Is Bermuda Worth It? Our Honest Review from NYC

Bright blue water off the beach at Coco Reef Resort, Bermuda

Bermuda is one of the easiest island getaways from NYC—just a 2-hour flight—but is it actually worth it? After a long weekend of beaches, food tours, and a few travel mishaps, here’s my honest take.

At A Glance

  • 📍 Location: Bermuda
  • ✈️ Flight Time from NYC: ~2 hours
  • 📅 Trip Length: 4 days / 3 nights
  • 💰 Cost Level: $$$
  • 🚗 Getting Around: Taxi + Hitch app
  • 🏨 Where We Stayed: Coco Reef Resort (not recommended)
  • ⭐ Highlights: Food tour, Crystal Caves, St. George’s
  • ⚠️ Watch Out For: Expensive taxis, inconsistent hotel quality
Street scene in Bermuda showing the island's British colonial influence

Bermuda! There was a solid British (kind of Irish) theme) present throughout the island due to it being a British outpost for years. This was pretty interesting.

My husband and I spent a long weekend in Bermuda last Labor Day weekend. It was our first visit and the simple reason – it is only 2 hours from the NYC area and there was a relatively reasonably priced flight that fit our schedule. We had a very nice time, but we have certainly been to nicer islands (in our opinion). I think I need to go back (and we will, I have my eye on the St. Regis!) for longer and stay elsewhere for a different experience on the island. This post details what we ate, where we stayed, and what we did during our weekend getaway to Bermuda so that you can recreate our trip on your own!

Coastal scenery in Bermuda during a long weekend trip from NYC

Bermuda is very pretty.

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East Bermuda 1 Day Itinerary (No Car Needed): Caves, Food & St. George’s Guide

Dan & I in the Crystal Cave.

When planning my Bermuda Labor Day getaway, I struggled with planning an itinerary. The island is rather spread out, and we did not rent a car. We spent one afternoon and evening in the Eastern part of Bermuda (St. George’s, near the airport) and our itinerary worked well for those visiting the East for a day or half day.

A large tree on the road between The Swizzle Inn and Crystal Caves in Bermuda

A very cool tree between The Swizzle Inn and Crystal and Fantasy Caves.

First up, have an early lunch at what is possibly Bermuda’s most famous establishment, the Swizzle Inn! With its catch phrase “Swizzle In, Swizzle Out” and its infamous drink, the Rum Swizzle, the Swizzle Inn is incredibly popular, fun, and unmissable. It calls itself Bermuda’s oldest pub (like The Hog Penny in Hamilton…) and claims to be the creator of Bermuda’s national drink, the Rum Swizzle.

The Swizzle Inn pub on Blue Hole Hill in Hamilton Parish, Bermuda

The Swizzle Inn, Bermuda.

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Is a Bermuda Food Tour Worth It? Eating Through Hamilton’s Best Spots

The Hog Penny, Hamilton, Bermuda.

I visited Bermuda last Labor Day weekend for the first time, even though its only a 2 hour flight from NYC and had been on my travel list for years. Part of my first full day on the island was spent in food tour around Hamilton, Bermuda’s capital and largest city (or really, town). It’s the colorful, shop filled streets that you see in photos. While most prioritize Bermuda’s beaches, we really like to eat and drink, and we visit beaches enough that we felt we could dedicate a morning to learning more about Bermuda’s culture, which is just what this tour provided (in addition to a large lunch and several drinks!).

Colorful shop-lined Front Street in Hamilton, Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda.

We began our tour on Front Street, Hamilton’s main drag. The tour consisted of about 10 people, most visiting from the United States for Labor Day weekend. The tour began at 11:15 AM and lasted about 3 hours, taking us solidly into the afternoon. All it, it was a fun experience. I would take the tour again and recommend it to those in Bermuda who need a break from the beach.

A tile mural on a wall in Hamilton, Bermuda

A pretty mural in Hamilton, Bermuda made from tile.

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Manzana de Java: The [Current] Best Restaurant In San Juan

Bisteca fritta. Manzana de Java. San Juan, Puerto Rico.

We have been to San Juan, Puerto Rico numerous times. It is one of our very favorite places to eat and drink, especially thanks to some restaurant recommendations from local friends. Last weekend, we returned for a long weekend simply to escape the cold. Given that two of our favorite restaurants are permanently closed (Jose Enrique and Celeste), I had to find some new restos! I came across Manzana de Java in my research and then saw that it was one of Bad Bunny’s favorite restaurants. Sold. I booked a reservation several weeks in advance and could only get the first seating of 6:30 PM.

The entrance to Manzana de Java restaurant in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The entrance to the restaurant.

La Manzana de Java, literally translating to the Java Apple, is located in Santurce on a quiet street. It’s truly a whole in the wall with only 20 seats. Hence, the difficulty in securing a reservation. La Manzana has 3 seatings nightly, the early seating (5:30, 6:00, and 6:30), a regular seating (7:00, 7:30), and a late seating at 9:00 or 9:30. Tables are grouped in groups of 2 or 4, and it could be difficult to have a much larger party here without renting out the whole restaurant.

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The Naxos Apothecary: A Portara View Restaurant in Chora, Naxos

Dinner served at The Naxos Apothecary in Chora, Naxos

For those familiar with the Greek beauty and skin care brand Korres, you may have heard of its owners’ upscale beauty and skin care brand, The Naxos Apothecary. Inspired by Greece’s oldest homeopathic pharmacy, The Naxos Apothecary brand makes lovely beauty products, skin care, and scents. The brand is somewhat difficult to find outside of Greece, so I definitely recommend picking some up while you are there. In any case, The Naxos Apothecary also has a restaurant and store combination located right in Chora, Naxos. This post reviews my lovely dinner at The Naxos Apothecary in July 2025. It was one of seven places we ate in Chora, all of which are in our guide to the best restaurants in Naxos Town.

The Naxos Apothecary restaurant and shop in Chora, Naxos, Greece

The Naxos Apothecary Restaurant.

First off, The Naxos Apothecary is located at the far end of Chora port’s restaurant row, very close to the entryway to the Portara. It can be a bit difficult to find unless you are walking to the Portara. The establishment itself is both a restaurant/wine bar/tea cafe and a shop selling some of the brand’s most famous products (although the selection was not that great in my opinion). We did not make a reservation and were able to snag an outdoor table just after sunset on a Friday evening, which was pretty lucky. I suggest making a reservation. The restaurant is small and also offers, at least from the outside tables, a slight glimpse of the Portara and an excellent sunset view.

View of the Portara and the sea from an outdoor table at The Naxos Apothecary

View from our table.

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