Horseshoe Bay Beach

Located in the parish of Southampton, Horseshoe Bay Beach – also called Horseshoe Bay and Horseshoe Bay Cove – is a popular curve-shaped beach with many nearby large limestone rocks.  While this beautiful beach is primarily a white sand beach, it has a few traces of soft pink sand.  Conde Nast Traveller listed this beach as one of the “25 Best Things to Do In Bermuda” and Travel+Leisure magazine also listed this beach as one of “11 Most Beautiful Pink-sand Beaches around the World.”  TripAdvisor also listed this beach as one of the “25 best beaches in the Caribbean” as a part of its Travellers’ Choice award in 2024, and it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Horseshoe Bay Beach has lifeguards in summers usually between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.  In addition, the area near this beach also offers many other amenities including showers, restrooms, nearby rental facilities for beach chairs, snorkelling gear, and umbrellas, benches, volleyball courts, and concession stands selling snacks. 

We recommend bringing your own beach chairs and umbrellas here because the Horseshoe Bay Beach club rentals sometimes charge expensive rates.  In addition, dogs are allowed here.

Horseshoe Bay Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, tidepooling, fishing, swimming, volleyball, kitesurfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding, bodysurfing, boating, jet-skiing, water-skiing, snorkelling, paddleboarding, scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife watching. 

This beach is ideal for beginner swimmers because the mostly shallow and clean turquoise waters here are known to have gentle waves.  There is a natural rocky pool towards the right side of the beach that is ideal for kids.  In addition to swimming, snorkelers also occasionally visit this beach to explore nearby reefs.

If you plan to swim, kayak, or boogie board at the beach, we recommend being careful because the water can have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves.  The water here is also significantly cold between October and May.  In addition, jellyfish also live near this beach and they can cause painful stings.  Please note that while some brave visitors may climb on top of the nearby rocks to explore them, we recommend avoiding doing so because falling from these sharp rocks can cause injuries.

If you like taking pictures with beautiful views, Horseshoe Bay Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Caribbean Sea and the Southampton Parish shoreline.  There is a cave near the beach that you can explore at low tide.  If you are looking for a quieter beach experience, we recommend visiting Horseshoe Bay Beach in winter because the beach has very few visitors during this time as compared to other beaches in Bermuda.

Horseshoe Bay Beach does not offer wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities.

Getting to Horseshoe Bay Beach is easy – from a major local road named Middle Road, you need to turn towards another road named South Road.  From South Road, you need to turn towards Horseshoe Road.  Horseshoe Road will lead you to the free parking lot for the beach, and you can easily walk to the beach after parking here. 

In addition to traveling by car, you can also book a private shuttle van to the beach from Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard.  If you are planning to travel through public transport, there is a public bus service that has a bus stop near this beach that connects Horseshoe Bay Beach to the Royal Naval Dockyard – you can visit the Government of Bermuda’s website for more information about this bus service.

We also recommend checking Horseshoe Bay Beach Bermuda weather reports while visiting because the weather can be windy and stormy on rare occasions.

The Horseshoe Bay Beach Bermuda pink sand originates from a mixture of crushed coral, crushed shells, and remains of an organism named foraminifera – these objects are usually naturally weathered down into sand grains and deposited on the beach.  In addition, this beach also hosts many fun events – one of the most popular events here is the Bermuda Beachfest Emancipation Celebration which takes place either in late July or in early August.  Other popular events include the Bermuda Kite Festival, Bermuda Sand Sculpture Competition, and a beach volleyball competition.

There are many attractions near Horseshoe Bay Beach.  You can check the Horseshoe Bay Beach Bermuda Map to see Gibbs Hill Lighthouse – this historic 117-feet-tall lighthouse was built in 1844 and it was one of the world’s first cast iron lighthouses.  It offers amazing views of the South Shore coastline and the Caribbean Sea.  Church Bay Park is a recreational park that has a beach named Church Bay Park Beach and it has many amenities including picnic areas, restrooms, rental facilities for snorkel equipment, and grassy recreational areas – this park offers a variety of fun activities including swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, and picnicking.  Turtle Hill Golf Club is a 2,873-yard golf course that has 18 holes and it offers a fun and challenging session of golf – it also offers amazing views of the Caribbean Sea.  Bermuda Botanical Gardens is a 36-acre botanical garden that was established in 1898 and it has a variety of interesting plant species including many flowering plants, palms, and succulent plants – it also has a sensory garden and the botanical garden’s premises also have a museum named Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art.  

If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo – which is a 21-minute-drive away – is one of the world’s oldest aquariums and it was established in 1926 and it is home to many kinds of animals including seals, sea turtles, sharks, 300 bird species, and tortoises.  The Bermuda Natural History Museum is also located within the aquarium’s premises and it offers interesting exhibitions on the local geology and biodiversity.  Another great attraction near the beach is the South Shore Park – this clifftop park has a trail that offers amazing views of the Caribbean Sea and the Southampton Parish shoreline.  This park is also a popular bird watching site and picnic areas are also available here.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Horseshoe Bay Beach.  Gulfstream is known for serving excellent seafood and it also offers a variety of other dishes for lunch and dinner including sandwiches, steaks, sushi, burger, and pasta.  Harry's at the Waterfront is an upscale waterfront restaurant that is known for serving a unique kind of rum blend – in addition, it also offers amazing dishes for lunch and dinner including soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and chicken dishes.  Henry VIII Restaurant is a restaurant that offers a variety of excellent dishes for lunch and dinner including sushi, tempura, chicken, Indian dishes, pastas steaks, and lamb.  The Hog Penny is a British-style pub with vintage decor and it offers a variety of amazing British-inspired bar foods including fish-and-chips, curries, sandwiches, and chicken pot pie.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Generosa’s Cuisine is known for serving excellent Portuguese dishes and it also offers other dishes including burgers, fries, seafood, and sandwiches.

If you are looking for hotels near Horseshoe Bay Beach Bermuda, there are many great nearby options.  The 5-Star Hamilton Princess & Beach Club is a nearby Horseshoe Bay resort that offers many amenities including an infinity pool, a gym, a spa, boutique stores, an ATM, a kids’ club, and multiple restaurants and bars.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star The Reefs Resort & Club that offers many amenities including a spa, a pool, gym, a hot tub, tennis courts, loaner facilities for water sport equipment, pickleball courts, a private beach area, a bar, and multiple restaurants.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa that offers many amenities including tennis courts, a restaurant, an infinity pool, access to a nearby golf club, a seasonal poolside bar, a hot tub, a spa, tennis courts, electric car rental facilities, and a gym.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Coco Reef Resort Bermuda that offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a private beach area, a pool, gardens, and tennis courts.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Fourways Restaurant & Inn offers many amenities including gardens, a restaurant, a pool, walking paths, and benches – this hotel is also conveniently located close to some of the major attractions in Southampton Parish.