The Bahamas can be a playground for children of any age. Anyone that likes searching for just the right seashell, building sandcastles, swimming with dolphins or playing in the ocean waves will have fun here.
Despite the fact that water-related activities are the most apparent enticements, these tranquil and welcoming islands also offer an assortment of rainy-day options, above all in Nassau and on neighboring Paradise Island.
Nassau is full of an impressive heritage. Momentous Bahamas Historical Society Museum and Parliament Square, to name a couple of places rich in history. There is an abundant collection of military uniforms, weapons and tools, as well as photographs and documents. Some of the items date back to ancient days. In you enjoy stories of the lofty seas you can find interactive exhibits and artifacts from the early pirates of the Caribbean at Pirates of Nassau.
Nassau also offers the opportunity to swim with trained dolphins. If you visit Blue Lagoon Island Dolphin Encounter, by Cable Beach, you can stand in beautiful waist deep water and play with the dolphins. For those that wish to you can put on some snorkeling gear and you can actually go swimming with the dolphins.
If you are looking to interact with dolphins or learn more about them in Freeport you will discover UNEXSO (previously identified as the Underwater Exploration Society). One of the founders of UNEXSO was the famous Jacques Cousteau.
There is a comparable program at Sanctuary Bay. They have a refuge for dolphins where you can enjoy watching a show of back flips as well as many other tricks. These intellectual creatures will actually snuggle up to you just to have you pet them. You can easily spend a day learning all about these beautiful creatures and how they are trained.
For those that love water sports you will have no trouble filling your day up while enjoying parasailing, diving, snorkeling and much more. There are plenty of boating opportunities too.
While in Exuma you can rent a power craft and pop over to Hog Beach, Big Major Island. There, you and the kids can see the legendary. The story behind this is told that about fifty years or so ago, a farmer brought a few pigs to the island for them to be able to forage in the wild. He believed they would serve as a handy source of meat for his family. Nowadays the farmer is long gone, but the pigs still remain here. They can be found swimming out in the water to welcome the incoming boats and beg for treats.
A great deal of the most extraordinary scenery of the Bahamas can be found underwater. Families that have kids that are five years old and older will be able to walk the sea floor. While there you will be able to see the fantastic array of brilliant colors and assorted textures. One such tour to be found is Hartley's Undersea Walk.
Those that go on this underwater adventure will put on diving helmets that have a special tube and air pump. This will allow them to observe the wonderful and diverse sea life at a depth of a mere ten to fifteen feet.
For those that would like to enjoy the underwater sea life but would rather not get wet you can still take a look at of some of the over 50,000 creatures of the sea. There is a resort called Atlantis that is found on Paradise Island. Here you can buy a pass and spend the day exploring their outstanding aquarium.
If you would like some more fun and adventure you can go on the waterslides or just float, while in a tube, all the way through a shark-filled lagoon. Imagine the pictures you could take!
When you get back on dry land you will find Garden of the Groves in Freeport it is. named for the famous American Wallace Groves. It is a kid-friendly area where you will find snorting pot bellied pigs, beautiful pink flamingos, boisterous and vibrant macaws, parrots and cockatoos that roam free in the thriving 12-acre garden.
It does not matter whether you spend your time inside, outside, on the water or under it. For the young and the young at heart, the Bahamas make for a beautiful vacation destination.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to The Bahamas
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Atlantis, Thessaloniki, $52.93 Hotel property Atlantis, 14, Egnatia Str. in Thessaloniki, Greece |
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Atlantis Beach Villa, Thira, $126.52 Hotel property Atlantis Beach Villa, in Thira, Greece |
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Atlantis Hotel, Paros, $108.29 Hotel property Atlantis Hotel, in Paros, Greece |
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Atlantis Hotel, Thira, $110.46 Hotel property Atlantis Hotel, Mitropoleos St in Thira, Greece |
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Atlantis Hostel, Cracow, $45.21 Hotel property Atlantis Hostel, Dietla 58 in Cracow, Poland |
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Atlantis Hôtel, Mimizan, $74.88 Hotel property Atlantis Hôtel, 19, Rue De L'Abbaye in Mimizan, France |
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Atlantis Complex, Sarafovo, $49.06 Hotel property Atlantis Complex, 58 Angel Dimitrov St. in Sarafovo, Bulgaria |
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Hotel Atlantis Guesthouse, Zurich, $132 Hotel property Hotel Atlantis Guesthouse, Doeltschiweg 234 in Zurich, Switzerland |
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Atlantis Bay, Taormina, $509.94 Hotel property Atlantis Bay, Via Nazionale 161 in Taormina, Italy |
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Aquila Atlantis Hotel, Iraklion, $109.73 Hotel property Aquila Atlantis Hotel, 2 Igias Str. in Iraklion, Greece |
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Hotel Atlantis Vienna, Vienna, $74.88 Hotel property Hotel Atlantis Vienna, Wurzbachgasse 21 in Vienna, Austria |
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Cerise Nantes Atlantis (Abélia Résidence Atlantis), Saint-Herblain, $76.67 Hotel property Cerise Nantes Atlantis (Abélia Résidence Atlantis), 12 Rue De La Johardiere in Saint-Herblain, France |
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The Cove Atlantis, Paradise Island, $505 Hotel property The Cove Atlantis, 4.5 Star, One Casino Drive in Paradise Island, Bahamas |
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The Reef Atlantis, Paradise Island, $465 Hotel property The Reef Atlantis, 4.5 Star, One Casino Drive in Paradise Island, Bahamas |
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Logis Hôtel Atlantis, Merignac, $45.18 Hotel property Logis Hôtel Atlantis, 1, Rue Euler. - Château Rouquey in Merignac, France |
Tags: bahamas, hotel, resorts, travel, travel packages atlantis bahamas, vacation