Things to do · Nassau · Bahamas
15 best things to do in Nassau
15 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Nassau are Atlantis Aquaventure, Parliament Square and Arawak Cay Fish Fry. Of the 15 picks below, 7 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Atlantis Aquaventure
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- Nassau Straw Market
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantis Aquaventure | Paradise Island | Full day | Expensive |
| Parliament Square | Downtown Nassau | 20–30 minutes | Free |
| Arawak Cay Fish Fry | West Bay Street | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Cabbage Beach | Paradise Island | Half a day | Free |
| Junkanoo Beach | Downtown Nassau | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Queen's Staircase | Downtown Nassau | 30 minutes | Free |
| Fort Fincastle | Downtown Nassau | 30–45 minutes | Low cost |
| Fort Charlotte | West Bay Street | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Nassau Straw Market | Downtown Nassau | 1 hour | Free |
| Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre | West Bay Street | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| National Art Gallery of The Bahamas | Downtown Nassau | 1 hour | Low cost |
| John Watling's Distillery | Downtown Nassau | 45 minutes | Free |
| Clifton Heritage National Park | Southwest New Providence | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Nassau Public Library | Downtown Nassau | 20 minutes | Free |
| Potter's Cay Dock | East Bay Street and Montagu | 1 hour | Low cost |
The 15 best things to do
Theme park · Paradise Island
1.Atlantis Aquaventure
The Atlantis resort's water park has slides through shark-filled tanks, including the Leap of Faith from a Mayan temple replica, a lazy river with rapids and large pools. The resort's marine habitat, The Dig, recreates the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis around aquarium tanks.
Non-guests can buy day passes, which are limited and sell out in busy periods; book ahead.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Day passes for non-guests are limited; reserve in advance, especially on cruise days.
- Kids
- Iconic
- Active
Landmark · Downtown Nassau
2.Parliament Square
Pink, colonnaded government buildings from the early 19th century surround a statue of a seated Queen Victoria on Bay Street. Together with the nearby Supreme Court, they are the heart of the capital's colonial core.
Visit early before the cruise crowds; the colours photograph best in morning light.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Photo spot
Experience · West Bay Street
3.Arawak Cay Fish Fry
A row of brightly painted shacks on reclaimed land west of downtown, where Bahamians come for conch salad, fried fish, cracked conch and Kalik beer, often with music in the evenings. It is the island's most popular place for local food.
Order a conch salad and watch it being chopped to order, then share a plate of fried snapper.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
Beach · Paradise Island
4.Cabbage Beach
A long stretch of white sand along Paradise Island's north shore, backed by sea grape and resorts. Water sports, parasailing and vendors operate near Atlantis; the eastern end is quieter. Waves can be stronger than on sheltered beaches.
Walk east away from Atlantis for space, and check flags before swimming.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
Beach · Downtown Nassau
5.Junkanoo Beach
The closest beach to the cruise piers, a few minutes' walk west along Bay Street, with beach bars, music and loungers for rent. It is small and lively rather than secluded, but convenient for a few hours ashore.
Come early on cruise days, before the bars and loungers fill up.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Food
Historic site · Downtown Nassau
6.Queen's Staircase
Sixty-six limestone steps cut by hand into a narrow gorge in the late 18th century lead up to Fort Fincastle. They were later named for Queen Victoria, and a waterfall runs down one side.
Combine it with Fort Fincastle and the walk down to Parliament Square for an easy downtown loop.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · Downtown Nassau
7.Fort Fincastle
A small fort on Bennet's Hill shaped like a paddle-wheel steamer's bow, built in 1793. It is one of the highest points on the island and looks over downtown Nassau and the harbour to Paradise Island.
Go in the morning when it is cooler and the light on the harbour is clear.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Kids
Historic site · West Bay Street
8.Fort Charlotte
The largest fort on New Providence, built in the late 18th century above the harbour's western approach, has a moat, ramparts, underground passages and dungeons. Guides explain its history, and the ramparts overlook Arawak Cay.
Walk down to the Arawak Cay Fish Fry for lunch afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Views
Market · Downtown Nassau
1.Nassau Straw Market
A large covered market on Bay Street with hundreds of stalls selling straw bags, hats, wood carvings, T-shirts and jewellery. Genuine hand-plaited straw work sits alongside imported souvenirs, so look closely.
Bargaining is expected; ask vendors which items are locally made.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Rainy day
Zoo · West Bay Street
2.Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre
A small zoo and tropical garden near Fort Charlotte known for its marching flamingos — the Bahamas' national bird — trained to parade for visitors. It also has Bahamian hutias, parrots and lemurs.
Check the times of the flamingo show when you arrive and plan your walk around it.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
Gallery · Downtown Nassau
3.National Art Gallery of The Bahamas
Housed in Villa Doyle, a restored 19th-century mansion on West Hill Street, the gallery shows Bahamian art from the 20th century to the present, including works by Amos Ferguson and contemporary artists.
A cool, quiet break from the heat of Bay Street, a few minutes uphill.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- History
Historic site · Downtown Nassau
4.John Watling's Distillery
A rum distillery set in the 18th-century Buena Vista Estate on Delancy Street, with free tours of the grounds and production area and a tasting bar in the old house.
Try the rum punch on the veranda; the tour itself is short and free.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
Historic site · Southwest New Providence
5.Clifton Heritage National Park
On the island's western tip, this park protects Lucayan sites, ruins of a Loyalist plantation and slave quarters, and coastal trails. Offshore, the Coral Reef Sculpture Garden includes Jason deCaires Taylor's large submerged figure Ocean Atlas.
Bring snorkel gear and water shoes, and allow time to walk the coastal trail.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Downtown Nassau
6.Nassau Public Library
An octagonal building next to Parliament Square that served as Nassau's jail in the 18th century, now a library whose former cells hold bookshelves, old prints and maps.
Step in for a few minutes when passing Parliament Square; it is free and cool.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Market · East Bay Street and Montagu
7.Potter's Cay Dock
Under the Paradise Island bridges, stalls sell freshly caught fish and conch, and food shacks make conch salad and fritters, while mail boats depart for the Out Islands. It is a working dock rather than a tourist attraction.
Go at lunchtime and ask for a scorched conch, a spicy variation of conch salad.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | National Art Gallery of The Bahamas |
| History | Queen's Staircase, Fort Fincastle, Fort Charlotte and Parliament Square |
| Views | Fort Fincastle and Fort Charlotte |
| Outdoors and nature | Cabbage Beach, Junkanoo Beach, Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre and Clifton Heritage National Park |
| Food and markets | Arawak Cay Fish Fry, Junkanoo Beach, Nassau Straw Market and John Watling's Distillery |
| After dark | Arawak Cay Fish Fry |
| With children | Atlantis Aquaventure, Cabbage Beach, Fort Fincastle and Fort Charlotte |
| On a rainy day | Nassau Straw Market, National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and Nassau Public Library |
What to book ahead
- Atlantis Aquaventure: Day passes for non-guests are limited; reserve in advance, especially on cruise days.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Nassau?
Atlantis Aquaventure. The Atlantis resort's water park has slides through shark-filled tanks, including the Leap of Faith from a Mayan temple replica, a lazy river with rapids and large pools.
+What can you do for free in Nassau?
Parliament Square, Cabbage Beach, Junkanoo Beach, Queen's Staircase and Nassau Straw Market. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Nassau when it rains?
Head indoors to Nassau Straw Market, National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and Nassau Public Library.
+What is there to do in Nassau at night?
Arawak Cay Fish Fry are best after dark.