Families

Family Time, Island Style

My 10-year-old devoured Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. I skimmed Anne Rivers Siddons’ bestseller Islands. And my 7-year-old in the window seat suggested that we close our books and have a look at the real thing.

Below us stretched a seemingly endless turquoise and cobalt sea, dotted with the white sails of pleasure craft and the curvy, sand-fringed islands of The Bahamas. It was a spectacular view – nearly worth the price of admission for the vantage point alone.

Getting Acclimated to Nassau / Paradise Island

As we hopped in a taxi at the airport, my daughter, Grace, asked our driver how long the ride was to Atlantis. The grandmother who shared our taxi, however, wanted to know it all.

What was the temperature? (A balmy 80 degrees Fahrenheit.)

What did he like to do in his spare time? (Fish for yellowtail and grunts.)

What type of government? (Constitutional parliamentary democracy, with a prime minister and cabinet.)

What was the exchange rate? (Bahamian and U.S. currencies are equivalent.)

Was American money good on the island?

"Ma’am," said our driver, speaking with a Bahamian lilt, but nary a hint of irony, "American money is the best money in the world."

Arriving at Atlantis

With those words of welcome, we sped toward Atlantis' Harborside Resort, just over the toll bridge from Nassau. These one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with living rooms and kitchens are great for families.

After bringing in our bags and having a quick look around, we headed for the spectacle of Atlantis. With oodles of pools and water slides (two of which shoot you through the shark tank – safely encapsulated in an acrylic tube, of course), a Lazy River tube ride, a snorkeling lagoon, paddle boats, restaurants and shops on site (not to mention aquariums and lagoons with more than 70,000 live animals), most folks probably never leave the resort.

Exploring Nassau and Environs

I was born curious, however, and believe that when you’re lucky enough to be in another part of the world, you should go out and have a look at it.

Turns out there’s plenty of interesting sightseeing for families in the area. Take Pirates of Nassau, for example, right in the downtown area at King and George streets. We might have missed the small storefront entrance to the museum – that is, if the 6’4” pirate standing outside (authentically missing a few teeth, waving a pistol about wildly and talking pirate trash) hadn’t suggested we have a photo taken with him and then come on inside. My son, Andrew (an expert on buccaneers and marine scalawags thanks to his fourth-grade Social Studies class) loved the museum for its atmosphere (parts of it are designed to look like you’re actually inside a pirate ship). The information was presented well, and in a manner accessible to adults and most school-aged children. (One note: very young or sensitive children may be intimidated by the darkness of the ship at the beginning – it may help to let them know that nothing jumps out at you.)

Just off of West Bay Street is Ardastra Gardens & Zoo, where both Grace and Andrew were delighted to discover some of the animals roaming free. In fact, we almost tripped over a sleeping Vietnamese potbellied pig as we entered.

"Grace, it’s a wild boar!" Andrew whispered.

“Andrew, is it dead?” she whispered back.

Besides the not-dead not-boar, we enjoyed seeing the zoo’s collection of wild cats (ocelots, servals, jaguars and caracals); feeding apple slices to the brilliantly colored lorry parrots; watching fabulously showy peacocks strut around; and seeing the sizeable flock of flamingos (Ardastra has what it claims to be the world’s only trained, marching flamingos). A drill sergeant (trainer) herds them into an open-air auditorium three times a day, calling out "Bout Face!" in a singsong voice. My kids found it pretty comical. Visitors who go to Ardastra should know that this is a small, older zoo (dating back to 1937); while not on the scale of large zoos in the U.S., it should entertain children from the ages of 2 to about 12.

My kids loved our Dolphin Encounter at Blue Lagoon Island best of all. After a quick 15-minute boat ride to Blue Lagoon from the Paradise Island Ferry Terminal, we docked, attended a brief informational session about the physiology and behaviors of dolphins, settled our stuff in a locker and went to meet Shawn, our dolphin companion. During our session, we stroked, fed and danced with Shawn, and also got a chance to touch his (very sharp) conical teeth while standing in waist-deep water. Blue Lagoon also offers a swim-with-dolphins program.

Our People-to-People Experience

Pirates, dolphins and shark-infested water slides are all good, but hands-down my favorite part of the trip was having dinner with the Kerrs, a Bahamian family who participates in the country’s People-to-People Programme. Like the other islanders we met, the Kerrs were beautiful people – friendly, industrious and deeply religious. Bahamians do appreciate what tourism means to their economy and, as a result, they treat travelers pretty much like visiting royalty. A large crowd of family and friends welcomed us at the Kerrs, along with our hostesses Kashelle and Paulette. Paulette’s husband had prepared Bahamian specialties (spicy fish, fried plantains, red beans and rice, spicy macaroni and cheese, homemade coleslaw); Paulette had baked her special coconut cake. During dessert and pleasant conversation, Paulette was even kind enough to suggest that I look like Princess Di (I don’t), and to comment on the regal names of my children. I came away feeling like we’d made new friends.

Heading Home

Our long weekend in Nassau/Paradise Island, of course, wasn’t long enough. Grace and Andrew begged me to extend our trip, at least for a few more days. When I told them I was expected back at work, Grace had some advice for me.

"Two words, Mom – lap top."

I didn't tell the first grader that it's actually just one word. Spelling aside, who could argue with her logic?

Other information for family travelers:

The Straw Market, right in downtown Nassau on Bay Street, is a fun place to meander through to find inexpensive souvenirs, including hats just woven with palm fronds (some with fancy palm-frond grasshoppers on top). While we were there, a small group of gospel singers livened things up with their soulful music.

Behind the Straw Market, you'll find docks that offer ferry service to Atlantis along with fishing and snorkeling charters. And a word to the wise: You’re in the tropics – bring a bathing suit with you everywhere. We missed out on a snorkel trip (we happened upon it at the docks about 30 minutes before departure time) because we didn’t have our suits with us.

Marina Village at Atlantis is a charming place to shop or have some dinner. Make sure you have a look at the fabulous yachts that are docked at Atlantis Marina, adjacent to the village.

You might want to consider taking taxis or public transportation rather than rent a car. Bahamians drive on the left side of the road, a fact that is sure to provide you with a few terrifying moments before vehicular culture-shock has abated, leaving you with the realization that you are in no peril from the driver who is clearly in your lane. You'll find that, unlike in other parts of the world, taxi drivers here are unfailingly polite and (since they are often natives) quite knowledgeable about Nassau / Paradise Island’s history and sightseeing.