Romantic Bahamas

Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas, on the northeastern edge of New Providence Island. Today, with a population of 200,000, Nassau contains nearly 70 percent of the population of the Bahamas. However, it's still quite low-rise and laid back.

Take a walk around Old Town, an interesting mixture of abandoned buildings and bright Caribbean structures. It doesn't take long to get away from the over-scrubbed tourist areas in the very center. Walk 10 minutes uphill to the pink Parliament Building, which still has a statue of an enthroned Queen Victoria out front. The Pirate Museum offers recreations of a pirate town, a pirate ship and a pirate battle, with a few real artifacts mixed in. It’s cheesy, but fun.

Nassau is a spring break Mecca for good reason. The nightly club scene can be rowdy.

Between miles of pristine beach and gardens inspired by the romantic grandeur of Versailles, One & Only Ocean Club is on the eastern end of Paradise Island, a 40-minute drive from the Nassau International Airport. Featuring eight Balinese-style private treatment villas with open-air gardens, Ocean Club Spa offers a full range of natural treatments and products. The hotel also has a fitness center, private beach with beach attendants, outdoor pool, four tennis courts, and the 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course with pro shop and clubhouse. Guests can enjoy complimentary access to Atlantis facilities, as well as Aquacat and Hobiecat sailing, snorkeling, aqua bikes, paddleboats, kayaking, and bicycling. Guest services consist of airport transfers, butler service, daily fruit bowl and afternoon champagne and strawberries delivered to guest rooms, laptops available for guest use, nightly turndown service, shoeshine service, CD and DVD library, thrice-daily maid service, laundry and dry cleaning, and dining and recreational planning and reservations. All accommodations feature private balconies or terraces, central air-conditioning, indoor and outdoor ceiling fans, DVD and CD players, satellite TV, safes, Internet access, service bars, marble bathrooms with double sinks, bathrobes, signature soaps, and toiletries.

Statues of notable historical and mythological figures populate this stone garden. Marble and bronze visages of Hercules, Napoleon and Josephine, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt are featured here, along with a host of others. The Cloisters, a 14th-century French monastery, was brought brick by brick from its mother country and reconstructed at the top of the garden. Versailles Gardens is part of the Ocean Club property, but visitors are welcome to inspect the statues free of charge.

Not to be missed—this beach is world famous for its fabulous sand and crystal waters and for the myriad upscale resorts that line it. It was a beach with no name until 1907 when it became the landing point for the Trans-Atlantic cable, which stretched from here to connect The Bahamas to mainland America at Jupiter, Florida. Today, it's the ultimate playground for fun in the sun. There are all the usual water sports and activities and plenty of space for sunbathing.

Extending across the entire eastern side of Harbour Island, this aptly named beach has pallid pink sands. The beach is a favourite among visitors for the incredible snorkeling and seashells in the area and for the gentle waves. A coral reef diverts much of the heavy surf from this area making for incredibly clear waters. After a day on the beach, stop at one of Harbour Island's renowned restaurants or tour the historic 18th-century loyalist homes. Contact the Harbour Island Tourist Office for more information.

The Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino, part of Cable Beach Resorts, is approximately five miles from Nassau International Airport.The newly renovated property features thoughtful enhancements coupled with a fresh new design. Wyndham's amenities include a pristine private beach, 35,000-square-foot Vegas-style casino, game room, gift shop, full gym, whirlpool, sauna, private lagoon, children's pool, and a landscaped waterfall-fed pool with waterslide and swim-up bar. Other recreational activities include jogging trails, tennis courts, golf course, snorkeling, sailing, jet skiing, and performances at The Rainforest Theater. Onsite dining is available at any of seven venues, including Black Angus Grille, Moso Asian Restaurant, our brand new buffet SeaSide, the Deli, Crystal Sweets, Flamingo Pool Bar & Grill, and 22 above. The resort also offers shopping, shoeshines, valet laundry, and valet parking.All rooms feature work desks, dual-line speakerphones, voicemail, flat screen TV, safes, mini-bars, irons and ironing boards, in-room movies, private balconies, A/C, and Bath and Body Works Toiletries. Local attractions include the Ardastra Gardens, the zoo and conservation center, botanical gardens, Arawak Cay Fish Fry, and downtown Nassau which are all within five miles of the hotel. Note: Minimum age for check in without an adult is 18. Spring breakers will be required to pay a refundable 500 security deposit. A maximum of 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children is suggested per room. Also please note that there is a 15 per person per day resort fee.

Situated only minutes from the heart of downtown Nassau, Bahamas, there is no place quite like the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Center. The 5½ acre park is part jungle, part gardens and home to hundreds of beautiful mammals, birds, and reptiles from around the world, including many endangered species from the Bahamas and the Greater Caribbean. Ardastra offers a very intimate setting to mingle with amazing wildlife and is committed to the preservation and conservation of endangered species. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children 4-12 years of age. Admission for children under 3 is free.

Any discussion of Nassau's top restaurants must include a mention of this local gem. It consistently earns top marks from critics around the world. Gourmet Magazine found the cuisine "exceptional," and most patrons would be quick to agree. The French/continental cuisine is impeccably prepared. Signature dishes include soufflé and roast rack of lamb. The best fresh seafood, harvested from local waters, is also featured. The restaurant is set in a century-old home, overlooking a pool. You can also choose to dine outside in a tropical courtyard. Dress elegantly.