Nassau, the capital city of Bahamas, is one of the most-visited beach locations in the Caribbean. One of the reasons behind its rising tourism is its connectivity with major cities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The city, which is named after William III of England, has plenty of activities to offer. In this article are some of the best things to do in Nassau, Bahamas.

Before we move to the detailed list of fun activities to do in Nassau, let’s read more about this historic town of the Caribbean. Nassau is home to many of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Its coastline with crystal blue water and sparkling sand is the most preferred destination by couples. If you are planning a visit soon, here are some popular things to do in Nassau, Bahamas.

Things to Do in Nassau, Bahamas

Here is a list of some popular things to do in Nassau, Bahamas. We have also mentioned the important details like pricing, the time required, as well as opening days and times of each destination or activity.

#1. Take the Queen’s Staircase

Queen’s Staircase looks like something straight out of a movie scene. The sixty-six steps connecting Fort Fincastle will give you some needed workout. You will be awestruck by the hard work and technology that went into carving out this 600-foot-tall Queen’s Staircase.

The entire structure is made up of solid limestone and dates back to 1793–1794. The staircase was built in honor of Queen Victoria.

If you are a photography enthusiast, you can make a great photo op at the location. The historic Fort Fincastle makes for the perfect photography subject as well as locale. The fort sits on the highest point of New Providence Island.

The best part is, the Queen’s Staircase is open every day for guided tours. Here are the other details you will need.

  • Address: Elisabeth Ave., Nassau, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 24 hours
  • Price: Free
  • Nearest Port: Cruise Port (walking distance)

#2. Group Tour to Pig Beach by Powerboat

Are you an animal lover? You would love this place that is filled with cute and pink pigs on a beach. Pig Beach, as the name suggests, is a pristine beach where you can get a chance to swim with pigs.

The island is an uninhabited one, but the small four-legged inhabitants make for the perfect location.

The legend goes back to time immemorial when the sailors dropped off pigs on the island who wanted to come back and cook them.

The sailors never returned, which led to pigs surviving on food dumped by ships and then multiplying. Another legend says that these pigs were survivors of a shipwreck.

The pigs are now fed by the local tourists, and the island is now unofficially known as Pig Beach by the locals. There are around twenty pigs and piglets on the beach along with stray cats and goats.

You can take a powerboat trip and reach Pig Beach. From there, you can take a water taxi to Stocking Island for an amazing fresh conch. Enjoy some fish at Eddie’s Edgewater Grill post. You can also join a party at Chat’n Chill.

Here are some other important details of Pig Beach:

  • Address: Big Major Cay, Exuma, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to sunset
  • Fee: Approximately $300
  • Time Required: You can spend as much time as you want at Pig Beach. However, ideally, a couple of hours would be sufficient.
  • Nearest Airport: Staniel Cay

#3. Aquaventure Water Park at Atlantis Paradise Island

If you are a water baby and beaches aren’t enough for you, Aquaventure Water Park can be the apt destination. Located in Atlantis Paradise Island, this water park is an aquatic park that speaks of a whole new world of fun. This location can be enjoyed with the entire family.

Spread over 141 acres, Aquaventure is full of thrilling rides, theme-based adventures, and other activities for people of all age groups.

Apart from this, it has other fun-filled activities including high-speed water slides and a mile-long river ride with rolling rapids. For water lovers, Aquaventure is the best place to visit in Nassau.

Here are some other important details of Aquaventure Water Park:

  • Address: One Casino Drive, Suite 42, Paradise Island, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Fee: Approximately $170
  • Time Required: A couple of hours would be enough to take a tour of the entire water park.
  • Nearest Port: Paradise Island

#4. Sample Rum at John Watling’s Distillery

If you love Rum, John Watling’s Distillery can be worth a stop. It is just a few steps away from Graycliff and the Government House. The beautiful distillery is located on the spacious Buena Vista Estate.

It was built back in 1789. You can sample Watling’s small-batch, barrel-aged rums that are pale white, amber, and Buena Vista varieties.

Rum is embedded in the history of the Caribbean islands. Talking about this signature rum, it is distilled from sugar cane with the formula dating back to the seventeenth century.

The rum is aged in the barrels with up to 10 percent of the liquid’s volume evaporating through the walls every year. This evaporated liquid is known as “the angel’s share.”

Located in a very approachable locale, John Watling’s Distillery is a must-visit place when in Nassau, Bahamas. Here are some other details you need to know about John Watling’s Distillery.

  • Address: Delancy St., Nassau, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
  • Fee: Approximately $7 for each rum
  • Time Required: You can spend as much time as you want. However, ideally, one hour is sufficient.
  • Nearest Port: Cruise Port

#5. Blue Lagoon Island

Blue Lagoon Island is home to one of the best beaches in the Bahamas. It is also known as Salt Cay and is often called the “real” Bahamas. For decades, it has been the primary attraction in Nassau for its natural beauty and beaches.

It is located just three miles away from the main city of Nassau.

Blue Lagoon Island is inhabited by many dolphins and sea lions, which you can spot easily on one of your trips.

This is one of the reasons why so many educational excursions also take place on this island, to experience the flora and fauna of Bahamas.

You can easily reach the Blue Lagoon Island by taking up the high-speed double-decker catamarans through Nassau’s historic harbor.

The trip, which is not heavy on your pocket, will give you an opportunity to experience Paradise Island and Nassau.

Here are other important details about Blue Lagoon Island you need to know:

  • Address: Blue Lagoon Island, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: All the time    
  • Fee: Adults—$69.00; children—$45.00
  • Time Required: You can spend the entire day and leave by sunset.
  • Port: Blue Lagoon

#6. Stuart’s Cove

Stuart’s Cove is a beautiful destination for water sports lovers. The place provides you the right time and opportunity to unleash your inner adventure enthusiast.

You can dive and snorkel in the crystal clear water of the Caribbean and explore mystic reefs and shipwrecks at the ocean floor. You can drop by and say hello to some exotic underwater species.

For scuba diving, the place has some of the best-trained and certified SCUBA divers who can let you explore the walls, reefs, and wrecks of the New Providence Island.

To experience the Hollywood thriller Jaws, you can go for shark diving and experience how completely harmless these carnivores can be. Witness the Caribbean Reef Sharks circling on the ocean floor with this exciting trip.

If you are a beginner, you can take diving lessons to add up on your adventure list. On the other hand, the experienced divers can suit for some open-water adventures.

Here are other important details about Stuart’s Cove you need to know:

  • Address: Stuart’s Cove, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 24 hours
  • Fee: Adults—varies according to activities, a diving package of four days costs around $500.
  • Time Required: You can enjoy as many activities as you want, depending upon the time in your hand and your budget.
  • Nearest Port: Cruise Port

#7. Visit Primeval Forest National Park

To explore the flora and fauna of Bahamas, do make time to visit Primeval Forest, National Park. Spread across 7.5 acres of New Providence’s forest, the national park sees thousands of visitors every year.

Established in 2002, this place is in a relatively undisturbed area of Bahamas. Apart from the diverse collection of plants and animals, there are limestone caverns and sinkholes as well.

The forest is rich in an array of pines, hemlocks, termite mounds, mosses, and even fossilized conch shells. The major attraction of this untouched beauty is the sinkholes. Some of them are even 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep. A bit scary, isn’t it?

The sinkholes appear because of the abundance of water that weathers the limestone, which is naturally very porous.

There are steps and bridges to access these deep sinkholes. The park is open only for limited hours of the day due to obvious reasons. Here are some of the other details that you need to know before heading out for a trip.

  • Address: Nassau, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on Sunday
  • Fee: $5
  • Time Required: It would require a large amount of walking, so plan your trip accordingly so that you can cover the maximum area.
  • Nearest Airport: Nassau International Port

#8. Enjoy Meals at Bahamian Cookin’ Restaurant

What’s the point of the entire trip if you didn’t explore the traditional cuisines of the place? Thus, stopping by Bahamian Cookin’ when in Nassau is a must.

It is Nassau’s oldest and the only Bahamian restaurant that serves authentic traditional cuisine. The entire property is owned by a family for three generations since 1986.

The place serves some lip-smacking dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer a variety of specials every week.

The most popular dishes include conch fritters, conch chowder, cracked lobster, baskets of grilled or fried shrimp, and steaming barbecue ribs.

The seafood platters are so sumptuous that you won’t want to share them with anyone. The meals are served with equally delicious sides.

Throughout the week, you can see a number of locals thronging the restaurant. On the weekends, the place is packed with tourists.

  • Address: Trinity Place (Downtown), Nassau, Bahamas, 242-328-0334
  • Opening Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed on Sunday
  • Fee: Depending on the food ordered
  • Time Required: Sit to enjoy your meal as long as you wish.
  • Nearest Airport: Nassau International Airport

#9. Visit Fort Charlotte

If you have some time left in your hand, you should definitely pay a visit to this white beauty called Fort Charlotte. This is the largest fort in the New Providence. Located very close to the city of Nassau, it is very easy to reach this fort.

Fort Charlotte sits on the hill overlooking the far west end of the harbor, giving you the breathtaking views of Paradise Island, Nassau, and the harbor.

The fort was named after the wife of King George III, Queen Saharia Charlotte. Dating back to 1788, Fort Charlotte has a moat, dungeons, passageways, and cannons which were never fired.

The fort has never been used in a battle. These forts were used as battle stations to attack the Spaniard invaders.

Visitors can take guided tours during the daytime and experience the bright sun reflecting on the white walls of the majestic architecture.

If you are fascinated by history, the guides will be more than glad to give you an insight into some bits of it.

The staff there is dressed in period costumes and also displays basket-weaving techniques of the Bahamian tradition. Stay by the afternoon to experience the cannon-firing ceremony that takes place every day at the Fort Charlotte.

  • Address: West Bay Street (opposite Arawak Cay), Nassau, Bahamas
  • Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily
  • Fee: Adults—$5, children—$2
  • Time Required: You can arrive in the morning and wait until the cannon-firing ceremony at noon.
  • Nearest Port: Nassau, Bahamas, Cruise Terminal

Nassau is one of the most beautiful beach locations to visit in the Caribbean. The locations mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are in Nassau and are up for any kind of adventure, the sky’s the limit for you.

You can seek help from the local guides as well. The Bahamas is absolutely safe for tourists. Bon, voyage!