What is there to do in Nassau?
Horse Drawn Surrey- Bahamian decorated carriages will take your for a historic and scenic tour of downtown Nassau for as little as $10 per person for a 20-minute tour.
Atlantis Bahamas- An expansive beach resort with a water park.
Pompey Museum- Museum of slavery in the historic district's oldest building & site of 18th-century slave auctions.
Nassau Straw Market- Here You'll find handmade Bahamian crafts such as straw bags, doll, hats, and shell jewelry.
Try your hand at any number of water sports activities including ket jet skiing, kayaking, deep sea fishing or windsurfing.
Visit the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, home to the National Collection of Bahamian Art.
The Queen's Staircase- Also known as the 66 steps, was carved out of solid limestone rock by slaves between 1793 and 1794.
Blue Lagoon Island- is a private island located 5 km from Nassau, Bahamas with brightly colored coral reefs.
Dolphin Cay Atlantis- Eco-tourist attraction featuring a marine habitat offering animal play & water sports.
Bay Street- To shop your life away!
Fort Montagu- A historical landmark that was used in 1741 to defend the British possession from Spanish invaders.
Stuarts Cove- If your looking for an adventure and want to watch a shark feeding!
Take a day trip to the Exuma- You can take a high speed-boat from Nassau, which takes about 2 hours to get to the Exumas. We chose to tour with Pieces of 8 charters which includes lunch and transportation to see the pigs, nurse sharks,sandbanks, & The iguanas. The cost is $375 per person. You can also catch a flight to the main Exuma in George Town and then catch a boat to go to other islands on the Exuma! Flights from Nassau can cost you about $90-200USD. Boat tours from the main Exuma island start cost is $200 per person. The last option to the Exumas is taking a private plane to the main island and then catch a private boat from George Town! Private plane options can start from $3000. Either route you want to take to get to the Exumas, you're going to have to take a high-speed boat to get to each individual island.
Beaches
Cable Beach- A wide sandy beach & clear, turquoise waters are the highlights of this scenic locale.
Cabbage Beach- A great for parasailing and water skiing.
Junkanoo Beach- Great for families and has a tiki bar and watersports.
Clifton Heritage Park- Park with hiking trails, an Amerindian cave, ruins of a cotton plantation, beaches & snorkeling.
Balmoral Island- A soft sand beach with clear waters that's great for snorkeling.
Saunders Beach- A family-friendly beach with clear waters and a park located on the beach.
Love Beach-A soft sand beach with clear waters that-s great for snorkeling and less touristy.
Where to stay in Nassau?
Paradise Island
If you want to stay in a resort that offers secluded beachfronts and pools, this may be the areas for you. The only downside by staying on paradise island is that the stay can get pretty pricey and you'll be spending most of your money at over prices restaurants and shops.
Downtown Nassau
If you're looking for a local and cheap stay, you'll want to stay downtown. You'll be close to many restaurants, shops, and nightlife. The only downside to staying here is that during the day time many cruise ships drop off tourist so it can get crowded in the day time.
Love Beach Area
Is more of a residential stay and you'll find many Airbnb's here. It is located close to the International airport but about 25-30 minutes away from Downtown Nassau.
Where I stayed?
Since most hotels were fully booked on the island when we traveled here, we stayed in an Airbnb.
Never tried AirBnB before? You can get up to $55 off your stay through my link.
How to get to your destination from the airport?
Rent a Car
Car rentals await for you outside the airport so you won't have to look too far for one. My recommendation is to reserve the car in advance because most of the people getting off your flight will be renting a car as well. Also, check the times you land and the times that the car rental shops open up at. Car rental shops here aren't open 24/7. If all the car rental shops are closed or sold out.
Taxi
Taxis are always assessable for you outside the airport, if you need a ride. Taxis are an effective way to get around the island but will break your pockets. You can either ask the driver to use the meter, or you can negotiate a fare from the airport to your destination. One way taxis from the airport to Cable Beach will cost about $18USD. One way taxis from the airport to Downtown Nassau will cost about $27USD. One way taxis from the airport to Paradise Island will cost about $34USD.
How to get around Nassau?
On Foot
Walking is only a realistic option if you don't intend to leave the resort. If you're staying in Downtown Nassau, being of foot maybe your best option because it's hard to find a parking spot if you rent a car and staying downtown.
Rent a Car
Renting a car is the most ideal way to get around this small island if you plan on exploring. It gives you the flexibility to move around when you chose. When renting a car, make sure you have a GPS in the car to avoid difficulties getting around. For us, it was pretty easy to navigate around the island without a GSP. Most destinations you want to travel to are one straight point to another. Just be aware that in the Bahamas they drive on the LEFT!!
Ferry Boat
Native Ferries run from Paradise Island to Nassau daily from 9am - 6pm. The cost is $4 per person one way or $8 per person round trip from paradise island to Nassau. They run every half hour on the hour, but in reality, they run when they are filled up -- so you may wait 15-30 min
Scoot Rentals
You will find scooter vendors outside most of the hotels in Nassau and on Paradise Island. You can also find them outside of the cruise ship dock. Just be aware that in the Bahamas they drive on the LEFT!!
Taxi
Taxis are an effective way to get around the island but will break your pockets. You can call for a pickup or you can hail a taxi on the street. At night the fare can cost you even more than the normal price you would pay.
Bus
Public buses which are often referred to as “jitneys.” These vehicles generally have 32 seats and travel around the city and the island. You'll find many bus stops along the road but you'll just have to sit and wait until a bus comes by and picks you up.
When to travel to Nassau?
Nassau is a destination to visit year all around with consistent temperatures ranging from 70s-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The peak season is between December and May. July to October is the region's hurricane season with average temps in the upper 80s.
We traveled to Nassau Mid-April which was decent airfare tickets but an expensive stay. To avoid the sky-high prices for hotels we chose to stay in an Airbnb.
Where to eat in Nassau?
Fish Fry- Is a local area with a bunch of Bahamian restaurants to choose from and will save you lots of money from eating downtown or from dining at the Atlantis resort. Fish Fry is also known as Arawak Cay.
Twin Brothers- A local restaurants that serves some of the best seafood and drinks!
The Poop Deck- Serves fresh fish and local Bahamian food.
Pirate Republic- is rated one of the best micro-breweries in the Caribbean.
Senor Frogs- When you're looking for cheap drinks.
Curly's Restaurant and Bar- Vegan-friendly
Carmines- An Itailan restaurants located by Atlantis.
Poseidon’s Table- An all you can eat buffet located by Atlantis.
What language is spoken in Nassau?
English.
Currency?
United States dollars & Bahamian dollars can be used in the Bahamas.
Check out Google Currency Converter for current rates.
Things you should know when traveling to Nassau?
The whole island of Nassau is 21 miles long.
The Bahamian dollar is on par with the US dollar – no need to exchange currency!
If you’re traveling from North America, your electronics will plug into outlets here in the Bahamas, so there’s no need to pack adapters.
Is Nassau kid friendly? Things to do with kids?
Nassau is super kid-friendly! Nassau is a relaxed island with many water sports and calm waters with soft sand! There are tons of family cruise ships that stop along the coast of Nassau! If 100's of families stop here on a daily basis then you should already expect Nassau to target family travelers.
Atlantis Bahamas- An expanisve beach resort with a water park.
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre.
Aquaventure- An adventure water park with waterslides, a lazy river & swimming pools.
Marine Habitat at Atlantis- An aquaruim.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
-Helen Keller
