessels in action, meet crew members and participate in festive community events.
  • Newport Bermuda Race(June 17-25) – After a hiatus of four years, this beloved event returns in 2022, bringing a beloved open-ocean race back to Bermuda. Every other year, sailing crews compete between U.S. and Bermuda waters in what has been lovingly nicknamed “The Thrash to the Onion Patch.” First taking place in 1906, this is the race that turned the sea into a playground and made ocean racing a sport. The 635 nautical miles between Newport, Rhode Island and Bermuda offer high winds and big waves – usually the kinds of things seamen do their best to avoid. But the challenge and thrills of the race have proven addictive to adventurous types.
  • Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship(Throughout July) – Each July, Bermuda hooks big-time anglers with the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship. It's a series of three fishing competitions happening in concert with the higher-stakes Blue Marlin World Cup. (The World Cup has been won in Bermuda several times.) The Triple Crown celebrates the top-performing boats, crews and anglers of the Bermuda billfish season, with fun parties and other events taking place during the contest, too.

Only-In-Bermuda Summer Celebrations

  • Bermuda Day(May 27) – The Bermuda Day Parade is an explosion of island culture — and thanks to a new visitor experience you can not only see the parade but become a part of the procession. Soak in our British charm. Revel in our Caribbean heritage. Immerse yourself in our way of life as the entire country crowds the streets of Hamilton in jovial celebration. Visitors can book a VIP Visitor package for a premium full-day experience with food, drink and a front row seat for the action.
  • National Heroes Weekend/ Carnival In Bermuda (June 17-22) – Bermuda’s Heroes Weekend has emerged as one of the island’s most anticipated events. From bands that get you on your feet to J'Ouvert, a variety of Carnival-style fetes and raft ups (tons of boats and floaties linked together on Bermuda’s perfect turquoise water), Bermuda’s built a distinct, can’t-miss experience – especially for every carnival aficionado on the East Coast.
  • Cup Match Cricket Festival/ Summer Splash (July 28-29) – With no shortage of entertainment, sit back and watch a competitive cricket match from the Somerset Cricket Club, try your luck at the famous Crown and Anchor tent and experience an array of great local food. Coinciding with Cup Match, Summer Splash is Bermuda’s ultimate summer event, featuring top international Reggae music artists, followed by rich local cultural traditions and non-stop fun on the water and in the sun.

Unique Bermuda Summer Experiences

  • Nature’s Fireworks Show– Never mind the 4th of July – see some natural fireworks this summer. Sailing twice monthly, two and three days after the full moon, evening glow worm tours organized by Ana Luna Adventures let you view a rare, bioluminescent mating spectacle on the water’s surface. From a glass-bottom boat you’ll see a dream-like, bright green glow in the water.
  • Kite Surfing– Pompano Beach Club launched its first kite surfing school, offering all ages the chance to learn this exciting action sport from experienced Bermudian kite surfer Gray Robinson, who operates international kitesurfing schools in Cape Town, South Africa and Tarifa, Spain. Pompano Beach Club is also notable for its sprawling reef and sandbar that keeps the water shallow for more than 50 yards.
  • Bermuda Biennial– The Bermuda National Gallery, one of Bermuda’s cultural treasures, is celebrating its third decade in 2022 in conjunction with the 15th Bermuda Biennial, opening in June. Sponsored by Bacardi Limited, the Biennial provides a critical platform for the island’s living artists, giving them the opportunity to have their work seen by professionals from prominent international art institutions. The theme for 2022 is A NEW VOCABULARY: PAST. PRESENT. FUTURE., which will be juried by Claire Gilman, Chief Curator at The Drawing Center in New York and Alexandria Smith, Head of Painting at the Royal College of Art in London.

A New Beginning For Cambridge Beaches

Since 1923, Cambridge Beaches has served as a storied Bermuda resort set on a private peninsula. Now, nearly 100 years later, guests can be the first to discover a new era for Cambridge Beaches.

  • Led by Phil Hospod of hospitality group Dovetail + Co, with interior design by Kellyann Hee (formerly of Soho House) and creative work by Paris-based Saint-Lazare, the property will have a newly refined perspective, immersive dining experiences and expanded amenities. Working with existing architectural details dating back to the 17th century, the restyled cottages will be whimsical and tropical, featuring a mix of Portuguese, Spanish and British aesthetics. All 86 guest rooms are set in cottages with expansive outdoor patios and panoramic water views.
  • This new chapter for the property – as it approaches its centennial in 2023 – will also offer new dining experiences accessible by land and sea: Breezes, an alfresco restaurant serving elevated island cuisine; Pastel, a casual poolside restaurant; and Sunken Harbor Club, an immersive cocktail bar by the award-winning mixologist and restaurateur, St. John Fritzell of Sunken Harbor Club in Brooklyn.

Looking Ahead

  • Golf Experiences in Bermuda –This fall, Bermuda will host Black Golfers Week (Oct. 24-31), featuring thrilling tournament play, fun festivities, important conversations and more – all with the aim of bringing more diversity to the sport of golf. The event follows the prestigious Butterfield Bermuda Championship (Oct. 21-23) at Port Royal Golf Course, a pro-am tournament set against a natural backdrop you'll have to see to believe.
  • Fairmont Southampton Reopening –In 2023, the Fairmont Southampton resort will reopen after a $400 million investment project featuring 593 completely modernized and upgraded rooms, a reimagined Beach Club to feature both indoor and outdoor event space, new events lawn space and Ocean Club renovations.