15 fun things to do in Nassau, Bahamas
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Planning a trip to the Bahamas? Here is a guide to a weeks-worth of fun things to do in Nassau — from relaxing on the beach to exploring local culture, cuisine, and adventures on land and sea.
Guide to what to do in Nassau: beaches and beyond
1. Hit the beach
The beaches in the Bahamas are spectacular and swimming in the turquoise sea is one of the best Nassau experiences.
After visiting Nassau more than a dozen times, my top choice for a beach day in Nassau is to head to the west end of Sandyport Beach, a twenty-minute drive west of downtown, because you can escape the crowds and the seadoos (though they are available elsewhere, if that’s more your speed – see below) while still having easy access to food and drink.
You can access the beach from the Poopdeck at Sandyport restaurant (West Bay Street) where you can rent a beach lounger and umbrella for $10 – free if you order food or drinks from the restaurant. A good deal, as a frosty tropical cocktail or mocktail makes a great day at the beach in the Bahamas even better.
Get there by taking the #10 jitney bus ($1.50 exact cash only) from Frederick Street at the corner with Bay Street in downtown Nassau (near the Straw Market), or pick it up at any bus stop on West Bay Street heading west, or take a taxi for about $15.
Quick tip: Make sure you set your GPS for the Poopdeck at Sandyport so you don’t end up at the Poopdeck restaurant in downtown Nassau, which has no beach.
If you are looking for more of a resort experience and are not staying at an oceanfront hotel, several beach resorts in Nassau sell day passes. The British Colonial Hotel on Junkanoo Beach ($80/$40 adult/child aged 6-12; 5 and under no charge) has a nice beach and two swimming pools shaded by palm trees and equipped with a pool bar serving food and drinks. Its location a ten-minute walk from the cruise ship dock is convenient, but also means it can sometimes draw a lot of daytrippers. Book through the hotel’s Heritage Shoppe in the lobby or at daypasses.com.
If money is no object, head to the sophisticated Baha Bay Beach Club at Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach (west of downtown Nassau) where you can rent a lounger for the day for $125 (reservations required) which is applied toward food and drink at the 25° North poolside restaurant. If you are not staying at the resort, you must also buy a day pass to the Baha Bay Waterpark (day passes adult/child aged 3 and over but under 48” tall $160/$65, children aged 2 and under no charge). Alternatively, skip the Beach Club and just enjoy the (more kid-filled) pools, beach and beach food at the waterpark. Take a taxi for about $15-$20 from downtown, or the #10 jitney ($1.50).
Quick Tip: The resorts sell a limited number of day passes each day, so it’s best to reserve them in advance.
You can also enjoy the soft white sand of Cable Beach for absolutely free at Goodman’s Bay Park Beach, almost next door to Baha Mar. There are public washrooms, beach loungers with umbrella for rent $10, beach toys to rent, and food and drink vendors onsite. A fresh coconut with a straw in it goes for $4. If you are looking for budget-friendly Nassau attractions, Goodman’s Bay Park Beach is hard to beat.
Goodman’s Bay is popular with locals and visitors alike with a day-off-at-the-beach vibe. It can get busy with jet skis and banana boats, etc. by times. Bring your own beach towel. It’s a $10-$15 taxi ride from downtown or take the #10 jitney ($1.50).
Depending on your priorities, your budget, and how many people you are travelling with, staying at a beach resort might be the way to go. Read more about where to stay in Nassau here.
Quick tip: all beaches in the Bahamas are public beaches up to the high water mark, so feel free to stroll along the surf anywhere in the Bahamas. There are public access paths to most beaches around Nassau. Crossing private property without permission to get to the beach is illegal.
For a change of pace, the historic Graycliff Hotel offers a tempting Escape Nassau day pass (US$125/$75 adult/child). It includes a refreshing welcome drink and a three-course lunch served by the beautifully tiled pool in a palm-shaded courtyard— or indoors in the elegant dining room, if you’re dressed for it. Dip in the pool and sip iced tea where icons like Winston Churchill and the Beatles once soaked up the Nassau sun.
2. Take a historical walking tour
Nassau has a fascinating history filled with pirates and rum rummers, as an outpost of the British empire, and a bolthole for glamorous movie stars. Exploring Nassau on a historical walking tour with a local guide is a great way to make its wild history come alive. If you are visiting Nassau for the first time, a walking tour is also a good introduction to the island.
The Dilly Dally Walking Tour of Nassau
Recommended is the Dilly Dally Walking Tour of Nassau (3hrs; US$55; small group), which takes in most of the major historical and cultural sites – the peppermint pink Bahamas Parliament Buildings in Rawson Square, the Queen’s Staircase, Fort Fincastle, and the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, with stops at Watling’s rum distillery and the historic Graycliff hotel and chocolatier before winding up at the overflowing Nassau straw market where you can browse for souvenir.
* Click here to book the Dilly Dally Walking Tour of Nassau *
3. Taste your way around town on a Bahamian food tour
Bites of Nassau Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour
Sample Bahamian cuisine with a side of history on a culinary walking tour of Nassau. You’ll meet some Bahamians, taste local dishes, and learn about Nassau’s colourful history. A couple of Nassau tour companies offer enticing options. Locally-owned Tru Bahamian Food Tours runs the Bites of Nassau Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour (3 hours, US$92/$57 adult/child, small group tour; substitutions available for dietary restrictions with advance notice).
* Ready to taste authentic Bahamian cuisine with a local guide? Book Your Tru Bahamian Food Tour Here *
Rum Tasting and Food Walking Tour
Also recommended is the rum tasting and food walking tour with Islandz Tours—a fun, flavorful dive into Nassau’s wild past of pirates, bootleggers, and rum runners. You’ll snack your way through the city with sweet and savory bites at local spots, sip your way through rum tastings, learn how to craft your own island-inspired cocktails in a hands-on mixology session, and cap it all off with a visit to the famous Watling’s Rum Distillery — a highlight on most Nassau tours (3 hours, US$100, less for non-drinkers; small group tour).
* To book your Islandz Tours Rum Tasting and Food Walking Tour Click Here *
If a walking tour isn’t your thing, Islandz Tours also offers a small group Nassau Sites and Tastes bus tour (US$105, 4 hours).
Like Tru Bahamian Tours, Islandz Tours can accommodate dietary restrictions on all their tours if you give them advance notice.
4. Go snorkelling or diving
The beautiful turquoise sea is the Bahamas’ best feature. As lovely as its pink and white sand beaches are, some of the most spectacular scenery is underwater. When visiting Nassau, don’t miss the chance to go snorkelling.
Put on a mask and snorkel and stick your face in the water at just about any beach, and you’ll see some beautiful tropical fish. In Nassau, try Love Beach, where there are reefs to explore just off-shore. Cable Beach and Cabbage Beach also feature coral heads and rocky outcroppings where colourful marine life likes to linger.
Personally, if I’m going into water that’s over my head, I like adult supervision and someone on shark watch. I am therefore a big fan of the professionally guided snorkelling trip, which will also take you to coral gardens and reefs you can’t reach on your own.
In Nassau, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas is a well-established and reputable operator. They offer daily snorkelling excursions (US$119/$88 adult/child 4-11yrs) with pick up from your hotel, as well as diving (US$185 2-tank half day), PADI diving courses, and boat charters.
5. Experience Nassau like a local
In high season especially, there are so many tourists in Nassau that it can sometimes be hard to get a feel for Bahamian culture or what regular life is like for residents. If you want to explore Nassau culture beyond the tourist attractions, check out the People to People program (free) run by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. It links interested visitors with local volunteers to get together for a meal or another typical island pass-time.
6. Take a Bahamian cooking class
Learn a few home-cooked favourites from a Bahamian chef in their own kitchen. Chef Seanette offers an Authentic Bahamian Cooking Class through Travelling Spoon (US$102-$119 depending on the number of participants; minimum 2). The menu varies with the season. For example, you may learn how to make conch fritters and steamed snapper cooked Bahamian-style with a side of peas ‘n rice, which the class will enjoy together for lunch or dinner, with guava duff, coconut tart or pineapple tarts prepared ahead of time by the chef herself for dessert. Chef Seanette can accommodate vegans, vegetarians, and other dietary restrictions – just let her know when you book. Transportation to and from the chef’s house can be arranged (her sister will pick you up at your hotel and take you back again for $79 per car).
Also through Travelling Spoon, Chef Gabbi teaches a Bahamian baking class at her home on Tuesdays and Sundays, where you can learn how to make warm pineapple duff with rum cream sauce and other sweet and savory delicacies like coconut bread and curried chicken patties. Chef Gabbi happily accommodates dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free options (US$159/$80 adult/child, maximum of 4 people in a class). If you’d like to sip a cocktail while you bake, that can be arranged ($20) with instruction in how to make it at home. Transfers to and from your hotel US$79 per car.
If cooking is not your idea of a vacation but boat drinks are, try a Bahamian mixology class with Alicia (Puppy) and her team at her mobile cocktail wagon, the Tipsea on Paradise Island. You’ll learn how to make three beautiful craft cocktails or mocktails (your choice) infused with local flavours, and enjoy them with savory snacks (US$65, minimum of four for the class to go ahead). Located a 5-minute walk from the Atlantis Resort.
7. Enjoy authentic Bahamian cuisine — a must-do Nassau experience
Enjoy a home-cooked Bahamian meal at a Nassau eatery like the family-owned Bahamian Cookin’ Restaurant (Parliament Street opposite Parliament Square, open 7am – 5pm; takeaway only for breakfast, eat-in or takeaway lunch from 11:30am), a long-time favourite with downtown office workers. Bahamian Cookin’ is often included on culinary tours of Nassau (for good reason).
Try the verandah at Traveller’s Rest, overlooking the water in Gambier, 9 miles west of town (809 West Bay Street, open 11am – 11pm, closed Tuesdays, a 5-minute drive from the airport if you have a long layover between flights). Service at Traveller’s Rest can sometimes be slow, in my experience, though not always. It’s a beautiful setting and good food, so if you’re not in a rush, sit back and sip a skytini while you wait.
8. Spend the day at one of Nassau’s signature waterparks
If you are wondering what to do in Nassau with kids, a day of adventure at the waterpark zooms to the top of the list.
Nassau is home to three incredible waterparks that promise non-stop fun for both kids and adults. Each boasts a lazy river winding through lush palms, wave pools with a crashing surf, towering water slides and heart-pounding thrill rides. You can also lounge on the beach, take a dip in one or more swimming pools, and grab a bite at a casual restaurant.
The grandaddy of them all is Aquaventure at Atlantis on Paradise Island (day pass prices vary by season and date; around $195/$96 adult/child aged 4-12 in February, no charge for kids aged 3 and under), with its soaring pink towers and a replica Mayan temple holding the terrifying 60 foot ‘Leap of Faith’ vertical slide that finishes by shooting you through a clear tube in a shark-filled lagoon.
Cabbage Beach fronts the resort and a day pass gives you access to 13 of the resort’s 14 swimming pools, its spectacular aquarium, the Aquaventure water park, and the many bars and restaurants at Atlantis. On my last visit in 2023, service was sometimes grudgingly provided, but we still had a good time. The best way to get there is by taxi ($15-$20, 15min from the cruise ship dock in downtown Nassau)
Quick Tip: If you want to do Atlantis but are trying to keep costs down, consider staying at the perfectly nice Comfort Suites next door — guests staying two nights or more at the Comfort Suites have free access to the amenities at Atlantis, including the waterpark.
* Click Here To check current rates and book Comfort Suites Paradise Island *
Baha Bay at Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach (adult/child aged 3 and over but under 48” tall US$160/$65, children aged 2 and under no charge) which bills itself as a “luxury waterpark,” is a newer, fresher take on the idea, with play areas catering to various age-groups and as well as a surf simulator and some resident flamingos and parrots.
The newest kid on the block is the Fins Up Waterpark at the Margaritaville Beach Resort (2 Bay Street, Nassau, US$110/$63 adult/child), which offers similar thrills on a smaller scale. Located beachfront downtown, next door to the British Colonial Hotel.
9. Meander through the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas
If you didn’t visit on a guided walking tour, spend an hour seeing the Bahamas through the eyes of its artists, both historical and contemporary at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas (the yellow mansion on West Hill Street, open Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm, admission adult/seniors and students $10/$5, children under 12 free).
10. Take an art class
Make your own souvenir of Nassau in an art class at the Current Gallery and Art Centre at the Baha Mar Resort (open to non-guests, register in advance). The schedule for classes is available online and options include a Bahamian Landscape Painting class (2hrs, $77) and a Sip and Paint sesh ($85).
11. Visit the Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation
The Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation in Vendue House on Bay Street (named for the leader of an 1830 uprising against slavery on Exuma) houses an excellent exhibit on the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Spanish slavers wiped out the indigenous Lucayan population in the islands. Most present-day Bahamians are descendants of Africans enslaved by the British or freed from slaving vessels and deposited in the Bahamas to start a new life.
Museum open Monday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. / Thursdays 9:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. / Closed Sundays and Public Holidays. Admission $5.50 CASH ONLY. Allow about an hour. There is also a small exhibit on the Lucayans upstairs (extra fee).
12. Play a round of mini golf
Yeah, serious duffers can play a round of golf at one of Nassau’s swish courses, but mini golf is fun for everyone! Play the mini golf course at Baha Mar for $30 per person (the resort also has a Jack Nicklaus golf course). There are no windmill holes or pirate ships here, alas. It’s all mini manicured greens and bijoux sandtraps.
13. Soak Up the Atmosphere with a Cocktail in Hand at a Cozy Island Bar
One of my favourite Nassau activities is capping off a day of sightseeing or snorkelling sipping a frozen coconut rum cocktail to a mellow soundtrack in one of the island’s atmospheric watering holes.
Bon Vivants Café and Cocktail Bar (401 Sea Skye Lane, Sandyport; open daily 8am – 12am and until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights) serves beautiful cocktails and mocktails in a gorgeous plush lounge or outside on the deck under trees twinkling with fairy lights. It’s a café by day and a cozy cocktail bar at night.
The Sunset Beach Club (West Bay Street, open 12noon-10pm, until midnight Friday and Saturday, closed Mondays) is a good place to watch the sun sink into the sea, over dinner if you like.
After dark, the softly-lit velvet interior of Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club at the Baha Mar Resort (6pm-1am nightly, until 2am Friday and Saturday) oozes 1950s glamour. Live music most nights. Outside guests are welcome – make reservations and buy tickets in advance.
14. Browse for made-in-the-Bahamas souvenirs
Bahamian-made products you might want to take home include Androsia batik textiles, produced on Andros island (a 20 minute flight from Nassau), jewelry made from pink conch shells and sea glass, straw work (bags and baskets), original artwork, and of course rum.
A local company called My Ocean also produces beautiful and beautifully packaged soaps and candles made with the essences of tropical fruits and flowers, as well as jewelry, textiles, and natural Bahamian sponges. My Ocean has several outlets in Nassau, including at the Marina Village at Atlantis. The Marina Village has a good selection of local products and other souvenirs in its several shops.
Bahama Art and Handicraft (East Shirley Street – take a taxi; open 10am-3pm Tuesday – Friday, 10am-2pm Saturday, closed Sundays) is a treasure trove of jewelry, art work, straw work and other unique items.
15. Make a day trip to the Out Islands
Nassau tour operators offer a variety of half day and full-day boat excursions to uninhabited cays around Nassau for $100 – $400 per person.
The advantage of these organized day trips is that you don’t have to deal with the logistics. You just book your ticket, show up at the dock or are picked up at your hotel and whisked away to an offshore island for the day, where there is a range of activities available along with beach food and tropical cocktails. These excursions cater mainly to the thousands of cruise ship passengers who disembark in Nassau for the day, pretty much every day, but anyone can buy a ticket.
These boat tours get mixed reviews from visitors. Some people love the experience, raving about the swimming pigs, the iguanas, their encounter with a dolphin (available on some excursions), the welcoming staff, beautiful beach and the great time the kids had playing on the huge inflated beach toys.
Some people hate it, complaining about the crowds, bad expensive food, watered down drinks, poor service, small enclosures for the dolphins, and sometimes long lines for the boat ride back to Nassau on some large group excursions.
Whether or not you enjoy one of these boat trips will probably depend on how you feel about sharing the experience with a lot of other people, how you feel about animal encounters for tourists, and the service you receive on the day, which can be hit or miss.
I will say that there used to be only one island in the Bahamas where feral swimming pigs could be found – Big Major Cay in the Exumas – the result of a long-ago pig escape. Now there are swimming pigs all over the place, deliberately released on offshore islands as tourist attractions.
For around the same money as one of the more costly Nassau boat excursions, a fun alternative is a DIY day trip to the Out Islands, where you can get an authentic taste of the Bahamas. The catch is it takes more planning plus time to get to-and-from the airport on both islands.
For example, you can fly roundtrip to Georgetown, Exuma on Bahamasair for $200 per person (half hour flight, leaving Nassau at 8am and returning on the 6pm flight), pick up a taxi ($40 into Georgetown) or a rental car ($60-$70 a day) from the airport.
Explore the island or take a water taxi ($30 return) over to the Chat ‘n Chill beach bar and grill on Stocking Island, a mile across Elizabeth Harbour from Georgetown, swim and snorkel in the gorgeous turquoise sea and be back in Nassau in time to be fashionably late for dinner (if Bahamasair is on time, which it usually is, but not always). Given the effort and expense involved, you might choose to stay overnight.
So, is Nassau worth visiting?
You can have a great time in Nassau. If you have lots of money to blow, you can have a really great time.
I’ll be honest; I love the Out Islands of the Bahamas so much that I usually just stop over in Nassau for a night or two enroute to the Exumas, Eleuthera, the Abacos, Cat Island, Andros, or another island in the archipelago.
However, Nassau is the capital, 85 percent of Bahamians call it home, it has a fascinating history, a vibrant culture, some beautiful beaches and gorgeous resorts, and lots of things to do.
It has other big pluses. For frozen North Americans looking for a quick getaway to a sunny island, Nassau is enticingly close – a three-hour direct flight from New York or four hours from Toronto. A return flight can cost $400 or less. You can be lounging on the beach with a pina colada in hand by lunchtime.
If you just want some down time at a beach resort and a few fun outings, you can find it in Nassau.
On the down side, tourism in Nassau is overdeveloped in places. Over 5 million cruise ship passengers visit each year and several thousand visitors fly in each day to stay at the beach resorts. Nassau is also a city of 320,000 residents. You have to seek out the quiet spots and genuine experiences, if that’s what you are looking for (see above for some suggestions).
Nassau and the Bahamas in general can also be an expensive travel destination. However, there are days-worth of fun free or low cost things to do, and nice mid-range accommodations and dining options available (read more about the Bahamas on a budget here) AND the beaches in the Bahamas are like nowhere else.
With these suggestions for things to do and your own discoveries as you explore Nassau, you can have a wonderful trip and come away feeling like you’ve experienced a slice of island life.
My experience in the Bahamas
I’ve been travelling to the Bahamas regularly for over 20 years, and am the author and co-author of seven travel guidebooks including the first and second editions of the Rough Guide to the Bahamas and the Rough Guide to the Caribbean.
While I generally prefer to spend my time in the less developed Out Islands of the Bahamas including the Exumas, the Abacos, Andros, Eleuthera (where I lived for four months) and Harbour Island, Cat Island, Long Island and Great Inagua, I’ve visited Nassau at least a dozen times and have had the opportunity to explore its tourist hotspots and hidden corners.
The recommendations in this guide come from firsthand experience — the winners, the not-so-much-a-winners, and the lessons learned!
See my recommendations for where to stay in Nassau HERE
Cover photo of the Pompey Museum, Nassau by Julia Dorian
