Royal Naval Dockyard: Surrender at Dockyard

A world-class destination for visitors to Bermuda, Royal Naval Dockyard in the West End will amaze you with all its offerings.

The party doesn’t stop in Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard. While the stores in Hamilton close Sundays, the Royal Naval Dockyard shops are open, as well as: restaurants, the craft market, glass blowing, pottery and art centers. During winter months the hours are 10am - 5pm and in the summer from 9 am - 6pm.

It has been almost 200 years since Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island was built. Having  played a key role in Bermuda’s maritime history, this former naval garrison today draws millions of ­visitors a year with its stores, galleries and studios, restaurants and pubs, and numerous tourist
activities and attractions.

Built in 1814 as a strategic outpost for the British Royal Navy, Royal Naval Dockyard played roles in many historic events, including the War of 1812 and World War II. But after 1945 the role of Dockyard diminished, and eventually the Royal Navy sold the land to Bermuda. Decades passed while the old fort and its buildings sat abandoned. However, that all changed in 1982, when a massive ­redevelopment effort began that restored Dockyard and its surroundings. The old warehouses and barracks were transformed into workspaces, the clocktower regained its former glory, and The Keep took on a new life as the National Museum of Bermuda. Artists, retailers and restaurateurs soon moved in —the rest is history.

On a typical afternoon, Dockyard is buzzing with activity. Visitors flock to this bastion in the West End for a good dose of culture, food, fun and lots of ­shopping. Whether you crave heart-racing water activities, encounters with marine mammals, a lesson in Bermudian craft-making, a stroll through Bermuda’s history, a taste of delicious Bermuda rum cake or simply a lazy afternoon on the beach, you’ll find it all in Dockyard.

The Dockyard Visitor Information Centre has everything you need to have a Bermudaful day. Conveniently located ­adjacent to the cruise ship pier and bus and ferry stops, the VIC offers ­up-to-date ­information on transport, local events, attractions and tours. The friendly staff is on hand to assist you with local knowledge on where to go and what to do. Public transportation passes, Wi-Fi, phone cards and tour tickets are available for purchase. Find the best prices on souvenirs, gifts and sundry items at this unique gift shop. (238-3842)

Development of Royal Naval Dockyard has been guided by WEDCO, the West End Development Corporation, with a variety of events and amenities for adults and families in mind. WEDCO’s goal, says Joanna Cranfield, assistant business development ­manager, is to continue developing in Dockyard “a world-class destination built proudly on the past but looking firmly to the future.” Testament to WEDCO’s success: The challenge for most visitors is choosing what to do first. (234-1709, thewestend.bm)

Something for Everyone

Maritime Lane runs around the far end of Dockyard. Here you find diverse artisans, exhibits and historical delights. Bermuda Arts Centre, voted Best of Bermuda’s Best Art Gallery 2006, is one of the island’s premium galleries. It features both traditional and contemporary art, all created by local artists. On location are four working studios where you can meet the artists and see them at work, including an oil painter, a cedar-wood sculptor, a ­jeweller, and textile and ceramic artists. The gallery also has a large ­selection of prints and locally crafted gifts, ensuring no one need leave empty-handed. The centre is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (234-2809, artbermuda.bm)

After leaving the arts complex, stroll along picturesque Maritime Lane toward the main entrance of the Cooperage Building, where dockyard coopers made barrels for shipboard storage of salted beef and fresh water. Here you find the Bermuda Craft Market.

The Department of Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce established this craft market in 1987. It is the largest, most extensive such outlet in the islands, featuring the works of 60 Bermudians. Every day, you will find artists here who are happy to explain their crafts as you watch them work, and many will produce customised crafts as unique gifts. Candles, Bermuda cedar work, ceramics, jewellery, fabric art, painted glassware, three-dimensional decoupage, needlework canvas, Christmas ornaments and quilts are just some of the items available. The co-operative opens daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. Opening hours may vary on Sundays and public holidays, and hours are extended when cruise ships are in port. (234-3208, experiencebermuda.com/dockyard)

You will sense your next attraction from the delicious aroma. Follow your nose to the Bermuda Rum Cake Bakery! Enjoy a taste of the islands with traditional rum cakes, baked in the Cakery, a micro-bakery custom-designed for this island indulgence. Rum cakes here are made exclusively with Bermuda’s signature Gosling’s Black Seal rum. Back home, indulge yourself with a mouth-watering duty-free cake. Flavours include traditional black rum, rum and ginger, rum swizzle, banana rum, coffee, coconut rum and rich ­dark-chocolate rum. (234-4216, bermudarumcakes.com)

Your tour of Royal Naval Dockyard is just heating up. Steps from the Bermuda Rum Cake Bakery, temperatures really rise at Dockyard Glassworks. At this spacious studio, artists tempt your senses with their glass creations. Visitors can relax in an armchair theatre and watch for hours as craftsmen create fantasies from molten glass. Purchase such Bermuda glass collectibles as the whistling tree frog, honeymoon hogs, and multicoloured fish and birds. The glassworks opens daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., until 9 p.m. when ships are docked. (234-4216, dockyardcompany.com)

Dockyard Pharmacy opened its doors in 2009 as a division of Phoenix drug stores. The pharmacy stocks a wide selection of European and American prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as vitamins. It carries an assortment of local and international newspapers and magazines, European and American health and beauty supplies, snacks and beverages, postcards, greeting cards, souvenirs, beach gear and sun-care products. Open Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the pharmacy is located adjacent to popular tourist attractions in Royal Naval Dockyard. ­(279-5410, phoenixstores.bm)

Pier 41 Dock Shop and Fuel Station is the perfect place to fill up or fuel up! Travel by land or sea for a variety of snacks, hot food, drinks, beer and liquor. Pier 41 also carries a complete ­supply of marine items for all your boating needs, as well as fishing gear, ice, international calling cards and much more! (238-4141, ­
dockshop@pier41.bm)

Wet and Wild

It’s hard being on an island like Bermuda without wanting to get in the water. Even in Dockyard, there are plenty opportunities to get wet and have fun. Dolphin Quest, located at the National Museum of Bermuda, is a place where you can let loose, laugh and have loads of fun swimming with dolphins. Experience the thrill of a lifetime as you touch, swim with and even kiss a dolphin! Programmes are available for adults, children, families and groups. Dolphin Quest is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reserve your encounter by phone or online. (234-4464, dolphinquest.com)

Splash into fun with Fantasea, Bermuda’s No. 1 provider of recreational tours, diving, water sports and yacht charters. Whether looking for a leisurely experience or a true island adventure, it has the right activity for you. Experience the luxury of a private yacht charter, explore the depths of the Bermuda Triangle on a diving or ­snorkelling ­excursion, or enjoy one of the many ­scenic eco-tours by land or sea. Don’t like ­schedules? Ease into island life at your own pace with the beachfront water sports centre at the ultra-casual Snorkel Park Beach. With over 20 years of experience, the largest selection of ­top-of-the-line equipment and the friendliest staff around, Fantasea has the ­resources to make your Bermuda vacation truly ­memorable. (236-1300, fantasea.bm)

Helmet diving as a tourist attraction was started by Bronson Hartley, who built his first helmet in 1930 at age 10. Now his son, Gregory Hartley, continues the tradition of a family-run, personalised tour involving tame and trained fish with the Hartley’s Under Sea Adventures walk. The classic Hartley helmet keeps your head dry, so glasses and contacts are fine, and your body gently pressed to the seabed, so you can enjoy the walk without knowing how to swim. No shoes or dive experience are needed to walk on the ocean floor — only 8 to 10 feet deep — just a spirit of adventure. The fish come around but do not harass visitors because only Captain Hartley feeds them. For more info, visit the website or see their ad on page 63. (234-3535, hartleybermuda.com)

Get ready to have the time of your life with K.S. Watersports (Jet Ski & Parasailing Adventures), Bermuda’s No. 1 water sports company for fun and excitement, offering Jet Ski rentals and parasailing out of Royal Naval Dockyard and Town of St. George. Experience an adventure of a lifetime on one of the ultimate Jet Ski tours, where you splash and dash through Bermuda’s aqua-blue waters, passing many reefs, shipwrecks, forts and beautiful landmarks around the eastern and western ends of the islands. Regular tours are 75 ­minutes long and perfect for families and solo riders who seek fun and excitement in their vacations. All ages are welcome, but you must be 16 or older to operate a Jet Ski. Instructions are provided for beginners.

Fancy something a little more daring and exciting? Then experience the high-flying thrill, panoramic views and pure excitement of parasailing in Bermuda, the best way to see the islands and all the beauty they have to offer. Soar over crystal-clear waters onboard the Thrill Seeker. The powerful winch boat allows you to take off and land without ­getting wet, unless of course, you request a dip. The professional crew assures you a safe and memorable experience. All ages are welcome, and no experience is required. (1-441-238-4155, kswatersports.com)

Royal Naval Dockyard’s Snorkel Park Beach may be the most fun beach in Bermuda because all of the exciting water sports and activities you want are in one fantastic ­beachfront ­location. Rent a Jet Ski for a guided island tour. Kayak or snorkel with a digital camera mask over stunning coral reefs just feet from the ­sheltered beach. Relax and enjoy spectacular views, sunsets, great food and refreshing drinks at Hammerheads Bar & Grill or the Club SPB. Day into night, it all happens at Snorkel Park Beach. (234-6989 main, 234-2100 water sports, ­snorkelparkbeach.com)

Great Food, Great Times

Don't worry if shopping or action on the water make you work up an appetite. The restaurants and dining options at Dockyard will satisfy even hardcore adventurers.

Dockyard’s newest dining experience is Bone Fish Bar & Grill. With an exquisite view of Bermuda’s breezy Great Sound, an award-winning, top-rated chef at the helm, plenty of fresh fish and top-grade meats, how can you go wrong? Bone Fish Bar & Grill offers locals and tourists alike a reasonably priced menu with seafood, homemade pasta, great wines from around the world, draft beer, and desserts to die for. Dine in the main restaurant or alfresco on the sun-drenched deck. All are welcome at the newest happening place to eat in Dockyard. (234-5151, bonefish.bm)

An Italian family-style restaurant in the heart of Dockyard, Café Amici brings friends and family together to enjoy the spirit of Italian culture and cuisine, enjoying laughter, exceptional food and each other. Executive Chef and Owner Livio Ferigo has created a menu with many of dishes that he enjoyed while growing up in Italy. The café offers a friendly, intimate atmosphere, with casual attire and uncomplicated, affordable Italian fare, as well as a traditional Bermuda codfish-and-potato breakfast every Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. Located at the corner of Clocktower Mall, Café Amici and its staff look forward to serving you a flavourful, relaxing meal. Open seven days a week, serving breakfast 9 to 11 a.m., lunch to 4 p.m. and dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. Where friends and family come together — buon appetito! (234-5009)

The casual Freeport Seafood Restaurant, Bar and Sushi Bar serves up fresh local fish and other family favourites. Surf the web or e-mail your friends at one of four computer terminals in the cybercafé. Just inside the Royal Naval Dockyard gate, Freeport caters to all appetites and budgets. (234-1692, freeportseafood.com)

Step back in time and drink up the historic atmosphere in the English pub-style Frog and Onion. At this unique pub in Royal Naval Dockyard, you can enjoy casual meals or elegant dinners. Children love the large game room. Join the crew at Frog and Onion for one of the fine brews from its on-premises microbrewery, Dockyard Brewing Company. (234-2900, frogandonion.bm)

Hammerheads Bar & Grill at Snorkel Park Beach is the place to relax and unwind island style. Enjoy delicious food, snacks, and the most refreshing frozen cocktails and swizzles at the huge terrace bar while you take in spectacular beach and ocean views. Island favourites are served daily, and sunset dining features live entertainment on select weekdays. When the sun goes down, the nightlife heats up at the open-air, top-40 Club SPB. (234-3100)

DID YOU KNOW? The Dockyard Keep was used to store gunpowder and ammunition for the British Royal Navy.

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