St. Catherine Fort/Crystal Caves Transportation Suggestions

My plan for day 2 was to go to St. Catherine Fort and Crystal Caves (and Swizzle Inn) and wondered if anyone had any thoughts/suggestions about the transportation options:

Leave the ship by 8:45 to make the 9:30 ferry to St.George

Question 1: Is this enough time, do I need to leave earlier?

Arrive in St. George, take HOHO bus to St. Catherine's

Question 2: Looking at the HOHO map it appears you can by your stamp at the pier, but I have heard of people doing it at the information center. Can they be bought after you get off the ferry

Alternatively, take a cab to St. Catherine's

Question 3: Any idea about availability & costs for a cab?

After Fort go to Swizzle Inn for lunch.

Question 4: Take HOHO bus? Take it around the loop to the Visitor's center to catch bus to Hamilton?

Alternatively, take cab to Swizzle Inn,or walk to bus.

Question 5: I understand that there are not cabs waiting at the Fort, but that you could walk to Tobacco Bay and get one there. Any experience with this? About how long a walk? I have heard 15 minute walk to bus stop, but I have also heard that some people's 15 minutes are different from others. Is this a difficult walk? Is it paved?

Swizzle Inn. Rum Swizzle, no question. However, I have heard about fish sandwich, is this a must have?

Crystal Caves. Then ice cream at Baileys. Then bus to Hamilton Ferry. Hamilton Ferry to Dockyard.

Question 6: Should I try to add something in Hamilton? Or is this a full day right now?

Thanks everyone for reading and for any suggestions.

My plan for day 2 was to go to St. Catherine Fort and Crystal Caves (and Swizzle Inn) and wondered if anyone had any thoughts/suggestions about the transportation options:

 

Leave the ship by 8:45 to make the 9:30 ferry to St.George

 

Question 1: Is this enough time, do I need to leave earlier?

 

Leave earlier. We left the ship at 8:30 and there were 200 people ahead of us in line. The ferry holds 350+, so 8:30 should do it, but any later would make me nervous.

 

Arrive in St. George, take HOHO bus to St. Catherine's

 

Question 2: Looking at the HOHO map it appears you can by your stamp at the pier, but I have heard of people doing it at the information center. Can they be bought after you get off the ferry

 

We were just there last week. I don't think you can get a stamp by the pier. It's about a five minute walk from the ferry to the information center. Most people will be heading in that direction off the ferry, so it's easy to find.

 

Alternatively, take a cab to St. Catherine's

 

Question 3: Any idea about availability & costs for a cab?

 

Plenty of cabs waiting outside the ferry. I heard a cabbie quote someone $8 to Tobacco Bay, so if you don't want to wait for the hop on bus, that's another option.

 

After Fort go to Swizzle Inn for lunch.

 

Question 4: Take HOHO bus? Take it around the loop to the Visitor's center to catch bus to Hamilton?

There is a bus stop at the end of the lane headed to ft st catherine. We waited 45 minutes for a bus last week, but it's supposed to run every 15-30 minutes. I don't know if it was just bad luck or if they are getting busier, but there were also cabs that came by if we had wanted to flag one down. The Hop on bus dropped us off directly at the bus station.

 

Alternatively, take cab to Swizzle Inn,or walk to bus.

 

Question 5: I understand that there are not cabs waiting at the Fort, but that you could walk to Tobacco Bay and get one there. Any experience with this? About how long a walk? I have heard 15 minute walk to bus stop, but I have also heard that some people's 15 minutes are different from others. Is this a difficult walk? Is it paved?

 

The roads are paved, but there is no sidewalk and the roads are very narrow. The walk from ft st catherine to tobacco bay is easy peasy and took me and my group about 5 minutes (with 2 kids and a baby), so if you get in a pinch for a cab, head there for sure. If you are up for a walk, I think 15-20 would be accurate for a walk to the bus stop, but keep in mind that it feels a LOT longer in the summer heat. It is HUMID in Bermuda. I would think a cab to Swizzle would be pretty pricey.

 

Swizzle Inn. Rum Swizzle, no question. However, I have heard about fish sandwich, is this a must have?

 

No idea, haven't been there.

 

Crystal Caves. Then ice cream at Baileys. Then bus to Hamilton Ferry. Hamilton Ferry to Dockyard.

 

Question 6: Should I try to add something in Hamilton? Or is this a full day right now?

 

It depends...Ft. St. Catherine won't take more than an hour to tour, so if I was you, I'd spend some extra time in St. George sightseeing as opposed to Hamilton (maybe catch the noon re-enactment in the town square) or hop off the bus at the unfinished church. Then a late lunch at Swizzle and the caves.

 

Thanks everyone for reading and for any suggestions.

I entered my suggestions/comments above. :) Good luck!

I entered my suggestions/comments above. :) Good luck!

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Those were some of my exact questions! Hoping for some more input. We are going to be in Bermuda in Oct. We don't mind walking a bit and I HATE waiting for buses. We are thinking of taking the early ferry to St George then walking to Fort St Catherines then tobacco Bay. Then taking a taxi to swizzle inn for lunch. Anyone know possible taxi cost between the two?

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We were at both last week and IMO Swizzle Inn is just ok and Bailey's ice cream is too much $ for what it is. I paid $5.45 for one tiny scoop on a sugar cone ($1 extra which I did not realize). Won't be going back there. I have a better assortment of flavors here in NJ.

To get to Tobacco Bay I would take the 9:30 ferry for sure. It is walkable in about 30 minutes from where the ferry drops you off in St. G as well.

Those were some of my exact questions! Hoping for some more input. We are going to be in Bermuda in Oct. We don't mind walking a bit and I HATE waiting for buses. We are thinking of taking the early ferry to St George then walking to Fort St Catherines then tobacco Bay. Then taking a taxi to swizzle inn for lunch. Anyone know possible taxi cost between the two?

 

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I would use the bus to get from St. G to Swizzle Inn; very frequent and not much of a wait. Maybe 2 stops before you're at the Swizzle Inn. I would estimate a taxi to be at least $20 for the trip from St. Georges area to Swizzle.

also recommend the bus. All buses except #6 go by or very close to the Caves.

also recommend the bus. All buses except #6 go by or very close to the Caves.

Do you know how long a walk from St. Catherine's to the nearest bus stop?

Thanks

Do you know how long a walk from St. Catherine's to the nearest bus stop?

 

 

 

Thanks

The nearest public bus stop is in St. George. About a twenty minute walk. The hop on and hop off minibus stops nearby at Fort St. Catherine.