If you only have a day in Nassau, you can still experience a lot of what makes the capital of the Bahamas so special. Located on New Providence Island, Nassau is a popular stop for cruise ships and a convenient getaway from Florida, blending Caribbean beaches with colorful history and vibrant local culture.
From strolling through the Straw Market and exploring Downtown Nassau to relaxing on world-famous beaches like Cable Beach or Junkanoo Beach, there’s plenty to do without straying far from the port. You can tour the historic Graycliff Hotel, sip rum at John Watling’s Distillery, or cool off with a Frozen Chocolata at Graycliff Chocolatier. If you’re looking for a little adventure, cross the bridge to Paradise Island for the sand and surf at Cabbage Beach or for the waterpark at Atlantis.
Whether you’re in Nassau on a cruise stop or just spending a short stay, here are some of my best things to do in Nassau so you can make the most of your time.
Start Your Day at Baha Mar
There’s no better way to start your day in Nassau than waking up at Baha Mar. While there are several luxury hotels I recommend in Nassau, the Baha Mar resort complex has something for everyone. It has over 2,200 rooms across three oceanfront hotels, a sprawling 15-acre waterpark, over a dozen pools, the Caribbean’s biggest casino, and dozens of gourmet restaurants.
For your stay, there are three hotels here to choose between:
- Grand Hyatt Baha Mar: Modern, family-focused with 1,800 rooms and suites featuring private balconies
- SLS Baha Mar: Stylish, party‑centric vibe—beachfront cabanas, flamingo interactions, and chic nightlife
- Rosewood Baha Mar: A more intimate, upscale experience with its own private beach, butler service, and a culturally rich art atmosphere
If you’re in the mood for a relaxed, European-style breakfast, Café Madeleine in the Grand Hyatt is a favorite for buttery croissants, bagel sandwiches, quiche, and fresh coffee.
Or grab island-inspired gourmet fare at The Breakfast Café in the Rosewood wing of Baha Mar. This beachfront spot serves elevated takes on Bahamian flavors with items like the “Slam Bam Egg Sand‑Wich” on soft Johnny Cakes and hearty egg scrambles.
And of course, if you’re with the family and prefer something more casual, there is always the Regatta Buffet, which has a little bit of everything.
Top Hotels in Nassau, The Bahamas
The above are some of the most popular hotels in Nassau and I recommend each depending on your what you are looking for in a stay.
- Baha Mar: Has three hotels with different vibes, and a new waterpark.
- Atlantis: A giant hotel known for its adventure waterpark, and thus is great for families
- Graycliff Hotel: An historic boutique hotel situated just a few blocks from Downtown Nassau and the cruise terminal
- The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort: The name is synonymous with luxury and high-end dining.
- British Colonial Nassau: One of the islands more historic and iconic hotels, with a price point typically below the others above. It is situated right downtown with a private beach.
Sip Coffee (or Cocktails) at Bon Vivants
Once you have had breakfast and taken a morning dip in one of the pools at Baha Mar, you might want head to Bon Vivants Cafe + Cocktail Bar in Sandyport for a coffee break. As Nassau’s first dedicated craft-cocktail bar, Bon Vivants doubles as a laid-back café by day and is perfect for midday pit stops or if you need to work remotely during your stay in Nassau.
In addition to coffee and tea, you can find delicious banana bread, croissants, quiche, and coffee cake during the day. But if you prefer cocktails, it’s open until midnight or 1am seven days a week.
Try Local Cuisine for Lunch at the Fish Fry
For lunch, head to Arawak Cay, widely known as “The Fish Fry,” for a flavorful Bahamian lunch. This colorful strip of clapboard shacks and casual eateries sits right by the harbor, just west of downtown Nassau.
While it is a popular attraction in Nassau for cruise ship passengers and other tourists, don’t skip it. The Fish Fry is the best place to try local Bahamian cuisine. Choose from freshly prepared conch fritters, crispy fried or grilled snapper and grouper, steamed or cracked conch, and hearty conch salad. These seafood specialties are popular lunchtime staples, and absolutely delicious.
And whatever you get, pair it with a local Kalik beer or a refreshing Sky Juice cocktail (a Bahamian cocktail made from gin, coconut water and condensed milk).
The vibe here is relaxed and colorful, with rustic wooden tables, beachside barbecues, and friendly vendors. It’s not upscale, but that’s the charm.
Spend the Afternoon at Junkanoo Beach
After feasting on fresh conch fritters and snapper at the Fish Fry, walk down the road to Junkanoo Beach. This beach is popular with locals and is one of the most accessible public beaches in Nassau. Just a short walk from Arawak Cay or the cruise port, this laid-back stretch of sand is the perfect spot to unwind for the afternoon.
Junkanoo Beach has a fun, festive vibe that’s hard to resist. You’ll find colorful shacks selling beer, rum-filled coconuts and Bahama Mama’s, plus beach chairs for rent, and reggae music floating through the air. The water is warm and calm, great for a swimming or just wading in to cool off.
This isn’t a luxury beach club, but rather casual, local, and full of character. Whether you want to grab a Bahama Mama, get a massage on the sand, or simply lounge in the sun, Junkanoo Beach offers the perfect post-lunch spot to relax.
You can also take a short taxi ride to Cable Beach, Love Beach, or Cabbage Beach, if you have time to travel a bit further.
Try Some Local Chocolate
An afternoon stop that many of the tour operators make, is at the Graycliff Chocolatier. Here you can try their handmade chocolates using Bahamian ingredients like mango, key lime, and rum.
Visitors can take a quick tour, sample truffles, or even join a short workshop to make their own chocolate bars. It’s a nice break from the beach and a good spot to pick up edible souvenirs to bring home.
But my favorite thing to get is the Frozen Chocolata. It’s a cold, creamy chocolate drink that’s part milkshake, part iced cocoa, and perfect for cooling off in Nassau’s warm weather.
Right next door you can also find a Cigar Factory and Moonshine Company if you have some other vices to satisfy.
Cool off at a Waterpark
If you’re looking to beat the heat and have some fun, Nassau is home to two of the best waterparks in the Caribbean: Aquaventure at Atlantis and Baha Bay at Baha Mar. Each one offers a full day of thrills, pools, and beachfront vibes, but they’re pretty different in style and access.
Aquaventure at Atlantis (Paradise Island)
This massive 141-acre park is legendary for its Mayan temple slides, river rapids, and shark tunnel. You’ll need to either book a room at Atlantis or purchase a Day Pass (currently about $195 per adult), and it’s great for big kids and adults who want that over-the-top resort experience.
Baha Bay at Baha Mar (Cable Beach)
Sleek and modern, Baha Bay is newer and a little more refined. You’ll find high-speed slides, a surf simulator, a lazy river, a kids’ splash zone, and a beach club atmosphere. Day Passes are $160 per adult and the vibe is a little more chill than Atlantis—but still packed with fun.
Which one should you choose?
- Both have designated areas for younger kids: Poseidon’s Playzone at Atlantis and Kids Island at Baha Bay.
- If you’re staying at one of the hotels on Paradise Island or want a huge waterpark with bigger slides for thrill-seeking teens, then go to Atlantis.
- If you prefer a smaller, but newer and more curated experience, then Baha Bay is your spot.
- If you arrive on a cruise ship that docks for the day, then Atlantis is only about a 10-minute taxi ride or shorter by water taxi. And Baha Bay is about a 20-minute taxi ride.
Sip Rum at John Watling's Rum Distillery
Situated within the beautifully restored Buena Vista Estate, John Watling’s Rum Distillery was built in 1789 and overlooks Nassau Harbour. And it offers more than just rum, as it delivers a taste of Bahamian history and culture in a lush tropical setting.
But, you should probably try the rum as a flight or s part of specialty cocktails. Here are some of the things you can do at the distillery:
- Rum Tasting: Book a set time for a guided tasting of their rums, including Pale Rum, Amber Rum, Buena Vista, and specialty blends like Gun Cay and Red Turtle vodka. Each small-batch spirit is handcrafted and locally made.
- Free Walk-In Tour: No reservation needed for a complimentary guided or self-guided tour that takes you through ornate rooms filled with antiques and tell the estate’s storied past, including ties to the famous buccaneer John Watling. You’ll also see the rum aging process firsthand. At the end you get to sample a cocktail made with their rum.
- Lunch at Vell Monkey Foot Restaurant: Grab conch fritters, fish tacos, and other bites at the on-site restaurant.
Enjoy an Upscale Dinner at Graycliff Restaurant
Nassau’s best restaurant is so much more than just a restaurant.
Set inside an 18th-century mansion in the heart of downtown, Graycliff Restaurant has world-class dining plus an experience steeped in Bahamian history, elegance, and charm.
From the moment you walk through the gates at Graycliff, it feels like you’ve stepped into another time. The lush gardens, antique furniture, and vintage chandeliers set the scene for a dinner that’s anything but ordinary. Dinner at Graycliff is refined and romantic, with a menu that blends European technique with Caribbean flavor.
But what really makes Graycliff stand out is everything that happens beyond the dining room. You can sip aged cognac in the lounge while a piano plays in the background, light up a hand-rolled cigar from their on-site cigar factory, or even tour one of the largest private wine cellars in the world. There’s also a chocolate shop on the property if you’re more into sweets than cigars and cocktails.
Whether your go for dinner or just cocktails in the lounge, the Graycliff is my favorite place to be in Nassau in the evening. There is a dress code though, so wear pants and a collared shirt, not shorts or flip-flops. And their 20-room hotel is a top place to stay on the island.
Browse Nassau's Straw Market
The Nassau Straw Market is just a short walk from the cruise ship dock. To get there from the cruise ships, you will first pass through the Port Marketplace, an area lined with souvenir shops, food stalls, and spots to buy cold beer. But if you exit the port area and cross the street you will find this covered market.
Most stalls now sell the same imported souvenirs that you can find at the tourist shops in the port. But if you look, you can still find handwoven straw bags and hats, carved wood figures, conch-shell jewelry, and vibrant locally made crafts. Take cash and be ready to barter in order to buy items for 30% less than at other souvenir shops.
Explore the Island on a Pirate Jeep Tour
If you want a fun and informative way to explore Nassau, Pirate Jeep Tours might just be the most entertaining option on the island.
You’ll ride in a custom pirate-themed Jeep with a pirate-costumed guide behind the wheel as you visit some of Nassau’s top landmarks and toursit attractions. These include the Queen’s Staircase, Fort Charlotte, and the historic Government House. The tour lasts about three hours, making it ideal for cruise passengers or day-trippers who want to see a lot in a short amount of time.
Along the way, you’ll hear stories that blend Nassau’s real history with pirate lore, with plenty of photo ops and a few bad pirate jokes thrown in for good measure. The tour includes bottled water, admission fees to the stops, and a small-group experience for a more personal feel.
