Only a quick plane ride from the Eastern shores of the United States, Bermuda remains one of the northern Caribbean's most romantic getaways. What started as a couples retreat known for secluded beaches of pink sand, Bermuda has become a golfer's haven and honeymoon staple. With its roots in British colonial history and Caribbean flavor, Bermuda offers travelers a reserved and quiet island experience.
For you future honeymooners planning your nuptials, the Pink Beach Club (tel. 800/355-6161; www.pinkbeachclub.com) has a wedding/honeymoon special that gives you a choice of a five- or seven-night trip. One of the packages even offers a wedding ceremony special that takes care of your marriage license and legal fees. This package includes a room upgrade, daily breakfast in your cottage, canapes and dinner for eight, a bottle of Tattinger champagne, scooter rental for a day, wedding pictures by a well-known local photographer, a Bermuda watercolor by a Bermudian artist and a gift basket given upon arrival. The price for this deal is $1,850 but it doesn't not include airfare or accommodations. Accommodations start at $2,890 for the five-night special, and $3,980 for the seven-night deal. Only ten minutes from the town of Hamilton, the Pink Beach Club is a secluded resort with its own private beach. You can choose from garden view cottages to ocean front suites.
With Bermuda so close to the Unites States shores, last minute travel to the island is always an option. Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) has several Bermuda trips to choose from. Take next weekend for example. A four-night trip leaving Wednesday, April 20, 2005 and returning Sunday with airfare and hotel starts around $862 with travel from New York City. Accommodations are at the sprawling Grotto Bay Beach Hotel and Tennis Club set on 21 acres of beachfront property. The 201-room resort is close to some of the island's more interesting sites such as a glass blowing studio and world-renowned perfumery known for using local botany to create international scents. Some of the island's best golf courses are very nearby. A shorter weekend trip leaving Friday and returning Sunday with air and hotel starts around $587.
Our Dream Vacation (tel. 801/479-9629; www.our-dream-vacation.com/bermudavp.html) has several air-land Bermuda options. A four-night stay with airfare at the famous Southhampton Princess, one of Bermuda's oldest, most luxurious and scenic properties, ranges in price from $1,198 to $1,695. The hotel is located on an incredible bluff overlooking the ocean, has a large swimming pool for all-day tanning, an 18-hole golf course, and a four-star restaurant. You can rent mopeds for a quick half-mile ride to Horseshoe beach, perhaps the prettiest of Bermuda's beaches known for its horseshoe shape, soft white sand, and curvy rock formations. Horseshoe Beach was the site of many a Sports Illustrated swimsuit photo shoot and Bermuda wedding photographs. Fortunately for tourists, it's a public beach with free access frequented by Bermuda natives as well. The site also offers a four-night stay with airfare at the White Sands Hotel & Cottages, an English manor hotel with plush gardens ranges from $1,045 to $1,395.
To get to Bermuda on your own, USA 3000 Airlines (tel. 877/USA-3000; www.usa3000.com) has flights to Bermuda from Newark, New Jersey, Baltimore and Philadelphia at extremely low prices. A round-trip from Newark to Bermuda with two weeks advance booking will cost you roughly $198 before security taxes and departure fees. From Philadelphia, one-way flights come to approximately $79. In case you haven't heard of USA 3000, they mostly fly charter flights to Mexico and the Caribbean but recently began flying commercial flights to select destinations offering excellent prices on their available routes.
Oh, and don't worry about the Bermuda Triangle. That's more Hollywood creation than island folklore. The seas around Bermuda are calm and warm.