Bermuda: Off-Season Packing Tips — To Make Much of Time

Off Season Packing Tips | Bermuda | Blue Hole | To Make Much of Time travel blog

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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If you’re planning an off-season trip to Bermuda and wondering what to pack, you’ve come to the right place! We weren’t fully sure ourselves when we took a 4-day trip in late November. Here are the tips we picked up while there.

packing for bermuda: be weather prepared

From what we have read, this applies to all seasons, but it is certainly true in the off-season: Bermuda’s weather can turn on a dime from light rain to sun to downpours. Here’s what we recommend you pack to prepare for the varying weather:

Raincoat - ideally one that you can fold up into a small size to carry in a bag or one that can double as a windbreaker or jacket. I use my London Fog lined jacket that doubles as a raincoat and absolutely love it. You can check it out here .

Sunscreen - I know we all know sunburns can happen year-round, so don't forget to pack your sunscreen for days that you'll be spending outside. Our go-to is Alba Botanica SPF 45 , which comes in a 4oz bottle that is great for carry-on suitcases. They also make a kid-friendly version .

Hat - Bring your favorite hat to protect you from the sun, wind, and rain depending on what type of weather is getting thrown at you at any minute, but make sure you have a bag in which to stow it when the wind gets blowing so you don't lose your hat to Bermuda's gales.

Sunglasses - When the sun is out, you'll be happy to have them and can help protect your eyes, particularly from the glare that the ocean creates. My favorite pair are Ray Ban New Wayfarer, particularly because they offer so many different sizes for people who (apparently) have smaller than average heads like me.

packing for bermuda: the general style

Probably the best way to describe the attire of people in Bermuda is to paint this picture for you: imagine your quintessential British person, then pick that person up from the rainy north and plop them down on a warmer island in the middle of the ocean. Through the magic of ocean air, their pants shrink into shorts and their muted colors become tropical. Of course, the risk in describing how people tend to dress in a particular country is that it does not describe everyone since as long as there are people, there will always be individual styles and preferences. The purpose in covering this is to give you a sense of the ‘feel’ for the attire most common.

The Bermudians tend to be a little dressier than what is often found on an island (in our experience) - probably best described as dressing in a “preppy” fashion. Yes, they do wear Bermuda shorts. Because we were there in the off-season, we saw more locals than tourists. Men working in offices from the waist up looked like what we would see in any big city - most wearing suit jackets, a few a little more casual with a polo shirt. But from the waist down, we were surprised to see Bermuda shorts, dress shoes, and (in the cooler weather) knee-high socks. Also popular are colored pants (think: teal, light pink) and polo shorts.

packing for bermuda: accessories

Day bag - Bring your favorite small bag/backpack for your essentials such as maps, sunglasses (when not in use), your hat (when it is at risk of blowing away), your camera, etc. Our favorite light-weight bag is made by L.L.Bean, and you can find it here. We’re on our second one after wearing out the first over the course of a decade.
Water bottles - Staying hydrated is of course important, and the best way to do that is by using a refillable water bottle, the most environmentally friendly option. Our favorite water bottles that travel the world with us are made by Camelbak, and you can find them here.

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