Hamilton itself is not on a beach, but the island's famous pink-sand beaches are reachable by bus or scooter within 20–40 minutes. Horseshoe Bay in Southampton Parish is the most visited — wide, sheltered in part, and busy on weekends. Elbow Beach in Paget is quieter and good for snorkelling. Shelly Bay in Hamilton Parish has calm, shallow water suitable for children. Warwick Long Bay offers a kilometre of relatively uncrowded beach.
The pink colour of Bermuda's sand comes from tiny fragments of red foraminifera shells mixed with the coral sand. The water is warm from May to November; outside those months it cools considerably.