Gay Bermuda Travel Guide: In my detailed Gay Bermuda travel guide I will share the best gay friendly hotels in Bermuda, explore gay friendly bars, beaches, Bermuda Pride and everything you need to know to plan your trip.
When it comes to gay travel to Bermuda, I found a vibrant community doing their part to elevate and share their pride on the island. Whilst there are no dedicated gay spaces or gay scene, Bermuda’s appeal, both in its breathtaking scenery and welcoming people, make it a destination that gay travellers can enjoy with confidence.
With its pink sand beaches, crystal clear waters and colourful houses, this small island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean has a lot of character, a unique charm and will leave you feeling calm.
Allow me to share my gay travel guide to Bermuda, I’ll share the places and people that are going the extra mile to welcome LGBTQ+ travellers to Bermuda and that I’d recommend you add to your own gay Bermuda itinerary. Let’s explore LGBTQ+ travel to Bermuda!
Is Bermuda Gay Friendly?
Is Bermuda gay friendly? Yes, Bermuda is generally a safe and welcoming island for LGBTQ+ travellers based on my experience and conversations with local LGBTQ+ people, although it remains socially conservative and does not currently recognise equal marriage. Let me explain in more detail below.
In my experience, as a gay solo traveller visiting the island, I found Bermuda to be a very welcoming and safe destination. Everyone that I interacted with commonly had the attitude of ‘People are people, mind your business’. I felt positively welcomed by everyone I met during my trip.
Of course being a white, cisgender man and a tourist comes with its privileges, which is why I was much more interested to sit down with Josh, the director of OUTBermuda and local Bermudian, to learn more about gay life in Bermuda.
Bermuda is known as being a religiously conservative island, so whilst the destination is safe, social attitudes can be challenging for local LGBTQ+ people. Subsequently this has led to a somewhat ‘discreet’ or ‘down low’ culture amongst queer locals.
That being said, Josh shared that there has been a great deal of progress over the years and that he has seen things change for the better in his lifetime.
Gay marriage in Bermuda has a complicated history. Bermuda does not currently have gay marriage. The island first granted gay marriage in 2017, only to revert the ruling, bring it back and then take it away again.
The fight for equal marriage has brought a lot of the community together who are working towards progress to be made.
Attitudes aside, the fundamental question is whether LGBTQ+ people are safe in Bermuda, and from everyone I have spoken to and from my own experience, I can say that Bermuda is a very safe island and one well worth visiting.
Have no doubt that there is a visible and strong community here ready to welcome you to their island with open arms. I am keen to return without a doubt!
Gay Bars in Bermuda
Is there a gay bar in Bermuda? Bermuda does not have any dedicated gay bars, clubs or saunas. A community exists of course, but if you are specifically looking for a trip with a gay nightlife scene, Bermuda may not be the right fit.
That being said, if you are looking for the closest thing to a gay bar in Bermuda, Caseys Lounge in Hamilton is known to be a welcoming safe space for the local queer community and has hosted a number of LGBTQ+ events over the years. If you are going to go out for a drink, why not support this local bar.
Beyond Caseys, look out for Bermuda Carnival related events. Whilst Carnival is not a gay event, it does have a reputation of being an inclusive and open atmosphere. Carnival might not be RuPauls Drag Race, but there is indeed an event dedicated to costume reveals!
So yes, if you are searching for gay nightlife in Bermuda, there are no dedicated gay venues but that’s not the main reason you would want to visit this beautiful island after all!
Gay Friendly Hotels in Bermuda
When it comes to gay friendly hotels in Bermuda, there are two obvious choices as the hotels I share below are both active supporters of Bermuda Pride. Take a look at the following for your next trip to Bermuda.
Rosedon Hotel – Adults Only
This is where I stayed during my time in Bermuda. The Rosedon Hotel is a beautiful boutique property with 33 rooms, a lovely garden and pool area, and multiple restaurants on site – Clarabells does excellent pizza and Huckleberrys offers a wide range of food options.
The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Hamilton with easy access to buses, ferries and Hamiltons bars and restaurants.
Rosedon has been passed down through generations and has been with the same family since 1904. I met with their general manager who is part of that family and part of the LGBTQ+ community, rest assured Rosedon is a safe space.
The Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club
The Hamilton Princess is directly opposite the Rosedon and is another active supporter of Bermuda Pride.
The hotel is a much larger hotel, with multiple pool areas, including an infinity pool that looks out over the harbour. It is also known for being host to a number of unique art pieces from famous artists including Andy Warhol and Banksy.
They also boast a beach club (separate to the main hotel), for hotel guests only.
Gay Events – Bermuda Pride
Bermuda Pride has been going strong since the first Bermuda Pride in 2019 and continues to grow.
Organised by OUTBermuda, Bermuda Pride hosts a number of events with the biggest being their party in the park (Victoria Park in Hamilton) and the Bermuda Pride parade which runs between Front Street and Victoria Park.
Bermuda Pride is an important fundraiser, helping to sustain year-round initiatives run by OUTBermuda that support Bermuda’s LGBTQ+ community.
Bermuda Pride is held in July, the neext edition of Bermuda Pride will be 3rd July 2027- keep up to date here.
Gay Beach in Bermuda
Is there a gay beach in Bermuda? Well there are whispers of a gay beach, so whilst a gay beach in Bermuda is not happening as such, online rumours which were further reinforced by a local suggest a glimmer of potential.
Between Horseshoe Bay and Chaplin Bay on the South Shore beaches are a few secluded spots that have been mentioned as having potential to be the gay beach in Bermuda. One of those spots is called Hidden Beach so maybe we should collectively decide to go with that!
In any case, prepare to be wowed by any beach you step foot onto, I’ve mentioned some other spots further in this blog.
Is Bermuda Right for Gay Travellers?
Bermuda is best suited to:
- Gay travellers that are looking for romantic couple getaways and honeymoons.
- Gay travellers that just want to slow down and relax.
Bermuda is less suited to:
- This is not one for my fellow party gays and circuit queens looking for event based travel.
- Travellers that might be looking for a lively gay scene.
For a lively gay scene, let me direct you over to one of the many gay cities in Spain I share in my gay Spain travel guide (especially Sitges and Maspalomas).
Things to do in Bermuda for Gay Travellers
One of the main things that I appreciated about Bermuda was its size, most journeys were no more than 30 minutes and you can go from one end to the other in around an hour or so. I live for a life of convenience, so having easy access to all these activities was perfect.
Visit St George’s
The town of St George’s, the original capital of Bermuda before Hamilton, is a UNESCO World Heritage site said to have ‘Outstanding Universal Value’.
Take half a day to stroll through its beautiful and brightly coloured streets and in particular, look out for the following key spots:
- The Unfinished Church
- Kings Square
- St Peters Church
- Mitchell House Museum
- Lili Perfumery
If you stay here for lunch I would recommend checking out Wahoos.
Long Story Short (Tours & Shop)
Long Story Short is a gift shop and tour company. Whilst I am not normally a gift shop person, they have some beautiful gifts and souvenirs so I would recommend you take a moment and pop in whilst you are in St George’s.
Beyond the shop they offer different tours around the island, whether by foot or by e-bike.
I met with Kristin who runs Long Story Short, her passion for the island and her drive for social justice in Bermuda was infectious. She took me on a tour of Hamilton and it was incredibly interesting to learn more about the history (and recent history) of the island.
Kristin is also a strong supporter of Bermuda Pride and was the MC for Bermuda Pride in previous years, she said she felt very honoured to have been asked, but did initially push back to suggest someone from the LGBTQ+ community do it, true ally behaviour! If you are looking for gay friendly activities in Bermuda, this is one to remember!
Book a tour with Long Story Short here.
South Shore Beaches
Of course one of the first things that come to mind when I hear ‘Bermuda’ is its beaches.
There are beaches all around the island, including some famous ones like Tobacco Bay minutes from St Georges, but perhaps its most popular and well known beaches are those along the South Shore.
You could easily beach hop all along the coast whilst exploring the trails. I visited Horseshoe Bay, Warwick Long Bay and Elbow Beach – they were all stunning, especially with their iconic pink sand.
But why does the sand have that pink hue? The white sand is actually mixed with crushed microscopic red shells from a tiny organism that lives on the coral reefs giving it its pink colour.
Get yourself to one of these beaches to watch the sunrise, if I had to choose one, Elbow Beach felt particularly beautiful.
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
With Bermuda being surrounded by a coral reef, it should come as no surprise that there are many excellent snorkel and scuba diving options around the island.
I chose to scuba dive with Eco Dive Bermuda run by Sam (who was a great dive master). We entered from the shore at Elbow Beach and explored the nearby reef, swam through underwater canyons and enjoyed its abundance of sealife.
Crystal & Fantasy Caves
Another very unique experience, the Crystal Caves were found in 1907 by two adventurous young boys who climbed down through a hole and made the discovery.
You can take a tour at one or both the Crystal & Fantasy Caves to learn about their discovery and how they formed over millions of years – it was a visually spectacular and incredibly interesting experience!
Gombey Performances
If you are lucky, you might get to see a Gombey performance. During my visit in February they were performing each Saturday at the Bermuda sign in Hamilton, normally they perform on specific public holidays.
A Gombey performance is a traditional Bermudian performance linking back to the resistance of enslaved people in Bermuda. The performances are energetic, with drums, dancing and elaborate outfits.
Visit Dockyard
Assuming you are staying in Hamilton at the Rosedon, you are a short walk from the ferry terminal in Hamilton.
Take the blue line across the bay to visit the Royal Naval Dockyard for half a day for museums, water sports, walking/segway tours and harbour views.
Where to Eat and Drink in Bermuda
You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink on the island. If you are a real foodie look out for ‘Restaurant Week’ during February where many restaurants across the island create special menus. I tried a couple of the ‘Restaurant Week’ menus and was not disappointed.
Wahoos
Take a seat on the waterfront in St Georges and enjoy some freshly grilled Wahoo. This was a cute little restaurant with super friendly staff right in the heart of St Georges.
Swizzle Inn
An absolute must. Rum Swizzle is the national drink for Bermuda and where better to enjoy one (or two) than Bermudas oldest pub, The Swizzle Inn.
They also serve food here and I particularly enjoyed the salmon dish they were serving.
Solaris at The Reefs
If you are looking for a romantic sunset meal and a three course fine dining experience, then check out Solaris at The Reefs.
Make sure to check out what else is on at The Reefs, they often do events during sunset with live music and a BBQ.
The Botanist Cafe
This was an incredibly peaceful experience and a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
The Botanist Cafe serves different menus depending on when you visit, however if they have their Sunday Sunshine Sessions running they serve great charcuterie boards and flatbreads in the sun, whilst you relax and listen to live music.
Barracuda Grill
Being on an island, I had to make sure to enjoy some fresh fish, and as the name suggests, Barracuda Grill had just that.
I enjoyed seared wahoo with miso honey glaze, sticky rice, Szechuan vegetables and apple kimchi.
Practical Tips
Microcar – top tip, book a microcar. Tourists can not book rental cars, but they can book these small electric vehicles. I had a Twizy from Current Vehicles, the model was a Yoyo. This was perfect for nipping around the island with ease, I highly recommend.
Airport – Bermuda has one international airport, L.F. Wade International Airport. From here, the journey to Hamilton takes about 25-30 minutes.
Currency – the Bermuda dollar and US dollar are used interchangeably on the island. I only used card or Apple Pay for my trip but you may need cash on occasion (some taxi drivers prefer cash).
Tipping – typically always already included in your bill so you can add more if you like or just leave it as it is.
Latest resources – The Bermuda Tourism Authority regularly updates its website for the latest events, take a look here. OUTBermuda is also a great resource for anything LGBTQ+ related happening on the island.
Other Gay Friendly Island Destinations
If you are looking for other gay friendly islands akin to Bermuda, the check out these guide:
Gay Bermuda: Conclusion
If you are considering gay travel to Bermuda or planning an LGBTQ+ trip to Bermuda, rest assured that you can have the most wonderful time, enjoy the relaxed island vibes and feel at peace – less about the scene and more about the beautiful island experience! I hope to return for sure.