Island CultureMore Things to DoArtists and ArtisansThis tour is a cultural extravaganza and takes guests into the shacks of the participants in the world-famous Junkanoo parades held Boxing Day and New Years Day from 2 - 8 a.m. Visits are also scheduled for art galleries and music and dance theatres. You will also visit a wooden house built to the same design and specifications of old Nassau. Activity: Historic Attraction Atlantis TheatreSee recent Hollywood hit movies in the Atlantis Theatre, located in the Convention Center Rotunda. Don't forget to stop at the theatre concession stand for your favorite movie time snacks. AuraHip, posh and elegant. Aura – the 9,000 square foot nightclub designed by internationally renowned architect Jeffrey Beers, and operated by PURE Management Group – radiates elegance, sophistication and sheer beauty. Aura is above the casino floor, where a grand staircase greets guests and leads them to an extraordinary nightclub experience. DJs spin, illuminating the sunken glass dance floor, which is surrounded by lush banquette seating, set for VIP bottle service. Two bars, two ultra-VIP sections and a private VIP Parlour complete this intimate experience. Expect exceptional service, distinguished staff, impeccable design and memories to last a lifetime. Balcony HouseIn the midst of bustling 20th-century city, step back in time and discover an 18th-century architectural gem. This historic landmark is the oldest wooden residential structure in Nassau; now fully restored as a museum. Activity: Historic Attraction Bay StreetThis historic street is Nassau's main thoroughfare. It leads you past historic buildings, shops, pubs and restaurants. Activity: Dining, Shopping, Historic Attraction Bethel Baptist ChurchPrince Williams, a former slave from South Carolina, is the founder of this church and the Baptist community in the Bahamas. The first structure, called Bethel Meeting House, was built in 1801. After a hurricane destroyed it, the structure was rebuilt in 1845. Bethel Baptist Church has withstood several other hurricanes since its construction. Activity: Historic Attraction. Bahamas Outdoors Ltd.Participate in a guided bird watching tours and nature tours by car, bike and kayak. You will visit ecological site places like Bahamas National Trust, Adelaide Creek, Lake Killarney and South Beach Golf Course. You will see many species including ducks, hummingbirds, barn owls, cormorants, wood dove warblers, white-crowned pigeons and ospreys. Tours come with binoculars, spotting scope and field guide. Activity: Sightseeing Tour. Botanical GardensEnjoy 18 acres of tropical flora covering over 600 species, including the national flower, the yellow elder. Boxing Day Junkanoo ParadeJunkanoo, a kaleidoscope of sound and spectacle (a bit of Mardi Gras, Carnival and ancient African tribal ritual), takes place on December 26th on Bay Street. The parade is repeated on New Year's Day. Visitors who wish to participate in the Junkanoo parade can contact X-plorers Junkanoo at 242-361-0907/325-3567. Activity: Cultural Attraction Carriage ToursFor a casual tour of Nassau climb inside a colorful horse and carriage. You can find them located around downtown Nassau and at Festival Place/Prince George Wharf near the cruise ship dock. The cost is around $10 per person for a 20 minute tour. It's a great and relaxing way to see the island and get a historic experience as well. Christ Church CathedralErected in 1841, the present edifice is the fifth church that has occupied this spot. Along the walls, tablets trace the trials Nassau citizens endured over 150 years ago. Be sure to look at the baptismal font at the back of the sanctuary. There you will see the hallmark of its British carpenter, a tiny church mouse carved into the wood. The Lord Proprietors built the original building in 1670, making it the first church built in the Bahamas. Activity: Historic Attraction CloisterThis Greco-Gothic masterpiece stands high on a bluff overlooking the harbour. It is a popular spot for wedding ceremonies and is especially beautiful when illuminated at night. Augustinian monks in France originally built the stone structure in the 13th century. In the 1920s, William Randolph Hearst bought the Cloister and had it disassembled and moved to the United States. There the stones lay in a warehouse for years because the contractors did not have the plans needed to reassemble it. Huntington Hartford, the millionaire developer of Paradise Island, purchased the structure and reconstructed it on the island in 1962. It is located in the Versailles Gardens. Activity: Historic Attraction Department of ArchivesThe Department of Archives has a collection of historical documents dating back to the 1700's, including photographs, oral history collections and a number of maps and plans. Hours are Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Activity: Historic Attraction Fort CharlotteThe largest of the three forts still on the island, Fort Charlotte was built by Lord Dunmore in 1789 to guard the western entrance to the harbor. Today, it offers a waterless moat, ramparts, canons, underground passages to dungeon rooms, and spectacular views of Paradise Island, the harbor and much of Nassau. Happily, the fort never fired a shot in battle. Costumed and trained tour guides, working for tips, are available to enrich your visit with tales of the history of the area. Fort FincastleNear the top of the Queen's Staircase at the highest point of the island stand the ruins of Fort Fincastle, built by Governor Lord Dunmore in 1793. Although small and never tested in battle, the fort provided an excellent vantage point for the lookouts posted to give warning of approaching pirates. The adjacent 126 foot water tower was built in the early 1900s and has also served as a lighthouse. The observation deck provides outstanding views of the area, offering true value for the minimal admission charge. Activity: Historic Attraction Fort MontaguWhile feeble attempts to defend the eastern end of Nassau Harbor started as early as 1728, it was the threat of a Spanish raid that started serious construction of Fort Montagu in 1741 under the command of Peter Henry Bruce. The fort was named after the Duke of Montagu. Unlike the larger Fort Charlotte, Fort Montagu actually saw action and was captured by the Americans (1776), the Spanish (1782) and American Loyalists (1783). Activity: Historic Attraction Garden of RemembranceLocated in the garden is a stone cenotaph honoring those killed in World Wars I and II. Activity: Historic Attraction Government HouseLocated downtown on the corner of Blue Hill Road and Duke Street. Since 1801 this has been the official residence of the Governor General of the Bahamas, personal representative of the Queen. A statue of Christopher Columbus stands at the front of this building, which was built in 1830 to commemorate his discovery of the New World. Activity: Historic Attraction. Lyford Cay GallerySince its opening in the 1960s, this museum has featured paintings, sculptures, hand-blown glass and decorative art accessories from around the world. Activity: Museum Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Nassau Walking and Driving ToursThe walking tour explores the old-world charm of Nassau as we narrate the historic changes in the city since it's inception. This tour is one hour and leaves from Festival Place at Prince George Wharf. Activity: Sightseeing Tour The City Driving Tour explores many different locations in Nassau plus extras. You choose your tour details; you can stop at many sights from Ardastra Zoo, Bay Street or Paradise Island shopping, Arawak Cay Fish Fry, it's up to you. Call Bahamas Experience for tour details. National Art Gallery of The BahamasThe NAGB is committed to engaging the history of Bahamian Art and Visual culture and supporting contemporary movements and experimental contemporary art practice through exhibitions, an extensive public program schedule, community and regional projects and partnerships, arts education, providing fellowships and grants, the establishment and support of an art library and the building of the National Collection. Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 4p.m. New Year's Junkanoo ParadeJunkanoo, a kaleidoscope of sound and spectacle (a bit of Mardi Gras, Mummer's Parade and ancient African tribal ritual), takes place on Bay Street January 1 starting at 1 a.m. Prizes awarded at 8 a.m. The parade is a repeat of the Boxing Day Parade. Parliament SquareTo see an excellent example of Old Nassau, go by the flamingo-pink government buildings of Parliament Square. Constructed in 1815, these buildings are excellent examples of colonial architecture. The Houses of Assembly, the old Colonial Secretary's Office and the Supreme Court are clustered around a statue of Queen Victoria. The buildings on the north side of the square face a bust of Sir Milo B. Butler, the first Governor-General of the Bahamas. Tours are available when the government is not in session. Parliament Square is located just across Bay Street from Rawson Square. Activity: Historic Attraction People-to-People ProgramThe People-to-People Unit of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism matches visitors and Bahamian family according to their hobbies, interests, civic organizations and occupations. Families are then responsible for setting up and meeting their guests. Your host family may invite you to share an evening of pleasant conversation, join in the fun at a family gathering or worship with them at church. What you do is left entirely to the host family and the visitors. The goal of People-to-People, is for you to gain an understanding of our country and culture directly through the lives of a Bahamian family. Pirates of NassauA great place for kids to explore the history of pirates in Nassau in this interactive museum. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for kids ages 4-17. The museum is located on King & George Streets in downtown Nassau. Activity: Historic Attraction, Museum Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Phone: 242-356-3759 Queen's StaircaseNassau's most visited attraction. Climb the 65 steps carved out of solid limestone by slaves in the late 18th century. This 102-foot staircase was named in honor of the 65 years of Queen Victoria's reign. Located on Elizabeth Avenue, off Shirley Street. Activity: Historic Attraction The Bahamas Historical Society MuseumThe Bahamas Historical Society Museum has displays depicting Bahamas history from pre-Columbus to the present. Lucayan-Taino-Arawak artifacts. Activity: Museum Hours: Mon. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; Tues. - Fri. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. The Changing of the GuardsA display of pomp and pageantry at Government House, residence of the Governor-General, representative of the Queen. The Royal Bahamas Police Force Band performs 10 a.m. Ceremonies scheduled on alternate Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.. Call for dates. Activity: Historic Attraction The DigLocated at Atlantis Royal Tower. Discover the legend and myth of a lost civilization and see amazing marine life. Activity: Museum |
