Thinking about planning a trip to Bermuda? Well, you should. This island is a short flight from anywhere on the east coast, clocking in at less than 3 hours from either Miami or NYC. Bermuda’s pink beaches, blue waters, crystal caves and friendly people make the island a perfect spot to check out for your next vacation.

I’d like to first start by saying that Bermuda is not in the Caribbean, although it has that same Caribbean island vibe going on. It belongs to North America, is considered a British island territory, and is situated about 650 miles east of North Carolina’s coastline.

I recently had a 32 hour layover in Bermuda for work, giving me a full day and night to explore (this never happens!). Hopefully you have more time than I do when you visit Bermuda, but if you don’t you’ll still be able to see a lot of the island even in just one day!

8 Things to Do in Bermuda in 24 Hours

1. Rent a Scooter

The best way to see Bermuda is to rent a Scooter if you’re pressed on time. You’ll be able to see most the island in a small amount of time. We rented through Oleander Cycles where it was $90 per 24 hours for a 2 person scooter with 2 helmets. Keep in mind, Bermuda is a British territory so they drive on the left hand side of the road. Also, there are a lot of busses, cars, and scooters on the roads at all times so if you aren’t comfortable driving scooters you might want to look into taking the public bus, or taxis. This is also a good option if you’re trying to save money. Don’t bother trying to rent a car, car rental services do not exist in Bermuda AT ALL!

2. Visit the Pink Sand Beaches

One of the things Bermuda is known for are its pink sand beaches. While much of the coast has the pink sand, some beaches are more pink than others. The south shore between Horseshoe bay beachand Warwick long bay has the best pink sandy beaches. Warwick long bay was our personal favorite, while Horshoe bay is probably the most crowded (because it’s one of the only beaches with food, drink and beach chair vendors).

3. Climb the Lighthouse

If you want a great birds eye view of Bermuda, visiting the lighthouse in Southhampton parish is the way to go. Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is one of the oldest cast iron lighthouses in the world, built in 1846. After climbing 185 steps to the top, you’ll be able to see Bermuda from 300+ feet above sea level.

4. Go Snorkeling

Bermuda has some of the best shipwreck diving in the world… Hello, Bermuda Triangle. If you have time to go diving if you’re in Bermuda for more than 24 hours then that’s definitely the way to go. Unfortunately, with less than 24 hours I was unable to dive, so I opted for snorkeling around the shallow reefs close to the shore at Church Bay and Tobacco Bay. You’ll see a variety of fish and coral,  and the visibility is pretty good. This also makes for a pretty cheap activity as most hotels will rent out snorkeling gear for you at a reasonable price.

5. Relax at Tobacco Bay

Tobacco Bay is located at the very northern tip of Bermuda, in Old Town. There are some really cool rock formations here, along with good snorkeling. The bay also has a bar and cafe to grab lunch at. I recommend going here early in the day, or around sunset to avoid the huge crowds from the cruise ships coming into town. When we went around 4pm it was empty, maybe only 3-4 other families there.

6. Visit Old Town

A designated UNESCO world heritage site, St. George is where the founder of Bermuda Sir George Somers and his men landed in 1609 after their ship Sea Venture was wrecked at a nearby reef. The Bermuda Attractions website has a detailed description of the town, and what to do in Old Town if you want more information. Three things to see if you’re pressed for time would be the town hall, King’s Square, and the unfinished church.

7. Explore the underground caves

Bermuda is full of beautiful underground caves to visit, the most popular being Crystal Caves. It cost $22 to visit one cave, or $30 for both (Crystal & Fantasy). There are guided tours leaving every 20 minutes from 9am-5pm. If you’re lucky enough to be staying at Grotto Bay Resort, they actually have their own cave at the hotel that guests can visit free of charge! It’s much smaller than the others, but still a cool experience.

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8. Try a Rum Swizzle

Bermuda’s signature drink! This fruity rum punch can be found at pretty much any restaurant or bar in Bermuda!