Friday night happy hour at the Fairmont Princess Hotel’s harborside terrace (76 Pitts Bay Rd., tel. 441/295-3000, fax 441/295-1914, www.fairmont.com/hamilton, 5–9:30 p.m. Fridays, Apr.–Oct. only) has been the place to see and be seen for years now, and there appears to be no reduction in the crowds of partygoers who stream west from Hamilton offices at the end of each week.

The big attraction is the elegant hotel’s lobby bar and its alfresco terrace, perfect for schmoozing at sunset on the water’s edge. Happy-hour specials ($5 for beers and rum cocktails) are offered on the bar’s regular sky-high drink prices. Rain or shine, there’s a live band, DJ, barbecue grill, and cash bar. The Heritage Court bar is open year-round (10 a.m.–1 a.m. daily). It is, perhaps, Bermuda’s most elegant bar, projecting an old-world feel that makes for enjoyable evenings—the $12 martinis notwithstanding.

Get local with a visit to the Spanish Point Boat Club (Spanish Point Rd., tel. 441/295-1030, fax 441/292-8024, 11:30 a.m.–midnight Mon.–Thurs. and Sun., 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. Fri. and Sat.), whose bar has a nightly gathering of neighborhood residents, local fishermen, and other regulars who like the $3 highballs and beer. Like its sign says, the facility is a members’ club, but tourists are welcome.

The Robin Hood Pub & Restaurant (25 Richmond Rd., tel. 441/295-3314, fax 441/292-9338, www.robinhood.bm, 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. daily) has a lively sports-bar scene, including quiz nights and live soccer and NHL showdowns on big-screen TV. It’s a favorite stomping ground for British and Canadian expat residents.