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Smith’s Parish

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Smith’s Parish is located in northeast Bermuda, at the southern portion of Harrington Sound. It is situated between Devonshire Parish to the southwest and Hamilton Parish to the northeast. The parish was named after Sir Thomas Smith. The parish is the smallest parish in Bermuda. There are many Portuguese residents in the parish, some of which immigrated and others have lived in Smith’s Parish for generations.

John Smith’s Bay is the main beach in Smith’s Parish. It is a long, wide, pink sand beach that is flanked by rocks. There is a reef about 200 yards from the shore that keeps the bay calm and excellent for swimming. Snorkeling at John Smith’s Bay is fantastic, colorful fish can be seen within just a few yards of the shore, especially at the rocky area to the west end of the beach. Public restrooms are available at this location and a lunch wagon is frequently available selling burgers, fish cakes, fries, ice cream, cold drinks, and so forth. Rip currents can be a hazard at John Smith’s Bay. The beach is unusual in Bermuda in that lifeguards are stationed from May to September.

Spittal Pond Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in Bermuda, is located in Smith’s Parish. It covers 64 acres and is an excellent birdwatching location. Portuguese Rock is within the grounds of the reserve and is where it is believed the earliest human remnants of Bermuda are located. There are two other nature reserves in Smith’s Parish: Winter Haven Nature Reserve and Sears Cave and Nature Reserve. Winter Haven Nature Reserve is a small reserve where wildlife can be seen in the forested area. Sears Cave and Nature Reserve is a cave where the roof collapsed leaving a depression where ferns grow. There is a large beehive at the reserve.

Devil’s Hole Aquarium is also a collapsed cave, but in this case it left a blue hole. Located in Smith’s Parish, many fish can be seen here including jacks, angelfish, moray eels, and turtles. Town Hill is also located in the parish and is the highest point in all of Bermuda at 249 feet high. From the top, visitors have a view of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and the town of St. George.

There are four restaurants in Smith’s Parish: Bermudiana & Breakers Terrace, North Rock Brewing Company, Specialty Inn, and Rotisserie Grill. North Rock Brewing Company is Bermuda’s only microbrewery. Specialty Inn is a casual, cafeteria-style restaurant. Rotisserie Grill uses four main ingredients – chicken, ribs, pot roast, and fish. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Pink Beach Club is the only noteworthy hotel in Smith’s Parish. It is a large all-inclusive resort with 113 guestrooms. All of the rooms have an ocean view. It has two private beaches and the majority of meals are included with guests’ stay. It features live entertainment nightly. The resort features two restaurants, a spa, an outdoor heated pool, and two tennis courts. The resort has been voted by Conde Nast readers as one of the top ten in the Caribbean/Atlantic region.