St. Catherine's or Horseshoe Bay, which is the best beach?

[Jimbo]

Also please give me detailed information how to get to each from King's Wharf.

Fastest and cheapest ways for both? Ferry, buses, taxi's? Believe taxi would be way to much for getting to St. George where St Catherine's Beach is near.

 

Jimbo:)

[smeyer418]

OK I have been to both and like both. Horseshoe is 20-25 minutes from the Dockyards-Kings Wharf by cab. It is a long expanse of pinkish sand with ok-not great facilities. Chair rental is easy and less expensive. St. Catherines Bay is at least an hour if not more. Its an easy $100.00 cab ride. Chair rental is more expensive and the facilities(being kind) are not as nice. The Ferry shcedules to St George requires your to leave at about 10 get there at 11 and return no later than about 3. You can either walk(15 minutes) from the place the Ferry docks or take a $7.00 cab ride. The bus from the Dockyards to Horseshoe takes 30 minutes. so those are your choices. Cabs to Horseshoe are about $35.00. There are also some other less crowded beaches near horseshoe...

[Swizzle v2.0]

There are also bus options to get to St. Catherines. Either take the ferry to Hamilton (or the #7 or #8 bus) then get on a bus going to St. Georges. I'd expect the total trip to take over an hour each way, but at least you're not confined to the limited route for the Dockyard-St. Georges ferry.

 

Maybe you could take the Dockyard-St. Georges ferry one way and take the bus back the other way?

[cpizzull]

Horseshoe is much better in my opinion, espeically if you can walk down the beach a bit from the crowds. Besides, I thought St. Catherine's was just as crowded as Horseshoe anyway. If you want less crowds, and don't mind not having great facilities, go to Warwick and neighboring coves.

 

http://groups.msn.com/ThePizzulloHomePage/bermuda2005.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=834

 

If going by bus, you'll take the #7 to Horseshoe and to Warwick/Jobson's Cove. I believe the #8 goes directly to Hamilton, like an express. Try to use taxi with 6 or 7 people. It will be $5 per person and much less hassle.

 

Boy, what a nice decision to have to make though! ;o)

[Jimbo]

Thanks for all the advice and pictures of the beaches.......Would we be missing alot by not going to St. George , I'm thinking it might be better to have the better facilities and less travel time by just going to Horseshoe Bay?

 

Jimbo:)

[smeyer418]

Thanks for all the advice and pictures of the beaches.......Would we be missing alot by not going to St. George , I'm thinking it might be better to have the better facilities and less travel time by just going to Horseshoe Bay?

 

Jimbo:)

 

IMO opinion not really. Is sounds like you will be on the Voyager. You are just not there for enough time to make it worthwhile. I like St George but the rest if the island is just as nice.

[DENNAS]

We just returned from Bermuda Saturday, off the Zenith....

We went to Horseshoe Bay (PHENOMENAL), while docked in Hamilton (split a cab with another party) and Ft. St Catherines Beach (NICE) while docked in St. George. (also split a cab fare with another party)

While St. Catherines was nice, and had the same type of amenities, it was quite a bit smaller than H. B. and definately not as "breathtaking" as H.B.

Oh and another thing, the waves were quite tame at St. Catherines Beach too. Being a Jersey Girl, I am used to the Jersey shore waves and enjoy them. If you have young kids, they will like St. Catherines. Oh and the view of the fort is really nice to take in while swimming/sunning there. So all in all, while we did enjoy St. Catherine's, I would still recommend H. B. in a heartbeat.

[Jimbo]

Actually we will be on a 10 day cruise from Boston with an overnight stay at Kings Wharf. We plan on a beach day our first day in port and a 7:00 pm excursion later that same day(Don't Stop the Carnival Party).

 

We have been to King's Wharf and Hamilton before but never to St. George. For some reason we never did hit any of the beaches the first time to Bermuda. We did Hartley Underwater Sea Walk the time we were there. I might add that was fantastic!

 

Second day this time we just plan to chill around the Kings' Wharf area until the ship leaves later that day around 5pm.

 

Thanks for all your help, I think we will just plan on Horseshoe Bay and if need be walk down to the further end if its crowded.

 

Jimbo:)

[Jeanne S]

Sand is nicer at Horseshoe Bay. You will also find seaweed on the beach in St. Caterine's. There is a reason National Geographic cited Horseshoe as one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

[Radio Head]

Take a cab to Warwick Long Bay. A few steps away is Jobson's Cove. Stay on the trail and visit Stonehole Bay (which was our favorite spot-no one there but us for hours before others discovered it) and then walk a little more to Chaplin Bay. You can then finish up at Horseshoe Bay, where you can have a bite to eat, swim and sun, and then catch a taxi when you're done for the day.

 

There is less than a mile between Warwick Long Bay and Horseshoe Bay and it's an easy walk. This entire stretch of beaches is absolutely breathtaking. Why pick one when you can see five? :D

[RKardos1]

Does anyone know what the fees are for the chair and umbrella rentals at Horshoe Beach?

[smeyer418]

yes there are two types of chairs 6 or 8 dollars each and 10 for the umbrella plus a deposit...the last time I was there I exchanged the depoisit and a few extra dollars with a person on line and he gave me the receipt made it inexpensive...

 

I know I shouldn't have...

[davesis]

we just got back Sat also from being on the Zenith we went to both St Catherines and Horseshoe bay, we all liked Horseshoe bay better that St Catherines rentals at Horseshoe are fairly cheap for umbrellas chairs etc they charge a deposit which you get back when you return the items Dennas we were on the same cruise:)

[denandben]

We just returned and did not go to horshoe but I can tell you that st catherines is beautiful as long as you do not need the rest rooms. We also encontered some very rude employees at st catherines. Snorkel park, although not as pretty is clean, not as crowded (I did not snorkel so can not comment) and the rentals were pretty reasonable with very helpful staff.

[RKardos1]

Thanks for the rental info!!

[Surfgirl]

We were disappointed in Tobacco Bay, and wouldn't go back. It was VERY crowded.. and there were broken beer bottles in the water-- so be sure to wear aqua socks if you go.

 

We walked.. next time I would take a taxi there and walk back (the return is downhill). Be sure to see the unfinished church on the way to/from the beach.

 

There's really not much to see in St. Georges.

[Dolphins]

If you are in St. George, go to St. Catherine's beach (you can walk there). If you are in Hamilton or King's Wharf, take a bus to Horseshoe Bay.

[ZAMOST]

Also just returned from Bermuda aboard the Zenith and in Hamilton, took a cab to Horseshoe Bay, and while in St. George took a cab to St. Catherine's.

Clearly Horseshoe Bay is the more beautiful, and with better waves (great bodysurfing the day we were there)

Although we were a party of four, and a cab was a reasonable deal (no more than $20 with tip), so many people were heading to Horseshoe Bay from the ship, that you could easily share a cab. We saw the walk from the Bay to the bus stop, plus the lines, plus the rainshower, and were happy we took a cab both ways. Due to the wind that day, no umbrella rentals were available. We brought our own umbrella from home and used it though. Respites from the sun were well worth it.

St. Catherine's was nice, but no waves of significance, and snorkeling views would be marginal. However, an inexpensive cab ride, especially if shared would make sense. I think that it is a bit far, uphill, on a hot and muggy day, to enjoy. Could walk back. The four of us added two more for the trip back in a six person taxi, for $11 including tip. Could walk back I suppose, but after a few hours at the beach, walking back to the ship would be the least desirable option.

[oscarmoraz]

Take a cab to Warwick Long Bay. A few steps away is Jobson's Cove. Stay on the trail and visit Stonehole Bay (which was our favorite spot-no one there but us for hours before others discovered it) and then walk a little more to Chaplin Bay. You can then finish up at Horseshoe Bay, where you can have a bite to eat, swim and sun, and then catch a taxi when you're done for the day.

 

There is less than a mile between Warwick Long Bay and Horseshoe Bay and it's an easy walk. This entire stretch of beaches is absolutely breathtaking. Why pick one when you can see five? :D

 

Radio Head,

 

I think we are going with your suggestion for one of the days we are in Bermuda! Appreciate your post! It seems simple enough! :)

 

Thank you,

C