A Sun-Soaked Beach Day at Your Nassau Cruise Port in the Bahamas
April 2025
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Nassau, Bahamas Beach Day
Our beach day in the Bahamas was an included stop on our cruise with MSC and Royal Caribbean. We were given a full day to explore Nassau to enjoy a beach day and some good food. With the variety of activities and local cuisines, you will find something different each time you visit.
So, if your next cruise includes a stop in Nassau, Bahamas, you’re in for a mix of sun, sea, and culture. This bustling port is a popular destination with over 3.7 million visitors yearly. This is a typical port stop when traveling in the Bahamas on shorter cruises from Florida. This port offers everything from mouthwatering local cuisine to stunning white-sand beaches and rich Bahamian heritage. Whether you get off the cruise for a few hours or spend the whole day, Nassau is packed with experiences that cater to foodies, beach lovers, and culture seekers alike.
Once you get off the ship, prepare to explore an island full of flavors with popular restaurants like Curly’s Restaurant and Bar at Fish Fry Arawak Cay, where you can sample local favorites such as conch fritters and grilled snapper. For a more upscale experience, Graycliff Restaurant offers fine dining in a historic colonial mansion. After satisfying your taste buds, unwind on local beaches like Cable Beach or Junkanoo Beach, where crystal-clear waters and soft white sand invite you to relax or swim. Don’t leave without exploring the local markets and historic sites that showcase Nassau’s deep cultural roots and warm community spirit.
Once you exit your cruise ship, you will head to the right to start your Bahamas day. You will immediately see a smaller market full of souvenirs, smaller restaurants, a place where you can get your hair braided, tour offerings and more. After you browse this area, you will head to the streets where you can find a driver (drivers will approach you to offer you a ride so feel free to find a ride or use the jitney buses to get you where you want to go) or you can choose to walk the area and find your favorite locations. This city is very walkable, but I would stay in the touristy areas.
No cell service on the island unless you have an international phone plan. So, if there are specific places you want to visit you will need to make descriptive plan within a Notes app on your phone with walking and location details.
Local excursions
Getting around Nassau
Hiring a driver - option 1
Our first visit to Nassau, we chose to hire a driver for most of our day. Drivers are eager to take you around the island for a small fee. I believe we spent $30 each person although the price can be negotiated depending on how many people are in your party. You may also have other people share the same driver during your trip that you do not know.
Since Ervin was our driver, he took us to locations he felt were important for us to visit. Since I was not prepared to pay cash for this service, he stopped at an ATM at Scotiabank for us so we could withdraw cash. The minimum we could withdraw was $100 in Bahamian dollars. If you enjoy yourself on this island, it will be easy to spend that money. Remember, $30 will go to Ervin, then you can pay for your meals and any other items you purchase. Your driver will also accept US dollars and at locations around the country.
The official language in Nassau is English although you will find some locals that speak Creole or Bahamianese. You won’t have any trouble with the language in this country.
Ervin Brown our driver.
If you are looking to hire a driver, I highly recommend him. He was so nice and informative during our trip.
Taking the jitney in Nassau - option 2
During our second trip to Nassau, I felt more comfortable traveling around by jitney (bus) as I was more familiar with the area. After entering Nassau from our cruise ship, we walked to the right a little and then across the street to find bus #10 (or #12). Click on the pictures below to see the path you walk from the port to Charlotte Street where you will find the busses. Once you are on Charlotte Street, walk to the front of the line where the busses are waiting. You will get on the first bus which will have a sign on the front of the bus that mentions Cable Beach. Enter the bus and find a seat. The driver will wait until the bus is full before he leaves. You will pay the driver once you exit the bus. It is $1.50 per person one way.
If you are unsure, just let the driver know where you want to go and if it is on their route they will drop you off.
Fort Fincastle
Our first stop was at Fort Fincastle which is the highest point in Nassau and sits on top of Bennett’s Hill. This fort was built to protect the country against the attacks from the Europe. Here you can purchase tickets to walk to the top of the castle for a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
You will also find a small area here where they are selling touristy items such as bags, hats, magnets, jewelry, clothing and more. Here you will find typical touristy items, nothing special. They will accept cash or credit cards here. If you pay by credit card, it can take some time to complete your transaction mostly due to poor Wi-Fi connection.
Queen’s Staircase
After visiting this smaller market, Ervin took us to visit the Queen’s Staircase which holds significant history of the area. This passage was built during the European invasion as a way to get to Fort Fincastle. The walkway was carved out of solid limestone by 600 slaves between 1793 to 1794. You can tip a small fee for someone to tell you about that area, but we didn’t have small bills so we’re unable to tip him.
The staircase was named after Queen Victoria who abolished slavery in 1837. There are 66 steps down to the bottom where you can take a break and view the small waterfall cascading over the edge.
Open daily 8am to 5pm and a 13-minute walk from the port.
Location: Greenwich Street, Nassau
Hospital
Yellow buildings in Nassau represent medical facilities in case you need to know.
Rum Cake Factory
The next place Ervin took us to was the Rum Cake Factory and OMG, they had the best rum cakes I have ever had. They were so moist and delicious. You can purchase a rum cake and take it back on board the cruise ship for a snack later. They also offer free samples so you can try the different flavors to determine your favorite. Rum cakes cost between $5 to $7.50 each for a small cake.
Address: 602 East Bay Street, Nassau
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm, Sunday 8am to 2pm
Tasty Teas
Our next stop was at Tasty Teas which sells a variety of teas for any tastebud or ailment. The staff will offer samples of some of their teas and describe their healing abilities. The all-natural teas are derived from the plants throughout the island.
Stop at Jay Jays outside the store for the best smoothies I have ever had. They are so flavorful, and I am not kidding, their smoothies are so delicious.
Address: 21 Delancy Street, Nassau
Hours: open 9am to 5pm daily
Goodman’s Bay Beach
We told Ervin we wanted to visit one of the local beaches, and after driving us around for a while he dropped us off at Goodman’s Bay. This beach was larger and had soft white sand. Once in the water the sand was courser and there were no seashells to be found. It is prohibited to take shells back to the cruise ship anyways. The ocean water was colder than I expected so I enjoyed spending time sitting on the beach and enjoying the fantastic ocean views.
You could rent lawn chairs for $10 each and an umbrella for $15. You could also rent jet skis, take a boat ride and more. Vendors are quick to try and sell you these items, but you can either negotiate if you are interested or just kindly say no and keep walking.
This beach also had restrooms with toilet paper you had to share between stalls. Outside the restrooms you can find two shower rinse off stations.
If you get to this location on your own, there are lots of taxicab (vans) drivers willing to take you wherever you want to go. Because we had a driver, he left us there for about an hour and then picked us back up and took us to the next location. Taxis are not metered so it is best to negotiate the price before you get in the taxi.
Drinks in a coconut shell
This may sound odd to some of you who are world travelers, but I had never had a drink in a fresh coconut before so while at Goodman’s Bay I had to try one. I chose an alcoholic drink option, and I can say it was the worst thing I have ever drank. I do not recommend grabbing one of these drinks while at Goodman’s Bay Beach.
Curly’s Restaurant and Bar
By this time, we were hungry, and Ervin had the perfect place he wanted to take us to eat. Ervin was excited to take us to a place where Guy Fieri had helped create some of the menu items at this restaurant. In case you don’t know, Guy Fieri is the host for Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network. With a bar on the first floor and dining on the second floor, you are sure to find the perfect spot to unwind with a drink and a scrumptious meal.
The service here was really slow but the food was amazing! I had the jerk chicken with rice/beans, potatoes (they seemed like boxed potatoes), and 2 plantains. My friend had curry chicken, rice/beans, potato salad, and plantains. My dish cost $31.25 with an alcoholic drink. The two girls who were in our group had the conch fritters and said they were really good.
Location: Arawak Cay, Nassau
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 10pm
At Arawak Cay you will find many authentic local restaurants to choose from. This area gets especially busy on the weekends with live music and great food. This area is about a 1.4-mile (one way), walk to the cruise port.
Junkanoo Beach
On our way back to the port we asked Ervin to drop us off at Junkanoo Beach. This is a popular spot to visit in Nassau although too crowded and touristy for me. The beach is small but has a lot of street vendors with food and loads of activities to enjoy. Due to the smaller beach, it can be very crowded here, so we didn’t stay here long. It is a short walk from here to the port.
Other local beaches
Cable Beach - a popular beach with 2-miles of coastline and offering luxury resorts sitting on the beach. You can walk along Cable beach from Goodman’s Bay but as many of the resorts offer private beaches you will need to stay close to the water’s edge, so you do not disrupt the resort guests. We walked from Goodman’s Bay to Cable Beach (Baha Mar Resort) along the water’s edge.
Cabbage Beach - this beautiful beach is located on Paradise Island.
Cove Beach - located near The Cove Atlantis.
Saunders Beach - a quieter beach and is a 10–15-minute taxi drive from the port.
Love Beach - a beautiful beach located beyond Cable Beach.
Margaritaville and Señor Frog’s
Two happening party locations to have a fun meal at are Margaritaville and Señor Frog’s. These two are located along the path as you walk back to the port.
We ate at Señor Frog’s during our second trip to Nassau. From the moment you walk into this lively restaurant, the music is blaring, and drinks are being served. A line formed and each person walking through the restaurant, received a free shot of alcohol. Just so you know, the drinking age in the Bahamas is 18.
We had tacos, margarita’s and my youngest had chicken fingers. There isn’t anything special about this meal, it is the typical burger and taco kind of place, but people come here more for the lively atmosphere. A DJ keeps the party going with music and dancing throughout your meal. Sitting along the water in this open aired restaurant, was the perfect place to stop before getting back on the cruise ship.
Senor Frog’s restaurants are located throughout Florida, the Bahamas and Mexico.
Address: Woodes Rogers Walk, Nassau
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10am to 5pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to midnight
Straw Market
This world-famous Straw Market is the perfect place to pick up your local hand-made and imported souvenirs before boarding your cruise ship. This large warehouse is full of clothing items, toys, mugs, bags, wooden animals, shot glasses, magnets, jewelry, t-shirts and so so much more! There are over 500 vendors, and you can negotiate the prices if you find something you can’t live without.
Address: 54 Bay Street, Nassau. A 5-minute walk to the port.
Hours: 7:30am to 5pm daily
Shopping at Treasure Cove and more in Nassau
There are multiple shops close to the port where you can purchase last-minute souvenirs.
I bought a half-zippered sweatshirt at Treasure Cove for $35 that had the softest material and had the word Nassau on it.
Resorts
There are several resorts in Nassau that allow you to purchase a day pass to use their facilities while you are there. Check out each resort and reserve your spot in advance. Each resort varies in amenities, but this gives you the opportunity to swim at their waterparks, use their beach chairs, have access to restaurants and bars and more.
Island Hopping Excursion
Check out some of these amazing activities that you can do in Nassau. Click on the links for more details and to book your excursion.
It is not recommended that you rent any sort of vehicle (jeep, bike, ATV) while in Nassau. If you are traveling on your own and the vehicle breaks down, you risk not making it back to the cruise ship on time. Renting these vehicles with a tour does not pose the same amount of risk.
Hotel accommodations in Nassau
A beautiful resort on the beach. This resort offers an outdoor pool, garden, private beach and in close proximity to Junkanoo Beach.
This popular resort offers a beach view with private beach, 6 outdoor pools, multiple restaurants, tennis courts and more.
This all-inclusive adult only resort on a private beach offers multiple restaurants and bars, large terrace and close to Cabbage Beach.
This elegant hotel differs from the typical Bahama hotel. Here you will find rooms with a garden view, outdoor pool, and room service with a concierge and a 6-minute walk from Junkanoo Beach.
Walking Tour options
Starting at the port take an 11-minute walk to the
Rum Cake Factory a 14-minute walk to the
Address: 602 East Bay Street
Queen’s Staircase a 1-minute walk to the
Address: Greenwich Street
Fort Fincastle a 12-minute walk to the
Graycliff Hotel to eat or visit the Graycliff Chocolatier factory, a 4-minute walk to the
Address: West Hill Street
National Art Gallery of the Bahamas a 5-minute walk to
Address: 2 West Bay Street
Tasty Teas an 18-minute walk to Curley’s Fish Fry Restaurant
Address: 21 Delancy Street
Curly’s Restaurant (Arawak Cay). Multiple different restaurants here to try.
Arawak Cay, Esplanade Way
Take a jitney to Goodman’s Bay or enjoy a 54-minute walk
Goodman’s Bay a 31-minute walk to (1 hour 7-minute walk to Junkanoo Beach)
Saunders Beach or skip this beach and take a jitney from Goodman’s Bay to
Junkanoo Beach a 9-minute walk to
Pirates of Nassau Museum a 4-minute walk to
Address: King and George Street
Señor Frog’s a 3-minute walk to
Address: Woodes Rogers Walk
Straw Market a 5-minute walk
Address: 54 Bay Street
Back to the port
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Whether you are savoring the flavors of local cuisine, dancing at Senor Frog’s, or simply feeling the soft Bahamian sand between your toes as you enjoy the view of the breathtaking ocean, Nassau offers an unforgettable day for any cruiser. Enjoy a little shopping, island culture, and a lot of sunshine while you relax on the beach or enjoy an adventurous excursion. You can grab a driver to give you a tour of the island or ride like a local on a jitney through town making the most of your moments in Nassau before sailing away on your cruise ship.
What is your favorite thing to do in Nassau, leave me a comment below!
Enjoy the journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer
I am a girl who loves to travel and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US. You can find me dreaming up our next epic vacation or outside exploring natural landscapes. I am a fearless roadtripper who isn’t afraid to explore new and off the path adventures.
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Nassau is a bustling cruise port and a popular destination when traveling in the Bahamas on shorter cruises from Florida. This port offers everything from mouthwatering local cuisine to stunning white-sand beaches and rich Bahamian heritage.