The Epic Guide to Nassau with Toddlers: Making Cruise Memories Unforgettable!
Heading on a cruise with the family that stops at Nassau and looking for things to do? Look no further! Here is a cruising guide on what to do in Nassau with toddlers!
Nassau, Bahamas is such a beautiful place! Never heard of it? No worries! I hadn’t either until we went for our first time on our Bahamas cruise with a toddler. If I’m being honest, I was pleasantly surprised! There was a lot to do there that was kid and toddler-friendly for our one-year-old and plenty that didn’t require us to book a shore excursion through the cruise ship. Although I’m usually an advocate for doing excursions through the cruise ship, those are sometimes a little too restrictive when you’re traveling with kids. In Nassau, we found plenty of things to do outside of the provided excursions that helped us fill our day in Nassau, and you can too!
Here is a cruising guide to some of the best things to do in Nassau with toddlers to help you have a great time on your day in Nassau!
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How to Get Around
Taxis
As soon as you leave the port area, there is a plethora of taxi drivers, all vying for your business! You will not have a hard time finding a taxi to take you to your destination! They are also pretty affordable as well.
Walking
Several things in the downtown area are within easy walking distance, so if you just want to stroll, walking is always an option! Please keep in mind that there is a chance of increased crime in Nassau at times, so keep an eye on the safety reports.
Nassau with Toddlers
If you’re cruising, you typically have one day in Nassau. So what is there to do in Nassau with toddlers? Let me tell you!
Straw Market
As you first leave the cruise terminal and head into downtown Nassau, you will find the Straw Market on Bay Street! This can be a great place to get souvenirs. Full disclosure though, the variety isn’t as great as we hoped, so we didn’t spend long there. We were still able to find a souvenir magnet for our collection though, so we thought of it as a win!
Beaches
If you and your family love the beach, Nassau is the perfect place for a beach day! There are going to be a lot of beautiful beaches at Resorts that will cost a little to get in with a day pass. However, there are just as many free public beaches for you to enjoy! Some are going to be within walking distance and some are going to require a short drive. Let’s do a little summary of each of the different beaches at Nassau.
Cabbage Beach
Cabbage Beach is a gorgeous beach located on Paradise Island right outside of the Atlantis Resort, so you will need to get a taxi or shuttle to take you there. Cabbage Beach is a public beach so you don’t have to pay to get to this beach. However, there is no food or restrooms close by, and the water can get a little bit rough.
Cable Beach
Cable Beach is on the main island and is a beautiful white sand beach right outside of the Sandals Resort. It is far enough away from the cruise port to need a ride to get there. It’s best to come to this beach early too because it does fill up quickly. You also want to bring some shade, because there is not a lot of natural shade there. Of all of the public beaches, you can’t go wrong with Cable Beach when in Nassau with toddlers.
Junkanoo Beach
The beauty of Junkanoo Beach is its closeness and proximity to the cruise ports. This means that the beach is within walking distance. Depending on the day and the time of year, this beach can get pretty packed and loud. However, there are times when it can be pretty quiet! It just depends On how many cruise ships are at the port on that day and what day it is. Aside from the crowds, it’s a pretty clean and beautiful beach and there are chairs and umbrellas available for you to rent.
Jaws Beach
Don’t worry, there are no sharks here! And usually less people Jaws Beach is on the other side of the island and a bit of a drive (around 30 minutes). This means that it is it can be pretty secluded. There are some bathrooms here and some shade as well making it a great beach to be able to spend a few hours when in Nassau with toddlers.
Love Beach
Another hidden gem when heading to Nassau with toddlers is Love Beach. This beach is about 25 minutes away from the port so you do have to take a taxi to get there. However, it is also pretty secluded! The rental chairs are pretty inexpensive and there is food nearby for you when you get hungry.
Queen’s Staircase
We love finding cool historical places in our travels, and this one was so fun to go to with a toddler! I mean, stairs. Those wear kids out, right? The Queen’s Staircase is located near downtown Nassau. there are 66 steps that were made by cutting into the limestone and were used in order to provide direct access to Fort Fincastle in case there was an attack from pirates. Pretty cool, huh?
It’s about a 15-minute walk from downtown Nassau and the port which makes it a great little jaunt for you and your family. Since you are heading up to the tallest area of the island, there is going to be a slight incline as you walk to the Staircase. If you’re coming from below, you will get to walk through some pretty tall stone walls and through some beautiful Tropical plants. It’s free to walk through and it’s also a great picture spot!
Fort Fincastle
If you’re heading to the Queen’s Staircase when in Nassau with toddlers, try to stop by Fort Fincastle! Located on Bennet’s Hill, it was built to protect Nassau from pirates. So much history! You can get some great views of the island here and some pretty cool cannons. There is a lot of space for your little kids to run around and explore. You do have to pay to visit Fort Fincastle, but the cost is pretty small.
Fort Charlotte
Another fun historical site to visit is Fort Charlotte. This fort was built by the British after the American Revolutionary War. With dungeons, underground moats, and tunnels, it’s a perfect place to take young children and let them explore.
Port Charlotte is a short walk from the cruise port and is a minimal cost to get in.
Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre
Another great way to spend some time in Nassau with toddlers is to come to the Ardastra Gardens & Wildlife Conservation Centre! This cute little boutique zoo provides a great opportunity for you and your little kids to see some animals that you may not get to see that often. Can you say that you’ve seen a flamingo perform? Come to Ardastra and you will be able to! Even though Ardastra is a little small, you can spend a good 1-2 hours there and be able to experience some really cool things.
Ardastra is about 2 miles away from the cruise port, so I would recommend getting a taxi for taking a bus. Due to COVID restrictions, you do have to schedule a time to come. To request a time, you can use this registration form here.
Pirates of Nassau Museum
The Pirates of Nassau Museum is a great one to do with young kids! This pirate museum is essentially every young kid’s dream museum. It’s an interactive museum, meaning that your little kids will be able to get all of their wiggles out while they explore pirate ships and become little pirates themselves. It takes about an hour to go through which makes it a perfect thing to fit in on your day in Nassau with toddlers.
It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the Pirates of Nassau Museum and costs money. Kids 3 and under are free though which is always nice! You can find their prices on their website here.
Blue Lagoon Island
If you are looking for a great place to do a dolphin encounter, Blue Lagoon Island is for you! Also known as Salt Cay, it’s similar to Atlantis, but it focuses more on interaction with animals. There are a ton of other animal encounters that you can do as well with sea lions, stingrays, sharks, and, of course, dolphins. You can also relax on the beach or do some segway tours. All of these things sound amazing, of course. If you are coming with a little toddler, however, the beach may be one of the few things that you can do.
Blue Lagoon Island access is a little spendy, averaging around $100 per adult. However, it is pretty inclusive! Included in the cost of your ticket, you get the ferry ride to and from Blue Lagoon Island, your lunch, lounge chairs, inter-tubes, and access to the Marine Park that allows you to see the sea lions and dolphins. Another bonus is that ages 3 and under are free! The ferry takes about 30 minutes and departs from the Nassau Paradise Island. That means you should plan about an hour of transportation each way and then however long you want to spend on the Island.
Baha Mar
Baha Mar is one of the beautiful resorts in Nassau and they offer a day pass, which means you can enjoy some of the luxury and perks without being a guest!
Baha Bay Waterpark at Baha Mar Resort
The Baha Bay Waterpark at the Baha Mar is one of the coolest water parks in Nassau! It is perfect for kids of all ages, including all of the adults! there are water slides, water coasters, and a giant lazy river! For younger children, there is a kid island with a lot of water activities to keep them entertained.
Atlantis
If you’ve been researching what to do in Nassau with toddlers, you may have seen Atlantis come up a lot. I know I did. Although I was a little disappointed that it’s not the actual lost city, it is still super worth a visit. Atlantis is a beautiful resort on Paradise Island in Nassau. I know, a resort. Sounds kind of funny to go to a resort when you are only there for the day. Well, hang on to your pants because this resort has so many fun activities for you to spend your entire day here.
It does obviously cost money to come into the resort and participate in these activities. The cost will depend on what you choose to do! You can find the pricing on their website here.
Aquaventure Water Park
The pride and joy of Atlantis (aside from other obvious things) is the Aquaventure Water Park which rivals the Perfect Day at CocoCay. Almost. But it’s super fun either way! There are plenty of water slides and pools and beaches and delicious food to keep you busy for your entire day at Nassau with toddlers.
Although the water slides have a height requirement of 48” which most toddlers are still shy of, there are plenty of areas for them to play in. The Ripples area has got small water slides that are toddler-friendly and plenty of water for your little person to play in. The pride and joy of the Aquaventure when it comes to little kids though is the Splashers area. It’s kid heaven with slides, playgrounds, water cannons, and just a whole lot of water. It’s also Mayan-themed which makes it feel super different and unique.
Considering everything that Aquaventure Park has to offer, I would recommend setting aside 3-4 hours here.
Pools
Now let’s talk pools. Atlantis has so many pools and most of them are perfect for children. However, the one I would recommend the most is the Harborside pool. It’s got a little children’s pool right next to it that makes it easy for the whole family to enjoy and swim in the same place!
Beaches
When it comes to beaches, there are 4 beaches that are available to you at Atlantis: Cove Beach, Atlantis Beach, Paradise Beach, and Paradise Lagoon Beach. All of the beaches are great, but I would definitely recommend Paradise Lagoon Beach. It’s a lagoon that comes into the resort, so you aren’t out in the actual ocean, but it is just as fun! There’s also a bunch of fun things you can rent, like paddle boards.
Since you have to get a day pass to come into Atlantis if you are just looking to go to the beach while in Nassau with toddlers, I would recommend going to one of the other public beaches. They are going to be just as beautiful!
Marine Habitat at Atlantis
The Marine Habitat at the Atlantis resort is a great place to take young kids and toddlers. It’s essentially an aquarium that is spread out through the resort. There are 14 different lagoons that house all sorts of marine life from sting rays to sharks. I was a little disappointed because it wasn’t all in one place, but it actually turned out great! We got to walk around the beautiful resort, ate lunch there, and tired out a little toddler so he was all set for his nap. It worked out great!
Aside from just seeing all of the different lagoons, there are also feedings throughout the day that you can watch which were so fun. Tickets are required and can be purchased online or at the resort. I would recommend setting aside 2 hours for this experience.
Common Questions on Nassau with Toddlers
Now that you’ve got several different activities you can do in Nassau, let’s answer the most frequently asked questions about Nassau with toddlers!
Is Nassau Bahamas good for toddlers?
Yes! Like with most places, You just have to find age-appropriate things. Nassau has plenty of age-appropriate things for toddlers which makes it a great destination for the family. As I listed above, there are so many things to do in Nassau with toddlers, especially if you’re just going for the day on a cruise.
Is Atlantis good for toddlers?
Yes! Since we talked a lot about Atlantis, some of you may be wondering whether it is actually good for toddlers. That is totally up to you to decide! However, there are so many things to do at Atlantis and so many things that will keep a toddler busy so I would say that Atlantis is a perfect place to take a toddler.
Well, that’s a wrap! That is your guide on what to do in Nassau with toddlers! I hope it was helpful and that it gave you a ton of ideas for what you can do on your day and in Nassau. Knowledge is power and I hope that you feel empowered to take that cruise with your entire family and to go to the Bahamas like you’ve been wanting to!
