Plan to spend several hours at the Royal Naval Dockyard, a fort completed in 1820 and used by the British until 1951. The Dockyard area, spurred by cruise ship landings, has developed into a tourist attraction combining history, shops and eateries. We don’t recommend the area’s snorkel park or “beach” — too crowded. Instead, explore the National Museum of Bermuda – formerly known as the Bermuda Maritime Museum – housed in the fort. On an expensive island, parents will be excited to come somewhere where kids under 16 enter free. Enjoy walking through hidden passageways, exploring the expansive grounds, and seeing artifacts from old shipwrecks and battles. Peruse replicas of battleships, real whale vertebrae, sleek Bermuda skiffs and many more items.

Be sure to climb the stairs to the fort’s ramparts. Here you not only glean some of the best island vistas, but you can imagine the tall ships in an 1800’s harbor. It was from this facility that the British fleet sailed to Washington, D.C., in the War of 1812. Kids will love the Museum Playground and Playhouse, featuring interactive exhibits, a slide and a huge moray eel.

Also located in the fort, Dolphin Quest offers the opportunity to encounter dolphins. Even if you don’t sign-up to meet and feed these friendly creatures, you can watch them interact with visitors. The Dockyard area features plenty of shops as well as a children’s playground.