Visitation Guide

As I anxiously await our first visitors to arrive (in 3 weeks!) I thought I would put together a list about what to expect and what you should pack for your visit. Granted this list will not be all-inclusive, because I am still figuring out my own needs and wants for the island, but I also know the feeling of excitement and worry before visiting any new place.  So hopefully this will increase the excitement and eliminate the worry before you touchdown in Bermuda!

Things to Pack:
1. Water shoes - yeah, like from the 90's... they are a luxury here. Especially because our home is located across the street from the beautiful Admiralty House Park.  It is a gorgeous slice of beach and rocks that we swim at almost every day.  Having water shoes make the land-to-water transition a breeze (AND you don't have to worry about slippery rocks or stepping on any sharp coral!)
Your local dollar store probably carries them, and they are obviously available on Amazon, the place where dreams come true. (I have a spare pair of size 8 ladies and Ryan has a spare size 10 mens for any foot twins who come to visit!)

2. Sunscreen - the sun is HOT down here, and I don't care how long you have been working on that base tan, if you get fried your first day (and you will if you don't use sun screen!) the rest of your week will stink.  How do I know this? Because I've learned it first hand and I'd love to save you the misery of soaking in aloe for 3 days.  Don't worry, you will still return home with a killer tan, even lubed up with SPF 50.

3. Waterproof Phone Case - I'm only adding this to the list because I am obsessed with my phone case. My wonderful galpal (hi Stacey!) told me about the Joto Waterproof Case and it's great, like amazing great. You'll probably want one for your whole summer anyways, so you should just buy it now. (I'm getting zero kickbacks from Amazon - I just like to share life changing products!) I love this bag because IT WORKS - I've taken numerous under water photos and videos and I've fallen off the paddle board more times than I'd like to admit with this bad boy around my neck, and my phone remains bone dry. Plus its great for getting caught in unexpected rain situations (which happen here often) AND keeps sand off of your phone.  You can use all of your phones features while it's in the bag and it comes in fun colors! Best of all, it's only $7.99! (Can you even get a McDonalds meal for that price?)
It is really nice to have my phone with me no matter where I am (hiking with Lemon/chilling on my donut raft) and to be able to snap memorable pics, listen to music, or look to see who is calling me without actually answering the phone call (juuuust kidding ;)).

 Joto photo snapped while I was treading water 100ft from shore
(Ryan did come back for me... after a while)

4. Your Spirit Of Adventure - I have really come to love the saying "It is only scary the first time".  Over the past two months I've have done lots of things that have really really scared me (e.g. flying my dog cargo, moving to a different country, driving on the opposite side of the road, jumping off a cliff) and at first all of these things were almost enough to say, "no thanks" but once you get yourself past that body-numbing feeling of "I can't" and embrace that one second of courage you need to get over the hump - 100% of the time you will be glad you did!  Long story short, I'm making you jump off the cliff... sorry not sorry, start mentally preparing now.

Screen capture from a video of Ryan taking the plunge

Things You Don't Need To Pack That Maybe You Think You Do:
1. Beach Towels (we got you)
2. Linens (we got you)
3. A Jacket (If you are coming between May - November you don't need one, and if some off chance weather pattern finds you feeling cold - we got you)
4. Hair styling products - embrace the island hair! But if you don't want to embrace it, and you figure out something that works please let me know. This mane is getting pretty wild...


Things To Do:
1. Go to the beach...any beach: Horseshoe Bay, West Whale Bay, Warwick Long Bay, Tobacco Bay, Shelly Bay Beach, Clearwater Bay, oh and there are more to choose from here.

Warwick Long Bay

2. Hangout Downtown - I think downtown Hamilton is adorable.  It is right on the bay, so you can sit and watch boats cruise by (from tiny fishing boats to million dollar yachts!) There are tons of places to eat and shop. The buildings are all really colorful and it has a quaint European feel, which I love, but the further back from Front Street you go, the more it feels like you are walking around in any-town USA, which is a nice and comfortable reminder of home.

Front Street, Hamilton

3. Excursions - Ryan and I have not ventured out into excursion land yet, but I have a feeling we will be partaking in a lot of adventures once our guests arrive (can't wait!!) As you would imagine, most of Bermuda's attractions are water based and range from leisurely to extreme.  In our "cove" there are always giant catamarans docked, people snorkeling, paddle boarding, and floating on noodles with drinks in hand (and thats just in our little cove!) You can also swim with dolphins, deep sea fish, hike, bike, and scuba dive! 

People enjoying "our cove".
Is that catamaran part of an excursion or does someone actually own that thing??

4. Golf - while this sport is not yet a favorite of mine, I did purchase my first set of clubs once we committed to moving here.  Bermuda is only 21 square miles, but somehow they saved enough land for SIX golf courses... how and why? Ryan is pretty stoked about it and I am trying to get my excitement on-par with his (see what I did there?) I still have a long way to go until my golf swing transforms from trying-my-best to enjoying-myself, but in the meantime I am loving the views from the course! Here is a better breakdown of all the golf pleasures available in Bermuda.

Rosewood Tucker's Point Golf Course.. and a rainbow. 

There is so much that Bermuda has to offer, that I can hardly believe we actually live here.  Growing up in a small town (what up, Johnstown!) I take pride in my ability to find adventure in unlikely places, so it feels a bit overwhelming to have this much to discover and enjoy at my finger-tips.  I am trying not to take any moment for granted and I can NOT wait to share these adventures with you! Safe travels; we're so excited to host you (and push you off the cliff).