Bahamas Family Week

The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort, part of the new Cable Beach Resorts, is located along 1,000 feet of one the most beautiful beaches and is approximately five miles from Nassau International Airport.Guests can relax in the sun along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean by day and by night take in the city's bustling nightlife, home of the Bahamian national capital, which has been a hub of activity since the shipwrecking days of the legendary pirate Blackbeard. Savor exquisite Italian Cuisine at Amici Trattoria, sip on a tropical drink at Edgewater Bar, or sample traditional Caribbean Cuisine at Dolphin Grill. The resort has something for everyone to enjoy: three freshwater pools with flowing waterfalls, oversized whirlpools, and swim-up bar. Try your luck at the neighboring Crystal Palace Casino. Also, there is a fitness center, tennis courts, snorkeling, kayaking, and sailing on site. The kids will have a great time at the Kids' Club with an adult-supervised daily program of activities just for them. The price includes the property's resort fee.The hotel features 694 guest rooms and suites, each boasting the Sheraton Suite Sleeper bed and a large private balcony with breathtaking views of the waterscape, lush gardens, or the Atlantic Ocean.

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.

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.

Come if you are hungry, come if you are curious, come if you want to take in lots of local color and flavor. This is the Bahamas' famous Fish Fry; a taste of Bahamian "backyard dining." Watch fresh catches being fried before your eyes, local-style, along with other unique specialties. Taste the likes of conch salad or conch fritters, heaping salads and more. Frequently, this outdoor eating area hosts arts and crafts exhibits, music and dance.

With the festive atmosphere, prime Cable Beach location and rave-review seafood, this place has everything going for it. The spacious restaurant is located a few minutes' walk away from all the major hotels on Cable Beach. Specialties of the house include Garlic Crab, Cracked Conch, Grilled Bahamian Lobster and, on Thursdays (Bahamian night), Grilled Conch. Diners can opt for casual patio seating, or can choose to go indoors, where the action is. Live calypso music plays between 7pm and 11pm.

Much of the architecture found in the Caribbean is a hodgepodge, or melting pot, because early settlers transported their design ideas and influences from their homeland. This is no exception. Balcony House is typical of early 18th century southeast American architecture: a wooden structure, totally restored between 1992 and 1993. As you tour New Providence, you'll recognize this as a popular style that many of the early arrivals embraced. The refurbishment includes interiors, furnishings and home accessories from the period. Guided tours are available and encouraged. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.

Carved out of the limestone cliff by slave labor in the 1790s, these 65 steps are one of Nassau's most popular attractions. The stairs were later renamed for Queen Victoria to commemorate her 65 years of rule ending in 1901. Recently, a waterfall running from the top has been added. The top of the staircase affords a nice view of Nassau and the Caribbean Sea.

Centrally located and reasonably priced, this place always seems to draw a crowd. The lengthy menu offers American and Bahamian comfort food in large portions. Try a full slab of barbecued ribs, served with two side dishes and a bread basket. But burgers, sandwiches and fried chicken are less expensive options and almost as good. The atmosphere is noisy, cheerful and occasionally rowdy. Live music plays Thursday through Saturday, from 9p to 11p.

Nassau's rich pirate history is remembered at this popular downtown attraction. It takes up nearly a whole block, just off the main shopping drag. Visitors tour a full-scale pirate ship, a dungeon and a cheerily debauched pirate community. If you wish to make an evening of your tour, buffet dinners or formal entertainment can be arranged. A relaxed patio bar is located just outside the main attraction. The gift shop, an attraction in its own right, can be accessed from the street.

A lavish and royal lifestyle awaits you at Atlantis. Spread across a massive piece of land in Paradise Island, this place is one of the largest establishments in the city, and offers a wide range of accomodations, fine dining and shopping options to visitors. Additionally, its beautiful landscape, elegant set up and quality service have made Atlantis the most preferred holiday destination of celebrities and international tourists alike. Be it the special sightseeing tours arranged by the resort authorities or simple walks through quaint streets—this place guarantees complete fun and satisfaction to one and all. Check the website for further details.

While it's within a block of Bay Street, this restaurant's side-street location makes for a much calmer atmosphere. Diners can take time to savor juicy cuts of meat, mouthwatering desserts and homemade pastas. The menu features fresh pasta, pizza and seafood. For lusty appetites, the filet mignon is a favorite. The restaurant is housed in a historic Colonial home, on a picturesque downtown lane. Colorful prints by Matisse and his contemporaries decorate the walls. The management requires elegant-casual attire.

The little sister of the original Poop Deck restaurant, located on Bay Street, offers the same great food and ocean views, but in a location that's slightly off the over-beaten path. The menu features the freshest local seafood, prepared in classic Bahamian style with a gourmet twist. Try the grouper or the grilled Bahamian lobster. If you've never had cracked conch before, this would be a good place to try the famed island shellfish. The décor is Caribbean tropical with a colonial flare, as is apparent from the mauve exterior and grandiose white pillars at the entrance. Diners can choose to sit indoors or outdoors.