Bahamas Travel Guide

A Bahamas vacation is a dream destination for many.  Offering beautiful, sunny weather year-round, the Bahamas is the perfect location for an amazing honeymoon, fun family vacation or simply a place to relax and unwind.  Officially known as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, this English-speaking locale is only 35-minutes by plane from Miami, and cheap airfare to the Bahamas can be obtained for flights leaving throughout the United States.  The beaches in the Bahamas are the dominant attraction, offering unsurpassed opportunities for swimming and scuba diving.  Between golf, shopping, fishing and meeting the locals, travelers will have many opportunities to fill their days while visiting the Bahamas.

Best Time to Travel
The winter months are the ideal time for a Bahamas vacation.  This season is balmy and beautiful – much like the month of May in most areas of North America.  Mid-December through mid-April tends to be the busiest time to visit, as many Americans are hoping to escape their own cold weather.  Hurricane season in the Bahamas runs from June 1 – November 30, but travelers should not let this deter them.  Hurricanes are fairly infrequent, and more tropical cyclones batter the contiguous United States than the Bahamas.  The Bahamas are nearly tropical year-round, and summers can be hot with high-levels of humidity and a greater chance of rain.  To confirm the weather for your trip, visit the National Weather Service.  

Airports and Transportation
Flights to the Bahamas are just as affordable during peak season as in the off-season.  Travelers have the option of choosing two international airports for a Bahamas vacation, although there are 57 smaller airports throughout the islands.  Nassau International Airport (NAS) is located on New Providence Island, only 10 miles west of the capital city of Nassau.  Discount airfare to Nassau can be found as low as $480 from LAX, $360 from JFK, $340 from ORD or $ 517 from SFO.  Freeport International Airport (FPO) on Grand Bahama opened a new international terminal in 2004.  This airport is convenient—a mere three miles outside the city of Freeport.  Cheap flights to the Bahamas (Freeport) can be found for as little as $427 from LAX, $376 from JFK, $353 from ORD or $520 from SFO.  You may not need a rental car on a Bahamas vacation, especially if you are staying at a major resort or small island.  Many hotels offer free shuttles to and from the beach and airport, and tours will often pick up and drop off at your hotel.  If you want to explore on your own, rent a car for the day or hire a taxi.  If you plan to visit one of the more than 17 remote (yet stunning) Out Islands of the Bahamas, 30 boats leave each day from Nassau.  On the Out Islands, avoid renting a car as both rentals and gas are expensive, and the roads are not in good shape.  In those areas, golf carts are often available for rent.

Hotels and Lodging
A Bahamas vacation allows a variety of lodging options, from small bungalows to all-inclusive resorts.  One of the most famous resorts is the Atlantis resort and casino on Paradise Island in Nassau.  Here you can visit the world’s largest open-air marine habitat or spend a day at the 141-acre Aquaventure amusement park.

For an all-inclusive experience, visit the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach in Freeport.  Accommodations, unlimited food and snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and more are all included in one price at this resort.  

Things to Do
Some of the best swimming and snorkeling in the world can be found on a Bahamas vacation.  Scuba diving adventures can include exploring shipwrecks or discovering the stone ruins off Bimini, said to be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis.  Fishing is a popular activity and the island of Bimini is known as the “Big-Game Fishing Capital of the World."  Several championship golf courses can be enjoyed on a Bahamas vacation, including the Grand Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.  Excellent opportunities for shopping, gambling and exploring round out a Bahamas vacation.