Quickest transportation to Horseshoe Bay

[Vineyard View]

We will have a day pass while docked in Hamilton. We would like to spend part of the day at Horseshoe Bay, then end up exploring Hamilton. 

I know that we can take a water taxi, then bus - or bus all the way. We would like to arrive early and wondering which transportation is the quickest?  We will reverse using the different transportation. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

[Charles4515]

55 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

We will have a day pass while docked in Hamilton. We would like to spend part of the day at Horseshoe Bay, then end up exploring Hamilton. 

I know that we can take a water taxi, then bus - or bus all the way. We would like to arrive early and wondering which transportation is the quickest?  We will reverse using the different transportation. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

Not sure what you mean by a day pass? Do you mean you are planning to buy a one day transportation pass? In that case you would take a bus to Horseshoe Bay. There is no such thing as a water taxi and the ferries included on transportation passes don’t go to Horseshoe Bay.  The quickest way to Horseshoe Bay is a taxi. 

[Vineyard View]

We have a public transportation pass from the ship. We can take bus or water - that is how it was explained to us. Having never been I do not know. It was my understanding that we could tKe bus the entire way, or combine bus and water. 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Vineyard View

[Charles4515]

31 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

We have a public transportation pass from the ship. We can take bus or water - that is how it was explained to us. Having never been I do not know. It was my understanding that we could tKe bus the entire way, or combine bus and water. 

The way from Hamilton to Horseshoe Bay is on roads.  So you would take a bus with the transportation pass. Your ship docks on Front St. The bus terminal is a few blocks away on Church St. You would take the #7 bus.  You could use the transportation pass on ferries but that would be to go somewhere other than Horseshoe Bay. 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Charles4515

[Vineyard View]

Thank you. 

Someplace months ago I read about a path that took both water and bus in order to get to Horseshoe Bay that allowed one to see different places but I cannot locate that. 

We will focus on the bus. If you are suggesting that taking a taxi is much faster, then that may be worth doing in the morning. If so, any idea on cost?  Cash only or cc accepted? 

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you. 

Someplace months ago I read about a path that took both water and bus in order to get to Horseshoe Bay that allowed one to see different places but I cannot locate that. 

We will focus on the bus. If you are suggesting that taking a taxi is much faster, then that may be worth doing in the morning. If so, any idea on cost?  Cash only or cc accepted? 

A taxi is approximately $20 plus tip for 1-4 passengers from Hamilton to Horseshoe Bay. The fare is metered. I did that about six weeks ago.  Expect to pay cash as only a few taxis take cc. The path you probably read about is to start at Warwick Long Bay and walk to Horseshoe Bay.  That would still be taking the bus. You would get off at Warwick instead of Horseshoe. Be sure to ask the bus driver to tell you when you get to your stop because you won’t know where you are on the bus. 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Charles4515

[Vineyard View]

Thanks so much. taxi seems the best way going there. I Appreciate your experience and advice   

[buckeyefrank]

On 10/5/2019 at 9:44 PM, Vineyard View said:

We have a public transportation pass from the ship. We can take bus or water - that is how it was explained to us. Having never been I do not know. It was my understanding that we could tKe bus the entire way, or combine bus and water. 

Since you are docking at Hamilton, the water ferry will not apply.  The combination bus / water ferry was most likely from King's Wharf Dockyard area, which is further away.

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, buckeyefrank said:

Since you are docking at Hamilton, the water ferry will not apply.  The combination bus / water ferry was most likely from King's Wharf Dockyard area, which is further away.

From the Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay the transportation is on a road.  Minibus, public bus or taxi by road...... 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Charles4515

[Vineyard View]

Okay. Thank you. 

I guess we will figure out taking the bus vs taxi in the AM when we get there. Now I won’t be looking for a water taxi!

[Vineyard View]

Well, we arrived at 5:00 in Hamilton. Unfortunately the town closed down except bars and restaurants at 6:00. We were in a shop talking to a local about Horseshoe Bay and he recommended we skip those crowds and take a taxi to Elbow Beach Resort where there were loungers to rent and a great restaurant on the beach. We did this, only to be told that no, they would not rent to us - only to guests (even though there were plenty of loungers vacant). I told her what we were told in town, and her response was “well, sometimes we rent them” but she couldn’t the day we were there. So we waited 45 min for another taxi, and that was our afternoon. 

My point in posting this is do not bother with Elbow Beach Resort. Hindsight. 

Horseshoe next time if there is one. 

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Well, we arrived at 5:00 in Hamilton. Unfortunately the town closed down except bars and restaurants at 6:00. We were in a shop talking to a local about Horseshoe Bay and he recommended we skip those crowds and take a taxi to Elbow Beach Resort where there were loungers to rent and a great restaurant on the beach. We did this, only to be told that no, they would not rent to us - only to guests (even though there were plenty of loungers vacant). I told her what we were told in town, and her response was “well, sometimes we rent them” but she couldn’t the day we were there. So we waited 45 min for another taxi, and that was our afternoon. 

My point in posting this is do not bother with Elbow Beach Resort. Hindsight. 

Horseshoe next time if there is one. 

Sorry that this happened to you.

 

For your consideration next time, if you want to spend the day using a hotel's facilities both Elbow Beach Resort and Coco Resort have day passes that can be booked in advance available through resortforaday.com . Of course those passes also may not be available every day.

 

In more than 30 years of cruise vacationing in Bermuda we've never paid for use of a resort's facilities. Horseshoe Bay is one of the world's best beaches, and it has lifeguards, food and drink for sale, and chairs and umbrellas available for rent. The only time we've used a hotel's facilities is when we were staying at the hotel.

 

[Vineyard View]

Thank you. It was disappointing at best. 

We went back to our almost empty ship, spent time in the pool, had a couple cocktails, and made the best of it!  Trust me, it was a first world problem. Thank you for your feedback for the next time! 

[Charles4515]

12 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you. It was disappointing at best. 

We went back to our almost empty ship, spent time in the pool, had a couple cocktails, and made the best of it!  Trust me, it was a first world problem. Thank you for your feedback for the next time! 

That is unfortunate. It is a shame you did not ask about Elbow Beach here. You would not have gone there without a day pass purchased in advance and you would have stuck to your original intention to go to Horseshoe. What the local told you has been true sometime the past but is outdated information.  To some Bermuda never changes and they post well intentioned advise that was correct a few years ago but in recent years. There have been more changes in the past few years than in the past and even this years information may well be outdated for next year. 

Edited November 6, 2019 by Charles4515

[Vineyard View]

I didn’t know about Elbow Beach to ask here or ai would have. I only heard of it by the gentleman in the men’s clothing store we were looking for a hat in. We told him we were going to Horseshoe and he elaborated on how wonderful the restaurant and beach were at Elbow. 

[princeton123211]

3 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

We told him we were going to Horseshoe and he elaborated on how wonderful the restaurant and beach were at Elbow. 

Thats a real shame they wouldn't let you use the restaurant above as well-- seems very odd. We have been there as non guests quite a bit (not to rent loungers, but get some drinks or food at the restaurant that abuts the beach). Elbow Beach tends to have some of the more looser policies in terms of non hotel guests using the beach and as others have mentioned regularly sells passes-- both Fairmonts and the Rosewood protect their stretch of beach from non guests like its Fort Knox. 

[njhorseman]

51 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

Thats a real shame they wouldn't let you use the restaurant above as well-- seems very odd. We have been there as non guests quite a bit (not to rent loungers, but get some drinks or food at the restaurant that abuts the beach). Elbow Beach tends to have some of the more looser policies in terms of non hotel guests using the beach and as others have mentioned regularly sells passes-- both Fairmonts and the Rosewood protect their stretch of beach from non guests like its Fort Knox. 

I don't think they were denied access to Mickey's . The poster only mentioned not being to buy a day pass/ rent lounge chairs. Anyone can walk in off the street and eat at the restaurant if they wish.

 

As far as hotels that chase people off "their" beach...most beaches in Bermuda are public. Those that are "private" can't be approached by land without trespassing on private property, and I suspect that's the case with the three you mentioned. In fact I know it's the case for the Southampton Princess and Hamilton Princess beach clubs.  The Hamilton Princess bought the property that was formerly occupied by the Sonesta Beach, which was destroyed by a hurricane. We stayed at the Sonesta years ago and there was no way you could get to their beach without trespassing on their property. We also stayed at the Hamilton Princess years ago  before they bought that property to use their beach club and when you wanted to go to their private beach they transported you to the Southampton Princess property to use the beach there.

[princeton123211]

55 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Those that are "private" can't be approached by land without trespassing on private property, and I suspect that's the case with the three you mentioned. In fact I know it's the case for the Southampton Princess and Hamilton Princess beach clubs.

Exactly-- and to get to the Rosewood's beach club you would have to trespass through the Mid Ocean Club-- literally drive through their driving range.

[Vineyard View]

Mickeys did not open for another 1+ hours after we arrived that morning. Our choice was to stand around for that time. As it was it took 45 min for the taxi, so in hindsight - we could have stood for 1 hour and had lunch there. 

With an onboard at 4:00 there simply was not enough time to go anyplace else after we arrived back in Hamilton. 

Just notes for future cruisers who will be visiting.