In April of 2006, my husband and I took a cruise to Bermuda that docked at St. George. We had been to Bermuda many times before and were looking for something different to do while on the island, only to discover onshore that it was a national holiday celebrating the day in 1816 when Bermuda's capital moved to Hamilton from St. George.

We wandered to King's Square, the harbor center of the quaint town, and happened on the Peppercorn Ceremony where — replete with dignitaries in full regalia, a military guard and much pomp and circumstance — The Governor of Bermuda accepted a peppercorn from an official of the Freemasons in a symbolic payment for the annual rent for the Old State House.

Afterward, we were waiting at a bus stop discussing what to do next, with no particular destination in mind. A young local woman driving by saw us struggling with our map and stopped, asking in a strong British accent, "You're Americans?" We told her we were, and she said she had recently returned from the U.S. and how kindly she was treated by everyone there.

"Let me return the favor," she said. She thought for a moment and her face lit up. "Tell me, do you enjoy gardening?" She opened her car door, invited us in, and without hesitation we were off on our unscheduled adventure.

During the two hours she drove us around the Bermuda landscape, largely unseen to the average tourist. We were in awe. The incredible azul sea, pink sand beaches and cliffs appeared everywhere we went along the back roads only a Bermudian would know.

She pointed out her favorite dress shop, the church where her daughter was married, the place where she hoped to retire. Patiently, she pulled over when we wanted to take photos and answered our endless questions.

Ultimately, she dropped us at the bottom of a long driveway in Devonshire Parish and told us to follow the crowd walking to nearby Devonshire Bay. Four homeowners along the coast had opened their beautiful, incredible homes and gardens to the public as a fundraiser for the Garden Club of Bermuda.

We meandered the grounds and admired the exotic gardens overlooking the water. The creative use of simple rock was astounding and formed the perfect backdrop for the abundant and bright red and yellow flowers. Infinity swimming pools, a first for us, merged seamlessly with the Atlantic Ocean creating a visual hard to describe. The furnishings and artwork were maritime in nature and simple. One house had creatively used suspended sea kayaks as rafters.

But the most delightful aspect of the day was meeting the members of the Garden Club, many of whom were expatriate Americans who came to the island during WWII when the US had an active navy base there and never left.

Through our chance meetings, we experienced Bermuda through the eyes of a local. At the end of the day, we went back to the ship with great stories to share over dinner and a renewed sense that adventure can be found anywhere if you are open to it.

We have taken many trips since then to more exotic and faraway places, and we always wonder before we go if we will ever recreate an experience like that amazing day in Bermuda. By following the tips below, we have come pretty close:

1. Be attentive to those around you; engage the locals. They know the most intriguing areas of their homeland and the best places to eat and shop. They usually are eager to share their knowledge with you.

2. Before travelling to a destination, go online and find a calendar of events for the area. Many event tickets can be purchased in advance for a discount, and it leaves you time to plan your transportation to and from the event. We got lucky with the gracious lady who took us under her wing but could have easily learned about the Garden Club event by visiting the Bermuda tourist board website or dong a simple Internet search.

3. But don't overplan your days! As our story shows, a free day on vacation leaves you available to take advantage of the unexpected.

Keep an open mind, spirit and calendar when you travel and you just may "discover" some of your most memorable vacation experiences.