Summer in Bermuda is extraordinary and offbeat. Out here, lively island cultural celebrations blend with an absolutely perfect climate, when outdoor adventure complements luxurious offerings. And now, it's easier than ever for travelers in need of an escape, thanks to additional airlift from east coast cities just two hours from the mid-Atlantic island. Discover what's happening in Bermuda this summer and beyond.

Explore Bermuda's Multiple Itineraries
Bermuda is just 21 square miles – but there are endless experiences to enjoy on the island. In order to narrow it all down, GoToBermuda.com has an array of itineraries that will help you make the most of your stay.

• 48 Hours With Erik Conover – The American vlogger and his mother took advantage of the short hour and a half flight from New York City to tour the island's natural wonders, explore turquoise waters and shipwrecks and catch early morning sunsets for some quality time together.
• 5 Days Of Fun in Bermuda: A Family Itinerary – With special hotel packages and a great mix of kid-friendly activities packed into one alluring little island, families are discovering that Bermuda is made for them, too. Both unforgettable and easy, this five-day itinerary is tailored to active families.
• Women Who Travel: A Female-led 5 Days in Bermuda – Bermuda's clear waters, pink beaches and limestone cliffs are ideal for a long weekend away alone. And, with a time difference of just an hour, it's easy to get on island time.

Experience VIP Treatment At Cup Match – Bermuda's Annual Summertime Cricket Soiree
Cup Match (Aug. 1-2, 2019) is Bermuda's biggest annual cultural event. As a fierce sports rivalry unfolds on the cricket field between the East and West over two revelry-filled days, the entire country celebrates Bermuda's founding in 1609 and Emancipation Day 1834. Cup Match insiders give advice on how to gamble, what to sample and who to root for at the festival-like atmosphere at Wellington Oval in St. George's. 

Experience Cup Match in style! The VIP Cup Match Experience includes: 

• Gate entry to the Cricket Festival ($20 value)
• Fast track gate access (no waiting in lines)
• Special reserved field viewing of the game; come and go as you please
• Complimentary drinks
• Meet & greet with past and current cricket players
• Insider tips on how to gamble, what to sample and who to root for.

To book your Cup Match VIP Experience visit, www.ptix.bm/vipcupmatch.

New Hamilton Visitors Services Centre Opens with Innovative Tourism Experiences
The new official Visitors Services Centres in Hamilton and St. George's are hubs of business, retail, tourism and cultural activity, where guests can enjoy a warm welcome and receive everything necessary to make the most out of their Bermuda experience. This includes online booking, credit card payment, touch-screen technology and more. Visitors will get accurate information that is reliable, seasonally relevant and easy to book—all of it delivered by a high-quality team of Bermudians who are Certified Tourism Ambassadors. The Hamilton Visitors Services Centre at 10 Front Street is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm daily (open until 8pm during Hamilton's Harbour Nights). The Town of St. George Visitors Services Centre at 25 York St. is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm (closed on Sundays).

Seasonal Service from United and American Airlines 
United Airlines' daily nonstop flight service to Bermuda from Newark International Airport continues through August 19. American Airlines will also offer nonstop daily service through August 30 this summer from Charlotte and Washington, D.C. American Airlines also introduced daily service from Philadelphia, which commenced on April 2.

Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme Formed
The Government of Bermuda, in partnership with the Waitt Institute, and Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), formed the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme in June. Through this partnership, Bermuda will create a binding ocean plan to sustainably manage and improve ocean industries like fishing and tourism while at the same time preserving 90,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles) of Bermuda's waters, which total 465,000 sq. kilometers ( sq. miles), in fully protected areas (no fishing, extraction, or destruction of any kind is allowed). Bermuda has a robust history of ocean management and research, starting with the protection of sea turtles in the early 1600s. The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme will ensure this legacy lives on by leveraging current scientific understanding to preserve marine biodiversity for both its inherent environmental and socioeconomic values.

Bermuda Hosts First Pride Parade
Bermuda will host its first gay pride parade on August 31, 2019, celebrating LGBTQ culture and providing a fun, inclusive environment for all participants and spectators. The parade's primary sponsor is OutBermuda, an island organization that promotes and supports the wellbeing, health, dignity, security, safety and protection of the LGBTQ community in Bermuda.

New Summer Offerings at Fairmont Southampton
Fairmont Southampton has announced an all-inclusive package available for travel late summer through winter 2020. Now, guests may enjoy incredible value with breakfast, lunch, dinner and beverages included at the resort's extensive list of dining options. This package, starting at $299 per person per night based on double occupancy, is a great value for this foodie friendly beach resort. Added bonus for families: there is reduced pricing for tweens and teens rolled into the package. As always children five and under eat free! Included in this package are Fairmont Southampton's spacious guestrooms—many with sweeping water views—richly appointed with private balconies and amenities. For unsurpassed luxury and service, guests may reserve a room on the Fairmont Gold floor, a hotel-within-a-hotel. Additional new offerings at Fairmont Southampton include:

• Wickets Coffee Bar: Enjoy your day with a grab-'n-go coffee and tasty snacks: Choose your energizing favorite from fresh sandwiches, healthy salads and luscious pastries to-go, 365 days a year.
• FootGolf: The resort's Turtle Hill Golf Club is pioneering FootGolf, the newest sport to come to Bermuda. An expansion of Fairmont Southampton's robust kids' programming, FootGolf is played by kicking a soccer ball into XXL golf cups on the golf course in as few shots as possible.

New Bermuda Experiences

• Discover a new on-the-water experience in Bermuda. The Go-Float is an electric-powered boat that allows all ages to relax and enjoy the island's many aquatic adventures. Go-Floats are easy to operate and safe for all ages (boat operators must be 16 years old).
• Say hello to The Birdcage, Bermuda's newest watering hole. The bar sits atop the Bermuda Tourism Authority's Visitors Services Centre overlooking Hamilton Harbour, and features mixologist Stefan Gitschner's craft cocktails, including fresh takes on Bermuda classics as the Rum Swizzle and Dark 'n Stormy®.

Bermuda Charms with Live Music
The sound of music fills the air in Bermuda during the summer months – especially on Summer Fridays.

• The Dock at the Waterlot Inn – There is nothing better than watching the sunset over the sparkling Jew's Bay sipping craft cocktails or a Dark 'n Stormy® from The Dock at the Waterlot Inn, a live band soundtracking the scene.
• The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club – On Fridays and Saturdays, head to the Hamilton Princess' lobby bar Crown and Anchor delivers live entertainment from some of the island's best musicians.
• Swizzle South Shore – Sip a punchy, potent Rum Swizzle (one of Bermuda's most iconic drinks) and groove to the beats of live music during the weekends.
• Pompano Beach Resort – The resort's Sunset Lounge transforms into a discotheque on Sunday and Wednesday nights, thanks to DJ Craig "Bubbles" Darrell, who spins today's favorites, top 40 hip-hop hits and a variety of songs from the 60s, 70s. 80s and 90s.

Go to www.bermuda-entertainment.com to see what live music is taking place during your vacation.

Online Grocery Delivery Service Launches in Bermuda
DropIt.bm is a new online marketplace that delivers local grocery stores and local products. Customers have access to more than 10,000 items in the Lindo's, Warwick inventory, organised by category. Goods will be delivered by DropIt to a customer's vacation rental home, office, or yacht, during a two-hour window selected by the customer, for a delivery fee of $37 — or they can be picked up curbside at Lindo's for a charge of $19.99. Learn more at www.dropit.bm

The United States Tennis Association Teams Up With Bermuda
Bermuda famously introduced tennis to America in 1874. Last month, the US Open unveiled a partnership to reintroduce tennis fans to the luxury island. The United States Tennis Association announced that the Bermuda Tourism Authority will be the exclusive tourism partner of the US Open, starting this summer in New York City, Bermuda's top source market for visitors. In honor of the new partnership, the men's and women's US Open Championships singles trophies left Arthur Ashe Stadium and hopped the 90-minute flight from New York to Bermuda for a mini-break. See what the couple got up to.  

Bermuda Championship Set To Debut On PGA TOUR This Fall
The PGA TOUR is adding the island of Bermuda to its 2019-20 schedule with the newly announced Bermuda Championship, to be played the same week as the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions. With competition scheduled for October 31-November 3, 2019, the Bermuda Championship represents the PGA TOUR's first official annual event on the island. Bermuda Tourism Authority has signed a five-year agreement, through 2023, as the title sponsor. The tournament, with an anticipated field of 120 professionals, will carry a purse of $3 million and offer 300 FedExCup points to the champion.

Hotel Development News

• The first visitors will be welcomed to the Azura Boutique Hotel and Residences early next year. The hotel will start full occupancy in the first quarter of 2020 (possibly the fourth quarter of 2019). Azura's website has the hotel booking engine up and operating now.  
• The St. Regis Hotel in the historic Town of St. George broke ground in early May 2017, with a projected opening date of April 2021. The new hotel will feature 122 rooms and suites, an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones and a casino, among other amenities.

Bermuda Heroes Weekend Bigger (and Better) Than Ever in 2019
One of the island's biggest summer celebrations, Bermuda Heroes Weekend is a Carnival-style party that features local cuisine, Soca music, a parade of bands, raft ups and more. Events include Friday's opening night extravaganza on Front Street, the all-night J'Ouvert Celebration, the Parade of Bands, Promoters Day events and Race Day Raft Up on Monday, National Heroes Day. This year's Bermuda Heroes Weekend was bigger and better than ever – check out inspiring photos here.

• If you missed out on the Bermuda Heroes Weekend fun, don't miss the Bacchanal Run, Bermuda's alternative J'ouvert road experience, which takes place on August 3 this year. Have you ever danced on the road, thrown powdered paint on a friend and gotten rinsed off by a water truck? You can tick all three off your list after the Bacchanal Run.

Share this article: